Two declares from NAP District Finals
My two favorite declarations from the recent NAP district final.
On the first, I am not at all sure that I played this hand the best way, but it worked out nicely.
I opened 1NT on 53, AQ4, AJ, KJ9876. (Board 7, 2nd final.) Partner thought for a while and then raised to 3NT.
Opening lead was a spade, and I awaited dummy’s appearance to see if that suit was stopped.
No problem there …
… but I wish LHO had led a red card …
I guess partner was considering whether to bid puppet Stayman. I think he chose wisely to avoid Puppet and just bid 3NT, for two reasons: he has extra values and his side suit doubleton includes an honor.
If clubs split, I have 11 top tricks after losing to ♣A. That sounds like the recipe for a squeeze. But is that the best play, or something so mundane as a red suit finesse best? Or should I cash the ♦A early just in case I see the Q, and then take the heart finesse?
Well, first let’s knock out the ♣A and be sure the club suit is running. The ♣A appeared on the second round and that suit split. Back came another spade. I now have only one dummy entry remaining.
I finally decided not to just take the heart finesse. So, I cashed the last high spade and led a diamond to my ace to run the club suit. Turned out that RHO held both the ♥K and diamond length, and I scored up +490.
On the second, I failed to account for the possibility of an unexpected call by my LHO.
Vul v. not, I opened 1♠ on AQJ95, T, AJT84, Q4. (Board 16, 1st final.) LHO bid 2♠, hearts and a minor. Partner bid 3♥, showing a limit raise or better (possibly an aggressive choice, when 3♠ would be a constructive raise). RHO passed and I saw no reason to disclose my side suit and so just bid 4♠. Now, my LHO surprised me by bidding 5♥. Partner passed and I was ruing not having shown my side suit so that partner could judge whether we have a two-suited fit. Well, if partner had not doubled, how could I with a stiff heart? I competed to 5♠, ending the bidding.
LHO began with two rounds of high hearts, my ruffing the second.
Having been shortened once, I did not think I could withstand a 5-0 trump split. Still, LHO had to have extreme shape for this 5♥ call. Perhaps he was 2=6=0=5 or 1=6=1=5. I decided to play for the latter. ♠A (each following), then a diamond toward dummy as LHO followed with the 9 as I won the king. A diamond to my eight, winning as LHO pitched a club. ♠Q, ♠K, diamond to the ten, ♠J, ♦A and claim +650.
On the second hand, it looks like you almost claimed too early. Switch the heart 6 and 8 between the two defenders’ hands and it looks like you would have had a squeeze for 12 tricks. Very well played in any case.