Monday 11/14/2016 - Common Game at Nite (16110583)

EVENT>Monday Night Bridge      |SESSION>Monday Eve   |SECTION> A N-S
------------------------,------ ------------,-------- --------------------------
DATE>November 14, 2016  |CLUB NO.>185264    | 11/14/2016 22:19
---------------------,-- ------------------- -------------,---------------------
DIR> Mike Lipp       |RATING>Club Masterpoint (100%, 80%, 70% Open)|MOVEMENT>MITCHELL
------------,-------- ,-------------------------,--------- ---------------------
AVE>  132.0 |TOP>  11 |MP LIMITS>None/500/200   |CLUB>Monday Night Bridge
------------ --------- ------------------------- -------------------------------
PAIRS IN STRAT A=13/B=6/C=3                      ,---,-------------------------,------,---------,
-------------------------------------------------|   |           Section       |      |Section  |
No Name                   Name                   |Flt|Rnk-A|Rnk-B|Rnk-C| Score | Pct  |Awards   |
------------------------------------------------- --- ----- ----- ----- ------- ------ ---------
 1 Debbie Wiest           John Altman Sr           A    4     .     .    148.00  56.06  0.46(A)
 2 Donald Pollack         Bernice Pollack          C    .     .     .     96.00  36.36
 3 Susan Stacy Vanstone   Martin Gibler            B    3     2     .    150.00  56.82  0.65(A)
 4 Joy Singerman          William Cook             B    1     1     .    169.50  64.20  1.30(A)
 5 Patricia Burnam        Elmer Hubka              A    .     .     .    111.50  42.23
 6 Ying Peng              Patrick Hoffman          A    2     .     .    160.00  60.61  0.91(A)
 7 Annette Kereiakes      Tom Kereiakes            B    .     .     .    137.00  51.89
 8 David Elliott          Carla Runda              C    .     .     1    129.00  48.86  0.21(C)
 9 Joyce Tedrick          Linda Woodham            A    .     .     .    123.50  46.78
10 M Mineard              Louise Wolf              A    .     .     .    114.00  43.18
11 Ambrish Bansal         Nalin Mehta              A    .     .     .    141.00  53.41
12 John Ramsay            Julian Magnus, Jr        C    .     .     .     93.50  35.42
13 Harriet Spiegel        Herb Schapera            A    5     .     .    143.00  54.17  0.26(A)

                                          Totals                        1716.00


                                       **PAIRS**
BOARD     1     2     3     4     5     6     7     8     9    10    11    12    13
  /
   1>     8-         11     5     5     8-   10     5     2     0     5     1     5
        -300   ---- -150  -450  -450  -300  -170  -450  -460  -770  -450  -480  -450

   2>     9           2-    2-    2-    9     6     9     9     2-    9     2-    2-
        -450   ---- -480  -480  -480  -450  -460  -450  -450  -480  -450  -480  -480

   3>    10-    0          10-    8     6     7     5     3-    1-    3-    1-    9
         490  -150   ----  490   420   170   400   130   -50  -100   -50  -100   430

   4>     6     1           6     6     6     6     6     6    11     6     0     6
        PASS   -90   ---- PASS  PASS  PASS  PASS  PASS  PASS    90  PASS  -100  PASS

   5>    10     0     3           9    11     3     6     3     3     7     3     8
         690  -200   100   ----  650   750   100   130   100   100   150   100   600

   6>     9-    9-    7           3     3     7      -    5     7      -    3    11
        -110  -110  -130   ---- -630  -630  -130  -660  -300  -130  -660  -630  -100

   7>     1     0    11     9-          3     5     5     7-    9-    7-    2     5
        -180  -630   300   100   ---- -150  -140  -140  -120   100  -120  -170  -140

   8>     4     9-    1     2-          0     9-    7-    5-    2-    5-   11     7-
          50   110  -140  -110   ---- -570   110   100    90  -110    90   300   100

   9>     2-    4     7     9     5            -   11     2-     -   10     7     7
         -50    90   120   140   110   ---- -100   400   -50  -100   150   120   120

