De Botton team stays ahead in Premier League
The second weekend of the Premier League has taken place in Coventry with the De Botton staying in first place in the First Division. The team of Janet de Botton, Espen Erichsen, Glyn Liggins, Artur Malinowski, Nick Sandqvist & Tom Townsend only won four of their seven matches, but scored sufficient to stay on top of the table, albeit by a smaller margin. They are now 7.25 VPs ahead of the Mossop team (David Mossop, Jason Hackett, Justin Hackett, Alex Hydes, David Price, Colin Simpson).
In the 14th match of 21, de Botton faced Hinden (Frances Hinden, Jeffrey Allerton, Chris Jagger, Graham Osborne). After 16 boards of the match, the de Botton team beat the Hinden team by 34-25
These are some of the hands that generated the difference:Â 
Board 1
Allerton opened 1
 and jumped to 3 after his partner’s 2
 response. Jagger showed a minimum hand, and Allerton with three aces and a good spade suit closed the slam.
Everything was perfect and after a diamond lead declarer had no problems to make his contract ..
At the other table, N/S played 3NT and Hinden added the first 10 IMPs of the match.
Board 3
Jagger opened 3
 and after two pass de Botton re-opened with 3
. Malinowski with his four cards support hand, closed the game.
Lead:Â 9
Jagger led his 9 singleton, and Allerton covered the K with his A, de Botton played the 8. North did not believe his partner and switched to his diamond … The Declarer won the ace, drew trumps … she lost two spades and claimed …
At the other table Townsend chose not to open his hand, and after a pass his partner opened with 1. Osborne showed his heart suit and now Townsend pressed with 4, Hinden chose to play 5.
The defenders made the first three tricks: A, K and A for one down and 12 IMPs for de Botton.
Board 4
Malinowski opened 1Â and de Botton started showing her hearts. Jagger took the opportunity to show his two suits. Malinowski insisted with his clubs and de Botton continued describing her hand. Jagger showed extra length in spades but West closed the bets with 5.
Declarer lost a spade and a heart and claimed.
At the other table Townsend put pressure again…All vulnerable.
Hinden opened 1, and here Osborne chose to answer 1. Townsened quickly decided to occupy all the free space he could with 4 and Hinden competed with 5. Osborne thought that South’s leap showed a weaker hand…that meant his partner had a better hand…and said 6.
Lead:Â 8
The declarer won the lead with the ace, run three top trumps, and played a heart. Townsend won with his ace, and played the K for down one. And another 12 IMPs for de Botton.
Board 7:
After his partner’s and West pass, Allerton opened 1, South answered 2 (inverted), to the surprise of the VG commentators, as they were explaining that there was no reason to continue bidding … The couple declare the 3NT game.
Lead:Â 6
Allerton played his K and de Botton won with her ace to return another heart. The declarer won with the J and played the Q, and he insisted with another diamond after winning the trick. Now de Botton played her ace, but she returned a heart, losing the trick and the contract: 5 clubs, two diamonds and two hearts.
At the other table, N/S played the same contract, but as nobody mentioned the spade suit during the bidding the lead was a spade. This assured 5 tricks for the defense: 3 spades, a diamond and a heart…and 12 IMPs for Hinden.
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