Jennbridge: The Last Round

Our first session had been going pretty well as we sat down for the last round. Larry and I had been knocked out of the main event and decided to play in the senior pairs in order to go home early and enjoy what was left of the holiday weekend.

Partner, sitting East, dealt and opened 1♣, and I liked my hand.

♠	A Q 10 9 4 3
♥	J 9 4
♦	A Q 8 4
♣	—

I responded 1♠.  I was surprised to hear his rebid of 2♦, a reverse!  I rebid 2♠, forcing, showing a decent hand with spade length. Partner now bid 3♠.

It was a near-certainty that we were headed for slam in either spades or diamonds, but I needed to check on the heart suit (to be sure we weren't off 2 quick losers) by starting a cuebidding sequence.  I bid 4♦ and Larry responded 4♥.

Satisfied about hearts, I now bid 4NT, RKC, and he answered 5♦, presumably showing 3 keycards.  Looking for bigger things (I had a 5 loser hand opposite his reverse) I marched on by bidding 5NT.  This bid asks for specific kings but also gives partner the option of jumping to a grand slam with a hand he considers suitable.  He responded 5♦, showing the diamond king, but not the club king and it was decision time.

I was now sure that he held the king of spades, ace of hearts, king of diamonds and ace of clubs.  Was this enough for a grand slam, and if so, in what suit?  I decided that the odds were good enough (in this situation) to bid the grand and thought that perhaps I could offer him a choice of slams by bidding 7♦.  This would be a surprise, but he would then have the option of passing or bidding 7♠.

I jumped to 7♦ and he passed.  South (luckily) led a club.

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

Partner pitched 2 hearts on the ace and queen of clubs and frowned when he laid down the ♦K and South showed out.  He nevertheless thought he had chances as long as the hand with the long diamonds held at least 2 spades, so he started running spades.  When North ruffed in, he simply overruffed and claimed.

Plus 2140 was, not surprisingly, a cold top.

**This hand was still warm when South dealt and opened 3♦ on the next (penultimate) board.   Larry, my partner, doubled and I bid 3♥ with my weak hand.  South passed and Larry jumped to 6♥!

"I've gotta see this"! I quipped as a club was led and partner began tabling the dummy.

Board 11 South Deals None Vul	♠ 10 7 3 ♥ 10 8 ♦ Q 10 4 ♣ 10 9 7 5 2
♠ A Q 9 ♥ A K J 2 ♦ A 3 ♣ A K Q 8	N W E S	♠ 8 6 5 2 ♥ Q 9 7 5 3 ♦ J ♣ J 6 3
	♠ K J 4 ♥ 6 4 ♦ K 9 8 7 6 5 2 ♣ 4

"I see what you mean" I thought as I gazed at the magnificent 27 point powerhouse.

A club was led and the spade suit caught my eye.  Ahh...I should be able to strip the hand and play a spade to the 9--endplaying my RHO.  A classic, textbook endplay!

I drew trumps in 2 rounds, cashed the clubs, then played the diamond ace and ruffed a diamond.  Now I was in my hand for the big moment.  The plan was to lead a spade and cover whatever card the second hand played. When South played low, I inserted the 9 and North was well and truly endplayed.

He folded his cards and scored up 980 for us--worth 14 out of 17 matchpoints.

** On the final board partner (West) dealt and opened 1♣.  I bid 1♠ and he raised to 2♠. Looking at 8 1/2 losers as East, I elected to pass.

Board 12 West Deals N-S Vul	♠ 6 5 ♥ A J 10 6 4 ♦ 9 2 ♣ 10 9 5 3
♠ A Q 9 8 ♥ 9 7 5 2 ♦ A 3 ♣ K J 4	N W E S	♠ 10 7 4 3 ♥ Q 8 3 ♦ K 7 5 4 ♣ A 2
	♠ K J 2 ♥ K ♦ Q J 10 8 6 ♣ Q 8 7 6

South now made an unexpected balancing double of 3♦. This was passed around to me and I doubled.

It was not too difficult to take 6 tricks on defense (2 diamonds, 2 clubs and 2 spades) and we beat it two tricks for a score of plus 500.  Apparently we can make 4♠ (nonvulnerable) but only one pair bid it.

The terrific scores of the last round catapulted us to the top of our section and left us well-poised for the evening session.

See you at the table!