Sunday, November 25, 2012

Event 3 - Match 9 - Board 5

Board 5
Our side vulnerable

♠ J 7 2 Q 9 2 K J 10 7 ♣ Q 9 7

Two passes to me. I pass, and LHO opens one heart. RHO bids two clubs--natural, not Drury. LHO bids two diamonds, and RHO corrects to two hearts, ending the auction. Partner leads the three of spades.


NORTH
Marcin
♠ 9 5 4
A 4
A 3
♣ J 10 6 5 3 2




EAST
Phillip
♠ J 7 2
Q 9 2
K J 10 7
♣ Q 9 7


West North East South
Jack Marcin Phillip Daniel
Pass Pass Pass 1
Pass 2 ♣ Pass 2
Pass 2 (All pass)

We lead lowest from an odd number, so partner has five spades, giving declarer ace-king or ace-queen doubleton. There is no reason for me to play the jack. If I play low, it will clarify the spade position for partner. I play the deuce, and declarer wins the trick with the six. Oops. What happened? I'm getting a feeling of deja vu. I expect to hear Lowenthal explain to me after the deal why it was necessary for him to lead low from king-queen-ten fifth.

Declarer plays the deuce of diamonds to the ace. Partner plays the four, and I play the seven. Declarer leads a diamond off dummy. We are going to have a hard time beating this contract if we take only one diamond trick, as we will if I hop and establish declarer's queen. If I duck, perhaps declarer will duck also, hoping to ruff out king third in partner's hand. I play the diamond ten. Declarer plays the queen; partner, the six. Can we start this board over?

Declarer plays the five of diamonds, partner plays the eight, and declarer ruffs with the four of hearts. I play the king, the card I'm known to hold. Declarer plays the five of spades--seven--ace--ten. The ten is a curious card. I'm still not sure what's going on in the spade suit.

Declarer leads his last diamond. Partner, perhaps flustered by my play so far, ruffs with the three of hearts. Declarer overruffs with the ace. Declarer leads the nine of spades--jack--queen--king. I see! Declarer is 4-5-4-0. That pattern didn't even occur to me. So it turns out my duck at trick one didn't cost. Luckily declarer had ace-queen fourth rather than ace-king fourth.

Partner plays the club ace, and declarer ruffs with the heart six. Declarer has a good spade and four hearts left. Declarer cashes the heart king and continues with the jack of hearts, partner playing five, eight. My queen of hearts is our last trick. Making five.


NORTH
Marcin
♠ 9 5 4
A 4
A 3
♣ J 10 6 5 3 2


WEST
Jack
♠ K 10 3
8 5 3
8 6 4
♣ A K 8 4


EAST
Phillip
♠ J 7 2
Q 9 2
K J 10 7
♣ Q 9 7


SOUTH
Daniel
♠ A Q 8 6
K J 10 7 6
Q 9 5 2
♣ --


Obviously I can save a trick by hopping with the diamond king. I don't regret that play, however. Hopping is simply giving up. We can do better yet if partner avoids a spade lead. A spade from king third does seem like an overly aggressive choice when the club suit isn't a threat. A trump makes more sense.

Our teammates also missed the cold game and also received peccable defense, so the board is a push. (The cold game, by the way, is four spades: Three hearts, a diamond, and six trumps on a crossruff.)

Table 1: -200
Table 2: +200

Result on Board 5: 0 imps
Total: +8 imps

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