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From Seattle NABC
Submitted By Bob Bertoni from Hand record 85724
It seems to me that the hands I get are significantly more difficult than
those that play the same hands in my direction. Here I am Dealer East.
Seattle Friday AX

East Deals
None Vul		 ♠ Q 6 3
♥ Q 8 4 2
♦ K Q 6 2
♣ K 9
♠ —
♥ K 10 9 7
♦ A 9 5 4
♣ A Q 8 7 2
N
W   E
S
♠ A K J 10 9 8 7 5 4 2
♥ —
♦ 8 7 3
♣ —
  ♠ —
♥ A J 6 5 3
♦ J 10
♣ J 10 6 5 4 3
 

In Seattle I picked up this Spade monster as dealer. I pondered for a few extra seconds. What to open this hand? We do not play Namyats, 4S just seemed wrong. 1S appeared to leave a lot of preempts to get in the way of what I wanted to know from partner, and the true strength of my hand lies in an outstanding trump suit and 2 voids. What do I need for 6S? Not a lot, 2 winners and any split in trumps. So I opened 2Cgame forcing strong and we play controls so I decided that was the best I could do. After all with luck the spade 6 might be an entry opposite 63 and stiff Q. 

After 2C my response was 3D (4+ controls) music to my greedy ears, I plunked down 6S happy as a lark and hoped for a double, not forthcoming I settled for my 6S surely making. The opening lead presented a challenge it was the J of Clubs. I thought of ducking small and just ruffing the club hoping for the K as I doubted that they led away from KJTxxx, but then I considered in this wacky hand a club stiff was possible and went up ace. Thought for way too long and decided to just play a heart and see if th3e A popped from LHO assuming I was playing to my Q, when they followed small I had to ruff and was stuck Plunking down the A Spades getting the awful news 0093 split (of course). -1 tyvm.
So what happened at other tables?? 6S == everywhere or 4S making 6 galore. So I had to ask people how they make it... I love the punishment. Some said that they got the Ace Hearts lead, how welcome was that? Others got the club lead and then decided to play on club after taking Ace ruffing the K and making it eaasily. Interesting ducking at trick doesnt work either so the correct line never came to my vision, I asked several experts and most of them got it after a few seconds to play AC and a club, as I said other people get the easy hands.
 

 


Submitted by Yigi Starr

In Open BAM in Seattle, I was in 4S afterovercalling 4S over RHO's gambling 3N.
 
               QJ3
               A72
               J983
               AT4
 
 
               AK9854
               Q4
               7
               Q973
 
LHO lead 2D to RHO's TD.  RHO leadback QD which I ruffed w/ AS, LHO pitched 3H.  When I drew trumps,LHO followed once and discarded 6C and 5C.  Opp play upside down count and attitude.
 
I lead 3C towards the dummy and LHO followed with 2C.
 
At this point, I paused to think.  (Probably would've been better to think before playing the 3C).  LHO has 11cards in H and C.  Given he has pitched 2C and 1H, it is likely thathe is longer in C than H.  Could he have 5H and 6C?  What kindof C holding can he have to pitch 6C, 5C and then follow with 2C?  Can he possibly have 3C or 4C only?  If he only had 3C or 4C, then he would have had 7-8H.  Perhaps he would've bid or pitched more H.  Now I turned to think about RHO's hand.  He has 7D and 3S.  He onlyhad 3 cards in H and C.  He very loudly asked for a C return when he played QD.  What can he have?  A club void!
 
Based on the above, I played 4C which held.  I end up making 4S.  The 4 hands were:
 
               QJ3
               A72
               J983
               AT4
2                              T76
KJT63                              985
2                              AKQT654
KJ8652                              --
               AK9854
               Q4
               7
               Q973
 
However, the hero of the hand was actually my partner, Doug Doub.  He knew I was under pressure to bid 4S over 3N.  He didn't bid on, in spite of such a great hand.  Our opponent was in 5S.  Wewere going to win the board regardless of what I did!

9-5-11 Bridgespot
Board 23
South Deals
Both Vul		 ♠ A Q 8 4
♥ A K 10 8 2
♦ 7
♣ 10 6 3
♠ J 7 2
♥ J 7
♦ Q J 9 5 4 2
♣ Q 5
N
W   E
S
♠ K 9 5
♥ 6
♦ A K 10 8
♣ A K 9 8 2
  ♠ 10 6 3
♥ Q 9 5 4 3
♦ 6 3
♣ J 7 4

EW 5♦; EW 5♣; NS 2♥; EW 1N

West North East South
      Pass
Pass 2 ♦ Pass Pass
Pass
2 ♦ by North

When making agreements, we try to come up with a system to improve our score.Sometimes it works and sometimes we forget.
Take this deal submitted by Tom Macbeth from the Bridgespot. North opened 2♦ as Flannery (11-15 HCP with 5♥ and 4♠) it went pass by east who has no bid against 2♦, then Pass by south who forgot their agreement and believed it a weak two bid. So it came to west who has a bad hand in all auctions except ♦ so he passed.
The play: East led the K♦followed by a low ♦ to partners Q declarer showing out!! A shift to the Q♣ followed by the 5♣ produced 5♣. a ♥ ruff, ♠K and all ♦ for 12 tricks on defense.
2♦-7 for +700 EW beating their par score of 600 in a minor game.
Have you seen 700 before ?