  10>     7-    3     9    10-    6           4-    4-   10-    7-    1     0     2
         140    90   150   200   130   ----  110   110   200   140  -110  -200  -100

  11>    10-    6-    6-   10-    6-    3           1-    0     6-    6-    1-    6-
         460   430   430   460   430   420   ----  400   -50   430   430   400   430

  12>     0    10-   10-    6-    6-    6-          1     6-    3     6-    6-    2
        -420  -110  -110  -130  -130  -130   ---- -200  -130  -140  -130  -130  -170

  13>     5     1-    5     5     1-    7-   10           1-    9     1-   11     7-
         -90  -120   -90   -90  -120   100   200   ---- -120   140  -120   300   100

  14>     5-    0     2-    5-    2-    9-    9-          7     9-    9-    2-    2-
        -420  -500  -450  -420  -450    50    50   ---- -170    50    50  -450  -450

  15>     1     5-   10    10     5-    5-    1     8           1     5-   10     3
          90   120   150   150   120   120    90   140   ----   90   120   150   110

  16>     8-    1     6-   10-    6-    3-   10-    3-          3-    0     3-    8-
        -690 -1460  -720  -680  -720 -1440  -680 -1440   -----1440 -1470 -1440  -690

  17>     4     1-    5-    1-    5-   10     1-    8     1-         11     8     8
        -110  -140    50  -140    50   150  -140   100  -140   ----  200   100   100

  18>      -    8-    5     5      -   11     5     2    10           5     8-    5
        -200   100  PASS  PASS  -200   180  PASS  -100   150   ---- PASS   100  PASS

  19>     3     2    10    10     6-   10     6-    4     6-    6-           -     -
         200   170   450   450   420   450   420   400   420   420   ----  -50   -50

  20>    10-   10-    3-    3-    3-    8     3-    3-    8     3-          0     8
         680   680   620   620   620   650   620   620   650   620   ----  170   650

  21>     9-    1-    3-    8     3-   11     5     6-    1-    9-    6-          0
         130  -100    50   120    50   600   100   110  -100   130   110   ---- -200

  22>     7     3     5    10     3     7     3     0     7     1     9          11
        -140  -170  -150   -50  -170  -140  -170  -230  -140  -200  -100   ----  100

  23>     5     4     9     1-    9     6-    3    11     6-    1-    9     0
         660   640   720   620   720   690   630  1440   690   620   720   600   ----

  24>     9-    4     7    11     3     9-    7     5     0     1-    7     1-
          50  -100  PASS    90  -120    50  PASS   -90  -280  -150  PASS  -150   ----

  25>           0     6-    6-    1     2-   10-    6-   10-    6-    6-    2-    6-
         ----  170   450   450   200   420   480   450   480   450   450   420   450

  26>           9     2-    9     2-    2-    2-    9     2-    6-    2-    6-   11
         ---- -650  -680  -650  -680  -680  -680  -650  -680  -660  -680  -660  -150



EVENT>Monday Night Bridge      |SESSION>Monday Eve   |SECTION> A E-W
------------------------,------ ------------,-------- --------------------------
DATE>November 14, 2016  |CLUB NO.>185264    | 11/14/2016 22:19
---------------------,-- ------------------- -------------,---------------------
DIR> Mike Lipp       |RATING>Club Masterpoint (100%, 80%, 70% Open)|MOVEMENT>MITCHELL
------------,-------- ,-------------------------,--------- ---------------------
AVE>  132.0 |TOP>  11 |MP LIMITS>None/500/200   |CLUB>Monday Night Bridge
------------ --------- ------------------------- -------------------------------
PAIRS IN STRAT A=13/B=8/C=6                      ,---,-------------------------,------,---------,
-------------------------------------------------|   |           Section       |      |Section  |
No Name                   Name                   |Flt|Rnk-A|Rnk-B|Rnk-C| Score | Pct  |Awards   |
------------------------------------------------- --- ----- ----- ----- ------- ------ ---------
 1 Patrick Lammers        Judy Barron              B    .     3     .    134.00  50.76  0.32(B)
 2 Steve Messinger        Peter Dehaan             C    .     .     .    125.50  47.54
 3 Lewis Temples          Richard Koch             C    .     .     .    115.00  43.56
 4 Stephen Felson         Robert Brown             A    .     .     .    120.00  45.45
 5 Patt Olexsey           Jan Thurnau              C    .     .     2    130.00  49.24  0.29(C)
 6 Gail Zimmer            Joseph Kammer            B    1     1     .    167.50  63.45  1.30(A)
 7 Evelyn McCarthy        Joan Diers               C    .     .     .    124.50  47.16
 8 Reeta Brendamour       Pam Campbell             A    4     .     .    144.50  54.73  0.46(A)
 9 Mike Burns             Pamela Kennedy           C    3     2     1    149.50  56.63  0.65(A)
10 Joanne Earls           Judith Lubow             A    5     .     .    143.00  54.17  0.26(A)
11 Erin Oblinger          Kathy Rice               C    .     .     .    109.00  41.29
12 Doris Kehoe            Lilam Stanley            A    2     .     .    166.50  63.07  0.91(A)
13 Michael Lipp           Eileen Deutch            A    .     .     .     87.00  32.95

