Bridge Match 3 - Board 26

Board 26 - Dealer East - All Vul

Opponents convention card: Majeure cinquième
Opponents playing strength: Advanced

My hand: ♠ 8 ♥ K Q T ♦ 8 7 3 2 ♣ Q J T 9 6

East opens 1 spade, I double. West bids 2 spades and partner bids 3 hearts. East follows up with 3 spades. Now, I'm a little light for my bid, and I don't have a 4th heart, so I'm a little leery about bidding 4 hearts here. I pass, as does West, but then partner decides to bid 3NT and East doubles for penalty. No trump can't be the right spot... Could clubs? Or should I just retreat to 4 hearts? I'm a little worried partner will take a 4 club bid as a cuebid and I'm not sure it's even a good place regardless. If we're playing at the 4 level we might as well be in game. East doubles my 4 hearts bid for penalty too.

East leads the 8 of hearts.

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

West	North	East	South
		1♠	Double
2♠	3♥	3♠	Pass
Pass	3NT	Double1	4♥
Pass	Pass	Double2	Pass
Pass	Pass
1Penalty
2Penalty

Oh no. Partner's 3 heart bid was based on 4 of them to the 9. And we have no aces. So we're going to lose 4 tricks off the top, and then probably lose a trick to the J of hearts as well. Unless hearts split 3-3 and East led 8 from J8x? That feels super unlikely. Playing West for Jx is probably better. Ok, I'll do that. 8-K-3-2. I need to draw trump and get rid of the A of clubs. I'm worried that if I play clubs they'll ruff some. But I don't really have trump control so maybe that's fine? I should play a club. 6-7-K-2. 3-A-Q-5. East cashes the A of spades. A-8-5-9. And the A of diamonds. A-2-5-4. I now have all the high cards, except for that pesky trump suit. So I draw some trump after winning the diamond East returned. West wins the A of hearts and then cashes the J of hearts. East shows out, so West has another heart. But the best he can do is put me back in hand, so I'm up.

Down 2, doubled.

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

All of the other tables played spade contracts. 4 spades made 3 times, went down 1 3 times, and 3 spades made just in. This means we actually get 6 MPs. Of course if partner had just passed out 3 spades we get an extra MP. Oh well.


Jack disagrees with my double since it promises 12 points and I only have 8. I knew I was doubling a little light, but I didn't expect it to put Jack on tilt the way it did. He also disagrees with my 4 heart bid and would rather I sit for 3NT doubled. I played that out, and went down 4 doubled. I could have cashed out for down 2 doubled if I wanted to give up, though.

Ranking after board 26/60: 7/16 with 51.65%