Ramblers’ Bridge Weekend
Having thoroughly enjoyed their previous walking experiences in Norfolk, Sally, Dave and their rambling group had returned to Norwich for another long weekend. During the day, Spouse and I joined them for a circular walk including a stretch of the North Sea coast near Cromer. A leisurely trip by steam train along the heritage Poppy Line between Holt and Sheringham completed the afternoon activities.
After dinner, the main business of the day was a bridge match played over sixteen boards. No longer a side event to the ramblers’ visit, this was a formally organised teams of eight contest between the two organisations. George and Sarah, Jo and Kate, Millie and Justin, and Spouse and I, represented the Riverside. Our opposition was now taking its bridge even more seriously and as well as the usual combinations of Sally and Dave, and Brian and Harry, they now had two other pairs, both relative newcomers to the game, ready to step up to the mark.
We played four boards against each pair of opponents. The room was surprisingly full of kibitzers, as Brian had postponed his lecture: Plans for the improvement and maintenance of public access to footpaths, byways, rivers and waterways in and around the Norfolk Broads. Instead most of the non playing walkers were gathered around the four bridge tables eagerly following the play.
At the three quarter stage Riverside had a fairly comfortable lead. In the final stanza of boards this deal appeared:
| West | North | East | South |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spouse | Dave | Wendy | Sally |
| Pass | 1❤️ | Pass | 1NT¹ |
| Pass | 4NT² | Pass | 5♠️³ |
| Pass | 6♦️ | All Pass |
¹ Forcing with 5+ spades
² ColoursRankOdd Blackwood
³ 2 aces of a different hue
Playing five card majors, Sally and Dave recently introduced a Kaplan Inversion whereby a forcing 1NT over a 1❤️ opener by partner shows a five card (or longer) spade suit. Dave opened 1❤️. Sally responded 1NT. With such a good fit, Dave jumped to 4NT, a CRO Blackwood bid asking for aces. Sally’s 5♠️ showed two aces of different colours. Dave knew the partnership held all the aces and ended the auction with 6♦️. Spouse and I had passed throughout.
It is not often that a slam is bid in a suit not naturally mentioned until the final bid in the auction.
