Bridge - The Scotsman 11/03/13

SCOTLAND’S Juniors in the Junior Camrose and Peggy Bayer finished second to strong English squads. The Junior Camrose team was Phil Morrison/Frazer Morgan, Yvonne and Ralph Wiseman, Iain Graham/Jake Milne, npc Alex Wilkinson.

The debutant pair from Montrose acquitted themselves well on this deal against Northern Ireland. South’s overcall kept them out of a doomed spade contract, but declarer had to play carefully in 4H. South led a diamond, taken with dummy’s king to preserve a later entry to hand. The auction suggested that North was void in spades, so his double must be based on extreme distribution rather than high cards. Declarer cashed ace of hearts, then led towards the K10, winning the king when South produced the jack. He returned to the ace of clubs to lead a spade towards dummy. South rose with the ace, cashed his heart winner, and played another diamond to the ace. On the next spade South played the five, so Jake won the eight for an overtrick.

The Irish East opened a weak no-trump. Frazer Morgan passed, and West used Stayman. Philip Morrison tried an unusual 2NT, but East bid 3H and West raised to game. After the same lead declarer cashed the ace of hearts, but failed to draw a second trump, tackling spades at trick three. North ruffed the king, and declarer had to lose another trump and two spades for one down.

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