KiwiTeams 080813 - A few hands

I thought I would celebrate the Central Climbers first win by posting some hands from the match...

Early on Palmer and Wilson found their three-three fit in the simplest of auctions.

Board 3 South Deals E-W Vul	♠ J 8 2 ♥ A Q 10 6 ♦ 10 7 4 ♣ A 10 8
♠ A K Q 10 ♥ K 4 3 ♦ Q 8 3 ♣ J 5 4	N  W E S	♠ 6 5 4 3 ♥ 9 8 ♦ J 6 5 2 ♣ K 9 3
	♠ 9 7 ♥ J 7 5 2 ♦ A K 9 ♣ Q 7 6 2

West	North	East	South
gerry	lmu	tarakiwi	seychelles
			Pass
1 ♣	All pass

1 ♣ by West

Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
1. N	♠ 2	3	9	10
2. W	♠ A	8	4	7
3. W	♠ K	J	5	♣ 2
4. S	♦ A	3	4	2
5. S	♦ K	Q	7	5
6. S	♦ 9	8	10	J
7. E	♥ 8	2	K	A
8. N	♥ Q	9	5	3
9. N	♥ 6	♣ 3	7	4
10. E	♦ 6	♥ J	♠ Q	♣ 8
11. N	♥ 10	♠ 6	♣ 6	♣ J
12. W	♣ 4	10	K	7
13. E	♣ 9	Q	5	A

Down 1 — E-W -100

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The auction was more eventful in the closed room ...

Board 3 South Deals E-W Vul	♠ J 8 2 ♥ A Q 10 6 ♦ 10 7 4 ♣ A 10 8
♠ A K Q 10 ♥ K 4 3 ♦ Q 8 3 ♣ J 5 4	N  W E S	♠ 6 5 4 3 ♥ 9 8 ♦ J 6 5 2 ♣ K 9 3
	♠ 9 7 ♥ J 7 5 2 ♦ A K 9 ♣ Q 7 6 2

West	North	East	South
sandrac	kermit	jenter62	cascade
			1 NT1
Dbl	All pass

10-13 can be off-shape

1 NT x by South

Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
1. W	♠ A	2	3	7
2. W	♠ K	8	4	9
3. W	♠ Q	J	5	♣ 2
4. W	♠ 10	♦ 4	6	♥ 2
5. W	♦ 3	7	J	A
6. S	♥ J	3	6	8
7. S	♥ 7	4	10	9
8. N	♥ A	♣ 3	5	K
9. N	♥ Q	♦ 2	♣ 6	♣ 4
10. N	♣ 8	K	7	5
11. E	♦ 6	K	8	10
12. S	♣ Q	J	A	9
13. N	♣ 10	♦ 5	♦ 9	♦ Q

Made 2 — N-S +280

The mini-1NT bought a double from west. East with only four points and a balanced hand had nowhere to go so chose to defend. With the distribution being friendly Burrows came to eight tricks. Perhaps he should just play for one club honour to be onside. However trying to combine chances in clubs and diamonds he needed a squeeze to overcome a blockage ...

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	♠ — ♥ Q ♦ 10 ♣ A 10 8
♠ — ♥ — ♦ Q 8 ♣ J 5 4	N  W E S	♠ — ♥ — ♦ 6 5 2 ♣ K 9
	♠ — ♥ — ♦ K 9 ♣ Q 7 6

On the last heart west is squeezed. She cannot pitch a diamond as then the ♦Q will fall making declarer's nine good. A club is equally fatal as eventually north's ♣10 comes good.

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Differing opening styles led to a big swing on board 7 ...

Board 7 South Deals Both Vul	♠ 10 8 4 ♥ 10 7 5 2 ♦ 7 6 4 3 ♣ K 9
♠ J 9 7 6 3 2 ♥ K J 9 8 6 ♦ J ♣ A	N  W E S	♠ A K ♥ A 3 ♦ A K 9 2 ♣ 8 7 6 4 3
	♠ Q 5 ♥ Q 4 ♦ Q 10 8 5 ♣ Q J 10 5 2

West	North	East	South
gerry	lmu	tarakiwi	seychelles
			Pass
1 ♠	Pass	2 ♦	Pass
2 ♥	Pass	3 ♣1	Pass
3 ♥	Pass	3 ♠	Pass
4 ♠	Pass	5 ♦2	Pass
6 ♠	All pass

4th suit forcing to game cue - first round control

6 ♠ by West

Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
1. N	♠ 4	K	5	2
2. E	♠ A	Q	3	8
3. E	♣ 3	10	A	9
4. W	♠ J	10	♦ 2	♦ 5
5. W	♥ 6	5	A	4
6. E	♥ 3	Q	K	2
7. W	♥ J	7	♣ 4	♣ 2
8. W	♥ 9	10	♣ 6	♣ 5
9. N	♣ K	-	-	-

Made 6 — E-W +1430

Palmer opened 1♠ in the open room and despite having no guaranteed fit Wilson tried for slam based on his sharp honours. Palmer accepted the slam try based on extra distribution - he certainly didn't have extra values.

The final contract was a little thin needing either spades or hearts to play for no losers. When the ♠Q was doubleton and the ♥Q doubleton in front of the jack Palmer had no problem bringing home 12 tricks.

In the other room ...