                                          Totals                        1716.00


                                       **PAIRS**
BOARD     1     2     3     4     5     6     7     8     9    10    11    12    13
  /
   1>     2-    6           9     0    11     6     6     6    10     2-    6     1
         300   450   ----  460   150   770   450   450   450   480   300   450   170

   2>     2     2           2     8-    8-    8-    2     8-    8-    2     8-    5
         450   450   ----  450   480   480   480   450   480   480   450   480   460

   3>     6    11     7-          9-     -    7-    3     9-    5     2     4      -
        -130   150    50   ----  100  -490    50  -420   100  -170  -430  -400  -490

   4>     5    10     5           0     5     5     5    11     5     5     5     5
        PASS    90  PASS   ----  -90  PASS  PASS  PASS   100  PASS  PASS  PASS  PASS

   5>    11     8     8     8           4     2     8     0     3     8     1     5
         200  -100  -100  -100   ---- -150  -650  -100  -750  -600  -100  -690  -130

   6>     1-    6     4     4          10-    8     8     8     0     4     1-   10-
         110   300   130   130   ----  660   630   630   630   100   130   110   660

   7>     3-    0     1-    1-    3-          9     8     6     6    10     6    11
         120  -300  -100  -100   120   ----  170   150   140   140   180   140   630

   8>     5-   10     8-    8-    5-          0    11     3-    1-    7     3-    1-
         -90   140   110   110   -90   ---- -300   570  -100  -110   -50  -100  -110

   9>     4    10-    2     1     6     4           4    10-    8-    0     7     8-
        -120   100  -140  -150  -110  -120   ---- -120   100    50  -400   -90    50

  10>     2     3-     -   10     5    11           9     6-    3-    6-    8      -
        -150  -140  -200   110  -130   200   ----  100  -110  -140  -110   -90  -200

  11>     4-     -    4-    4-    9-    8     4-           -    9-    4-   11     4-
        -430  -460  -430  -430  -400  -420  -430   ---- -460  -400  -430    50  -430

  12>     8     4-    4-    4-    4-    4-    9          11    10      -    4-     -
         140   130   130   130   130   130   170   ----  420   200   110   130   110

  13>     6     9-    9-    0     3-    3-    1     6           9-    9-    6     2
          90   120   120  -300  -100  -100  -200    90   ----  120   120    90  -140

  14>     5-    1-    8-    8-    1-    8-    1-    5-         11     4     8-    1-
         420   -50   450   450   -50   450   -50   420   ----  500   170   450   -50

  15>     5-    5-    1     5-    8    10    10     3     5-          1    10     1
        -120  -120  -150  -120  -110   -90   -90  -140  -120   ---- -150   -90  -150

  16>    11     4-    7-    7-    2-     -    2-    7-   10           4-    7-     -
        1470   720  1440  1440   690   680   690  1440  1460   ----  720  1440   680

  17>     5-    3     1     3     9-    7     3     9-    9-    5-          9-    0
         -50  -100  -150  -100   140   110  -100   140   140   -50   ----  140  -200

  18>    10-    2-    0     6     6    10-    9     2-    1     6           6     6
         200  -100  -180  PASS  PASS   200   100  -100  -150  PASS   ---- PASS  PASS

  19>    10-    1    10-    4-    8     7     9     4-    1     4-    1           4-
          50  -450    50  -420  -200  -400  -170  -420  -450  -420  -450   ---- -420

  20>    11     3     3     7-     -    7-     -    3     7-    7-    7-          7-
        -170  -650  -650  -620  -680  -620  -680  -650  -620  -620  -620   ---- -620

  21>     0    11     6     1-    4-    9-    9-    7-    1-    3     4-    7-
        -600   200  -100  -130  -110   100   100   -50  -130  -120  -110   -50   ----

  22>     4     0     8     4    11     8     4     6    10     1     2     8
         140  -100   170   140   230   170   140   150   200    50   100   170   ----

  23>           8     6     0     7     4-    2     9-    9-    2     2    11     4-
         ---- -630  -660 -1440  -640  -690  -720  -620  -620  -720  -720  -600  -690

  24>           4     1-    6     7    11     4     9-    0     4     8     9-    1-
         ---- PASS   -50    90   100   280  PASS   150   -90  PASS   120   150   -50

  25>      -          4-   11      -    4-    4-    4-    4-   10     8-    8-    4-
        -480   ---- -450  -170  -480  -450  -450  -450  -450  -200  -420  -420  -450

  26>     8-          2     2     8-    8-    4-    2     8-    8-    4-    8-    0
         680   ----  650   650   680   680   660   650   680   680   660   680   150
Monday Night Bridge, Monday Eve, November 14, 2016

Board 1
North Deals
None Vul

♠	8
♥	9
♦	8 6 5 4 3 2
♣	Q 7 5 4 3

♠	A Q
♥	Q J 10 7 5 4
♦	A Q
♣	K 8 2

N
W		E
S

♠	10 7 6 4 3
♥	K 3 2
♦	K 9
♣	A 10 6

♠	K J 9 5 2
♥	A 8 6
♦	J 10 7
♣	J 9

EW 5N; EW 5♥; EW 2♠; EW 2♣; NS 1♦; Par −460

West	North	East	South
	Pass	Pass	1 ♠1
Dbl2	Pass	2 NT3	Pass
3 NT	Pass	Pass	Pass

Light 3rd-seat opening
Planning to double and bid Hearts to show 17+
Showing 10-11 HCP and Spades

Contract			Score		Matchpoints		Pair	Pair
			N-S	E-W	N-S	E-W	N-S	E-W
2 ♠	S	−3		150	11.00	0.00	3-Vanstone-Gibler	5-Olexsey-Thurnau
2 ♥	W	4		170	10.00	1.00	7-Kereiakes-Kereiakes	13-Lipp-Deutch
1 ♠×	S	−2		300	8.50	2.50	1-Wiest-Altman Sr	1-Lammers-Barron
1 ♠×	S	−2		300	8.50	2.50	6-Peng-Hoffman	11-Oblinger-Rice
4 ♥	W	5		450	5.00	6.00	4-Singerman-Cook	7-McCarthy-Diers
4 ♥	W	5		450	5.00	6.00	5-Burnam-Hubka	9-Burns-Kennedy
4 ♥	W	5		450	5.00	6.00	8-Elliott-Runda	2-Messinger-Dehaan
4 ♥	W	5		450	5.00	6.00	11-Bansal-Mehta	8-Brendamour-Campbell
4 ♥	W	5		450	5.00	6.00	13-Spiegel-Schapera	12-Kehoe-Stanley
3 NT	W	5		460	2.00	9.00	9-Tedrick-Woodham	4-Felson-Brown
4 ♥	W	6		480	1.00	10.00	12-Ramsay-Magnus, Jr	10-Earls-Lubow
2 ♥×	E	5		770	0.00	11.00	10-Mineard-Wolf	6-Zimmer-Kammer

West had planned to double and bid Hearts to show 17 or more HCP and a 5+ card Heart suit, but when partner bids 2 NT, they quickly change their mind. E/W take two Spade tricks, five Hearts, two Diamonds, and two Clubs, making five. A stubborn South may still lead a Spade, but it doesn't matter.

Board 2
East Deals
N-S Vul

♠	8 4
♥	J 8 7 5 4
♦	A 10 6 5
♣	3 2

♠	A Q 7 6 2
♥	K 3
♦	J 7
♣	Q J 9 6

N
W		E
S

♠	K 10 5 3
♥	A Q 9
♦	K 8 4 2
♣	A 8

♠	J 9
♥	10 6 2
♦	Q 9 3
♣	K 10 7 5 4

EW 5♠; EW 4N; EW 3♦; EW 3♣; EW 1♥; Par −450

West	North	East	South
		1 NT1	Pass
2 ♥2	Pass	2 ♠3	Pass
3 NT4	Pass	4 ♠	Pass
Pass	Pass

15 to 17
Transfer
Not quite enough to super accept
Showing a game-going hand with exactly five Spades

Contract			Score		Matchpoints		Pair	Pair
			N-S	E-W	N-S	E-W	N-S	E-W
4 ♠	E	5		450	9.00	2.00	1-Wiest-Altman Sr	1-Lammers-Barron
4 ♠	E	5		450	9.00	2.00	6-Peng-Hoffman	11-Oblinger-Rice
4 ♠	E	5		450	9.00	2.00	8-Elliott-Runda	2-Messinger-Dehaan
4 ♠	E	5		450	9.00	2.00	9-Tedrick-Woodham	4-Felson-Brown
4 ♠	E	5		450	9.00	2.00	11-Bansal-Mehta	8-Brendamour-Campbell
3 NT	E	5		460	6.00	5.00	7-Kereiakes-Kereiakes	13-Lipp-Deutch
4 ♠	E	6		480	2.50	8.50	3-Vanstone-Gibler	5-Olexsey-Thurnau
4 ♠	E	6		480	2.50	8.50	4-Singerman-Cook	7-McCarthy-Diers
4 ♠	E	6		480	2.50	8.50	5-Burnam-Hubka	9-Burns-Kennedy
4 ♠	E	6		480	2.50	8.50	10-Mineard-Wolf	6-Zimmer-Kammer
4 ♠	E	6		480	2.50	8.50	12-Ramsay-Magnus, Jr	10-Earls-Lubow
4 ♠	E	6		480	2.50	8.50	13-Spiegel-Schapera	12-Kehoe-Stanley

Auction should be repeated throughout the room. E/W lose a Diamond and a Club, making five. A trump lead by South is reasonable, although that might cost a trick if North has ♠ Qxx. Better would be the ♥ 2.

Board 3
South Deals
E-W Vul

♠	K Q 9 6 5
♥	A 7 4
♦	A 10 4
♣	Q 2

♠	A J 8 2
♥	Q 10 5
♦	K 7 5 3 2
♣	4

N
W		E
S

♠	7
♥	K J 6 3
♦	J 9 8 6
♣	10 9 8 5

♠	10 4 3
♥	9 8 2
♦	Q
♣	A K J 7 6 3

NS 3♠; NS 4♣; NS 2N; EW 3♦; Par +140

West	North	East	South
			Pass1
Pass	1 NT2	Pass	3 ♣3
Pass	3 ♠4	Pass	4 ♠
Pass	Pass	Pass

Not a 3-Club preempt (see below)
15 to 17
Alert, artificial asking for a 5-card major
Alert, you found one

