Bridge Match 1 - Board 96

Board 96 – Dealer West – EW Vul

My hand: ♠ Q 6 2 ♥ A Q T 7 5 3 ♦ A ♣ J 6 5

Partner opens 1 spade in second seat. I start with 2 hearts. He retreats to 2 spades so we probably don't have a slam. I settle for 4 spades which gets passed out.

I check afterwards and partner's 2 spades bid was alerted as forcing with 5+ spades, fewer than 4 hearts, and 10-14 points. Why is this forcing? Shouldn't I be able to pass with a 2-4-4-3 10-count?

East leads the K of clubs.

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

West	North	East	South
Pass	1♠	Pass	2♥
Pass	2♠1	Pass	4♠
Pass	Pass	Pass
1Forcing Minimum

I have 5 spade tricks, 1 heart, 1 club, and 2 diamonds. I can get a tenth trick easily by ruffing a diamond on board. I could also try to set up hearts with ruffs to go for over tricks. If spades split 4-1 or 5-0 I may need that. Or I could just ruff 2 diamonds. I only have 3 potential losers so there's no real risk in starting with a small cross-ruff and see where we end up.

K-5-2-A. I play a heart. 2-9-A-J. 3-K-4 of spades-6. Well, hearts are set up now. I can now play on diamonds to unblock my diamond K or I can save the A of diamonds as an entry to the hearts. That's only necessary if spades break badly and even then I can pitch a club when West ruffs and still make 5. So I play a diamond. 4-3-A-2.

Now I draw a round of trump. 2-5-A-3. I cash the K of diamonds to pitch a club. K-9-6 of clubs-7. I draw more trump. K-9-6-3 of clubs. Spades did split 4-1 but East has the J so my 2 hearts should cash. I play a spade to board and win my 2 high hearts and the remaining trump in hand. Making 5.

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

Professor Jack disagrees with my 2 heart bid and wants me to bid Jacoby 2NT. I still think that should show 4 spades so I disagree with Jack. Jack also disagrees with drawing the second round of trump and just wants me to crossruff.


The auction is the same at the other table (they aren't playing any form of Jacoby 2NT) but East leads a low diamond. Since the club A isn't knocked out declarer tries to establish hearts by finessing the Q. It loses to West who returns a club, ducked to East. East eventually gets a trump trick to hold them to just in.

Nick: 450
Jack: 420
IMPs: +1 (+14 total)