Bridge - The Scotsman 05/03/2012

Published on 05/03/2012 00:00

Monday’s puzzle...

Scotland won the Junior Camrose in Dublin. As Wales didn’t field teams, the event was played as a Round Robin of three 12-board matches.

This comes from the decisive third match against England. The English South overcalled a tenuous 1H, and Nguyen bid 1NT, raised to game by Wilkinson. North led the queen of diamonds, taken with the king, and a club was played to the queen and ten. Now declarer played the queen of spades, taken by North’s ace. He switched to a heart, attacking declarer’s entries. Nguyen won the ace and played the king of clubs to South’s ace. The clubs were winners, but the suit was blocked, and South returned the queen of hearts, removing East’s king. Declarer played the nine of hearts, setting up a third heart trick with the jack of clubs as an entry to cash it.

In the other room Morgan did not overcall, and Morrison jammed the auction with a weak jump overcall. West’s club support landed England in 4NT. South led his diamond, and declarer played clubs. South took the second club and switched to a heart, attacking the entries. Needing ten tricks declarer won the jack, blocking that suit. He relied on the queen of spades as an entry to dummy: no luck, and three down.