Sunday, September 22, 2013

Bridge Match 2 - Board 19

Board 19 – Dealer South – EW Vul

Opponents convention card: Dutch Doubleton
Opponents playing strength: Adequate

My hand: K Q 9 6 7 Q T 9 Q 9 8 7 3

It's three passes to East who opens an alerted one club, showing that he might have only 2. I pass and West bids an alerted one diamond, showing either a terrible hand or a Walsh bid. Partner passes and East bids an alerted 1NT, showing a balanced 18 or 19 count. I pass and West keeps the alerted bids coming with 2 diamonds as a transfer to hearts. East bids an alerted 3 hearts showing a super accept. The end up playing in four hearts.


I lead a 'safe' 7 of hearts.

NORTH
WEST
8 4
K 9 6 5 3
5 4 2
J 6 4



SOUTH
K Q 9 6
7
Q T 9
Q 9 8 7 3


West North East South
Pass
PassPass 11 Pass
12Pass 1NT3 Pass
24Pass 35 Pass
4Pass Pass Pass
1Dutch doubleton
2Negative OR natural (Walsh)
318-19HCP and balanced
4Jacoby transfer
5Fivecard or fourcard with maximum

7-3-Q-A. Well, I'm thinking from the play of this first trick that partner probably has QJ doubleton of hearts and 5 or 6 other points. I should probably get a spade and a diamond (as long as East has 3) so we're going to need declarer to break clubs and give us two tricks there to set them. Or partner could have the A of spades giving us three pointy tricks and I can score a club on my own. If declarer has 3 of those, too. Which would make him 2-5-3-3?

I guess I really don't understand opening the club there instead of a heart if he has 5 of them. Oh, partner didn't drop the Q under the K, he played it to try to win the trick. So partner probably had Qxx of hearts, not the J, and declarer has 4 and a 19 count. So partner should have 6 other points and declarer could very easily be 3-4-3-3 and I really might score up all my queens after all.

Anyway, declarer draws more trump. 2-3 of clubs-K-4. And then another round. 5-T-J-9 of spades. Then he shifts to diamonds. K-9-2-8. Partner should have an even number of diamonds with that play so I'm betting he has 4 and declarer has 3.

Now he plays out a low spade. Is he trying to prank me since I pitched my 9? Could partner really not have the T, J, or A? Naw. And I don't really want to win a trick yet. 7-6-4-J. I really want partner to fire back a diamond to set up my Q and he does. 6-A-T-4. Declarer cashes the A of spades, ruffs out my Q of spades, and throws me in with the Q of diamonds. I now have to lead a club. Can partner have an honour for me? He's played 1 of his 6 points and can't have high spades, diamonds, or hearts. So yes, he should have the A or K of clubs. I lead a low club. 9-4-A-5. He fires back another club. T-2-Q-6. Declarer is up, but we've taken 4 tricks so he's down one.


NORTH
J 5 3 2
Q T 4
J 8 7 6
A T

WEST
8 4
K 9 6 5 3
5 4 2
J 6 4

EAST
A T 7
A J 8 2
A K 3
K 5 2

SOUTH
K Q 9 6
7
Q T 9
Q 9 8 7 3


Down 1 undoubled is good for 7MPs. 3 other tables also set different contracts one trick (3 hearts twice, 1 club once) while 2 tables set contracts two tricks (4 hearts and 1 club). EW also managed to make 1 club and 3 hearts at the remaining 2 tables. Which means that clubs was played 3 times and took 5, 6, and 7 tricks. Hearts was played 5 times and took 9, 9, 8, 8, and 8 tricks. 

Captain Jack dislikes my spade pitch. He wants me to pitch another club. I was worried that declarer was going to set up a 4th club more than that he was going to set up a 4th spade, but maybe I should have been trying to preserve safer exit cards? Though if declarer doesn't have 4 spades keeping the 4th spade to lead just gives him a ruff and sluff and that seems pretty bad too.

He then disagrees with my 9 of clubs shift. His claim is that when I shift to a new suit I want to play low to encourage. I don't think I've ever heard that before. I guess I can see how it would make sense...

Ranking after board 19/60: 7/16 with 51.50%.

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