NZ Pairs

Playing the main event this year with Laura we managed four solid sets over the two days of qualifying: 49.9, 56.2, 53.8 and 54.5. That positioned us 28th out of 224 starters and just sneaking into the 14 table final on day three.

The final was always going to be tough and we didn't improve though we came close almost every round. It wasn't all bad though, there were lots of successes and this was one against a couple of ex-Kiwi Australians:

They had a free run of the auction and this is how they used it:

	South	North
Could be short	1♣	1♦	Shows hearts
12-14, 2 hearts	1NT	2♣	Weak ♦ or invite
Forced	2♦	2♥	Invite 6♥
Partial accept 4♠	2♠	4♠	Game!

I was on lead holding:

♠	7 2
♥	J 8 5 3
♦	J 2
♣	A K J 8 2

On the auction the major shapes are crystal clear, partner has a singleton heart. Given my side entry a heart ruff looks like the best source of tricks. Declarer won the lead with the ten in dummy, played a spade to hand and lost the spade finesse to Laura's Queen leaving me looking at this:

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

Disappointed that my plan for an entry had failed I didn't really believe we would set this contract when partner produced the ♦6 and declarer the Ten.

I was in! I wasn't sure why but that's hardly important. I gave partner her ruff and she cashed the top two diamonds securing a two trick set and our best board of the whole final.

The complete deal:

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

Any contract can make

When dummy goes down and you see immediately you need a suit to break to fulfill your contract that's normal. When you need two suits to break that's not as much fun. When you need two suits to break, a finesse and, a miss defense so grievous only pulling the wrong card could explain it, then you're in trouble. Yes, trouble.

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

If you had to guess the contract you'd probably say 4♥ or 5♣. Maybe 6♣ or an off beat 3NT if I asked further but nowhere near the top of the list is 5♦.

North led the K♠, South discarding a heart, and we all remarked at how poorly the vulnerable 3♠, which we'd had the chance to double, would have played.

Next came a small spade from North which I covered perforce and South ruffed with the deuce. I over ruffed and tried a diamond toward table which North grabbed with glee.

The pondering that came next revealed that Norths glee might have been premature but eventually another diamond came back. That picked up the diamond suit for one loser. Souths first round pitch of the heart was from four small so the hearts now ran leaving me a little bewildered and with eleven tricks.

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