Bridge Match 3 - Board 35

Board 35 - Dealer South - EW Vul

Opponents convention card: Standard American Yellow Card
Opponents playing strength: Advanced

My hand: ♠ A J 4 ♥ A J 8 ♦ A K J 7 4 ♣ 5 3

I open 1 diamond and partner responds 1NT. My 18 points plus his 6-9 points means we may well have a game. He also doesn't have 4 cards in either major, so he has at least 7 cards in the minors. This makes my diamond suit a real likely source of tricks in NT, and he should have clubs covered so they can't run them. I have the majors too. I feel like even his minimums can get us 3NT. So while I could invite I think we might end up missing quite a few games that we can make. The other thing to consider I guess is that at most tables my hand opens 1NT. So they're already going to get to game whenever West has more than a minimum and probably won't get there if he does have a minimum. So inviting means we stay with the pack, going to 3NT right now opens up a possible min/max result. And that's why I play weak no trump. Run it.

East leads the 5 of spades.

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

West	North	East	South
			1♦
Pass	1NT	Pass	3NT
Pass	Pass	Pass

Well, partner sure doesn't have a minimum. I have 2 spade tricks, 2 heart tricks, and 2 diamond tricks. I have finesses in both majors for extra tricks. They can win some high clubs but if they do I should get a length trick or two there. And for diamonds I'm guaranteed to brute force at least one extra trick and reasonably expect to get 2. So I have 8 tricks and tons of options for a 9th. I don't think I want to give up any of my tenaces in the majors in the hopes West gets in and has to lead into one of them. So I duck this trick. 5-4-7-K. Time to set up diamonds. T-5-4-Q. Now West is forced to shift to a club. 7-8-J-3. East now leads a diamond...

Ok, this needs some consideration. Why would he switch to a diamond and not keep attacking a major? Or a club? I'd guess he has the AQ of clubs and at least one major Q. Anyway, I guess I get to run diamonds? Ooh, that will actually end up squeezing myself out of potential extra club tricks. I guess the thing is if I give up 2 clubs they'll have taken 4 tricks and then the most I can take is 9. I have 8 in the bank whenever I want them, so I just need one more. I can safely pitch a club and a heart here, and maybe they'll have to pitch some critical cards too. Ok. I run diamonds.

East pitches the 3 of spades. Then West pitches the 3 of hearts as I pitch a club and East pitches the 2 of hearts. Then West pitches the 6 of hearts... And now I see a line I could take. I can pitch an extra club and keep 3 hearts. Then I can lead a heart from dummy and cover if West covers and duck otherwise. Only East can win that trick, so leaving Kx of clubs is a stopper. Sure. I pitch a club and East pitches the 6 of spades. From the pitches and the opening lead I know East has 2 of the 89TQ of spades, so there's no help there in terms of knowing which finesse to take. So I'm going to make my heart play. 8-5-9-T. East cashes the A of clubs and now I'm up. Making 3.

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

4 tables played 3NT making 4. 3 tables played 3NT making 3. 1 table played 2NT making 2. So we get a mere 4 MPs. Just blindly taking every finesse gets you the overtrick but it risks the contract to do so. Maybe it was right to try for it... I'm sure my line was right at IMPs, but maybe not at MPs?


Jack disagrees with my heart duck. He wants me to rise with the K. Doing so forces me to guess which major Q East has as the finesse failing is game over. It doesn't even have a chance of taking 10 tricks if both finesses work so I really don't like it.

Ranking after board 35/60: 5/16 with 54.08%