Bridge Match 1 - Board 90

Board 90 – Dealer East – All Vul

My hand: ♠ A 8 5 ♥ A 5 4 ♦ K J T 7 ♣ J 6 4

I open 1 diamond in 2nd chair. Partner responds 1 spade. I bid 1NT and partner jumps to 3 clubs.
I have hearts stopped so I bid 3NT. West leads the 3 of hearts.

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

West	North	East	South
		Pass	1♦
Pass	1♠	Pass	1NT
Pass	3♣	Pass	3NT
Pass	Pass	Pass

I have a spade, 2 hearts, and 4 clubs. I need to set up 2 more tricks which can be done in either diamonds or spades. 2 are guaranteed in diamonds but I have to lose the lead twice to ensure it. (If the finesses are on I only need to lose the lead once.) Spades I'm not even guaranteed to get 2 tricks out of (4-1 offside sinks me). So, I think I will attack diamonds.

But first, the heart lead. 3-Q-K-A. I want to lead up to my diamonds so I need to play clubs first. J-8-7-9. 6-T-A-3. I now float the 9 of diamonds. 9-3-7-Q. West fires back a heart. 7-J-6-4. I'm now down unless hearts split 4-4. They aren't, so I'm down 1.

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

Professor Jack disagrees with my 3NT bid. He says I should bid 3 spades to show our fit. I guess there's no reason partner wouldn't bid 3NT instead of 3 clubs with a balanced hand so I can assert he has at least 5 spades.

He also disagrees with attacking diamonds. He wants me to cash out the clubs which just seems like it will eat an entry away in case I want to finesse again.


At the other table my hand bids 3 spades and North is the one to bid 3NT. My hand doesn't care and goes to 4 spades. West refuses to ruff in while he has an exit and eventually is thrown in to lead a diamond, removing declarer's guess. Making 4.

Nick: -100
Jack: 620
IMPs: -12 (+12 total)