Maurice Quinns 1 euro DNR League Feb 8th 2008 First Half.

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Last Friday I finally got the call from Team Wallace , the team I am attached to in the Kirwins North Dublin Masters Bridge League. We played 28 boards in 2 halves of 14 each. Our opposition was the powerful Meade squad backboned by Madge Kinahan supported by Eileen McCann Lily McHugh and Ann Doyle.
The same boards were played at each table and also played in the Charles Higgins directed Friday night open pairs. This is open to all comers on a Friday night and starts at 8pm. Last Friday ran 9 tables which is a decent turnout given we had about 10 tables in the Masters League at same time.

Anyway on to the action which I will relate by Board number. Team Wallace was Eamon Galligan and Wallace1 Wallace2 and Wallace3 to protect the innocent.



Board 1



found Wallace2 opening 1D and I bid 2C and heard 2D from Wallace2 so I pushed out a 2S bid. Wallace2 bids 2NT and I raise to 3Nt. So we are in 3NT and there are only 8 top tricks.
Defence started with Hearts and Wallace ducked the first 2 hearts. Defence continued hearts setting up the declarer to collect 9 tricks via a strip and endplay. Unfortunately Wallace calculations emerged with doing something in diamonds instead of the well known strategy of running off 6 club winners and analyzing the oppositions reactions to this.
Defence need to build an early spade trick to beat 3NT legitimately but they failed to note this.
Flat board so a chance missed ...probably at both tables.

Board 2 saw Eamon have a go at 2H 4-3 fit contract and drift one off but gained 1 imp
Board 3


saw Eamon attempt to steal a board in 1NT after the board appeared ready for play about 1 minute after the previous board...Eamons information gatherer logged PASSOUT.
Moral of the story never pass on a passed out board quickly. Sadly my sharpness failed me as Wallace3 held a 4333 11 count with 4 hearts and rolled out the Stayman Gun and settled me in 2NT. He made the normal club player bid but all of my bridge friends would pass 1NT without a thought. Lost 2 imps .. Now down 1-2 in imps.

Board 4. Here we played in 2H+2 after a balancing auction. I don't see us every bidding 4H here although there is a case for needing less points as the opening bid has located most of opps points. Somehow we lost 4 imps on this board. Sounds like Wallace2 and Wallace3 went for 300.
Down 1-6

Board 5. A normal 4H contract where Wallace1 picked up an imp for dropping a trump queen
Down 2-6
Board 6.

Opps made 9 tricks in 1NT against us for -150 but Wallace2 and Wallace3 ventured into 3NT with 15 opposite 9 and a pair of 4333 hands. Evaluation not being the strong point.
Not the roundy shape of these horrible hands
Lose 8 imps and Down 2-14



Board 7 Galligan makes 9 tricks in 1NT and drops another imp .. Now 2-15 down
Board 8 We play in 4C North South making 150 and it looks to me like opps have decent play for 4S. Guess it went off at other table for 200 in something as we lost another 2 imps
Down 2-17
Board 9 Wallace3 plays in 3NT and ventures 3 off to lose 150.. Other table off 2 so lost 2 imps more to trail by 2-19. Contract had been makable double dummy as a singleton Club king is there.
Board 10 .. and some light appears in the tunnell as our opps travelled all the way to 5D after some offence by Galligan ...a 1 Spade overcall. 5D drifted off amid some muttering of discontent with her play by declarer. Wallace2 and Wallace3 scooped in the easier 3NT contract and the Wallace empire had struck back. 12 imps to the cause. Now 14-19 and rolling
Board 11 saw Eileen McCann make a good pass of 2NT with a balanced 4 count but Wallace1 still nailed it for 2 off and 100 and 2 imps.. 16-19 and rolling faster..
Board 12 saw Team Meade play in 3C making 10 when 3NT is a favourite. Guess Wallace2and 3 made game as we won 7 imps on the board to take the lead. 23-19 with 2 boards to the half.
Board 13 saw Team Meade being pushed to 3Ds by club bidding by Galligan. Wallace1 scooped in the 5 entitled tricks and that was another 6 imps to Wallace now leading by 29-19
Board 14 ..Wallace1 scooped in 9 tricks in 1NT to gain another imp.

Half time score = Wallace 30 Meade 19