FRANK STEWART BRIDGE

VANDERBILT UPSET At the Spring NABC, Nick Nickell’s powerful sextet rolled into the final of the Vanderbilt Teams, winning their matches by a lot. But NICKELL was outplayed and upset 127 to 102 by Jeff WOLFSON-Steve Garner, Michael BeckerMichael Kamil and two relatively unknown Englishmen, Peter Crouch-Alex Hydes. Crouch-Hydes landed a hammer blow in today’s deal in the fourth quarter. At both tables, South opened 1NT, and West bid two clubs, conventionally showing length in both majors. Overtricks When WOLFSON’s pair sat North-South, North bid two hearts, showing club length (ah, science!) and game interest. East jumped to three spades, but South’s 3NT ended

the auction. West led the ace and queen of hearts, and South made three overtricks when the club finesse won.

In the replay, NICKELL’s North bid a conventional three hearts over two clubs, and East, Hydes, tried three spades. South bid 3NT, but Crouch went to four spades! South doubled, but the contract was cold. Plus 790 and 15 IMPs to WOLFSON. Daily Question

You hold: ♠ A 9 7 6 ♥ A Q J 10 5 ♦ 3 ♣ K 8 7. Your partner opens one club, you bid one heart and he jumps to three clubs. What do you say?

Answer: If partner has the right cards — the king of hearts and the ace of diamonds — you can make 7NT. If he has K 5, 6 4, A Q 6, A

Q J 9 5 3, you should stop at six unless you like grand slams that depend on winning a finesse. Bid three spades, then support the clubs. Give your partner a chance to evaluate his hand.