Voids for Meckwell

The chance of a void in a bridge hand is slightly over 18%. From a late round of the Rosenblum Round Robin, Meckstroth/Rodwell had a sequence of five boards in a row, each with one or more voids. This is almost 5000 to 1 against (more precisely 4772) for the voids, but each hand was also played in a major-suit game. They started well with this one.

Board 5. Dealer North. N/S Vul.
	ª K 7 5 4 3 2 © K Q 9 6 ¨ K Q 10 § -
ª A 6 © A 8 3 ¨ J 9 6 § 10 8 6 5 4		ª 10 8 © J 4 ¨ A 7 5 4 3 2 § A 9 3
	ª Q J 9 © 10 7 5 2 ¨ 8 § K Q J 7 2

West	North	East	South
	Rodwell		Meckstroth
	1ª	2¨	2NT(i)
4ª	All Pass

(i) Limit Raise

With the ©A well placed (although not the ©J) for declarer, only a heart ruff is likely to defeat 4ª, even with the promising club suit in dummy being entirely wasted values opposite declarer's void. The actual defense was a spade to the ace and a small heart switch. Rodwell drew the other trumps and had no problems on a diamond return after the leading to the king and ace.

Board 6. Dealer East. E/W Vul.
	ª 8 5 4 2 © K Q 6 4 ¨ K J 10 5 § 7
ª 10 7 3 © A 10 9 7 5 2 ¨ A § 8 6 4		ª A J © J 8 3 ¨ Q 3 2 § K Q 10 5 3
	ª K Q 9 6 © - ¨ 9 8 7 6 4 § A J 9 2

The play on Board 6 was always going to be more challenging. In 4ª, Rodwell got the lead of the §K and won the ace. In with the ace of diamonds (North unblocking), West found a good return of a trump and East played ace and another. There were only ever nine tricks this time, with the defense taking two diamonds and the major suit aces.

Board 7. Dealer South. All Vul.
	ª Q 6 4 2 © K Q 7 2 ¨ - § A K Q J 7
ª A 9 © 10 5 3 ¨ 10 8 7 § 10 8 6 5 4		ª K 7 5 © 6 4 ¨ A K J 9 6 5 4 3 § -
	ª J 10 8 3 © A J 9 8 ¨ Q 2 § 9 3 2

West	North	East	South
	Rodwell		Meckstroth
			Pass
Pass	1§	5¨	Dble
Pass	5©	All Pass

East then applied the maximum pressure on Board 7, with a leap to 5¨ over the strong club. Double was presumably take-out as Rodwell bid 5© quickly enough. Pass would certainly not have been a good choice, with 5¨ unbeatable. If East happens on a spade lead his side might take the first six tricks with the aid of a few ruffs, but naturally enough he tried the ¨A. North ruffed, overtook the ©Q and ruffed another diamond, this time high, and played the last trump from his hand. Unfortunately the ©10 didn't appear under the jack which would have given him eleven tricks assuming the clubs were worth another five. A nice try but two down.

On Board 8, East held a 4-3-6-0 three-count, another void, but the play lasted only a few seconds and it wasn't relevant to the hand.

Board 9. Dealer North. E/W Vul.
	ª Q © A K 8 6 5 3 2 ¨ A § Q J 6 3
ª K 5 © Q 10 9 7 ¨ Q 9 5 § 10 7 5 4		ª A J 10 9 7 4 3 2 © - ¨ J 7 § 9 8 2
	ª 8 6 © J 4 ¨ K 10 8 6 4 3 2 § A K

Finally, Board 9 was probably the most interesting as, if the defense failed to shine, declarer would have a chance for a spectacular play. This time East only jumped to the three level on his second eight-card suit. West's 4ª save would probably have gone for 500, but North pressed on to 5© and the final double seems a little optimistic (trade the ©J for any of North's hearts and it's an easy make).

West	North	East	South
	Rodwell		Meckstroth
	1§	3ª	Dble
Pass	4©	Pass	Pass
4ª	5©	Pass	Pass
Dble	All Pass

East led the ªA and thought for a while about continuing with a spade, perhaps thinking of forcing declarer. In fact, any switch will succeed in defeating the contract, but a spade continuation allows declarer the extra ruff he needs to bring off a trump coup. Using the two club honours and a club ruff in dummy as entries to ruff diamonds in hand (including one over-ruff), then exiting with a trump to the jack in the three-card ending.

Whether Rodwell would have played for the four-zero trump break we'll never find out, as East played the ¨J for one down.

Board 10 was 4-3-3-3 - how dull.