Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Bridge Match 1 - Board 38

Board 38 – Dealer East – EW Vul

My hand: 9 2 Q T 9 8 4 J K J 8 5 4

East passes. I have another 5-5 with no points so I have to pass. West bids 1 spade, partner overcalls 1 NT and East bids 2 spades. I bid 3 hearts and partner raises to 4. West leads the 7 of clubs.



NORTH
K 8 5
A J
A 6 5 4 3
A 9 2
WEST
7

SOUTH
9 2
Q T 9 8 4
J
K J 8 5 4


West North East South


Pass Pass
1 1NT 2 3
Pass 4 All Pass

I have 4 hearts, 3 clubs, and a diamond. I can get a 5th heart if West has Kx of hearts. I can get 1 or 2 extra clubs if they split favourably. I can get a spade if West has the A or if I can make East lead them. But first, the club... 7-9-3-4.

I'm not sure which of them is going to ruff clubs but I worry that one of them is. I want to just get rid of trump now, so I cash the A. A-5-4-3. J-2-Q-6. T-4 of spades-3 of diamonds-K.

East shifts to a diamond. 2-J-K-A. East has a trump left and I'm on board. What are my options here?

I can ruff a diamond to hand, draw the last trump, and set up clubs. If it works I make. If it doesn't I lose a lot of diamonds and the A of spades.

I can play A and a club. This loses if East ruffs the A of clubs and makes otherwise.

I can play a low club. If East ruffs then West's Q will drop and I will lose just the A of spades and make. If East doesn't ruff then I can rise with the K, draw trump, and play a club back to board. I will then be stuck on board again. If clubs split 3-2 I will make. If they're 4-1 I'm down. Well, I could not play the 3rd club to board and finesse spades.

The low club wins every time ruffing the diamond would win and some other times too and playing a spade from board is nonsensical. So the question is the A or the 2 of clubs. A is wrong when East has a stiff club. 2 is wrong when West has a stiff club since I don't plan on finessing. Would West have led the 7 from QT76? Would East have played the 3 from QT63 after I inserted the 9? Neither seems to make sense, but the 7 from QT76 could happen. I decide to play the 2 of clubs.

2-6-?... Would West have lead the 7 from Q7 or QT7? Maybe I should finesse. But wait... I know East had 3 spades and 4 hearts. If he also has 4 clubs then he only has 2 diamonds. I can win the K of clubs, play a club to the A, ruff a diamond, draw his trump, and throw him in with his club. He has to lead a spade and I make whenever he has the A or if West pitches all his diamonds. Or I can finesse spades without ruffing a diamond and make whenever West has the A of spades. So I can always make here, I just need to find the A of spades.

West opened and has only played 3 points so far. he could have KQJ of diamonds, QJ of spades and...? Nothing. He has to have the A of spades. I play the K of clubs. West shows in with the T so I'm good. I draw trump, cash my A of clubs, ruff a diamond to hand and cash my clubs. West had the A of spades and a diamond left so I'm just in. Making 4.


NORTH
K 8 5
A J
A 6 5 4 3
A 9 2


WEST
A Q J T 4
6 3
K T 9
Q T 7


EAST
7 6 3
K 7 5 2
Q 8 7 2
6 3


SOUTH
9 2
Q T 9 8 4
J
K J 8 5 4


Professor Jack disagrees with my 3 heart bid. He says it promises 6 and should bid 3 spades instead. Apparently bidding 3 spades here shows exactly 5 hearts. Has anyone ever heard of that?


On the replay my hand makes the weird 3 spade bid. North bids 4 hearts, so they get to play it from the other side. East leads a spade which gives declarer the K of spades without needing to think about it. West plays passively by drawing trump so the defense doesn't even establish any threats. They get a club but have nothing to do when they win it so they traded a club trick on the lead for a spade trick on the lead. Making 4.

Nick: 420
Jack: 420
IMPs: 0 (-6 total)

No comments: