Monday afternoon May 19, 2008
Board 17
North Deals None Vul | ♠ K Q 5 3 2 ♥ 6 3 ♦ A J 10 9 6 3 ♣ — | ||||||||||
♠ 9 4
♥ Q J 9 4 2 ♦ Q 8 ♣ A 9 6 2 |
| ♠ A 7
♥ K 5 ♦ 4 2 ♣ K J 10 7 5 4 3 | |||||||||
| ♠ J 10 8 6 ♥ A 10 8 7 ♦ K 7 5 ♣ Q 8 |
| West | North | East | South |
| 1 ♠ | 3 ♣ | 3 ♠ | |
| 4 ♣ | 4 ♦ | 5 ♣ | 5 ♥ |
| Pass | 5 ♠ | Pass | 6 ♠ |
| All pass |
| 6 ♠ by North |
| Made 6 — +980 |
Lead: ace of clubs
Unfortunately, this bidding sequence didn't happen today. After the first round of bidding, NS have agreed on the trump suit. Even with EW interference NS can get to slam by cue-bidding controls; first North cues diamonds, then partner cues hearts. Slam is still a guess for North because of the need for secondary diamond support, thus the five spades bid. South is in tune and raises to six, holding the key king of diamonds.
The ace of clubs is trumped and the ace of spades knocked out. Too late, East tries to attack hearts. When the diamond queen falls, it's all over, the losing heart pitched on the board's good diamonds.
Against a game in spades, 5C doubled for -300 is a good score for EW.
Monday afternoon May 19, 2008
Board 20
West Deals Both Vul | ♠ Q J 3 ♥ 2 ♦ Q J 7 2 ♣ Q J 10 5 3 | ||||||||||
♠ 5 4
♥ K Q 10 7 5 3 ♦ 9 ♣ 9 8 6 2 |
| ♠ 10 8 7 6 2
♥ — ♦ K 10 6 5 4 ♣ A K 7 | |||||||||
| ♠ A K 9 ♥ A J 9 8 6 4 ♦ A 8 3 ♣ 4 |
| West | North | East | South |
| Pass | Pass | 1 ♦ | 1 ♥ |
| 2 ♥ | Pass | 2 ♠ | 3 ♥ |
| Dbl | All pass |
| 3 ♥ x by South |
| Down 1 — -200 |
Lead: nine of diamonds
Bridge is so much fun. I actually had a shot at making this contract, instead going down 1 doubled for -200. Two hearts was played by West going down 1 and two hearts was played by South going down 1! I love it! I asked East the meaning of West's 2H overcall, which I suspected was Michaels, although Michaels isn't used in third seat. East thought West was asking her to pick between spades and clubs.
The nine of diamonds forced out the king and ace. After losing a club, then a diamond trumped by West, the return club forced out East's king to my trump. I went to the board with the nine of spades and pitched my remaining diamond on the good ten of clubs. West ruffed the third round of spades and now had three tricks. Unfortunately, I didn't have the right cards to end-play West and lost two more heart tricks. What an odd hand.
Monday afternoon May 19, 2008
Board 22
East Deals E-W Vul | ♠ A Q J 8 4 2 ♥ A K J 10 3 ♦ Q 2 ♣ — | ||||||||||
♠ 10 9
♥ 6 5 2 ♦ K 4 3 ♣ Q 10 9 8 5 |
| ♠ 6 3
♥ Q 8 ♦ J 9 8 7 6 ♣ J 7 3 2 | |||||||||
| ♠ K 7 5 ♥ 9 7 4 ♦ A 10 5 ♣ A K 6 4 |
| West | North | East | South |
| Pass | 1 ♣ | ||
| Pass | 2 ♠ | Pass | 3 ♦ |
| Pass | 4 NT | Pass | 5 ♥ |
| Pass | 5 NT | Pass | 6 ♥ |
| Pass | 7 NT | All pass |
| 7 NT by North |
| Down 7 — -350 |
Lead: two of clubs.
The correct contract for this hand is 6NT, although seven can be made if the heart decision is pushed back a few tricks and discarding pressure is applied to the defenders. Assuming a club to the ace, declarer should cash six spade tricks and watch the discards, throwing two hearts and a club herself from the board. East has no problem, tossing diamonds and clubs; West, however, starts to feel the pressure and has to pitch hearts in order to protect the king of diamonds and the queen of clubs. In the actual hand, North finessed the heart early and went down hard. By counting the discards North realizes that there are only two hearts remaining. When the ace of clubs and ace of diamonds are cashed, declarer is left with nothing but good hearts--making seven.