Board 91

Board 91
Neither vulnerable

♠ 6 4 ♥ Q J 7 ♦ A 9 7 ♣ J 10 9 8 4

I pass in first seat, partner opens one notrump (12-14) in third seat, and RHO overcalls with two spades, showing spades and a minor. I need to act, since I'm the one short in spades. I'd like to make a negative double to give partner a chance to defend if he has four spades. Unfortunately, we don't play this double as negative, so I must bid two notrump, lebensohl. Partner bids three clubs, and I pass. I hope this isn't RHO's minor. West leads the king of spades.

	NORTH ♠ 6 4 ♥ Q J 7 ♦ A 9 7 ♣ J 10 9 8 4
	SOUTH ♠ 9 7 3 ♥ A K 10 ♦ Q J 8 4 ♣ K 5 3

West	North	East	South
	Pass	Pass	1 NT
2 ♠	2 NT	Pass	3 ♣
(All pass)

East didn't compete to three spades, so I doubt he has four spades. My working hypothesis is that West is either 5-2-5-1 (not a heart singleton, since he didn't lead a heart), 5-3-4-1, or 5-2-4-2.

I play the four from dummy, East plays the deuce, and I play the three. I know East has the ace. Some partners might discourage with ace third to get a shift. But Jack's signals pertain only to the suit led, so East must have ace-jack-deuce. West, of course, doesn't know this. He will think he's been Bath couped and will shift at trick two.

Indeed he does. He shifts to the nine of hearts. I play the queen from dummy, and East plays another deuce. I need to pick up trumps for one loser. If I were sure trumps were four-one, I would lead a club to the king, hoping for a singleton queen offside. But that would be rash. The auction makes four-one trumps more likely than normal, but not that likely. If fact, the defense argues against four-one trumps. East (at least a human East) might overtake at trick one and continue spades for a tap rather than expect his partner to work that out for himself.

I play the jack of clubs, East plays a third deuce, I play the three, and West wins with the queen. He continues a club to his partner's ace. East plays the ace and jack of spades (I told you he had ace-jack third), tapping dummy. My only hope now is to find a singleton or doubleton ten of diamonds on my right. It doesn't happen. Down one.

	NORTH ♠ 6 4 ♥ Q J 7 ♦ A 9 7 ♣ J 10 9 8 4
WEST ♠ K Q 10 8 5 ♥ 9 8 ♦ K 10 3 2 ♣ Q 7		EAST ♠ A J 2 ♥ 6 5 4 3 2 ♦ 6 5 ♣ A 6 2
	SOUTH ♠ 9 7 3 ♥ A K 10 ♦ Q J 8 4 ♣ K 5 3

It looks as if they were going to make two spades, so this result should be OK. At the other table, the auction proceeds as follows:

West	North	East	South
	Pass	Pass	1 ♦
1 ♠	Pass	2 ♦	Pass
2 ♠	3 ♣	(All pass)

That's some three club bid! I would have doubled one spade. I have short spades and support for both unbid suits, and to my mind that's what double shows. I understand that Jack thinks double promises four hearts, so I suppose he has no choice but to pass on the first round. If we accept that premise, I agree that North must bid something on the second round. If it is right for me to act after one notrump--two spades, it is certainly right to act here, where partner's possible hands include minor two-suiters and diamond one-suiters in addition to weak notrumps. Three clubs, however, is too committal.  The right bid is two notrump, showing clubs with tolerance for diamonds. (Even I wouldn't play two notrump as natural in this auction, and I play more natural two notrump bids than most.)

I expect this to be a push, but North finds a way to lose an extra trick. East leads the deuce of hearts. Declarer wins in his hand and loses a club to West's queen. West shifts to the king of spades and continues a spade to his partner's jack. East now shifts to the six of diamonds. Apparently hoping East led middle from ten third, declarer plays low from dummy. (And why not?  It's worth a shot.) West plays the ten. Declarer can still hold it to down one by ducking, but he takes his ace and finds himself losing a diamond and a ruff for down two.

Me: -50
Jack: -100

Score on Board 91: +2 IMPs
Total: -89 IMPs