27th April 2016



Dealer South
S
AJ3    
E-W Vul
H
643    
    D K5    
    C KQJ104
   
S
KQ942
    S
108765
H
Q52
    H
A
D
AQ76
    D
J108432
C
5
    C
9
    S
-
   
    H
KJ10987
   
    D
9
   
    C
A87632
   



Another deal is from the Goldstone Cup semi-final between Michael Byrne's and Raymond Semp's teams.
What do you open with the South hand?  Both one heart and four hearts are reasonable choices.  Michael's team mate opened four hearts, West boldly bid four spades and North doubled.  East was happy enough with this development, but West could not avoid the loss of two spades, a diamond and a club for one off.

In the other room the player for Raymond's team tried opening one heart, West overcalled one spade, North bid two clubs and East pre-empted with four spades.  It is hard to criticise South for bidding five clubs now; it is not often that you get to raise partner with six card support, a void and a singleton.  However, that was not the winning decision as five clubs lost a diamond and two heart tricks after a diamond lead (the heart ace also beats it, but a spade lets it through) for a rather fortunate six IMP gain to Michael's team.