Dubious Logic

Suffolk v Cambs and Hunts

There was a festive feel to Sunday's county match against Cambridgeshire and Huntingdonshire but when the scores were tallied it was the opponents who were smiling more broadly. The Suffolk 'A' team lost 7-13 in victory points, the 'B' team 0-20 but the 'C' team managed a glimmer of respectability with a draw, 10-10.

It was generally a bidder's match and those who were prepared to chance their arm were rewarded by the lie of the cards. The very first deal set the tone:

We stayed safely in game: after my 1♣ opener, next hand overcalled 1♥, when passed back to me, I jumped to 2♠. My partner bid game and I retired. Slam isn't very good, more accurately six spades isn't very good. Requiring either both club honours in South or one of them to fall singleton from North and then a finesse - and trumps to draw too. Six clubs however requires that clubs split 3-2 and perhaps you could even take the right view when North has that honour singleton.

In fact North did hold the singleton knave (and three spades) and the spade slam, bid once in the 'A' team, once in the 'C', made half the time. As if to underline the folly of such a slam excursion two pairs chose game in hearts (again, one 'A' pair, one 'C') after North-South pre-empted in diamonds. That contract didn't fair so well. None of us was good enough to reach six clubs.

In the modern teams game, deals like the one below are (or should be) routine:

East dealt and opened a 12-14 no-trump where available, West bid Stayman and retreated to 2NT but East quite rightly bid game; the ace, the good intermediates and the fine five card suit put these thirteen cards well above a minimum. Our no-trump would have been 10-12 but I had no hesitation in upgrading this to a 13-16 rebid and was naturally carried to the 23 HCP game. Three from four first team pairs bid game, one in the second and two in the third.

I'd like to take the opportunity of wishing you all the best of the season; bid boldly, play safe.

Suffolk v Cambs and Hunts
'A' Team lost 7-13 VPs (-21 IMPs)
P. Sutcliffe / P. Gemmell (Capt.)
C. Chambers / J. Gobert
N. Denny / R. Mascall
C. Bamberger / R. Green

'B' Team lost 0-20 VPs (-82 IMPs)
R. Hanley / J. Orton
R. Paris / T. Shearman
M. Bone / J. Leigh
H. Mason / D. Mathews

'C' Team drew 10-10 VPs (-3 IMPs)
B. Malinowska / E. Newman
J. Mayhew/ A. Wilmer
J. Standley / K. Standley
R. Waters / S. Waters

Published Saturday 23.Dec.2006