18th July 2018

Dealer North
S
KQJ92
   
E-W Vul
H
KJ864
   
    D 92
   
    C 4
   
S
543
    S
A876
H
9753
    H
A
D
KQ3
    D
6
C
952
    C
KQJ10876
    S
10
   
    H
Q102
   
    D
AJ108754
   
    C
A3
   


South
West
North
East


1S 2C
2D Pass
2H 3C
3D Pass
3H Pass
4H Pass
Pass
Pass

South
West
North
East


1S 2C
2D Pass
2H 3C
3D Pass
Pass Double
Redouble 3NT
Pass
Pass
Double
Pass
Pass
Pass

This deal is from the Pachabo match between Manchester and Nottingham in June.  These teams finished first and second overall, so winning this board was essential to Manchester's victory.

In the first room East led the club king against four hearts.  North won and played the spade ten, East winning.  East now played the club queen and North threw his losing diamond.  It seemed that declarer had solid spades and no further losers in the minors, so the only hope was to try for two defensive trump tricks.  East continued with a third club, giving declarer a ruff and discard.  North trumped in dummy and played a heart to East's ace.  East persevered with another club which generated a trick for partner's nine of hearts in the diagram position below.

Dealer North
S
KQJ
   
E-W Vul
H
KJ86
   
    D 9
   
    C
   
S
54
    S
876
H
975
    H

D
KQ3
    D
6
C

    C
10876
    S

   
    H
10
   
    D
AJ108754
   
    C

   


In the other room Nottingham also played in game, this time in three notrump by West, doubled.  North led the spade king won by the ace in dummy.  When East played clubs South won the second round and, realising that declarer only had eight tricks, returned a heart for +200 to North South.