Page 13 - ABF Newsletter June 2025

The sacrifice was destined for -800, which is still a great price, but the defenders dropped a trick to reduce the penalty to just 500. At the other table:
does playing ace then queen of clubs (this line also requires the heart finesse, taking four trumps, three hearts, two diamonds, two ruffs and one spade).
However, the most straightforward line (winning the heart lead in dummy and taking the club finesse) was the line that failed. Doecke won with the {K and found the only killing return of a second heart, removing dummy’s [K. With no further reentry to dummy, de- clarer now had no choice but to take the diamond fi- nesse immediately, and the 5-0 break allowed Doecke to ruff this for one off and 12 imps to Dalley.
Other winners, pictured below: Under Grand Master Teams (Caprice Davey, Alice Handley, Tina Hesketh, Tony Georgeson); David Lusk Rookie Pairs (Andrea and Jennifer Bissett); Under Life Master Pairs (Gayle Bagg and Kevin Gu). Photos by Di Marler.
WEST NORTH Spooner Williams
EAST Doecke
SOUTH Jacob
3NT
pass 6{
all pass
1} 2}
South’s 3NT bid was just enough to shut West out of the auction, and Williams’ six-level rebid was left un- challenged. However, the bad diamond break, that helped to make 6] such a cheap sacrifice, proved to be too big an obstacle for 6{.
There are several winning lines in 6{: cashing the {A and playing for a complete crossruff works, as