Can you believe Two Trump Coups (well sort of)

Sylvia Caley and I played in a team game and a half (in one of them the opponents started fighting and left) today.  I didn’t play quite as well as I have been but I did have one gorgeous hand which I have to show you.  It is that wonderful feeling when the opponent doubles you and provides the information needed to make the hand.   Your hand is:

♠ AKJ72

♥ A94

◊ A87

♣ 54

North-South Vulnerable

You	North	Sylvia	South
	1♥	pass	1NT
?

Do you like double?  Do you like pass?  Do you hate 2♠?  okay so its probably wrong but these guys were all over the place and I prefer to get into the auction early.  The auction continued 3♣ by aggressive but vulnerable North and 3♠ by trustworthy partner.  Do you bid game?  I mean you have shown your hand already maybe?  Yeah, yeah, I bid game.  Then wouldn’t you know it but South doubled.  The opening lead was the ♣A and this is your dummy.

Sylvia ♠ 864

♥ K10

◊ K643

♣ 9732

Me ♠ AKJ72

♥ A94

◊ A87

♣ 54

North cashed two top clubs (South signaled an odd number so 3) and then switched to the ◊2 playing third and fifth suggesting an odd number.  I didn’t think South had five spades for a lot of reasons.  Did you notice he bid 1NT over 1♥?

Anyway you can make this deal a lot of ways but they all  involve some sort of trump coup or en passant play.  I won the diamond cashed the ♠A picking up the ♠9 on my left and then crossed on a heart and took the deep spade finesse.  Cashed a heart ruffed a heart, ruffed a club and crossed on a diamond to lead a club off dummy and scored both of my remaining spades.  At the other table they went one down in 4♠ undoubled.

South held

♠ Q953

♥ 632

◊ QJ10

♣ 1086

Later Sylvia had her turn after we had a bit of a miscue.

Sylvia ♠ KQ10743

♥ J43

◊ J104

♣ 10

Me ♠ 92

♥ AQ98

◊ K98

♣ KQ53

I opened a 12-14 notrump and Sylvia bid 2♥  which she meant as a transfer.  Unfortunately we are not playing transfers.  I bid 3♥ which shows four hearts and a maximum and that is where she played it.  By the way, I am not sure what you are supposed to do with Sylvia’s hand when partner bids 3♥.  The bid clearly awakens you to your mistake so I suppose it is okay to pass.  If anyone wants to give me their thoughts on this subject I am interested.  The opponents knew about the mistake because Sylvia had self alerted the transfer.  The opening lead was a spade which went to Sylvia’s 10.   She played a club and the ace came up in front of the dummy.  She now got the rather helpful play of the ◊Q which went to the ◊K and the ◊A.  Sylvia won the diamond in hand and played a heart to the nine losing to the ♥10.  A third diamond came back and she won that in hand as everyone followed.  She played a heart to the ♥8 which held.  Here is the position now.

Sylvia ♠ KQ743

♥ J

◊ —

♣

Me ♠ 9

♥ AQ

◊–

♣ KQ5

Sylvia cashed the top clubs throwing spades and played a fourth club ruffing with the ♥ J when RHO discarded.  Now when she played a spade throwing the opponents in she was bound to make the last two tricks with the ♥AQ.

South had held

♠ 8

♥ K752

◊ Q62

♣ A8642

All this for a push since the opponents were in a ”mundane” 3♠.  Growing pains Sylvia called it.  Yes it is but it is a lot of fun too.

We are playing again tomorrow afternoon if you happen to be around.  Expect mistakes but the bridge will be interesting, I promise.