Suffolk v Cambridge University

There was a pleasing end to the 2005-6 Eastern Counties' League season when Suffolk had two maximum wins and a draw in a typically volatile match against Cambridge University. It was the 'A' and 'C' teams who registered the 20-0 wins and if those were one sided, it was nip and tuck for the 'B' team as both side took the lead, Suffolk were nominally ahead at the end but not by enough to tilt the victory point scale in their favour.

The Great Shuffler always rewards these matches with some exciting deals - or maybe it's that the players make them seem so. This year there was an even-handedness in the favours bestowed as each seat got to enjoy an eight card suit. East may have felt hard done by in that his was only ten high:

NS Vul.
Dealer South
  • AKJ98
  • ---
  • K64
  • KQ942
  • 7543
  • A5
  • AQ1098
  • 76
N
W
E
S
  • ---
  • 109876432
  • J52
  • AJ
  • Q1062
  • KQJ
  • 87
  • 10853
West
North
East
South
Camb U
Chambers
Camb U
Gobert
—
—
—
Pass
1
1
2!
2NT*
Pass
3
4!
X
Pass
4
All Pass

East's sequence was not without precedent: he'd like to make an expansive bid but he is chary of misrepresenting his strength; however, I'm not quite sure I would have taken the tactic to such lengths. As it was the auction developed quite nicely for my side and I declared a reasonably comfortable four spades – some found themselves pushed to the five level. A heart was led and after ruffing away West's ace I played ace and trump to dummy.

My plan of discarding diamonds on the heart winners didn't work out too well when the third round of hearts got trumped. I over-ruffed and tried the king of clubs from hand, when that lost to the ace on my left I knew West had the remaining ace. Moreover, as East-West were playing a weak no-trump and would have made that call on a 4=2=4=3 shape, I was fairly sure West had a little bit of shape and duly dropped the club knave for an overtrick. Youthful exuberance propelled three of the student pairs to 5♠ where two of them didn't read it quite so well – the lone Suffolk declarer at the five level passed the test.

Suffolk v Cambridge University
'A' Team won 20-0 VPs (+111 IMPs
C. Chambers / J. Gobert
E. Newman / M. Sherer
J. Lang / D. Morran
E. Colley / J. Green

'B' Team drew 10-10 VPs (+3 IMPs)
M. Allnutt / P. Gemmell (Capt.)
B. Davies / D. Gudka
B. Barker / A. Day
N. Denney / R. Mascall

'C' Team won 20-0 VPs (+105 IMPs)
R. Hanley / J. Orton
J. Mayhew / A. Wilmer
P. Carlisle / J. Marsh
P. Hanson / H. Morris

Published Saturday 25.Mar.2006