My team won last year and we were gagging to make it a double but were sadly knocked out in the quarter-final. Oh well — already looking forward to next year! In our match against the strong squad led by Andrew Black, Nick Sandqvist used great vision and imagination to bring in a useful swing:

Nick had a tricky decision over 3«. Technically, he should probably pass, but the possibility of a vulnerable game was just too tempting. West led the uKing and Declarer could see there was a desperate lack of entries to hand, so he ruffed in dummy and casually led a small Spade towards his hand. East played low and the ten was won by West’s King.

West continued Diamonds, ruffed again in dummy, and the Ace of Spades brought down the Queen. Nick now had to hope that the defence’s communication in Diamonds was broken. He cashed the Ace of Hearts and played a small Spade from dummy. East ruffed in with the nine, but it only served to save the overtrick: South over-ruffed and put West on play with the ten of trumps. West could cash the ¨Ace, but then had to put dummy on lead, and Declarer could pitch his two Diamond losers. More tournaments like this please!