Contract			Score		Matchpoints		Pair	Pair
			N-S	E-W	N-S	E-W	N-S	E-W
3 NT	N	6	490		10.50	0.50	1-Wiest-Altman Sr	13-Lipp-Deutch
3 NT	N	6	490		10.50	0.50	4-Singerman-Cook	6-Zimmer-Kammer
3 NT	N	4	430		9.00	2.00	13-Spiegel-Schapera	11-Oblinger-Rice
5 ♣	S	6	420		8.00	3.00	5-Burnam-Hubka	8-Brendamour-Campbell
3 NT	N	3	400		7.00	4.00	7-Kereiakes-Kereiakes	12-Kehoe-Stanley
3 ♣	S	6	170		6.00	5.00	6-Peng-Hoffman	10-Earls-Lubow
3 ♣	S	4	130		5.00	6.00	8-Elliott-Runda	1-Lammers-Barron
3 NT	N	−1		50	3.50	7.50	9-Tedrick-Woodham	3-Temples-Koch
4 ♠	N	−1		50	3.50	7.50	11-Bansal-Mehta	7-McCarthy-Diers
4 ♠	N	−2		100	1.50	9.50	10-Mineard-Wolf	5-Olexsey-Thurnau
5 ♣	S	−2		100	1.50	9.50	12-Ramsay-Magnus, Jr	9-Burns-Kennedy
4 ♠	N	−3		150	0.00	11.00	2-Pollack-Pollack	2-Messinger-Dehaan

A quick comment on why South's hand is inappropriate for a 3 ♣ opening. If you can imagine passing and partner opening with one of a major in 3rd seat, and you further imagine bidding 2 ♣ (Drury) to let partner know that you have a 3-card limit raise for their suit, then it's not a preempt. Nuff said.

Unfortunately, if South had opened their hand 3 ♣, N/S would have deftly avoided being in the good Spade game......which doesn't make. Well done bad South bidders! There's no way for N/S to avoid losing two Hearts and two Spades against proper defense. If E/W forget to take their tricks, N/S will do just fine.

Board 4
West Deals
Both Vul

♠	K J 5
♥	Q 10 3
♦	K 7 2
♣	Q 10 8 3

♠	A 10 7
♥	A 4
♦	9 8 6 5 4
♣	K 7 5

N
W		E
S

♠	8 6 4 2
♥	K J 7 6
♦	A 10 3
♣	6 4

♠	Q 9 3
♥	9 8 5 2
♦	Q J
♣	A J 9 2

EW 3♦; EW 1N; EW 1♠; EW 1♥; Par −110

West	North	East	South
Pass	Pass	Pass	Pass

Contract			Score		Matchpoints		Pair	Pair
			N-S	E-W	N-S	E-W	N-S	E-W
1 NT	N	1	90		11.00	0.00	10-Mineard-Wolf	5-Olexsey-Thurnau
Pass			Pass		6.00	5.00	1-Wiest-Altman Sr	13-Lipp-Deutch
Pass			Pass		6.00	5.00	4-Singerman-Cook	6-Zimmer-Kammer
Pass			Pass		6.00	5.00	5-Burnam-Hubka	8-Brendamour-Campbell
Pass			Pass		6.00	5.00	6-Peng-Hoffman	10-Earls-Lubow
Pass			Pass		6.00	5.00	7-Kereiakes-Kereiakes	12-Kehoe-Stanley
Pass			Pass		6.00	5.00	8-Elliott-Runda	1-Lammers-Barron
Pass			Pass		6.00	5.00	9-Tedrick-Woodham	3-Temples-Koch
Pass			Pass		6.00	5.00	11-Bansal-Mehta	7-McCarthy-Diers
Pass			Pass		6.00	5.00	13-Spiegel-Schapera	11-Oblinger-Rice
1 NT	W	1		90	1.00	10.00	2-Pollack-Pollack	2-Messinger-Dehaan
1 NT	S	−1		100	0.00	11.00	12-Ramsay-Magnus, Jr	9-Burns-Kennedy

Some West's will open in first seat ("Two and a half quick tricks, partner!"), and there's nothing wrong with that if that's your style. Rebidding 1 NT with an 11 count doesn't excite me.

