Jennbridge: Two Problems

Here are a couple of hands played in tournaments lately.  The first is from the Santa Clara regional.

Bid this hand with me--vulnerable at IMPs against 3 world champions and a competent client:

♠ KQxx
♥ K
♦ AQxx
♣ Q765

I opened 1 club, Bob responded 1 heart, I bid 1 spade and he rebid 2 hearts.  What now?

I figured his two heart bid was rather wide-ranging, and if he were at the top of his range we might have a game.  So I bid 2NT.  He raised to game and the 10 of clubs was led.

♠ 10x
♥ Qxxxxx
♦  K10
♣ KJ8

♠ KQxx
♥ K
♦ AQxx
♣ Q765

We had 25 points between us and this looked to be a suitable game.  The lead was friendly enough, but there was plenty of work to do to come to 9 tricks.

The jack of clubs held and I immediately led a spade to the king which held.  A club toward the board produced the 9 on my left and the king won.  I decided to lead a heart to the king (the defensive carding indicated that the hearts were probably 3-3) and LHO won the ace.

A diamond was returned which went to the jack and queen and I led another club.  LHO won the ace (clubs were 3-3) and started thinking.  I now have 8 tricks (1 S, 1 H, 3 D and 3 C) and have chances for 9.  My entries are getting tangled, however, and some soft defense would be most welcome. 

At last LHO returned a diamond which I won on the board, cashed the queen of hearts and led a spade toward my hand again.  RHO won with the ace, cashed her good heart and the rest of the tricks were mine.

Chances are the opponents could have set up a spade trick to beat me, but it wasn't obvious.  Plus 600 won our team 10 IMPs as the world championship pair at the other table played in 2 hearts!

*****************

Here's an opening lead problem from a recent sectional:

♠ K8
♥ 8753
♦ Q1094
♣ 875

RHO opens 1S, LHO bids 2H, RHO bids 3C, LHO bids 3D, (4th suit forcing) and RHO concludes the auction with 3NT.  I elect to lead a diamond and need to be careful which card I choose.

Sectional pair game

Board 21 North Deals N-S Vul	♠ A Q J 3 2 ♥ 2 ♦ A 7 6 ♣ A J 10 3
♠ 9 7 6 5 ♥ Q J 4 ♦ K 5 2 ♣ Q 6 2	N W E S	♠ K 8 ♥ 8 7 5 3 ♦ Q 10 9 4 ♣ 8 7 5
	♠ 10 4 ♥ A K 10 9 6 ♦ J 8 3 ♣ K 9 4

West	North	East	South
	1 ♠	Pass	2 ♥
Pass	3 ♣	Pass	3 ♦
Pass	3 NT	Pass	Pass
Pass

3 NT by North

Made 3

I'm sure you chose the diamond 10, the standard recommended lead.  This holding is the textbook example why the 10 must be led.   The 10 traps the jack between your partner's king and the declarer's ace and prevents declarer from winning more than one diamond trick.  On the actual hand, declarer ducked my 10, and then ducked the 9.   My low diamond cleared the suit.  When in with the spade king I cashed my last diamond for a good score. 

See you at the table!