Chapman team wins Hubert Phillips Plate

The team of Leigh Chapman, Sarah Chapman, Michael Hampton and Michael Prior (all Kent) have won the Hubert Phillips Plate, the consolation event for the EBU's mixed pivot teams competition.

They defeated the team of Gary Jones, Ed Scerri, Dick Davey (all Berks & Bucks) and Jacqui Tobias (Middlesex) in the final.

Two key hands were:

Comments from Leigh Chapman

Hand 16

This hand gained our team a slam swing +980 in the second set, when Sarah (sitting South) bid slam and guessed the diamonds correctly. Other table -50 (one off in slam).

Bidding:
(pass)-1c-(1h)-1s;
(4h)-4s-(pass)-4nt;
(pass)-5h-(pass)-6s;
all pass










Hand 45

+1430 Chapman for 6S making, versus -650 (Jones) 5S making.

Bidding starting with North (L Chapman). South (M Prior).
pass-(pass)-1c-(1d);
1s-(2c=UCB)-6s- all pass

Opening lead Ace of Hearts and a small heart at trick 2.
With the opponents having overcalled and made a UCB with a combined 18-count it was likely that one of the players held some extra shape to justify their bidding. This extra shape seemed most likely to be a singleton or void in spades. As West was marked with longer diamonds I played him for shorter spades (also the opening lead Ah from East gave a hint that he may have been waiting for his Q trump trick). A spade to the King (trick 3) and Jack spade finesse (trick 4) gave us +1430.





April 28, 2015