Bridge Match 1 - Board 33

Board 33 – Dealer North – No Vul

My hand: ♠ J 6 3 ♥ K ♦ A 9 6 3 2 ♣ A J 9 8

Partner passes and East opens 1 spade. I bid 2 diamonds. West bids 2 spades, partner passes again and East bid 3 spades alerted as a limit raise. I see no reason to bid again. West goes to 4 spades which gets passed out. I lead the A of diamonds.

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

West	North	East	South
	Pass	1♠	2♦
2♠	Pass	3♠1	Pass
4♠	Pass	Pass	Pass
1Limit

A-J-8-7. That 8 looks pretty encouraging. I return the 2. 2-Q-4-5. Declarer decides to draw trump. 5-7-K-3. Q-6-8-T. A-J-9-4 of hearts. Declarer cashes the T of diamonds. T-3-2 of clubs-5 of clubs. And another diamond. K-6-2 of hearts-5 of hearts.

Declarer then shifts to a heart and ducks my K! 3-K-7-6. Now, can we set them somehow or should I just cash my A of clubs? Declarer has 2 spades in hand and no diamonds left so he has 3 cards in clubs/hearts. Partner has 5 cards in hearts and clubs. Could he have the Q of clubs and the Q of hearts? If so then we can set them if I lead passively. Can I lose my club A? Yes, if declarer has the Q of hearts then he has 3 heart tricks and two trumps. But why didn't he beat my K of hearts if he has the Q of hearts? Maybe he thinks I have the Q of hearts and is going to finesse me when he gets in?

I play the 9 of diamonds. West and North pitch clubs and declarer ruffs. He returns a heart. 9-8 of clubs-A-T. He comes back with the T of clubs. T-7-3-J. I cash the A of clubs, dropping declarer's K. He ruffs the last trick. Down 1.

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

Professor Jack disagrees with my diamond bid. My suit sucks so I shouldn't get it in there. He also disagrees with my opening lead. He says the A of diamonds is the systemic lead but likes a spade lead instead.


The auction is different in that my hand doesn't bid. They still get to 4 spades. My hand starts by drawing trump. After trump is drawn they attack hearts, but they actually beat the K of hearts with the A. Then they go after their diamond tricks. Really it doesn't matter since they have the same 4 losers and do lose them. Down 1.

Nick: -50
Jack: -50
IMPs: 0 (1 total)