Dubious Logic

Suffolk v Essex - New Season

A few weeks ago Essex were at home to Suffolk in the last match of the 2007-2008 Eastern Counties League season and, smarting for revenge, they paid us a visit in the opener for the 2008-2009 series. I have to report the opponents did indeed extract satisfaction, winning all three matches. The Suffolk 'A' team lost 7-13 in victory points, the 'B' team 6-14 and the 'C' team 3-17.

It will sound like sour grapes – and maybe it is – but the bridge wasn't of the highest standard. These hands, with lots of values but only one secure game contract, might cause difficulties but not perhaps in the manner one would expect:

Game All

My partner and I bid like they did fifty years ago – with about as much accuracy. Three no-trump was best of course when against a minor suit lead you establish spades but if the opponents attack hearts, you take your nine top tricks. It was surprising therefore to find that of the nine declarers in that contract, three (none from Suffolk I'm glad to say) managed to go down. One Suffolk pair declared five clubs and lost three tricks, one other got home in four spades.

I received the heart ace lead and a continuation to the king for a third round. I now had to play trumps without falling foul of a promotion to the pesky nine of spades. Unsure which opponent had short hearts (though on reflection, it was more likely to have been the leader) I crossed to West and led a trump to the king and ace. A fourth round of hearts appeared and I discarded: the spade nine scored on my left.

Clearly any other play would have been successful – eight of spades from dummy on the first round, first-round finesse of the spade eight (!) or ruffing high when the fourth heart comes through. That appears to set up South's seven but, if I read the cards correctly (unlikely) I could judge to take one more round of trumps, unblock the diamonds, cross to dummy and play diamonds. South cannot make a trick.

Does anything else strike you about this deal? Our auction marked us with a club fit: if North had a led a club there would have been no escaping South making a small trump.

Suffolk v Essex
'A' Team lost 7-13 VPs (-16 IMPs)
P. Gemmell (Capt.) / P. Sutcliffe
C. Chambers / E. Lockhart
B. Davies / D. Gudka
E. Newman / M. Sherer

'B' Team lost 6-14 VPs (-27 IMPs)
M. Allnutt / D. Sutcliffe
C. Bamberger / R. Green
N. Denny / R. Mascall
J. Moore / A. Moore

'C' Team lost 3-17 VPs (-48 IMPs)
F. Waters / R. Waters
G. Beeton / S. Flin
R. Hanley / J. Orton
N. Less / H. Mathews

Published Saturday 19.Apr.2008