Entering the fourth quarter of the Vanderbilt Teams final, Nick Nickell’s squad trailed Kevin Bathurst’s team 98-91. BATHURST won 6 IMPs on the first board – but then came the deluge. First, Robert Levin for NICKELL played beautifully to make a game against imperfect defense. Next came today’s deal.
When NICKELL’s pair sat East-West, East opened two diamonds, “Flannery,” showing a minimum hand with five hearts and four spades. South passed, and West jumped to four spades, passed out. The defense managed a trump, a diamond and two clubs.
BATHURST was plus 50 points, but in the replay East-West started one heart-one spade. Then North was able to enter the auction, and South played at five diamonds.
BIDDING
West led the ace of hearts and shifted to a spade. South ruffed and led the queen of diamonds … and put up dummy’s ace, placing East with the king on the bidding. The king succumbed, and South made his game, plus 600 and 11 IMPs to NICKELL.
NICKELL picked up three more major swings in the quarter and won the title 149 to 112.
DAILY QUESTION
You hold: S K 10 9 H 8 6 D A J 6 C A Q 6 5 3. Your partner opens one diamond, you bid two clubs and he rebids two diamonds. What do you say?
ANSWER: In a style where your two clubs forced to game, you might raise to three diamonds. But if that bid would be invitational – and many pairs would so treat it – bid two spades. You must aim toward the nine-trick notrump game. If partner next bids 2NT, raise. If he does anything else, you will avoid notrump.
East dealer
North-South vulnerable
NORTH
S K 10 9
H 8 6
D A J 6
C A Q 6 5 3
WEST
S Q 8 5 4 3 2
H A
D 10 9
C J 8 4 2
EAST
S A J 7 6
H K Q 10 5 4
D K
C 10 9 7
SOUTH
S None
H J 9 7 3 2
D Q 8 7 5 4 3 2
C K
East South West North
1 H Pass 1 S Dbl
2 S 3 S 4 S Dbl
Pass 5 D All Pass
Opening lead – H A
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