Marathon of Sittard Imps Pairs

Sittard, Euregional Sports and Convention Center


August 25, 2001


Session 01 - Boards 21-24

Board 21
N/NS


WEST		 NORTH
ª 2
© 8 6 5
¨ J T 8 5 4 3
§ Q J 4



EAST
ª T 7 6 4
© Q 3 2
¨ Q 7 2
§ K 3 2


SOUTH		 ª A K J 9 5
© K T 4
¨ A K 9
§ 8 7
ª Q 8 3
© A J 9 7
¨ 6
§ A T 9 6 5

NS score

Freq

Imps NS

Imps EW

150

1

10

-10

100

1

10

-10

50

4

9

-9

-170

1

5

-5

-420

19

-2

2

Mean

NS score

-340

Recommended bidding sequence:

West North East South
--- pass 1ª 2§
2ª pass 4ª pass
pass pass.

South leads §A and a § for the king. East draws to rounds of trumps, crosses to dummy with ¨Q, ruffs a club in hand, and leads ¨A. If South ruffs, he will have to lead hearts, or allow East to ruff a club in one hand, and discard a heart in the other. South may discard clubs on ¨A and ¨K, but in trick 9, East endplays him in trumps.

Board 22
E/EW


WEST		 NORTH
ª T 7
© A Q 8 3 2
¨ J 8 5 2
§ A 7



EAST
ª K 8 6
© K T 4
¨ T 9 7
§ K J T 4


SOUTH		 ª Q J
© J 9 7
¨ Q 6 3
§ Q 9 8 5 3
ª A 9 5 4 3 2
© 6 5
¨ A K 4
§ 6 2

NS score

Freq

Imps NS

Imps EW

450

2

9

-9

420

1

8

-8

170

3

3

-3

140

8

2

-2

110

1

1

-1

-50

9

-3

3

-150

2

-6

6

Mean

NS score

70

Recommended bidding sequence:

West North East South
--- --- pass 1ª
pass 1NT pass 2ª
pass 3ª pass pass
pass.

Many good players will lead ªT (3rd best). Dummy wins, and returns a club to the jack. West parts with a spade to the ace. East wins the next round of trumps, and forces South to ruff another club. South cashes ¨A and ¨K, and leads a ¨ to the queen.   Diamonds run, making the ©-finesse unnecessary for the contract. ªK becomes the 4th and last defensive trick.

Board 23
S/All


WEST		 NORTH
ª K 9 7 3
© K 7
¨ Q J 7
§ A K 4 3



EAST
ª A Q J T
© A T 9 4 3 2
¨ 9 6
§ 9


SOUTH		 ª 6 4 2
© J
¨ K T 5 3
§ Q 8 6 5 2
ª 8 5
© Q 8 6 5
¨ A 8 4 2
§ J T 7

NS score

Freq

Imps NS

Imps EW

1070

1

14

-14

500

1

9

-9

200

3

3

-3

120

5

1

-1

100

9

0

0

90

3

0

0

-100

3

-5

5

-300

1

-9

9

Mean

NS score

100

Recommended bidding sequence:

West North East South
--- --- --- pass
1© dbl pass 1NT
pass 2NT pass pass
pass.

A 1NT-overcall will make it harder to end in a ª-partial, so North starts with a takeout double. The raise to 2NT is needed in case South has 8 good   to 10 bad hcp for his 1NT-response.

West leads his 5th best © to the king. South leads a low club. When the jack holds, he crosses in clubs, and leads ¨Q, covered by East and South. Declarer leads a spade to the king, cashes §K and ¨J to ensure 7 tricks, and then parts in spades to endplay West for a bonus trick in hearts.

Board 24
W/None


WEST		 NORTH
ª 8 4 3 2
© K 8 5 2
¨ 9 5
§ K 5 4



EAST
ª Q 9 5
© 7 4
¨ K T 4 3
§ Q J 8 6


SOUTH		 ª K J T
© A Q T 6 3
¨ A Q 7 2
§ 9
ª A 7 6
© J 9
¨ J 8 6
§ A T 7 3 2

NS score

Freq

Imps NS

Imps EW

100

1

8

-8

50

2

7

-7

-110

1

4

-4

-130

6

4

-4

-140

1

3

-3

-150

2

3

-3

-180

1

2

-2

-400

4

-4

4

-430

6

-5

5

-500

1

-6

6

-800

1

-11

11

Mean

NS score

-260

Recommended, but rather sharp bidding sequence:

West North East South
pass pass 1© 2§
pass pass dbl pass
2¨ pass 3§ pass
3NT pass pass pass.

West should run to 2¨, for if East has minimum values, West's hand and clubs are not quite good enough to trap South. 3§ is an ultimate attempt for game, which West eagerly accepts.

North starts off witha club to ten and jack. After three rounds of diamonds, West decides to knock out ªA. South takes the second spade, and returns a club for eight and king. Next round of clubs is for the queen. With 9 tricks in his bag, West wisely rejects the ©-finesse.

Go to Session 01, Boards 25-28

Copyright © 2001-2025 by Michel Franssen