Board 5
North Deals
N-S Vul

♠	9 8
♥	J 10 9 7
♦	A K 7 6 5 4
♣	K

♠	A K 5
♥	Q
♦	10 2
♣	Q 10 8 7 6 5 4

N
W		E
S

♠	Q J 10 7 6 3
♥	8 5 4 3
♦	J
♣	9 3

♠	4 2
♥	A K 6 2
♦	Q 9 8 3
♣	A J 2

NS 5♥; NS 5♦; NS 1N; EW 2♣; EW 1♠; Par +650

West	North	East	South
	1 ♦	Pass	1 ♥
2 ♣	2 ♥	Pass	2 NT1
Pass	3 ♥2	Pass	4 ♥
Pass	Pass	Pass

Alert, artificial asking for more information about partner's raise
Alert, artificial showing four Hearts and a minimum hand

Contract			Score		Matchpoints		Pair	Pair
			N-S	E-W	N-S	E-W	N-S	E-W
5 ♦×	N	5	750		11.00	0.00	6-Peng-Hoffman	9-Burns-Kennedy
3 NT	S	6	690		10.00	1.00	1-Wiest-Altman Sr	12-Kehoe-Stanley
4 ♥	S	5	650		9.00	2.00	5-Burnam-Hubka	7-McCarthy-Diers
5 ♦	N	5	600		8.00	3.00	13-Spiegel-Schapera	10-Earls-Lubow
3 ♦	N	5	150		7.00	4.00	11-Bansal-Mehta	6-Zimmer-Kammer
3 ♦	N	4	130		6.00	5.00	8-Elliott-Runda	13-Lipp-Deutch
3 ♠	E	−2	100		3.00	8.00	3-Vanstone-Gibler	3-Temples-Koch
4 ♠×	E	−1	100		3.00	8.00	7-Kereiakes-Kereiakes	11-Oblinger-Rice
4 ♠×	E	−1	100		3.00	8.00	9-Tedrick-Woodham	2-Messinger-Dehaan
5 ♠	E	−2	100		3.00	8.00	10-Mineard-Wolf	4-Felson-Brown
4 ♠×	E	−1	100		3.00	8.00	12-Ramsay-Magnus, Jr	8-Brendamour-Campbell
4 ♥	S	−2		200	0.00	11.00	2-Pollack-Pollack	1-Lammers-Barron

Wold 2 NT is a method of asking for more information about opener's hand on an auction that begins 1x - 1M - 2M when responder has invitational or better values. It's very unlikely that anyone would want to play in 2 NT after a major-suit fit has been found, so losing that bid as natural is a small price to pay.

N/S lose only two Spades, making five. Surprisingly, E/W don't have a good sacrifice in 4 ♠ much less 5 ♠. East has four leads that all look reasonable (from their perspective)--the ♣ 9 (leading partner's suit), the ♦ J (singleton), a trump (always a reasonable lead), and the ♠ Q (top of an honor sequence). The ♠ Q is the only one that will hold declarer to 11 tricks.

Board 6
East Deals
E-W Vul

♠	A Q 8 3
♥	Q 9 7 5 2
♦	J
♣	8 6 3

♠	J 9
♥	J 6
♦	Q 6 2
♣	A K Q J 7 4

N
W		E
S

♠	K 10 5 2
♥	A 10 4
♦	K 10 4
♣	9 5 2

♠	7 6 4
♥	K 8 3
♦	A 9 8 7 5 3
♣	10

EW 4N; EW 3♣; N 1♠; NS 1♥; EW 1♦; Par −630

West	North	East	South
		Pass	2 ♦1
3 ♣	Pass	3 NT	Pass
Pass	Pass

Weak two bid

Contract			Score		Matchpoints		Pair	Pair
			N-S	E-W	N-S	E-W	N-S	E-W
3 ♥×	N	−1		100	11.00	0.00	13-Spiegel-Schapera	10-Earls-Lubow
3 ♣	W	3		110	9.50	1.50	1-Wiest-Altman Sr	12-Kehoe-Stanley
2 ♣	W	3		110	9.50	1.50	2-Pollack-Pollack	1-Lammers-Barron
3 ♣	W	4		130	7.00	4.00	3-Vanstone-Gibler	3-Temples-Koch
3 ♣	W	4		130	7.00	4.00	7-Kereiakes-Kereiakes	11-Oblinger-Rice
3 ♣	E	4		130	7.00	4.00	10-Mineard-Wolf	4-Felson-Brown
4 ♥×	N	−2		300	5.00	6.00	9-Tedrick-Woodham	2-Messinger-Dehaan
3 NT	E	4		630	3.00	8.00	5-Burnam-Hubka	7-McCarthy-Diers
3 NT	E	4		630	3.00	8.00	6-Peng-Hoffman	9-Burns-Kennedy
3 NT	E	4		630	3.00	8.00	12-Ramsay-Magnus, Jr	8-Brendamour-Campbell
3 NT	E	5		660	0.50	10.50	8-Elliott-Runda	13-Lipp-Deutch
3 NT	E	5		660	0.50	10.50	11-Bansal-Mehta	6-Zimmer-Kammer

