ATB (if any)

[ArtK78]

12 board match. IMPs converted to VPs.

[hv=pc=n&s=sakj962h752dkcat3&n=s743ht843da8642ck&d=w&v=n&b=12&a=1hp1n2sp3sppp]266|200[/hv]

 

The spades are 2-2 with the QT onside, so game cannot be beat.

 

The hand was a push.

 

Anyone to blame for not reaching game?

[mr1303]

Whenever I bid these, Qxx is offside and so game has no play, so no blame here.

[Fluffy]

Lucky you when I bid those ones stif kings are useless and I go 3 down after missguessing the trump queen which was doubleton behind...

 

Anyway I think south has enough to bid 4♠, just that the 3 low hearts are ugly.

[helene_t]

South could have bid 4. I don't know if I would. It is probably a game you want to be in.

[madongjun]

South bid 4♠ is better.

But PASS also is a choice,Because single diamond King and the three lows heart.

[billw55]

Looks like both players downgraded a little for stiff kings and bad heart holdings. Correctly so, I think. The actual layout is very lucky - both kings are full value, trump Q cannot be misguessed, which also means no entry problems. No blame.

[ArtK78]

This was a hand from the first of two 12 board matches played in our Solomon Teams match last night. My team won the match 18-14, with the only large adverse swing coming on a hand where both sides opened 2♠ vul in 1st seat and responder had to decide what to do with --- KJ8xx AQJ9x KTx. Our teammate at the other table passed, and scored +110. Our opponent at our table bid 3♥ (natural and forcing) and got raised to 4♥ by opener who held AJ9xxx 9x K Q8xx. So, the hands are:

 

[hv=pc=n&w=shkj852daqj93ckt4&e=saj9642h93dkcq852&d=e&v=e&b=6&a=2sp3hp4hppp]266|200[/hv]

 

A low club was led, to the J and K. Declarer played a diamond to dummy, cashed the ♠A pitching a club*, and ran the ♥9 to the Q (covering the 9 does not help - that hand has ATx of hearts). The ♣9 was played to the A. Since the hearts were now 2-2, the diamonds run and there was no uppercut, the defense was helpless. So we lost 11. More than a little unlucky.

 

My partner and I played only the first of the two matches. On our way out, I commented at how the match was very boring and my partner commented that he was disappointed that we did not reach game on the hand in the OP. He held the long spade hand. He said that he didn't think I could do anything other than what I did (raise 2♠ to 3) and the conversation essentially ended at that point. In my opinion, one of us would have to take a very aggressive view of our hand to get to game, but he might have the better chance. Still, I don't see anything wrong with either of our actions.

 

* [Do you agree with this play? Pitching a club is not necessary unless the opps have a club ruff coming, and if that is the case declarer is in danger of being tapped out. By cashing the ♠A, declarer has set up a spade tap against himself. Pitching a diamond might be necessary, but is it worth the risk of opening up the spade suit? Please feel free to comment.]

[gszes]

its a risk vs reward type hand the 3s bid is just short of a limit raise (else

 

3h). This means generally the 2s bidder knows p has enough general stuff

 

to be in game. The risk/reward part is we are already in 3s and the only time

 

we suffer (much) from going to game is when it makes exactly 3. Even though

 

I would have little trouble bidding

 

4s

 

this is one of those partnership temperament type hands. If you both enjoy a bit

 

more of a conservative style than by all means pass. You will both enjoy the game

 

a ton more if you miss an occasional game like this than if you bid it and go down.

 

If you prefer a more free wheeling style there are insufficient downgrades to keep

 

you out of game (turn that dia K into heart K and I pass as quickly as possible).