The Spring Foursomes is the EBU’s flagship tournament and is always held the first weekend in May. Sadly it has had long Covid the past couple of years, but 2024 saw it back to its former glory. Brand-new venue, the DoubleTree Hilton in Bristol, good playing facilities and enough food to go round! Way to go!
The format is double elimination and is bracketed all the way to the final. Sixty teams entered, (max 64), and there was a good sprinkling of Nordic players to spice things up.
Today’s hand looks easy enough but that’s exactly when we should investigate Plan B. When a contract looks bad we are taught to place the missing cards in the most favourable position and see if we can find a way home. Likewise, when all looks calm, we should imagine the worst possible layout and check for any traps.
Do cover up the East/West hands and have a go yourself (see diagram).
West led ♠8 and Declarer surveyed dummy. Prospects looked good: even if he had a Diamond loser; one of dummy’s Clubs will disappear on the fifth Diamond so he can always make five, and six is easy if Diamonds break 2-2. This, or something similar, constituted a plan and South ruffed the lead with the ♥5, drew three rounds of trumps, laid down the ◆A and went 2 off. East had to get in twice in Diamonds and the defence scored four tricks in the minors.
How did you fare?
To make, in fact, you had to remember to ruff the first Spade with a heart honour, draw three rounds of trump ending in dummy and start Diamonds from there, covering East’s card. Any other line – try it yourself – and you will go down.
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