Girls versus the Boys

Last night in our practice team game, the girls played against the boys.  Our team was Sylvia and I, Isabelle and Sondra.  We played against Paul and Jeff at our table with John Duquette. playing with Herve at the other table.  As you might expect there was a lot of action.  Things started off pretty quietly until Board 7.   I guess this deal is a bit about system and a bit about hand evaluation.  I held:

♠ 97

♥ J1082

◊ AQ73

♣ 1093

 

We were all vulnerable and Sylvia opened 1♥ and Paul doubled.  I think this is a decent four card constructive raise.  The diamonds looked like they may be well placed and I like the spots.  We have a bid for this 3◊ and Sylvia went on to 4♥.  At the other table my hand bid 2♥ (a constructive raise) and they played there.  As it turns out 4♥ can be defeated on a diamond lead and it does need a fair bit to make.  Here is Sylvia’s hand:

♠ KQ2

♥ AK763

◊ 842

♣ QJ

 

Without a diamond lead you have time to set up a club pitch for the third diamond.  Now all you need is the diamond finesse and no heart loser.   In theory this is not a game you want to be in but I like bidding aggressive games and after a heart lead with the diamond finesse onside Sylvia was in good shape.  Anyway maybe the girls were lucky on Board 7.

The next swing was not luck.  I held this rather entertaining hand with nobody vulnerable:

♠ —

♥ A105432

◊ K98432

♣ 6

 

Sylvia opened 1♣ and I bid 1♥, not having a bid to show a red 6-6.  Not surprisingly Jeff bid 1♠ and Sylvia rebid 2♣ which tends to deny three card support (we play support doubles).  Paul cuebid 2♥.  Maybe I should bid a bunch of diamonds here.  But I decided at the time to double hearts now and bid diamonds later.  This is what happened:

 

Sylvia	Paul	Linda	Jeff
1♣	pass	1♥	1♠
♣	2♥	double	3♠
Dbl	pass	4◊	pass
4♠	pass	5◊	all pass

 

Sylvia’s double of 3♠ was penalty but of course I was not interested.  Sylvia’s cuebid of 4♠ didn’t really improve things that much.  I was pretty sure she had a singleton heart by this point but I just didn’t think it was enough and signed off in the diamond game.  At the other table Isabelle overcalled 1♣ with 1♥ and my hand never bid. 

Here was their auction.

Herve	Isabelle		Sondra
1♣	1♥	pass	1♠
pass	1NT	pass	2♠
pass	3♠	all pass

 

I suppose in part this auction shows the power of the four card overcall.  I am going to confess that I would have bid anyway.   Maybe not over 1♥ but later over 1NT.   I wonder what would have happened.  Let’s see

1♣	1♥	pass	1♠
pass	1NT	2◊	2♠
3◊?	3♠	5◊?	all pass

 

Well maybe that is a fantasy.

The whole hand was:

	Paul
	♠ Q86
	♥ KQ98
	◊ 10
Sylvia	♣ KJ732	Linda
♠ A1032		♠ —
♥ 6		♥ A105432
◊ A65		◊ K98432
♣ AQ1094	Jeff	♣ 6
	♠ KJ9754
	♥ J7
	◊ QJ7
	♣ 85

 

We had another big swing on this hand and I know what worked on the hand but I put it to you who made the better bid, the man or the woman and you have to guess which sex made which bid.  You have

♠ J

♥ J43

◊ Q10985432

♣ 5

The auction was slightly different at both tables but it amounted to this:

		2♠	pass
pass	2NT	pass	?

 

One person bid 3NT and one person bid 5◊.  Which sex bid 3NT? 

0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

The male bid 3NT and went down 5 on the expected spade lead, mainly because partner couldn’t get to the diamonds.  Here was partner’s hand:

♠ A765

♥ A92

◊ A6

♣ AQ94

 

Sondra ruffed a spade to hand and laying down the ◊Q pinning the ◊J.  With no diamond losers she could afford two heart losers.  She could always fall back on the club finesse if the diamond play didn’t work.