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A Major Swing
by Peter Ventura
From the third round of the Round Robin we can report a winning board from team Clifford, who are mainly from Miami, Florida, but also include a Canadian, when they faced team Fenwick.
| Board 24. Dealer West. None Vul. |
| |
♠ Q 7
♥ K J 6 5 3
♦ A 6 2
♣ 9 8 6 |
♠ A K 6 3
♥ A 9 4
♦ 5 4
♣ K Q J 5 |
 |
♠ J 10 9 8 5 4 2
♥ –
♦ Q 8 3
♣ 7 3 2 |
| |
♠ –
♥ Q 10 8 7 2
♦ K J 10 9 7
♣ A 10 4 |
| West |
North |
East |
South |
|
Clifford |
|
Clifford |
| 1♣ |
1♥ |
Pass (!) |
4♦* |
| Pass |
4♥ |
4♠ |
5♣* |
| Dble |
5♦* |
Pass |
6♥ |
| Dble |
All Pass |
|
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Four Diamonds promised five hearts and defensive values. With a diamond control South drove to slam.
West might have doubled one too many times, as East didn’t find the killing club lead. The message would have been clear for East without the last double, but it’s hard to blame West with his seventeen-counter. East might have found the club lead anyway, but a helpful spade lead gave declarer the chance to make his contract. As West proved to have the trump length Baxter Clifford played East for the queen of diamonds – and was richly rewarded, as he now could discard two losing clubs; NS +1210.
This was the auction at the other table:
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| Yaeger |
|
|
Atkinson |
| 1NT |
Pass |
2♥* |
Dble |
| 3♠ |
4♥ |
4♠ |
All Pass |
One Notrump was 15-17 and Three Spades promised four spades and a maximum. When partner voluntarily bid Four Hearts I certainly would have bid once more on South’s cards. It is hard to see what South feared when she passed Four Spades. There was not much to the play; EW 420.
This major swing was worth 17 impressive IMPs for Clifford’s team, which qualified easily from Group H.
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