GAME AT BOTH TABLES

By Eric Crowhurst

A number of interesting points arose on the following deal from a match between England and the Irish Republic:

Dealer: West. N/S Vul.     10 7 4   A 10   Q 10 3   10 9 7 6 4     Q J 6   J 9 8 7 5 4   7 5   K 2   K 8 3   K Q 6 2   8   A Q J 5 3     A 9 5 2   3   A K J 9 6 4 2   8

With England East-West, the auction was:

West	North	East	South
Pass	Pass	1	2 (1)
2 (2)	Pass	4	Pass
End

(1) 2 was an inadequate pre-empt when N/S held a minor suit and E/W a major. South does best to bid 3, which is as far as he dares to go at adverse vulnerability.

(2) South's feeble pre-empt allows West into the auction. Having passed originally with 7 HCP, a fair six-card major and the vital K, West is able to compete at the two level without too many misgivings.

West was able to restrict his losers to three tricks - one spade, one heart and one diamond - for +420 to England.

At the other table, the English players displayed more enterprise:

West	North	East	South
Pass	Pass	1	3 (1)
Pass (2)	3NT (3)	End

(1) As recommended above. South would be very unlucky to lose more than five tricks in diamonds, and he should not worry about missing a spade contract: 7-4-1-1 hands rarely play best in the four-card suit.

(2) West must have been close to bidding 3; the addition of the 10 might have swayed the balance.

(3) North did well to have a shot at 3NT, a two-way bid - on a good day, it will make.

As you will see, the English North had no difficulty in cashing nine tricks, giving his country +600 and game at both tables. This is a fairly rare event, particularly when one of the successful contracts is 3NT. Similarly, of course, it is not often that a pair bids and makes 3NT on a combined holding of 18 HCP.

And the other interesting feature about this deal? It occurred in The Daily Telegraph and Morning Post Challenge Cup . . . in 1937!