CONTRACT BRIDGE Sound Play By Local Team

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31349, 20 April 1967, Page 10

CONTRACT BRIDGE Sound Play By Local Team

(Contributed by J.R.W.) For over 10 years the national Teams of Four Championship has been/dominated by Auckland teams captained by B. C. Bell, and this year was no exception. His team, Mrs H. O. Taylor, H. K. Brainsby and R. Evans have the confidence that long association together brings, but they have received some shocks from time to time. Last year a Dimedin team won the title from them, and this year they only just managed to withstand a strong challenge from Sir Joseph Ward, E. Dalton, L. Julian and J. R. Wignall; This Christchurch four, second after the first session, then took the lead for the next two sessions. In the final run for the line they just failed to match the performance of their rivals, eventually losing by 2080 J points to 2064 J with the other 21 teams well out of the reckoning. This was a good achievement by a team which had had little opportunity to practice, and one of whose members was indisposed throughout. Precarious Contract

Most tournament players prefer to play in a major suit contract if they have a combined holding of eight cards, particularly if they each hold four trumps. This enables the declarer te ruff in either hand or to cross-ruff if he wishes. On the following deal, therefore, the majority of East-West pairs played in four hearts:—

When Dalton and Julian defended against West’s rather precarious four heart contract, the former led the spade 10. West won with the jack to lead a heart to dummy’s jack and South’s ace. Julian switched to a club, the declarer played the queen and Dalton won with the king. This was the defenders’ second trick, and North later made his king, 10 and nine

of hearts, so the contn c.t was two down. The four-four fit in the major suit had proved to be a trap, and one which could have been avoided.

Wignail and Ward as East and West handled the auction on this deal well,, exploring the possibilities of four hearts before stopping in the superior contract of three no trumps. Their bidding. ' with West the dealer and both ciHnr wulnAmhl A woa

Ward opened with a prepared one club, and after the response of one spade rebid one no-trump. East now called two hearts and when this was raised to three, he went on to three no-trumps. This completed the description of a hand containing two biddable major ' suits, but which was still suitable for play in no trumps. West now correctly decided that his partner’s hearts must be weak or he would have gone on to game in the suit Since his own hand was suitable for no-trump play and his own hearts were not strong, he was not tempted to dispute East’s decision to play in three no-trumps. Against this contract North led the 10 of spades won by the jack, and dummy was entered with the king of diamonds. The nine of diamonds was led to the declarer's jack, which held the trick. Ward then returned to dummy’s queen of spades, made the other two high spades discarding a diamond and a heart, and led the 10 of clubs. South played low as did West, so North won with the king. Misconceived Defence

The last session of a tournament of this nature is when players do strange things. North at this point emerged from a deep trance to lead, of all cards, the king of hearts, collecting his partner’s ace and a very dirty look. Ward already bad nine tricks in the bag but this magnificently misconceived defence gave him two overtricks. In all he made four top spades, the queen and knave of hearts, the king, knave and ace of diamonds and two club tricks. Both Christchurch pairs thus made the most of their opportunities on this deal, displaying the form that carried them into second place.

N S 10 9 8 4 H K 10 9 D 5 2 C K 8 3 W 2 E s J 3 S A K Q 6 H Q 6 4 3 H J 8 7 5 D A J 8 4 D K 9 C A Q 7 C 10 9 2 S S 7 5 H A 2 D Q 10 7 6 3 C J 65 4

sides vuinera oie, was: — W N E S 1C No 1 S No 1NT No 2 H No 3 H No 3 NT All pass.