Bridge - The Scotsman 26/06/2012

Published on 26/06/2012 00:00

Tuesday’s puzzle...

The English Women’s Team are European Champions, their second win as an independent national organisation: Nicola Smith wins her seventh title with Sally Brock, Heather Dhondy, Nevena Senior, Susan Stockdale, Fiona Brown, captain Jeremy Dhondy and coach David Burn.

The team began their campaign against silver medallists, France. On Board 6 Heather Dhondy and Benedicte Cronier played 1H as West. South led the king of diamonds and declarer took the ace and led a club towards dummy. North won the king and returned a diamond. Nicola Smith and Daniele Gaviard both recognised the importance of cashing the ace of clubs before playing a third diamond: that meant they could only be put on lead with a heart. Declarer ruffed the fifth trick, and now the play diverged. Dhondy led ace, then queen of spades to North’s king. Vanessa Reess led her fourth diamond, ruffed and overruffed, and Gaviard exited with her last spade. Dhondy played the king of hearts to the ace, Gaviard led a club to dummy, the last spade was discarded, and South made one more heart for one down.

At trick 6 Cronier led the king of hearts, hoping opponents might open up spades. But Smith won her ace and returned a careful low heart to the jack and queen. Cronier played a third heart, Smith drew the remaining trump and exited with the ten of spades to ensure that Brock did not waste her king. Cronier made two spade tricks, but had to concede the last two tricks to Brock, two down.