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This is a wild deal from the 2007 New Orleans Regional. With
both vulnerable, I held:
I opened two spades which was passed around to RHO. He balanced
with 2NT. This should show a notrump hand, spades stopped, and
about a king less than a direct notrump overcall (so, maybe
13-15). If you've ever taught bridge, you have to make sure your
students know all the meanings of 2NT in competition (it is easy
to confuse natural with takeout and to have general confusion over
the ranges).
After the 2NT call, my LHO bid 3♦
to transfer to hearts. RHO rejected and bid 3NT (probably never
such a good idea on this auction). This was passed around to my
partner, Steve Weinstein. He doubled and everyone passed. What
should I lead?
Such doubles typically show dummy's suit, so I led the ♥Q.
This was the full deal:
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Dlr: South
Vul: E-W
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North
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♠
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102
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♥
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k9763
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♦
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1073
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♣
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QJ2
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West
(LC)
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|
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East
(Steve)
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♠
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kj9764
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♠
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85
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♥
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q5
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♥
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a10842
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♦
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k64
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♦
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82
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♣
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96
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♣
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ak108
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|
|
|
|
|
|
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South
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♠
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aq3
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♥
|
j
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♦
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aqj95
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♣
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7543
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| West (LC) |
North |
East (Steve) |
South |
| 2♠ |
Pass |
Pass |
2NT |
| Pass |
3♦
|
Pass |
3NT
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| Pass |
Pass |
Double |
(All Pass) |
As you can see, declarer did a lot of bidding. I can live with
2NT (yes, I see the singleton, but it was an honor). After the
transfer, I think I might have tried passing! How bad could it be
to play in 3♦?
Anyway, back to the carnage. The ♥Q
held and I played another heart to partner. He played the ♠8
through declarer. Possibly shocked by the events so far, declarer
made the poor play of the ♠A.
He tried to cross to dummy to take a diamond finesse. His play of
a club was not a success. Steve won and played his other spade. I
took five spade tricks and played another club. In all, we took 9
black winners and 3 heart tricks for down 8, plus 2300!
Could declarer have done better? Of course. But not much
better. Even on best play, all he can get is his two aces! Say he
plays low on the spade return at trick 3. Now, I cross in clubs
for another spade play. My spades are set up and I have the ♦K
as an entry. We can take 11 tricks on defense for +2000. After the
hand, declarer apologized, but his best technical comment would
have been, "Sorry pard, I could have held it to down 7."
At the other table it went 2♠--P--P--P, making 4 and we won 19 IMPs. Although this wasn't the
maximum swing (24), it certainly reminded me of LOSE
'EM ALL.
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website
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