Ron Tacchi reports from the Fall 2023 NABC Atlanta.

The Whitehead Women’s Pairs saw Nancy Passell of Plano TX and Shawn Quinn of Sugar Land TX post a solid 58.62% score in the first session of the final to move them into third. They sealed the deal with a humungous 67.28% in the second session to finish almost two tops ahead of Linda Marshall of Bethesda MD and Monique Smith of Arlington VA, who had led the qualifiers. Former World Champions Passell and Quinn were repeating their previous win in the event in 2016.

On this deal from the final session Shawn Quinn showed that although she does not play much these days, she still knows how to think about planning the play as declarer:

Board 15. Dealer South. N/S Vul.

Naturally West led the ♥7 and declarer won the trick with the ♥A.

Obviously the ♥7 was a singleton, which suggested that any Spade length was more likely to be with West, but there was also the fact that although ten Diamonds were missing no one had bid the suit, which suggested it was probably divided 5-5. If that was right, East was marked with 10 red cards.

At trick two declarer advanced the ♠J, running it when West followed with the ♠5. That was followed by a Spade to the ten and when East followed declarer drew the outstanding trump, pitched a Heart on the ♦A and played on Clubs, giving her 11 tricks for what proved to be a 96% score.

Read more news from the NABC Atlanta here.