No prizes this year, but the following questions should keep you entertained over the Festive Season.
You are playing Matchpointed Pairs, using Standard Acol, with a 12-14 opening one no-trump, red suit transfers, Stayman and Blackwood. Neither side is vulnerable.
QUESTION ONE Bidding
What would be your response if partner, as dealer, opens one spade?
(choose from 3 options, a, b or c)
i. S
543 ii. S 986 iii.
H 8 H 752 H AQ32 H AQ974 H K4
D K7532 D KQ532 D 863 D K3 D AQJ63
C K842 C Q4 C K86 C 72 C A5
Responses:
a 2D a 2D a 2H a 2H a 4S
b 1NT b 1NT b 2S b 4S b 3D
c 2S c 2S c 2C c 3S c 2D
QUESTION TWO Declarer Play
West East
H AK5 H J8432
D Q7 D A105
C AK C 84
West opens the bidding with two clubs and jumps to three spades after a negative response of two diamonds. A cue bid of four diamonds from East results in West becoming Declarer in six spades. North leads the four of diamonds. Plan the play.
QUESTION THREE Defence
North East
(dummy) (you)
S 872 S K3
H A843 H Q752
D 752 D A4
C AKJ C 87543
You are East. North-South reach a contract of three no-trumps after South opens one no-trump and North raises to two no-trumps. Your partner, West, leads the four of spades to your king and South’s ten. You return the three of spades to South’s jack and partner’s ace. Partner now leads the two of spades, won by South’s queen. What do you discard?
QUESTION FOUR
Cryptic
Clues to surnames of
i. Young boy removed from Blackpool Hostess. (5)
ii. This service is all afloat! (6)
iii. Seek to deprive your offspring. (6)
iv. Club used by a rejected member of a Golf Club? (9)
v. Loud bandage material. (5)
vi. One thousand morning mastications. (8)
vii. Sounds if you wish to destroy Queen Victoria’s heir apparent! (10)
viii. Point prophet reversed. (5)
ix. Correct our exam paper? (6)
x. Jim rides one? That makes a change! (11)
A Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to
all our readers!