This deal is from the
third round of the Gold Cup where Raymond Semp's team beat the
seeded Senior team.
In the open room Ed Jones passed the East hand, Toby Nonnenmacher opened with one heart, Nevena Senior made a weak jump overcall and Raymond Semp bid his clubs, Ed Jones raised the pre-empt to the five level, leaving Raymond no room to find out safely whether a grand slam was a good bet, so he settled for six hearts. Ed Jones now made a Lightner double for a club lead, hoping that there would be another defensive trick. There wasn't so North South scored 1660.
In the closed room Jeff Smith elected to open with a weak two, John Holland overcalled three hearts and Brian Senior employed Roman Key Card Blackwood to bid the excellent grand slam. When Jeff Smith gave this a Lightner double Brian retreated to seven notrump but on the lie of the cards was unable to make that. Alan Nelson would have led a diamond against seven hearts with six diamonds and five clubs. Although that doesn't take it off immediately, it removes a vital entry for setting up the clubs; declarer would have to ruff two spades in dummy (one with the ace) in order to make the contract. This is a plausible line of play if South believes that the clubs are five-nil.
Thanks to Raymond Semp for reporting this deal. |