Board-a-Match Madness

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frs1016@centurylink.net
Today’s deal arose in the Reisinger Board-a-Match Teams at the Fall NABC. This event is demanding; just making it to the final day is tough. Your team plays each deal against just one other team. You win it or lose it. Players take risks to try to get an edge.

Dlr: West ♠ 10 9 4 2
Vul: N-S ♥ Q J 10
♦ J 5 4 3
♣ 8 5
♠ K Q J 5 3 ♠ A 8 7
♥ 5 4 2 ♥ 9 6
♦ 9 8 2 ♦ K Q 10 7
♣ Q J ♣ A 9 7 3
♠ 6
♥ A K 8 7 3
♦ A 6
♣ K 10 6 4 2
West North East South
2♠(!) Pass 2NT Dbl
Pass 3♦ Dbl 3♥
Dbl(!) All Pass

Opening lead — ♠K
There is a difference between taking reasonable risks and indulging in wild, undisciplined actions. West was wild — or maybe way behind and trying to catch up: He opened a weak 2♠ on an atypical hand. East’s 2NT asked for more information, and South doubled. East doubled North’s 3♦ response, and when South tried 3♥, West masterminded a double.

Club Ruff

East overtook the first spade with the ace to lead a trump. Declarer won in dummy, led a club to his king and conceded a club. He won the next trump, ruffed a club in dummy, came to his ♦A, drew trumps, conceded a club and claimed nine tricks, plus 730.
I will say that West’s actions are not my idea of how to play bridge.

Daily Question

You hold: ♠6 ♥A K 8 7 3 ♦A 6   ♣K 10 6 4 2.
You open 1♥, your partner responds 1♠, you bid 2♣ and he rebids 2♠. What do you say?

ANSWER
Partner probably has a six-card suit but surely has fewer than 10 points. Since game is most unlikely, and his hand will take some tricks only if his long suit is trumps, pass. A club partscore might be a better spot, but to persist in the face of a probable misfit is wrong.