Page 10 - ABF Newsletter August 2025

Heath Watkins & Matt Sieredzinski
Board 29. Dealer North. Both sides vulnerable.
]953
[K8
} J 10 9 5 {Q963 ]K4
] 10 7 6
[A52 [Q7643 }Q8764 }K2 {AK ]AQJ82 {J542
[ J 10 9 }A3
{ 10 8 7
Heath led the {A against 2], followed by a low heart to Matt’s queen. Matt played the }K, and de- clarer won and played back the suit to Heath’s }Q. Appreciating the value of his ]10, Heath stayed on diamonds, and continued with a fourth round after winning the [A. When Matt ruffed the third and fourth rounds, Heath’s ten of trumps was promoted as the setting trick.
When declarer erred by cashing the remaining top trumps before playing on clubs, Heath was able to take the {K and draw declarer’s last trump for two off. He had kept the }7, hoping for a beer card, but declarer’s failure to cash the [J meant that the last trick was a heart.
At the other table, with George Bartley declaring, West led both top clubs (king then ace to show a
doubleton) before switching to a diamond. George captured East’s king and asked about signals, con- firming that East’s club cards had signalled prefer- ence for diamonds. George continued diamonds, and West won and returned a heart.
Trusting East’s signals, George rose with the king and played a diamond, intending to pitch a club, but East ruffed with the king. George overruffed and cashed the ]QJ, then played a club. West had no answer: if he ruffed, dummy would have a spare trump to ruff a heart loser, while if he discarded, declarer would be in dummy to throw a heart on the fourth diamond.
George Bartley
Board 24. Dealer West. Neither side vulnerable.
] A Q 10 4 [Q82 }Q4 {AJ74
]8 ]KJ976
[ 10 9 7
} A 10 9 7 3 { 10 8 3 2
]532 [AK653 }KJ82 {5
[J4 }65 {KQ96
WEST NORTH Morgan
pass 1NT pass 4[
1. Spades and a minor.
EAST
2] 1
all pass
SOUTH Bartley
3[
Page: 10
Australian Bridge Federation Ltd. Newsletter: August 2025