Tournament Focus: Spring 2012

Tournament Play

by Julian Pottage

Please look at the play question below and give your answer. Assume teams (IMPs) or rubber scoring.

There are three categories in our competition: (i) up to and including Master; (ii) up to and including Regional Master; (iii) higher ranking.

	A 10 4 2 4 2 Q 8 3 A K Q 2
	K Q J 9 A Q 7 6 5 A 6 J 4

West	North	East	South
	1	Pass	1
Pass	1NT	Pass	2
Pass	3	Pass	4
Pass	4	Pass	4NT
Pass	5	Pass	6

West leads the eight of spades. How do you plan to make twelve tricks?

Entries to this email please and they need to arrive by 15 May 2012. In the email header, please state the category you wish to enter and your postal address. Julian Pottage will judge the entries and the first drawn answer in each category that he judges as correct will win a prize.

Winners will receive yet more exciting bridge books from the EBU shop!

Answer to Tournament Focus VIII Play Quiz

Question master Julian Pottage gives his view of the best line of play in our latest competition and awards prizes in three categories.(see the previous issue and Quiz)

	10 4 K J 6 2 Q J 8 Q 10 6 2
J 9 7 6 5 2 7 5 4 10 6 3 K		Q 8 3 Q 10 8 3 9 7 4 A J 9
	A K A 9 A K 5 2 8 7 5 4 3

You play in 3NT.West leads the six.

The opening lead has knocked out one of your spade stoppers. This means that you do not have time to develop the clubs no matter how favourably they divide. You will need to play on hearts.

You could take the simple heart finesse with the jack on the second round, succeeding if West holds the queen or East the bare queen.

A better bet is to cross to dummy with a diamond and start hearts from there. You intend to finesse the nine; you succeed if East holds the ten or if the queen is in a three-card or shorter holding. As the cards lie, East may insert the ten on the first round. You win with the ace and return the nine to knock out the queen.

The winners are:

Open: Steve Dannell, Norwich
Regional: Barry Graham, North East
Master: Paul Dolphin, Marlow