Glasgow vs USA

This Thursday I filled in for The Glasgow Boys in their weekly match against an American Team of Four. Ted and I updated our fairly comprehensive system, given that we have only played together there or four times, (see here, and we were good to go!

The very first hand had pre-empts at the five level and and things kept going from there!. Every board seemed to be a potential slam. At the half-way point we had built up a bit of a lead and could relax a little. What sigals do you play?" the opponents asked. I was just about to type "Standard attitude" when Ted wrote "Reverse attitude"!

In the hand below I had a few decisions to make. First, to respond to 1♠?. I think the chances of improving the contract are so good I've got to bid, so I did.

1NT has decent play, the main challenge being rememebering your're not playing in Hearts.

I got a ♥Q lead. This is probably from ♥QJx(x) in which case I can pick up the whole suit by winning in hand and finessing, but doing that will block the suit. People sometimes lead from ♥Qx so I decided to win in dummy and finesse. This guarantees me five Heart tricks. As it happens that's not enough, as if the defence is accurate and get into Spades I'm sunk. But luckily when North got a Spade through to the ♠Q he couldn't wait for another Spade, cashed the ♠A and now I was home, via five Hearts, one Spade and one Club.

The other table played 3♥ after a strong 1NT opener, which just makes.

As is usual I am featuring the hand which caused the most discussion afterwards. I do not come out of it well:

I made the normal 2♣ overcall then when Ted showed a good raise decided to have a go at 3NT. I don't quite have stops in Diamonds and Hearts, but I'm expecting a Heart lead, so two Hearts, six Clubs probably plus one more from partner. When North went on to 4♥ I decided we couldn't let that go and eagerly doubled. I lead a Spade, expecting one or two tricks here, but alas all we got was my two trump tricks for an expensive 4♥x+1 conceding 990.

Fortunately, the other table had the same result. In their auction West only raised to 3♣, which I think makes East's double much more dubious (partner might have nothinig but useless Clubs).

It could so easily have been a winning board for us, if I'd simply passed 3♦ bid 5♣ or just not doubled 4♥.

In the end we won the match 44-22.