Bridge Match 1 - Board 99

Board 99 – Dealer South – NS Vul

My hand: ♠ 9 6 ♥ A T 8 7 ♦ 8 6 2 ♣ K 9 5 4

West opens 1 diamond in 2nd seat. Partner bids 1 heart and East bids 1 spade. I abide by the law so I bid 3 hearts. West bids 4 diamonds and East goes to 5. Partner leads the 4 of hearts.

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

West	North	East	South
			Pass
1♦	1♥	1♠1	3♥
4♦	Pass	5♦	All Pass
1At least 5 spades

4-J-A-2. Declarer should be out of hearts now, so I could go for a tap. He could pitch and float around to dummy's Q if he needs 2 pitches, though. Alternatively I can play a club in the hopes that partner has the A, or the Q, or the J and declarer misguesses. That seems like a better plan. I play the 9 of clubs. 9-J-Q-3.

Partner foolishly cashes the K of hearts, establishing the Q on board. K-6-7-9 of diamonds. Declarer draws trump. T-4-3-2. J-3 of hearts-5-6. Then declarer switches to a spade. J-K-A-6. Declarer is up because he gets to pitch his 4th club on the Q of hearts. Making 5.

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

Professor Jack disagrees with my club play. He wants me to lead low. He then disagrees with my spade play and wants me to play high to show 2. I thought that would help declarer more than partner is why I didn't.


The bidding is the same on the replay. My hand returns a low club and North again cashes the K of hearts like a moron. Also making 5. I go back and make partner return a club but he ends up getting squeezed. I go back and force my hand to return a heart instead of a club at trick 2. Declarer ruffs but still gets the squeeze off because my hand fires back a club and not a heart when declarer ducks a club. I go back and make him play another heart to eliminate that threat. My hand then pitches a club letting declarer establish that suit. I make him keep his clubs but then declarer just crossruffs the hand. I guess there's actually nothing to do to set them.

Nick: -600
Jack: -600
IMPs: +0 (+3 total)