Santa Clara Regional 9/2

Played two session pairs with Steph, came in 2nd in our section for the first session. Over both sessions, we came in 13/46, which was enough to earn second in B, I think. It was a fun day.


You have AKQxx QJx xxx Ax. I'm going to force you to open 1N with this.

1N - p - 2D - x
2H - p - 3N - p
4H

---------J
---------AK9xx
---------Jxx
---------Jxxx
xxxx--------------xxx
Txxxx----------------
xx----------------AKQTx
xx----------------KQxxx
---------AKQxx
---------QJx
---------xxx
---------Ax

Defense starts with the first three diamonds, lefty pitching a club. Righty shifts to the CK, and I won the ace. I played the HQ, getting the bad news, unblocked the SJ, HA, HJ, and just ran my spades, pitching 3 clubs away. I breathed a sigh of relief when lefty had to follow to four rounds of spades.

If lefty pitches a spade instead of a club, then I have to pick up all the trumps and just overtake the SJ. Could you find this play at the table?

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Here's one where Steph did something funny and then defended great.

A little backstory is required. I opened 3S on KJTxxx --- xxx Kxxx first seat w/w. She raised to four on a stiff, and then later asked why I bid 3S with only six. (The opponents managed not to leave us in 4Sx holding a combined 6 trumps.) I responded, "6-4, bid one more!" Well, later on this hand comes along.

AKQx xx x JTxxxx and she opens 1S in second!

You have xxxx Qxx xxxx x and the auction proceeds

p - 1S - x - 3S
4H

Steph leads a big spade, and we have

--------xx
--------Kxx
--------AKQx
--------AKxx
AKQx-------------xxxx
xx---------------Qxx
x----------------xxxx
JTxxxx-----------x
--------xxx
--------AJTxx
--------Jxxx
--------Qx

Steph wins the spade and shifts to a club. Declarer has a combined 28 HCP, leaving 12 for Steph, so he plays the HA and runs the HJ to my Q. Instantly a spade goes back, and Steph delivers the club ruff, to the dismay of both declarer and dummy.

He looked at her and said "You bid 1S with that?" And she replied, "6-4, bid one more!"