Lords v Commons

Past one policeman and up to the door, I bid the attendant, "Good afternoon". He was flanked ominously by police officers armed with machine guns but then it was rather an ominous date – November Fifth. The top-hatted doorkeeper sternly replied, "Good morning", adding, "…it is morning until after prayers". I was at the Houses of Parliament to watch the annual Lords versus Commons bridge match.

That mistake behind me, I would surely be on easier ground once the bridge started – after all, even with the social stakes raised, how can a kibitzer go wrong? I discovered very soon when I was suspected of stealing a Baroness's scorecard. I maintain I got my own and there were only three on the table, fortunately I had a spare. It was a relief when play properly began.

This year was the fortieth holding of the match. The running score is quite even though recently the Lords have been the stronger. Not so this year; the Commons were ahead at each scoring break and eventual winners by 4850 aggregate points. For those of us used to IMPs for teams, that's not as much as it seems and at the half the match was close.

After tea (Earl Grey, sandwiches without crusts, scones, fancy cakes) play livened up. What gets your vote here as South, both vulnerable?

West
North
East
South
1
1NT
Pass
??

Tony McWalter for the Commons, a veteran of past matches though no longer an MP, went for the main prize with a direct three no-trump.

(Rotated for convenience, this diagram didn't appear in the newspaper for space considerations.)

Both Vul.
Dealer North
  • AK2
  • AJ62
  • QJ6
  • 865
  • QJ43
  • K109853
  • A
  • K4
N
W
E
S
  • 10865
  • Q7
  • 93
  • AJ973
  • 97
  • 4
  • K1087542
  • Q102

Though North had a modest 15 HCP, nine tricks were unstoppable. East led a club but when the ten forced the king and West continued the suit, declarer had no problems and actually amassed eleven tricks.

The demands of both Houses obliged substitutions and irregular partnerships; even during the match the division bell called members and peers to votes. This hand won the best play award for Robin Squire (John Deech, a substitute for the Lords, found the same line).

None Vul.
Dealer North
  • K
  • AJ852
  • J843
  • A73
  • Q853
  • 7
  • Q1072
  • K862
N
W
E
S
  • J7642
  • 93
  • AK
  • Q954
  • A109
  • KQ1064
  • 965
  • J10

North reached four hearts after East-West had overcalled and supported spades. East began by cashing two top diamonds, West encouraging. A passive defence at trick three would see declarer lead towards the diamond knave for a club discard but East switched to a low club, ten, king, ace. Declarer was faced with a loser in each minor and no obvious way of ridding himself of either; take a moment to decide on a line.

Both declarers drew trumps, unblocked the spade king and crossed to dummy. On the spade ace they threw a club, ruffed dummy's last spade and exited with a club. East had to win this and, with only black cards remaining, give a ruff and discard: away went dummy's last diamond as North ruffed, ten tricks and +420. This was actually a defensive problem: at the third trick, if East plays the club queen declarer has no recourse and, doubtless, East would win the best play award.

Published Saturday 8.Nov.2014