Rubber antics

Every year in New Zealand there's a knock out rubber bridge competition. It's almost free to enter and you play 30 hand rounds, the last two are held at the national congress.

It's fair to say that luck is a big part of the event. If you're not lucky and come up against someone who is they'll average 23 points a hand crushing any chance of a national title. Last night was my first match for the year and resulted in a win, this hand helped.

♠	9 7 4 2
♥	J
♦	K J T 9 8 4
♣	6 4

This is the 21st hand, the fourth rubber and we're 550 points behind. Things are looking up though, the last two hands we played in 3NT then 3♦ both making so we're vulnerable with 60 below.

Partner opened 1♥ and RHO overcalled 2♣. We'd dearly love to make a part score here and if partner has the values, I have the shape. 2♦!

Sadly that wasn't passed out, partner "corrected" to 2♥ and confident on the fate of that contract I continued my explorations with 2♠. That did get passed and partner with a flippant comment like "surely this one will be easy" decked:

	♠ A J 5 3 ♥ K 8 6 4 2 ♦ - ♣ A Q J 5
♣ 2
	♠ 9 7 4 2 ♥ J ♦ K J T 9 8 4 ♣ 6 4

Easy.

Well at least I got a revealing lead; the deuce almost certainly has no friends in the West hand. Secondly this hand contains one of my favourite suit combinations, and empty King on the table opposite a known shortage that happens to be the Jack.

If East has one heart honour they probably won't play it meaning West will win and must switch, ideal. The ♣A wins then a heart to the Jack brings the Ace from West which is good news. West looked distastefully at dummy and played a diamond.

How are our tricks looking? A club, a heart, a top spade and 5 ruffs would be good enough. I ruff and cash the ♥K dropping East's Queen and pitch a club out of hand, this is how it looks up 3 tricks to 1:

	♠ A J 5 ♥ 8 6 4 ♦ - ♣ Q J 5
	♠ 9 7 4 2 ♥ - ♦ K J T 9 8 ♣ -

I play heart and East ruffs with the Ten. West ruffs a club and plays a diamond for me to ruff felling Easts Ace. Guess I don't have to ruff them if they establish like that! Now all that remains is to ruff a heart, draw a round of trumps and take the ruffing club finesse. That club ruff entry is to pitch the final heart on the established diamonds for 8 tricks.

	♠ A J 5 3 ♥ K 8 6 4 2 ♦ - ♣ A Q J 5
♠ K 6 ♥ A T 9 5 3 ♦ 7 6 5 3 2 ♣ 2		♠ Q T 8 ♥ Q 7 ♦ A Q ♣ K T 9 8 7 3
	♠ 9 7 4 2 ♥ J ♦ K J T 9 8 4 ♣ 6 4

It's a good thing my partner played all the difficult contracts!