11thMay – Board 10. Game All.
Dealer East.
Preempts are supposed to
unnerve the opposition but of course sometimes it doesn’t work out like that.
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North:
S Q 10 5 2
H 9 3
D 10 8 3
C A 6 5 4
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West:
S A K 6 4 3
H 8
D A K Q 9 7
C K 3
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East:
S 8
H A K Q J 10 6 4
D J 6 4
C Q 10
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South:
S J 9 7
H 7 5 2
D 5 2
C J 9 8 7
2
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West
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North
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East
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South
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4H
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No
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4NT
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No
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5S
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End
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6NT
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End
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I
can’t see much wrong with opening 4H on that East hand but South could hardly
be said to be discountenanced! Instead it is West who has the headache but I
think proper respect has to be paid to East’s vulnerable preempt, so 4NT it is.
The reply shows the top three honours or possibly a semi-solid suit missing the
ace but with the ace of clubs as well. Whatever the case West is committed to a
slam and should choose 6NT over 6H in order not only to protect the king of
clubs but also to gain those few extra points at match-pointed pairs. As it
happens East has the queen of clubs, a card that is not necessary for West in
6NT but would be for East in 6H.
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