Settle for game? Results 9/16

Settle for Game or Try for Slam? - 9/16 Results 

                                           ♠ AKJT
                                           ♥ KQ98
                                           ♦ KQJ9
                                           ♣3
                                              E
 
                                              W
                                         ♠ 95
                                         ♥ T732
                                         ♦  65
                                         ♣ KQJ87

            Board 12, 9/16. Dealer West. N-S vulnerable

            North               East                  South               West
                                                                                    Pass
            Pass                 1♦                    Pass                  1♥
            Pass                 4♣*                 Pass                  4♥**
            Pass                 4♠***              Pass                  5♥****
            Pass                 Pass*****       all pass

                         * (alerted) Splinter, singleton or void in clubs, strong heart support
                       ** Signoff, no interest in slam
                      *** I have a really good hand and spade control
                    **** Nothing to show you
                   ***** (Sigh) Okay

            Bidding commentary: Opposite 1♦, and lacking enough points to bid 2♣, West has a choice between 1NT and 1♥. Most pairs play that 1NT denies a four-card major. So 1♥ it is. East now has several choices. 3♥ is possible, which West should pass. Two pairs played there for +140 and 1.5 match points (out of 5). But this is a really nice hand. Not only is it 19 HCP, but the spot cards are 8s, 9s, and 10s. West’s 1♥ bid could be as much as 11 or 12 HCP. The splinter is a reasonable choice. East hopes to hear 5♦ or 5♣, showing the ace. But West has no ace, weak trumps, and probably wasted values in clubs. When West signs off at 4♥, East should  pass, but one foolish East (me) gave it one more try by showing the spade strength.

            Play commentary: The opening lead is the ♠4. Making 5♥ is impossible without help from the defense. There are no quick entries to the declarer’s hand and three sure losers (the minor suit aces and the ace of trump). However, the strength in the dummy and the declarer’s doubletons offer some hope of making four if the outstanding spades and diamonds divide four-three and trumps are three-two (or the ♥J falls early). There’s no need to take the spade finesse at trick one. However, it’s vital to hold the heart losers to one trick.
            To do that, you may have to lead twice toward the dummy’s trumps. Take the ♠A and lead the ♦K. (The defense may or may not cash the ♣A at some point - if they cash it early, you can pitch a losing spade on a club when you get to your hand.) Win the return, cash the ♦K and trump the ♦9. Lead a heart toward the board. You hope North has the ace and plays it. He doesn’t, and the ♥K loses to South’s ♥A. Win the return, cash the ♠K if you haven’t already had a second spade lead, and trump a spade with the ♥T (the queen falls). Lead your last trump toward the dummy. North plays low. Now you have to decide about the ♥J. If South started with AJx, or North with Jxxx, the situation was hopeless from the beginning, so rule those out. Is it more likely that South had AJ or Ax? Did North start with Jx or Jxx ? Since there are two ways that North could have the jack and only one way that the jack will fall from the South hand now, play the ♥9 from the dummy. It wins and you make 4♥.

            However, as it turned out we went down in 5♥ for a zero on Board 12. No one else made five either, but three pairs bid and made 4♥ for +420 and 4 match points out of 5. I should have passed 4♥. Here’s the whole board.
                                           ♠ AKJT
                                           ♥ KQ98
                                           ♦ KQJ9
                                           ♣ 3
                                              E
              ♠ Q64                                        ♠ 8732
              ♥ J65                                         ♥ A4
              ♦ A832      N                      S     ♦ T74
              ♣ T96                                       ♣ A542
                                              W
                                         ♠ 95
                                         ♥ T732
                                         ♦  65
                                         ♣ KQJ87

Results 9/16 in VH. 6.5 tables in play. 1 Michele Riel & David Donald. 2 Bill Blakesley & Hugh Knipmeyer. 3. Dan & Nancy Cabot. 4 Gail Farrish & Patsy McCornack. 5 Barbara Besse & Judy Balph.