BRIDGE- by Malcolm Simpson

Game All

Dealer East
 
NORTH
S:Q10
H:Q107
D:1042
C:AQ983
WEST
S:J952
H:A863
D:965
C:74
EAST
S:K87643
H:52
D:A73
C:65
SOUTH
S:A
H:KJ94
D:KQJ8
C:KJ102

 
The annual Camrose teams-of-four match between England and Northern Ireland took place this year at the Moat House Hotel, Oxford, during the last weekend in February.  As usual, the event was very well organised by the Oxfordshire Bridge Association and the English Bridge Union and was well attended by the local bridge community.  Spectators are invited to watch the competitors live in an open room, but the majority prefer to watch in the Vugraph Room.  This is an auditorium where the action is relayed from the second table by closed circuit television from an isolated room, while a separate screen details the hands being played and follows the play card by card, as it is relayed by a commentator in the closed room.  Commentators in the Vugraph Room, who are out of earshot of the players, make comments, often humorous and sometimes less than complimentary, about the play as it develops.  Great entertainment.

 

The above deal is typical of the type that is problematical to most bridge players.  Which is the best game – three no-trumps, four hearts or five clubs?  I suspect many club players, knowing that North-South have a spade stop of sorts, would take a punt at their favourite contract, three no-trumps, making only six tricks on a spade lead.  This is one of the relatively few occasions where the best contract is game in the minor suit (clubs) and the Irish North-South reached this contract with no difficulty, losing just the two red aces.
 

In the Vugraph Room, the English bidding was less than impressive.  With a strong 4-4-4-1 hand, the English South opened with a bid of one heart, the suit below the singleton.  When North bid two clubs, not the expected one spade, South was in a dilemma.  Three clubs would not be forcing and four clubs would bypass a possible three no-trump contract.  The only forcing bid available was two diamonds, a change of suit.  North was now under the impression that South had five hearts and made the jump raise of three hearts, luring South into a very poor four heart contract.  If West opens with a spade lead, South is forced to try to knock out the diamond ace to keep control of the hand and a subsequent spade force by the defence allows West, with his four trumps, to gain trump control and defeat the contract.  Fortunately for the English, the Irish defenders were also under the impression that South held five trumps and a soft defence let the contract home, giving the English an undeserved one IMP swing.


 

4-4-4-1 hands always give problems and if I am allowed to preach to internationals, I suggest that it is best to open with a minor suit wherever possible, so if you have to rebid a second suit (normally implying five cards in your opening suit), then partner is less likely to go wild with three card support.  Still, all’s well that ends well.  After a shaky start, England won the match.


 

LOCAL NEWS Abingdon The Large Cup (annual mixed pairs) was won by Sara Tulip and Peter Russell.  The Spring Cup was won by Brian Burgess and Andrew Ashworth.   Wallingford Norman Gascoyne and Ron Quainton came third in the County Pairs and qualify to represent Oxfordshire in the Corwen Trophy.

Wessex League  Abingdon A 19 Oxford B 1, Wallingford A 3 Menagerie A 17, 

  Wallingford A 6 Thame A 14, Abingdon B 9 Aylesbury B 11,  Abingdon B 4 Aylesbury C 16, 

  Abingdon C 5 Banbury A 15, Abingdon C 16 Highworth 4, Blewbury 8 Thame B 12,

Frilford A 15 Thame B 5, Frilford A 3 Witney A 17, Wallingford C 5 Oxford F 15,

Abingdon D 6 University B 14, Alternative Club 0 Oxford E 20, Frilford B 17 Oxford E 3.