Sunday, January 30, 2011

Bridge Match 1 - Board 117

Board 117 – Dealer North – NS Vul

My hand: A K Q J 9 7 4 9 K J 6 4 T

So... Nice hand, eh? I open 1 spade in 3rd seat. West doubles and East bids 2 spades, alerted as an unassuming cuebid. Partner's probably completely broke here, so they're probably making 4 hearts. I don't rate to go down much in 4 spades, if any, so I will bid at least that. Should I go to 5 spades right now? At any other vulnerability maybe, but red on white I'll wimp out and just bid 4. West doubles again, this time for penalty. East pulls to 5 clubs.

If 5 clubs is making they'll score up 400 points. West will certainly double me again, so if I go down 2 it's 500 points. Down 2 seems pretty likely and I may end up pushing them into a making slam so I pass. West bids 5 hearts which gets passed to me. I pass again. Maybe I should have started with 5 spades after all?

Partner leads the 3 of spades.


NORTH
3


EAST
6
K Q 8 4
8 2
K Q 8 7 5 4

SOUTH
A K Q J 9 7 4
9
K J 6 4
T


West North East South
Pass Pass 1
Double Pass 214
Double2 Pass 5Pass
5 Pass PassPass
1Unassuming Cuebid
2Penalty

3-6-A-2. Do I want to let partner get some pitches or should I try for a club ruff? I can't see us taking 2 more tricks unless partner has the A of clubs, so might as well. T-2-3-Q. Oh well. Declarer draws trump. 4-9-A-6. 3-2-Q-4 of spades. 8-7 of spades-J-T.

Declarer shifts back to clubs. 9-6-K-9 of spades. And now a diamond. 2-4-A-7. Clubs again. A-J-4-J of spades. A heart to board. 5-5 of spades-K-Q of spades. Dummy's clubs are up. Making 6.


NORTH
T 8 5 3
T 6 2
Q T 7
J 6 3

WEST
2
A J 7 5 3
A 9 5 3
A 9 2

EAST
6
K Q 8 4
8 2
K Q 8 7 5 4

SOUTH
A K Q J 9 7 4
9
K J 6 4
T


Professor Jack disagrees with my 4 spade bid. It's too aggressive and wildly optimistic. I bid it as a preemptive sacrifice, Jack. It was supposed to be aggressive.

He then disagrees with winning the first trick with the A of spades. He wants me to play the J to let partner know I have the suit locked up. I'd think partner already knew that. And I don't want him ever returning a spade if he has more than 1. (Leading the 3 from 4 small? What?)

He then wants me to return a spade. I almost did, think partner's lead had to be stiff. How could he possibly have 3 or 4 spades on this auction? It would have given them a ruff and sluff which might have been the only way they could make on a different layout.


On the replay my hand only bids 3 spades. West bids 4 hearts which gets passed to my seat who then bids 4 spades. If you were going to bid 4 spades over 4 hearts why didn't you start with 4 spades and take away their bidding room!?! West doubles for penalty and East pulls to 5 hearts. It also makes 6 for a push.

Nick: -480
Jack: -480
IMPs: 0 (-6 total)

3 comments:

Sthenno said...

Turns out five spades would have been a heck of a bid, too bad your partner didn't make it over their five clubs.

Bung said...

With your hand, I'd be worried that they'd make 6. I don't know what I'd do if they bid 6H.

Sthenno said...

Obviously the best thing about the aggressive interference is not giving them space to find their slam. If they did find it then I think it is up to North to figure out whether to sac or not because he knows a more about South's hand than South knows about North's hand. Of course from previous hands it seems like you can't rely on Jack to make aggressive sacrifice bids. I don't know how that affects the decision making process.

I actually really like this hand. I think it would be great as an instructional hand to show novice bridge players why Aces are so much better than other cards.