Wednesday, October 17, 2018

More matches from Santa Rosa sectional team game


Match 4: I overbid to game with this hand and was rewarded with 7 IMPs. After RHO opened 1, I overcalled 1 and when Sara inquired about my hand with a 2 bid, I showed a full opener by bidding 2. We ended up in game and it made! 
  
♠A10xx 
KJxxx 
xx 
♣ Qx


RHO won the first 2 diamonds and I ruffed the third diamond with the J which was overruffed.
  
x
Axxxx
xxx
AKxx

♠A10xx
KJxxx
xx
♣ Qx

A spade was returned. I won the ace and ruffed a spade. The ace and king of hearts drew the remaining trumps and I threw the remaining spades on the clubs.  

Match 5: Next is a hand where we stayed out of trouble. LHO opened 1♣ and pard overcalled 1NT. I knew immediately that we were in trouble. RHO doubled without hesitation and I had to scramble. What to do?

♠Jxxx
xx
 87xx
 ♣Jxx


If I were to pass, pard would be obliged to redouble which wouldn't be helpful. Without pondering too long and letting my anxiety show, I bid 2♣, Stayman. Whatever transpired would probably not be worse than playing 1NT doubled.

Pard responded 2 and RHO passed! I breathed a sigh of relief. It looked like the bid had worked and we could buy the hand undoubled. Sure enough--Sara played 2 and went down one for minus 50. This was a big 10 IMP win as our partners collected 500 against 1NTX.

We were in a fairly good position but needed a strong finish.

Match 6: What do you open with this hand?

♠KQx
10s
AKQJxx
♣xx

The winning call is 1NT! Pard raised to 3NT and a spade was led! We won 12 IMPs when our counterparts got to 5.

♠Axx
QJ
J10xx
♣Jxxx

♠KQx
10s
AKQJxx
♣xx

We lost the final match when our opponents preempted with a 5 call after my 2 response to pard's 2♣ opener, forcing a nasty guess as to whether to bid a slam or not, and we guessed wrong. At the end of the day we came in second and everyone seemed satisfied.

See you at the table!

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