Striptease

Did you get the chance to show off on this deal from the first session?

Board 20. Dealer West. All Vul.
	ª Q 6 © K 8 ¨ 10 9 8 4 § K 10 9 7 3
ª 4 2 © Q J 10 6 4 3 2 ¨ Q § Q J 6		ª J 10 9 8 7 3 © 7 ¨ A 7 6 5 § 5 2
	ª A K 5 © A 9 5 ¨ K J 3 2 § A 8 4

Assuming West started with Three Hearts, South's 3NT will have concluded the auction.
West leads the queen of hearts and declarer wins in dummy. We are sure many players will have run a diamond to West's queen at trick two. Back comes a heart and declarer wins and knocks out the ace of diamonds. Say East exits with a spade. Declarer wins in dummy, comes to hand with a diamond and plays a low club, intending to duck the trick to East. When West puts in an honour, declarer cashes the remaining winners in the pointed suits to forcr West down to §Q6 and the ©J. Now declarer, who has a complete count, can exit with a heart to force West to lead into the split club tenace.

That's Really Unusual

Everyone is familiar with the unusual no trump - or are they? This deal from the first session caused at least two pairs a certain amount of angst.

Board 27. Dealer South. None Vul.
	ª 10 © - ¨ K J 8 6 5 3 § K J 9 6 5 2
ª A K 6 4 2 © A 7 6 2 ¨ A 10 § 7 4		ª Q 9 8 7 5 © K J 8 5 ¨ Q 9 § 10 8
	ª J 3 © Q 10 9 4 3 ¨ 7 4 2 § A Q 3

West	North	East	South
			Pass
1ª	Pass	4ª	Pass
Pass	4NT	?

When the tray came under the screen following North's 4NT, West asked for an explanation from South. Alas, she had no idea, and could offer nothing plausible. The director was called but as he rightly pointed out, there was little he could do if South did not know. We have no idea what South did - our reporter left the scene before South had made her choice. We subsequently discovered that West went on to Five Spades, a contract that failed by two tricks.

Elsewhere, after an identical start South bid Five Hearts - and North is still trying to work out what that was supposed to mean. So are we.