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Instant Matchpoints
Board 1:
J743
AJ97
T763
Q
865 AKQ9
T6 Q85432
K9 Q
K87653 J4
T2
K
AJ8542
AT92
P 1H 2D P
3D P P P
I chose the low road with a direct 3D. Zach has a pretty nice hand, but with no reason to think the king of hearts is worth anything and no reason to suspect my hand was as good as it is he has no reason to move on. The opponents led a heart and Zach soon collected his +150 for 63%.
Board 2:
T
QJT43
KJT82
T8
AJ872 K965
A72 85
6 974
AK64 J975
Q43
K96
AQ53
Q32
P 1NT 2S
2NT 3S P 4S
P P P
The opponents brushed aside Zach's 1NT opening bid and my Lebensohl 2NT to reach 4S, which they competently made. -420 was worth only 19%.
Board 3:
A72
J8763
65
AQ3
J984 QT65
A54 K2
A932 T7
97 J8542
K3
QT9
KQJ84
KT6
1NT P
2H P P P
Zach and I both took pessimistic views of our hands; I think I have to be the one who goes if anyone does, though (I would open his hand 1NT whether playing weak or strong, although I wouldn't fault the opposite choice for either). The opening lead was a spade, and ten tricks were easy; +170 was worth 44%.
Board 4:
2
K74
AJ6
AK7642
JT75 AK64
QT9 AJ2
K8742 Q3
9 QJ53
Q983
8653
T95
T8
P
1C 1NT P 2C
X 2S P 4S
X P P P
My second double was - to put it mildly - a bit frisky, but I decided to try for +200. The analysis claims that we may be able to hold the opponents to nine tricks for a good score. Holding them to seven, doubled, was quite enough to score all 100% for +800.
Board 5:
KQT973
932
K5
97
654 J82
KT8 74
762 AQJ984
Q654 A2
A
AQJ65
T3
KJT83
2S 3D P P
P
Zach made a good decision to pass, which kept us out of the doomed 4H. He then fell from grace by ducking the club two when it was led by declarer, which allowed the opponents to make 3D. -110 was worth 37%.
Board 6:
J32
Q9642
9762
Q
9 AKT54
KJT3 5
T854 AKJ
AJ96 KT82
Q876
A87
Q3
7543
1S P 1NT
P 2C P 3C
P 4C P 5C
P P P
Our opponents lost to both dropable queens, and Zach pushed trump through every chance he got after I had won my club queen. Down 2 for +200 and 95%.
Board 7:
QJT5
A6
KJ52
J53
K73 94
QT5 J72
76 AQT83
AQ987 K64
A862
K9843
94
T2
P P
1NT P 2C P
2S P P P
Zach made another good decision to try stayman on his weak but majors-oriented hand. With hearts breaking 3-3, I had no problem taking eight tricks for +110 and 85%.
Board 8:
KQT8
A64
Q86
T96
J952 76
Q98 KT732
T53 A42
K75 J42
A43
J5
KJ97
AQ83
P
P P 1C P
1S P 1NT P
3NT P P P
An unusual auction to the normal spot. The opening spade lead made nine tricks easy for Zach, even after the heart shift, just as the analysis predicts. +400 was worth 69%.
Board 9:
42
KJ76
A98642
5
98 A653
3 QT8
KJT3 Q7
JT9872 AQ64
KQJT7
A9542
5
K3
P 1C 1S 2C
2D P 2H 4C
4H P P P
Zach's hand is in our in-between range for Michaels, so he had to start with 1S. Fortunately, west was timid enough to let him show both suits, and I could tell on the auction that my hand was fantastic for him; west was not happy with himself after the hand. +420 was worth 73%.
Board 10:
QJ9
AJ874
J8
QT4
T75 A2
9 KQ632
AK9765 QT2
832 J95
K8643
T5
43
AK76
1H P 1NT
P P P
Zach decided his suit quality wasn't good enough for a 1S overcall. Since I knew Zach was short in hearts and didn't act, I saw no reason to act either. We were collectively far too timid on this one, and -90 only got us 32%.
Board 11:
AJ432
AQJ
J32
T8
875 K6
9432 K875
K97 AQT64
964 Q5
QT9
T6
85
AKJ732
P P
1NT X P 2H
2S 3H 3S
Zach's pass showed values; we must run from 1NT-X with weak hands. I got a heart lead, and the opponents failed to take their diamonds in time after I pretended I wanted to ruff one. +200 was worth 59%; we would have had to bid the game for a really good score.
Board 12:
42
AQT85
AT4
K73
K5 A873
KJ7643 9
Q9 KJ862
JT2 954
QJT96
2
753
AQ86
2H
P P P
I was wishing desperately for Zach to double, but he decided he wasn't quite good enough for any action (I would have bid 2S on his hand). After declarer failed to attack diamonds early, we beat 2H four tricks; +200 was good enough for 85%.
Board 13:
8762
7643
2
AQ54
T3 AK
Q8 AKJ95
AQT8765 KJ94
86 J9
QJ954
T2
3
KT732
P 1H 2H P
2S 3D P 3S
4S X P 5D
I was somewhat surprised to learn that Zach's minor was in fact clubs, which got me to boost to 4S after trying to drop him in 2S earlier in the hand. West, unsurprisingly, was unwilling to defend. Zach, also unsurprisingly, led a spade, and the opponents quickly wrapped up all 13 tricks. -640 was still worth 61%.
Board 14:
Q2
T87
AJ84
KQ32
JT93 85
AJ643 Q952
Q62 K93
6 T984
AK764
K
T75
AJ75
P 1S P
1NT P 2C P
2NT P P P
I really have no excuse for either of my bids on this horrendous auction. Fortunately, my gross underbidding kept us out of both hopeless games, and I faced my hand after the opponents finished running their five heart tricks. +120 was worth 62%.
