Notts v Warwickshire - 7^th February 2010

This match pitted Notts against fellow Dawes contenders Warwickshire. Now that has an unfamiliar ring to it.

The Teams:

Dawes - John & Irene Auld; Keith Rodgers & Lloyd Eagling; David Burgess & Gordon Fullerton; Sandy Fulton & William Crook.
Porter - Ellen Overton & Martin Mellor; Graham Lee & Frank Ball; Mike & Daphne Coggles; Graham Brindley & Roger Staton.
Markham - Dorothy & Chris Close; Phil Dale & Ray Furlonger; Barbara Hatfield & Chris Clarke; Janet Jacques & Will Irving.

We established a handy lead of 22 IMPs after the first quarter which included a sensational Board 7:

All Vul - Dealer South

David Burgess & Gordon Fullerton achieved a couple of firsts as E/W - they conceded 1740 (a new score to me anyway) and in doing so gained 10 IMPs thus:

An imaginative Lightner double from Gordon looked for a diamond ruff. Would you believe it - David failed to lead a diamond! Note the trusting passes from the Warkwickshire South - Nottinghamshire players tend to be less trusting.

David and Gordon’s team mates had an even more exciting time:

West did well to save but Sandy did better. All that remained was for Willie to make 7NT.
He placed the hearts and clubs on his left and played for a squeeze by cashing the heart ace (Vienna Coup) before running what must have felt like a million diamonds from dummy. Eventually he cashed three clubs for the contract (Having mis-attributed a hand in the last county report I can confirm that Willie did indeed play this one).

We were -1 in the Dawes at half time and somewhat more down in the Porter and Markham matches. Things stayed close but we edged over the line helped by Board 29.

All Vul - Dealer North

West thought a while before trying 3NT and it was clear that on a passive lead my hand would disappear under an avalanche of diamonds. I led ace of clubs encouraged by partner. My main hope was K of clubs with South but if not, then I had to hope for a stiff king of spades with declarer. I cashed ace of spades just in case...

It is a pity that I did not start with Ace of spades which could have been worth +600.

The Warwickshire team were as strong as any we have played this season so any kind of win was welcome. Half their team played a relay system which for example involved 20 or so bids to identify every detail of partners hand before reaching an unlucky slam. So they could bid a bit, and on Board 21 Rob Helle showed that they could play as well:

N/S Vul - Dealer North

Playing 3NT as North, Rob Helle won the second round of hearts and had to overtake a spade honour to finesse clubs. Now the spades are blocked but he ran off his winners to finish with ♠Q and ♦Q4 opposite ♠A6 ♦J.
Someone had to reduce to a high diamond and two spades enabling declarer to cash ♠Q and exit with a diamond.

Only an overtrick but a nice stepping stone squeeze.

A really good match finished 12-8 in the Dawes but 5-15 in the Porter and 3-17 in the Markham.

Match Report by John Auld