Suffolk v Cambridge University
Somewhat like London buses, three county fixtures have arrived together. Two Sundays ago Suffolk took on Norfolk in the Eastern Counties League and last Sunday was another ECL match against Cambridge University, this weekend is the Tollemache Qualifier – the national county team-of-eight event – so let us hope the squad is well played in.
The match against Norfolk was a chastening affair; the 'A' team lost 0-20 in Victory Points, the 'B' team managed to draw, 10-10 but the 'C' team lost, 3-17. The boot was on the other foot against the university where all Suffolk teams won; 15-5, 19-0 and 20-0 respectively. Full results and team line-ups to follow.
I've written before how annoying it is when opponents' pet methods arise and set you special problems not encountered at other tables. One might expect the young people in the Cambridge team to employ a lot of complicated openings and overcalls but the reverse has been true for several years. Their system of choice is natural based (as opposed to strong club etc.), occasionally with five-card majors, strong and weak no-trump represented equally and fairly universally, weak twos in diamonds, hearts and spades. So it was our opening weapon that caused the unfamiliar problem on this deal:
| NS Vul. Dealer West | ♠ AQ92 | ||
| ♥ Q1043 | |||
| ♦ A8 | |||
| ♣ 975 | |||
| ♠ K10765 | ♠ J843 | ||
| ♥ 96 | ♥ J | ||
| ♦ QJ54 | ♦ 1097632 | ||
| ♣ 86 | ♣ 42 | ||
| ♠ --- | |||
| ♥ AK8752 | |||
| ♦ K | |||
| ♣ AKQJ103 | |||
| West | North | East | South | |
| Gobert | Student | Chambers | Student | |
| 2♠1 | Pass | 4♠ | 5♠* | |
| Pass | 6♥ | End |
1. Five spades and a four-plus minor, 5-9 HCP
Before I led to six hearts, unaware there was "nothing in the play", I asked some questions and North and South seemed on good ground. North expected his partner to hold hearts and a minor but the possibility remained he had a great hand with all three unbid suits. To his reckoning, three small clubs was a worrying holding and there is not much wrong with six hearts despite its lack of success. He might have tried five no-trump and hearing six clubs, shown some enthusiasm for the seven level by cue-bidding six diamonds. But there was enough uncertainty to discourage him from this at the table.
Often missing a grand slam, even one with many tricks, doesn't lead to a loss of points, so wary are players to bid them. But this time the other three tables had no problem (against silent opposition) and the Suffolk 'A' team had a useful swing.
Published Saturday 28.Nov.2009