The Tollemache Qualifier

November is here – it must be the Tollemache Qualifier and a trip to Coventry for each county in the English Bridge Union. Well, being pedantic, that was only a third correct this year. The event moved to Kettering where the EBU hopes to establish a bridge centre; a venue for major tournaments as well as administrative centre. And last weekend the Welsh were there too. Other than that it was pretty much the same – cut throat competition and dangerous deals.

Suffolk finished sixth in a strong group of nine. Each section has two seeds, last year's qualifiers, but the very strong Middlesex squad had surprisingly failed in 2004 and they were drawn with us. Add both Welsh teams (with a fair sprinkling of internationals from the principality), throw in Sussex for good measure (failed to qualify last year on a split tie) and you have something akin to the a 'group of death'. In fact Middlesex rediscovered their pedigree and ran out easy winners, Leicestershire were a comfortable second and everyone behind them fought for the scraps. Curiously, Sussex and Hereford were in our group last year and it was some measure of our improvement from that poor showing that we easily reversed the defeats of 2004. A deal:

Game All
Dealer South
  • 2
  • 109642
  • Q8765
  • Q6
  • AK876
  • 873
  • AKJ
  • A9
N
W
E
S
  • J109543
  • ---
  • 1092
  • K1054
  • Q
  • AKQJ5
  • 43
  • J8732
West
North
East
South
—
—
—
1
1
2
2
Pass
3
Pass
4*
X
Pass
Pass
XX*
Pass
4N*
Pass
5*
Pass
5*
Pass
5N*
Pass
6
All Pass

As East I restrained myself from the obvious 4♠ at my first turn in an effort to be 'pushed' to game and perhaps get doubled. Partner had a good hand and I caught up with a shortage showing cue bid. South made a fatuous double and I was further able to show first round control via the redouble and not lie about how many aces I had (5♦ showed ---). All that remained was to show the spade queen - 5♥ asked – as I had more than enough trumps.

With Suffolk North-South, Jonathan Green tried another well-worn tactic but this time it succeeded:

West
North
East
South
—
—
—
1
1
1NT!
4
Pass
5
All Pass

In my book five of a major always shows two losers in the opponent's suit. Whether East was concerned about lack of trump honours I don't know but a good slam went begging.

Suffolk at the Tollemache qualifier 2005
P. Gemmell / P. Sutcliffe; D. Sutcliffe / M. Allnutt; J. Moore / J. Green; J. Gobert / C. Chambers; J. Mayhew (NPC).
Beat Hereford 17-3, Sussex 16-4, Berks & Bucks 15-5, Mid Wales 12-8
Lost to Cambs & Hunts 8-12, Wales East 4-16, Leicestershire (Q) 2-18, Middlesex (Q) 0-20

Published Saturday 3.Dec.2005