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Board 7 South Deals Both Vul	♠ 10 8 4 ♥ 10 7 5 2 ♦ 7 6 4 3 ♣ K 9
♠ J 9 7 6 3 2 ♥ K J 9 8 6 ♦ J ♣ A	N  W E S	♠ A K ♥ A 3 ♦ A K 9 2 ♣ 8 7 6 4 3
	♠ Q 5 ♥ Q 4 ♦ Q 10 8 5 ♣ Q J 10 5 2

West	North	East	South
sandrac	kermit	jenter62	cascade
			Pass
2 ♥1	Pass	2 NT!	Pass
3 ♠	Pass	4 ♥	All pass

hearts and another at least 5/5

4 ♥ by West

Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
1. N	♣ K	3	5	A
2. W	♥ 6	2	A	4
3. E	♥ 3	Q	K	5
4. W	♥ J	7	♣ 4	♣ 2
5. W	♠ 2	4	K	Q
6. E	♠ A	5	3	8
7. E	♦ A	5	J	4
8. E	♦ K	8	♠ 6	3
9. E	♣ 6	10	♥ 8	9
10. W	♠ J	10	♣ 7	♣ J
11. W	♠ 9	♥ 10	♣ 8	♦ 10
12. N	♦ 7	2	Q	♥ 9
13. W	♠ 7	♦ 6	♦ 9	♣ Q

Made 6 — E-W +680

Calvert opened a weak two-suiter. Its a matter for partnership style and agreement but perhaps with some extra distribution and 10 hcp the hand is too strong for 2♥ even vulnerable.

Even with 18 prime points it is hard for jenter62 to imagine slam especially when she is not even certain of a fit.

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An aggressive pass by Palmer helped produce another good swing ...

Board 10 East Deals Both Vul	♠ 9 6 4 3 ♥ K 9 6 3 ♦ J 8 5 ♣ J 9
♠ K 5 ♥ J 8 2 ♦ A 9 6 3 ♣ 8 6 5 2	N  W E S	♠ A Q J 10 7 ♥ A 10 5 4 ♦ — ♣ A 10 4 3
	♠ 8 2 ♥ Q 7 ♦ K Q 10 7 4 2 ♣ K Q 7

EW 3♠; EW 3♥; EW 4♣; EW 2N; NS 1♦

West	North	East	South
gerry	lmu	tarakiwi	seychelles
		1 ♠	2 ♦
Pass	Pass	Dbl1	All pass

re-opening

2 ♦ x by South

Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
1. W	♠ K	3	A	2
2. E	♠ Q	8	5	4
3. E	♠ J	♦ 10	♣ 2	6
4. S	♦ K	3	5	♣ 3
5. S	♦ 2	6	8	♣ 4
6. N	♣ J	10	7	6
7. N	♣ 9	A	Q	5
8. E	♠ 10	♥ 7	♦ 9	9
9. W	♦ A	J	♥ 4	4
10. W	♣ 8	♥ 3	♥ 5	K
11. S	♦ Q	♥ 8	♥ 6	♥ 10
12. S	♦ 7	♥ 2	♥ 9	♠ 7
13. S	♥ Q	J	K	A

Down 1 — N-S -200

Would you pass 2♦Dbl with the west cards. South is hardly maximum for the 2♦ overcall and on the surface there are eight tricks for declarer - five diamonds, two clubs and a heart. A closer analysis shows that the defense can defeat the contract with two spades, two side aces and two trump tricks (or by forcing declarer off by repeatedly leading spades).

If you consider that Gonthier would have overcalled with the ♣A rather than the ♣K and that Wilson would still double (he could even have the ♣J or ♥K from dummy) with those cards swapped then you see the danger of converting the takeout double for penalties.

Some might argue that Wilson should not double with a diamond void. No one though can argue with the result +200 for east-west.

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Board 10 East Deals Both Vul	♠ 9 6 4 3 ♥ K 9 6 3 ♦ J 8 5 ♣ J 9
♠ K 5 ♥ J 8 2 ♦ A 9 6 3 ♣ 8 6 5 2	N  W E S	♠ A Q J 10 7 ♥ A 10 5 4 ♦ — ♣ A 10 4 3
	♠ 8 2 ♥ Q 7 ♦ K Q 10 7 4 2 ♣ K Q 7

West	North	East	South
sandrac	kermit	jenter62	cascade
		1 ♠	2 ♦
Dbl	Pass	3 ♥	Pass
3 NT	All pass

3 NT by West

Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
1. N	♦ 5	♣ 3	10	3
2. S	♦ 4	9	J	♣ 4
3. N	♦ 8	♥ 4	Q	A
4. W	♥ 2	6	10	Q
5. S	♦ K	6	♠ 3	♥ 5
6. S	♦ 7	♣ 2	♠ 4	♣ 10
7. S	♦ 2	♣ 5	♠ 6	♠ 7
8. S	♣ 7	6	9	A
9. E	♠ A	2	-	-

Down 2 — E-W -200

In the closed room east-west got into a different sort of trouble. After the same start to the auction as the open room Calvert chose to double where Palmer had passed. jenter62 perhaps believing that her partner had four hearts jumped to 3♥ which effectively pushed her side into a hopeless 3NT.

Personally I am in favour of the useful values sort of negative double rather than the more mainstream "guaranteeing four-cards in the unbid major". Especially when as I suggested earlier I have no intention of passing 2♦ doubled. In that style most often partner will only bid 2♥ with a four-card suit expecting a raise. Maybe though even in this style the east hand here is just too strong for 2♥.

Bridge is a cruel game north-south in the open room and east-west here did little or nothing wrong and lost 9 IMPs for their trouble.