Big Slam Magazine - Flipbook - Page 62
Butler Stage 1 – Session 1
To make Stage 2, you need to finish in the top 10
in your direction. If not, start afresh in the Mixed
or Paul Lavings Swiss.
I'm sitting by the phone, waiting for stuff. In the
mean time, let's look at some slams, starting with
the first board of the event.
Seven pairs reached the solid 6} but two of them
failed on a heart lead. Normal and successful is to
play }A-Q, then ]A-K-ruff.
One East made 6] when South led the singleton
diamond. Too optimistic!
Most played game but RKC Blackwood looks a
good option after 1} – 1] – 2}
You can bid 6] if you feel like it. Nine did so and
three of them picked up trumps for +980 and 11
IMPs. You should start with the ]K anyway, since
that picks up Q-9-7-3 with East.
After that it's a guess.
Three played 6NT, which might be better than
6{. Four of the 11 in 6{ went down, though it's
unclear why.
6{ is good spot, found by three pairs. It's not
easy to find the 4-4 club fit without relay. (Hint)
20 pairs bid their 32-count to 6NT and agonised
over which finesse to take – to no avail.
Mixed Pairs who make Stage Two have a
choice. They can continue in the Open or
switch to the Mixed
(There is no drop-in to the second stage of
the Mixed if you don't make Stage 3 Open, so
choose well.)