Bridge Match 2 - Board 28

Board 28 – Dealer West – NS Vul

Opponents convention card: Majeure cinquième
Opponents playing strength: Adequate

My hand: ♠ Q 9 4 ♥ K Q 7 4 2 ♦ 9 7 2 ♣ J 5

West opens 1 club and partner doubles. I never know when I'm supposed to jump when responding to a takeout double. 8 points and a 5th heart probably make this a good time to do it so I bid 2 hearts. East passes and partner continues to 3NT. Ok then!

East leads the 7 of clubs.

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

West	North	East	South
1♣	Double	Pass	2♥
Pass	3NT	All Pass

Well then! Nice 20 count, partner! West should have pretty much every point in the deck for his opening bid since we have 28 between us. We have 8 tricks right off the top in the minors. They have 3 tricks off the top in the majors. We almost certainly have a 5th diamond trick and might have a 5th club trick. I have no dummy entries once the J of clubs goes away which will actually make it a little tricky to get a major trick...

Probably my best line of play is to win this trick in hand, pound out the A of hearts, and then take my minor tricks. They get 3 tricks when they want them so 10 is my max and this seems like a safe line to 10.

I implement that plan. West wins the heart trick, cashes one spade, and throws me back in with a heart. Clubs split 3-3 and diamonds split 3-2 so I get 10 minor tricks and that heart to make 5.

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

2 other tables played 3NT+2. One played 3NT+1. One played 2NT+1. (How do they fail to take 10 tricks?) One tried 6NT and went down only 1. (How did he not cash his 3 top tricks?) One played 3 clubs+2 and one played 5 diamonds-1. So we tied with two other tables for the top which is worth 12 MPs.

Captain Jack agrees with me all the way!

Ranking after board 28/60: 3/16 with 55.10%.