Jennbridge: A Fine Sectional

The weather is usually lovely in Santa Rosa and this past weekend was no exception.  Our unit produces a sumptuous display of food, and the repast, combined with gracious hospitality, makes the sectional a popular event.  Even the timing was right, as we were able to finish in time to watch the Giants' playoff games!

Larry Hansen and I won the two-session pair game on Saturday and here's one of my favorite hands.

Bd. 31, 1st session. Vul. vs. not vul., partner, South, dealt and opened 1♦ and I responded 1♠ with this hand:

♠	Q 9 8 7 3 2
♥	5 4 3 2
♦	J 3
♣	Q

The next hand doubled, partner rebid 2♣ and it was back to me. My hand was weak, but my 6-card spade suit had some texture, so I bid 2♠ which ended the auction.

The ♥A was led and it was apparent that I had some work to do.

♠ A
♥ 108
♦ AQ862
♣ AJ1082

♠ Q98732
♥ 5432
♦ J3
♣ Q

LHO continued with the ♥K and when she then produced the ♥Q, I had to decide what to do. I elected to ruff it with the ♠A and start on clubs.  I led the ♣A and then played the ♣J, pitching my last heart.  My plan was to pitch a diamond on the ♣10 if necessary.

After LHO won the club, she made an unusual play:  she cashed the ♠K before continuing with the ♥J. (Diamonds were discarded from the board on these two tricks while RHO played the ♦10.)

I ruffed the heart and paused.  It was time to assemble the clues in an effort to solve the mystery. I decided that the play of the ♠K, followed by another heart was revealing and probably indicated that she started with the singleton ♠K.  I then looked at my spade spots and, rather than cashing the ♠Q, considered whether an endplay might be available on RHO--who presumably held the rest of the spades.

If my deduction was correct, then RHO now held the J10xx of spades and proper timing of the play might enable me to pick them up for only 1 loser.  These cards remained:

♠
♥ 
♦ AQ8
♣1082

♠ Q987
♥ 
♦ J3
♣

I first had to guess whether to take the diamond finesse or attempt to pitch a diamond on the ♣10.  RHO's carding throughout the hand led me to believe he held another club, so I led a diamond to the ace and when I played the ♣10, RHO followed as I pitched my losing diamond.  So far, so good.  Now RHO should be down to all spades, so no matter what I led off the board, he would have to play a spade.  I played a diamond, and he in fact played a low spade which I won.  

Now there was trump parity, and my ♠Q98 was sitting behind RHO's ♠ J106. To complete the impending endplay I exited with the ♠8 which he won and was forced to lead a spade back to my ♠Q9 tenace.  "Nicely done", he said.

A lot of work for plus 110, but that is why we play this game.  We received the decent score of 11.5 out of 17 and a good story as a bonus!

Here is the whole hand:

Stratified Open Pairs, Morning Session 1 of 2

Board 31 South Deals N-S Vul	♠ Q 9 8 7 3 2 ♥ 5 4 3 2 ♦ J 3 ♣ Q
♠ J 10 6 5 4 ♥ 9 7 6 ♦ 10 9 ♣ 7 6 3	N W E S	♠ K ♥ A K Q J ♦ K 7 5 4 ♣ K 9 5 4
	♠ A ♥ 10 8 ♦ A Q 8 6 2 ♣ A J 10 8 2

NS 2♠; NS 3♦; NS 1N; NS 2♣; NS 1♥; Par +110

If you have any good hands or stories from the tourney, feel free to send them to me.

See you at the table!