Bridge Match 1 - Board 2

Board 2 – Dealer East – NS Vul

My hand: ♠ Q 8 7 4 3 ♥ J 5 4 ♦ K 7 2 ♣ A 7

East opens 1 diamond. My suit sucks, but I like to bid so I overcall 1 spade. West bids 1 no trump and it's two passes to me. I really see no reason to bid again.

Partner leads the A of spades.

	NORTH ♠ A
		West ♠ J T 9 ♥ A 8 3 ♦ A Q 8 6 ♣ K 8 4
	SOUTH ♠ Q 8 7 4 3 ♥ J 5 4 ♦ K 7 2 ♣ A 7

West	North	East	South
		1♦	1 ♠
1 NT	Pass	Pass	Pass

I wonder if we lead A or K from AK. Dummy plays the 9 and I encourage with the 8. Declarer plays the 5. Partner comes back with the 6 of spades. I haven't seen the K or 2 yet. If declarer has both it doesn't matter what I play as he has 2 stoppers. If he has just the K I can hold him to one stopper by ducking, so I do. He plays the 2.

Dummy leads the 4 of clubs and I insert the 7. Declarer plays the T and partner wins the Q.

Partner comes back with the 2 of hearts. Dummy plays the 3 and I fly with the J. Declarer wins the K.

2 of clubs. 3. K. A.

Unless partner has another club trick coming we can't set them since they still have two aces and the spade K. At any rate, I play the 4 of spades. K-diamond 3-J. I have two good spades if I get in with my K of diamonds.

Declarer plays the 9 of clubs and partner pitches the 7 of hearts. So much for setting this, as he has 3 more clubs in hand and two aces on board. I need to pitch 4 cards. I want to come down to K-x of diamonds and a spade I think. I start by pitching a heart. On the next 3 clubs partner pitches the 9 of diamonds, the 4 of diamonds and the 9 of hearts. Dummy pitches the 6 of diamonds, 8 of diamonds, and the 8 of hearts. I pitch a heart, a diamond, and a spade.

Dummy came down to aces and the Q of diamonds, so I get my K on the last trick. Making 3.

	NORTH ♠ A 6 ♥ Q T 9 7 2 ♦ J 9 4 3 ♣ Q 3
WEST ♠ K 5 2 ♥ K 6 ♦ T 5 ♣ J T 9 6 5 2		EAST ♠ J T 9 ♥ A 8 3 ♦ A Q 8 6 ♣ K 8 4
	SOUTH ♠ Q 8 7 4 3 ♥ J 5 4 ♦ K 7 2 ♣ A 7

I ask Jack to criticize my play. He doesn't like my spade overcall. He also wanted me to play the Q of spades on trick 2 to try to win the trick. I think he's dumb, since it only hurts if partner for some reason underlead his K.

At the other table the bidding goes 1D-P-1NT-P-P-P.

North has no reason to lead a spade, so he plays the T of hearts, ducked around, then another heart to West's K.

Club finessing the Q to South, who doesn't return his last heart and instead shifts to a spade to North's A. North returns a spade and South ducks his Q just like I did. Screw you, Professor Jack!

Dummy cashes his K of clubs, dropping the Q. Declarer is up, making 4. I go back and force south to return a heart when he win the A of clubs and they hold declarer to 2. Thanks for the 2 IMPs, South.

Nick: -150
Jack: -180
IMPs: +1 (1 total)