LEARNING CENTER

A BIG NUMBER IN NASHVILLE

In a Spingold match in Nashville (2007), I held:

A K 3
A K
K Q J 9 6
A 10 4

With neither side vulnerable, I was dealt this monstrous hand. Fortunately, I was playing with my regular partner, David Berkowitz, so I was able to open a Precision Club.

Opponents love to interfere against Precision. Usually, I find that low-level (1- or 2-level) interference actually helps us! It gives us the ability to make takeout- or card-showing doubles and also helps us place the cards during the play. My LHO interfered by jumping to 2, alerted.

David (who incidentally wrote an excellent book called Precision Today) asked for the meaning and was told: "diamonds and a major."

Hmmm. David doubled to show "cards". This meant he probably had about 5-8 HCP with any distribution. (With more, he'd have bid a 5-card suit, or notrump). My RHO passed, apparently willing to play in diamonds.

I was also willing. I passed and LHO passed! The final contract was 2X!!

East	South	West	North
Larry	LHO	David	RHO
1*	2**	Double***	Pass
Pass	Pass

*=Precision

**=D+Maj

***=5-8 HCP

It was Christmas in July. David led a trump and the full deal was:

Vul: None Dlr: East	6 4 10 9 2 10 5 Q J 9 8 3 2
Q 10 5 2 8 7 6 4 3 2 K 7 5		A K 3 A K K Q J 9 6 A 10 4
	J 9 8 7 Q J 5 A 8 7 4 3 6

Declarer won the diamond lead and played the Q. I won and drew a few rounds of trumps, followed by ace, king, and another spade. David took his spades (I threw a low club) and all declarer could get were his 2 natural diamond tricks. Down 6, 1400. At the other table, East-West did well to avoid reaching a slam. They proudly read off "plus 460" to their teammates, and were dismayed to learn that this was a LOSS of 14 IMPs against 1400.

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