Kaboom!

Playing in a sectional swiss teams with my regular partner, I pick up as dealer:

K94

AKQ5

J732 This is an easy 1

opening bid. Partner responds 1

, and I have some choices. The first choice to discard is 2

. If partner takes a (possibly false) preference to 2

, I shall have to bid 2

. Bidding three suits opposite a minimum response should show extra values and a singleton in the fourth suit. Playing 2

in a 4-2 fit does not suit me, either. That leaves 2

and 1NT rebids. Normally, we do not raise responder's suit without four cards, but a three card raise is sensible with good trumps and a ruffing value. Since I do not see any advantage to declaring from my side, and because I do not like to bid notrumps with a small doubleton in an unbid major when there is a good alternative, I choose 2

Partner is not done; he bids 3. This is a ``help suit'' game try. He wants me to evaluate my holdings in the major suits and bid game with a fitting hand. I have a minimum in high cards and could not have less in the majors, so I sign off in 3, which all pass. The bidding has been:

Me	Partner
1	1
2	3
3	Pass

By the magic of reporting, I shall move to partner's seat for the play. The opening lead is the trump deuce, and I see:

	K94 93 AKQ5 J732

	J10873 A1062 J7 K9

I am glad we did not bid a game. Even though the hands fit reasonably well, there could easily be two trump losers, one heart, and two clubs. I also need to take care of the two long hearts.

What is going on in trumps? West is either leading from only small trumps (ugh!) or possibly underleading the Ace. He would not lead from the Queen into a probable 4-4 fit, so I must play the King from dummy at trick one. It holds. So he has underled Ace third. He must be hoping to get in again with the K, intending to draw three rounds of trumps. Undoubtably, he has further strength in hearts to back up his King. I would like to encourage this plan, so I lead a low heart from dummy and cover East's five with the six. West wins with the seven (those things never work) and, smiling, cashes the Ace of trump. I am the one who gets to smile when it drops his partner's Queen. Only one trump loser! Somewhat chagrined, he continues with a third trump, denying me my heart ruff. Instead, I pitch both low hearts on good diamonds and lead towards the K, hoping for the Ace offside, which might create a swing for us. The King wins, though, and I score up an overtrick, to win 1 IMP on the board.