Matchpoints and Beer
Playing in the first session of a two-session regional
pair game, I have a very good, but quirky hand,
K A Q987 AKQJ543. Being in fourth position isn't
going to make this hand any easier, but to my surprise, it
goes three passes to me. I could just open 3NT, but after
three passes, I don't think preemption is critical, so I
open 1. LHO overcalls 1, partner bids 1,
and RHO raises to 2. A scientific 3 might get
us to a slam, but it is even more likely to get us past 3NT,
and at matchpoints, that can be a disaster, so I just bid 3NT.
Everyone subsides, LHO leads the 3, and I see
| A10954 J104 A5 1076 | |
| | |
|
K A Q987 AKQJ543 | |
LHO | CHO | RHO | Me |
Pass | Pass | Pass | 1 |
1 | 1 | 2 | 3NT |
All Pass | | | |
Oh, well. 6 looks cold. Even if diamonds are 5-2
and clubs 0-3, that lovely 10 in dummy will allow
me to ruff a diamond high for 12 tricks. Ought I have
bid more? How about partner? Beats me. But I'm in 3NT,
which is where I suspect most of the field will be. I see no reason not
to duck Trick 1, and RHO inserts the J, which I
win and take stock. I have seven clubs, two spades, one
heart, and two diamonds. That's 12 tricks; is there
any chance of a 13th? It looks like LHO has the other
top diamonds, so if he has the two top hearts, there
might be a squeeze. That doesn't leave RHO much for his
raise. The spades may produce a squeeze menace if they
are 5-2, which could easily happen since LHO is probably
at least 5-4 in the reds. I don't see anything useful
to do with the spades, so I think I need to hope for LHO's
having both top hearts.
I unblock the K and cross to the 10. On the
A, I pitch the 9 (a curse avoidance and beer
conservation play), and LHO drops the J. There's nothing
to do but run the clubs. I do and come down to
LHO had one club and pitched the 2, so it looks
as if he was 2-5-5-1 and is about to be criss-cross squeezed
on the last club. He thinks for a little while and tosses
the K with a resigned air, so I lead the 8 to
the ace, cross back to the A, and triumphantly face
the beer card for Trick 13.
Despite our missing a laydown slam, +520 scores very well,
because nearly none of the field got to six. The overtrick
was worth nearly a half board. And a beer.
Copyright © 2012 Jeff Goldsmith