Peggy Bayer Match 8 - Wales

This time we're playing without Kevin - who's going to bid all the games and make them?

Not this guy.

Timon remains on the bench, and it's up to Alexander to take the captain's armband. I sat in to watch the first board. 

The Welsh West opened 1C, and Isla sitting North made a weak jump overcall of 2S. Our system is that we play weak twos, weak jump overcalls, but strong jump shifts opposite partner's opening bid. It makes sense to me.

The Welsh East bid 3D, which ended the auction (I'd play that as forcing, but it was passed out). Our defenders cashed their two Hearts and two Spades and that was 3D=.

On the other table the Welsh South was in a surprising 2NT. West lead a low Club. I've been trying to teach that the defender after dummy should lead dummy's weaker suit ("lead through strength and round to weakness") East has a choice therefore between a Diamond or Heart. Presumably East chose an unlucky Heart, as declarer made 2NT for 6 IMPs to Wales.

Our North-South did well to get to 4S here.

You get a Club lead. The most you can possibly lose is one trick in each suit, so your plan should be to avoid that. First your draw trumps, (either with a finesse or playing the Ace, equal odds). Then the key to the hand is you play Diamonds, setting up a winner to throw away a losing Heart on. It's a textbook hand. 

Unfortunately Wales have read the textbook but we haven't, and lost 12 IMPs here. The match is delicately poised 26-19 in our favour.

Update - we lost.