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Honours even!
by Maureen Dennison
Round 10 in the Seniors matched top of the table leaders USA and Japan. This finished in and ‘honourable‘ draw but this hand gave amusement on the South/West side of the screen.
| Board 2. Dealer East. N-S Vul. |
| | ♠ 8 3
♥ K 10 6 3
♦ 3 2
♣ 8 7 6 5 3 |
♠ A Q 9 7 2
♥ A J
♦ J 10 6 5
♣ K 4 |  |
♠ 10 5
♥ 9 5 2
♦ A 8 7 4
♣ A Q J 2 | | | ♠ K J 6 4
♥ Q 8 7 4
♦ K Q 9
♣ 10 9 |
| West | North | East | South
|
| Ino | Lev | Abe | Eisenberg |
| | | 1♣ | Dble
|
| Redbl | 1♥ | Pass | Pass
|
| 1♠ | All Pass!
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While awaiting the lead, Eisenberg asked, “Was one spade forcing?”
“Yes!” was the reply. Maybe Ino was glad he was not in game because the defence was perfect. A diamond ducked to the queen and a heart return. Declarer rose with the ace and cashed clubs, hoping to discard ♥J. South ruffed low and was over-ruffed. West exited with the doomed ♥J to North’s king for the play of a second diamond to the ace. Declarer played a trump to the queen and cashed the ace, but South scored his ♠K and a second diamond to hold declarer to nine tricks. In the replay 4♠ was bid and made.
Ino made up for it with this.
| Board 8. Dealer West. None Vul. |
| | ♠ 9 8 2
♥ 10 7 4 2
♦ Q 9 8 6 5
♣ J |
♠ A Q J 10
♥ A K Q
♦ A J 10
♣ K 7 5 | |
♠ K 5 4
♥ 8 5
♦ 7 3
♣ Q 10 9 8 4 3 | | | ♠ 7 6 3
♥ J 9 6 3
♦ K 4 2
♣ A 6 2 |
| West | North | East | South
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| Ino | Lev | Abe | Eisenberg
|
| 2♣* | Pass | 2♦ | Pass
|
| 2♥* | Pass | 2♠* | Pass
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| 2NT | Pass | 6♣ | All Pass
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North led a spade to the king and declarer called for a low club. South, of course, followed low without a flicker and Ino was at the crossroads. He flirted with ♣7 but eventually rose with the king and saw to his delight the jack fall from North.
The final result was 17-15 IMP in favour of USA.
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