Board 15:
T94
97
QJT94
AKT
J65 AK2
854 KJT62
K52 A63
J532 84
Q873
AQ3
87
Q976
P P
2D 2H P P
P
As I learned from Jeff, the north hand is clearly worth a third seat 2D. This put us in a good position, but declarer managed to sneak past Zach's spade queen, which got us -110 and 26%.
Board 16:
J54
K
QJT83
7643
K32 76
A653 984
A5 972
KT95 AQJ82
AQT98
QJT72
K64
-
1C
P 1NT 2S P
P 3C 3H P
3S P P P
Zach took an unlucky line when he decided not to attack spades right away after a club lead. The opponents eventually tapped him out, and he went down two for -100 and 10%.
Board 17:
53
AJ543
A82
AK8
Q8 AT764
T9872 Q6
K73 QJ5
Q94 J62
KJ92
K
T964
T753
1H P 1S P
1NT P P P
After the terrible bidding on 14, it was time for me to grossly misplay a board. I got a spade lead to the nine and queen, and a heart back. I then cleverly decided to play for the seven outstanding hearts to divide 4-2. This was not a success; -50 was worth 29%.
Board 18:
KQJ3
5
KT653
KJ3
T94 862
AK98 J632
AJ82 Q74
72 AT9
A75
QT74
9
Q8654
P P 1D
1S X 2S 3H
P P P
I was not able to resist the urge to overcall 1S, and the opponents ended up in 3H; partner was surprised when his spade ace held the third trick. A failed diamond finesse followed by a ruff led to down three for +150 and 89%.
Board 19:
A85
AQ974
QJ62
5
2 KQJ9643
T542 -
873 K95
AKQ84 972
T7
KJ83
AT4
JT63
P P
1H 1S 2H 3C
P 3S 4H X
P 4S P P
P
And I finish the trifecta with atrocious defense. Zach led a heart (not surprising on the auction), and I failed to shift to a diamond when I got in with the ace of trump. -650 was worth 3%, our worst board of the day.
Board 20:
4
AJ98
T9765
763
T983 Q72
542 T7
QJ42 AK83
AK T984
AKJ65
KQ63
-
QJ52
P
P P 1S P
1NT P 2H P
P 2NT P 3D
X P P P
The analysis says that this is not a safe hand for east to balance on. The analysis appears to be correct. Declarer got the eight of diamonds after I led the ten, but it wasn't anything like enough. +500 was worth 91%.
Board 21:
842
AQ973
J43
T8
A5 QJT73
852 KJ4
KT A2
A976542 KJ6
K96
T6
Q98765
Q3
P 1S P 3C
P 3NT P P
P
Declarer guessed the hearts to make six; not a lot we could do about this one once Zach had discouraged in the suit (I flew ace on the first round, since declarer could be pretty sure that I was holding it, but he got it right in the end after a long tank). -490 was worth 11%.
Board 22:
63
8743
J86542
3
QJ4 T8
K QJT95
A7 KT93
KQT9862 75
AK9752
A62
Q
AJ4
P 1S 3C
P P 3S P
P P
It's hard to blame Zach for bidding 3S on his powerhouse (I certainly would have done the same), but the contract doesn't have a whole lot of play. -50 was worth 42%.
Board 23:
Q85
986
A943
852
AJ6 K743
AQT5 73
8 KT765
KJT94 76
T92
KJ42
QJ2
AQ3
1NT 2H
P P P
The six card fit plays just fine for west; he made three, which the analysis suggests is the least he should manage. We were scheduled to play in 1NT if he passed it, which looks down at least two to me. -140 got us 46%.
Board 24:
A4
Q65
97
AJT542
KT8 973
T972 KJ4
AJT4 Q865
Q3 976
QJ652
A83
K32
K8
P
1NT P 2D P
3C P 3S P
3NT P P P
This auction is easy for us: 12-14 notrump (well, it looked like one to me); forcing stayman; five clubs (sssh!); five spades; no support. The play was just as easy on a heart lead; I managed to make five when the opponents pitched too many spades for +460 and 91%.
Board 25:
QJ9
JT
532
QT942
AKT2 76
A983 Q752
AK76 QJT9
8 KJ3
8543
K64
84
A765
P P P 1S
P 1NT P 2H
P 3H P 4H
P P P
The four-card opener left west on play instead of east. I decided to try the heart jack; with no way to misguess the trumps, declarer had little difficulty making five. -650 was worth 24%.
Board 26:
KT763
832
4
A864
Q8 J5
KT7 AJ6
KQJ63 AT985
972 QT5
A942
Q954
72
KJ3
P P 1D
1S 2S 3D P
3S 4D P P
P
With juniors at the table, the 1S overcall is usually the suspicious bid on this auction; fortunately, I'm not a junior anymore. The opponents got the hearts right, but we did get our five top tricks for +200 and 71%.
Board 27:
AKJ85
K864
A84
9
Q9 7632
JT9 3
JT5 K63
AKQ52 T8743
T4
AQ752
Q972
J6
P 1C
X P 1H 1NT
2H 3C 3H P
4H P P P
We had a little chat about the upper limit on the 1H bid after this board; fortunately, the 3H bid told me that the 1H bid was probably strong (partner did not break tempo during the auction, so I had no UI problems) and I was able to place the contract correctly. Zach played a diamond to the queen before attacking the spades, so he only managed +450 for 60%.
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Posted Tue Sep 25,2007 08:24 pm
