The NICKO

Suffolk enjoyed a tangential success in the 2009 National Inter-Club Knock Out – widely known as the NICKO – when Jonathan Green, a Suffolk member who lives and works in London, was on the winning team, playing for the Young Chelsea Bridge Club.

The short matches, just 24 boards, are easily arranged of an evening, and though long journeys in the later stages of any national event are possible (though softened by success), fixtures are local in the early rounds. So it is a surprise that more clubs don't participate. Those short matches offer ample opportunity for upset which should encourage everyone, in fact, Jonathan's trophy winners were knocked out in the first round of this year's event!

In 2010 there was bound to be at least one Suffolk club in round four because Ipswich and Kesgrave, whom I represent, played Bury St. Edmunds (each a sole club representative though there were two from both Clare and Colchester, Clare 'A' are yet to play round three). It was a close match, the scores were tied after 22 deals, board 23 was flat, this was the last deal at our table:

Love All
Dealer West
  • 72
  • 1093
  • A7542
  • 1043
  • K9
  • 854
  • KQ1093
  • Q82
N
W
E
S
  • AQJ
  • Q762
  • J8
  • AJ97
  • 1086543
  • AKJ
  • 6
  • K65

Where Ipswich held the East-West cards, West opened a 10-12 no-trump, East showed hearts, South overcalled two spades and East made an aggressive take-out double. East decided to play for penalties and declarer gathered seven tricks for down one, Bury -100.

West
North
East
South
Bury
I&K
Bury
I&K
Pass
Pass
1
1
2
Pass
2NT
Pass
3NT
End

Could the no-trump game be stopped? Can you see how to defeat it with sight of all four hands?

South led a top heart, North discouraged so he switched to spade. Declarer won and played on diamonds. North won the second and played a heart through; subsequently East was able to establish a heart for his ninth trick. A club from North? No good, south ducks and has an easy time. A second spade? East wins in dummy and runs diamonds (North is now out of it):

N
W
E
S
  • Q
  • Q7
  • ---
  • AJ
  • 10
  • KJ
  • ---
  • K6

East plays a club to the ace, the top spade and a club – South has to surrender to the heart queen. No, you have to go a long way back; imagine the end-position with south holding the heart ace-king, having taken the diamond ace and the heart knave. Now East cannot give up a club. South can avoid any end-play because declarer cannot unblock the spades. To achieve this, the defence have to lead a spade, play a heart when in with the diamond ace, then revert to spades.

Proof again that defence is tough and declaring in both rooms is more often right than wrong. Making 3NT gave Bury +400, +7 IMPs and the match by the same margin – good luck in the next round.

Published Saturday 6.Feb.2010