Some creative Wests will bid 3 NT themselves over 2 ♦. That seems a little insane, but you'd be surprised how often 3 NT makes opposite as little as ♠ AT42 ♥ Q842 ♦ 943 ♣ 52. Some defenders simply love cashing tricks, and if they grab their ♦ AK before establishing their major-suit winners, then yay us.

On this hand, East has more than enough to bring home 10 tricks--six Clubs, two Diamonds, and a trick in each major. North's best lead is a small Heart, but a lead in either major gives declarer a second trick in the suit being lead and the timing to knock out the ♦ A.

Board 7
South Deals
Both Vul

♠	J 9 8 6
♥	9 4 3
♦	A K Q
♣	Q J 4

♠	A Q 10 7 2
♥	K J 7
♦	9
♣	K 9 8 6

N
W		E
S

♠	K 3
♥	A Q 10 2
♦	J 7 6 5 2
♣	7 5

♠	5 4
♥	8 6 5
♦	10 8 4 3
♣	A 10 3 2

W 4♠; EW 4♥; E 3♠; EW 2N; EW 2♦; W 2♣; E 1♣; Par −620

West	North	East	South
			Pass
1 ♠	Pass	1 NT1	Pass
2 ♣	Pass	2 NT2	Pass
3 ♠3	Pass	4 ♠	Pass
Pass	Pass

Forcing
Too good to bid 2 ♠
Too good to pass 2 NT

Contract			Score		Matchpoints		Pair	Pair
			N-S	E-W	N-S	E-W	N-S	E-W
3 ♥	E	−3	300		11.00	0.00	3-Vanstone-Gibler	2-Messinger-Dehaan
3 NT	E	−1	100		9.50	1.50	4-Singerman-Cook	4-Felson-Brown
3 NT	E	−1	100		9.50	1.50	10-Mineard-Wolf	3-Temples-Koch
2 NT	E	2		120	7.50	3.50	9-Tedrick-Woodham	1-Lammers-Barron
2 NT	W	2		120	7.50	3.50	11-Bansal-Mehta	5-Olexsey-Thurnau
2 ♠	W	3		140	5.00	6.00	7-Kereiakes-Kereiakes	10-Earls-Lubow
2 ♠	W	3		140	5.00	6.00	8-Elliott-Runda	12-Kehoe-Stanley
3 ♥	E	3		140	5.00	6.00	13-Spiegel-Schapera	9-Burns-Kennedy
2 NT	E	3		150	3.00	8.00	6-Peng-Hoffman	8-Brendamour-Campbell
3 ♥	E	4		170	2.00	9.00	12-Ramsay-Magnus, Jr	7-McCarthy-Diers
2 NT	E	4		180	1.00	10.00	1-Wiest-Altman Sr	11-Oblinger-Rice
3 NT	E	4		630	0.00	11.00	2-Pollack-Pollack	13-Lipp-Deutch

E/W will probably play in a part-score contract, but this is one way that they might reach game. The other would be if West tries to sneak in a 3 ♥ bid to show a partial in Hearts, and their partner raises them to game. Oops. Oh wait, that makes too. Cancel the oops.

North is pretty sure they can beat 4 ♠, and they almost can. North will lead the ♦ K (asking for count) and continue Diamonds at trick two to shorten declarer's trumps. Declarer ruffs and plays a Heart to the board. Now a Club towards the ♣ K. If South ducks, West will win the ♣ K and play a second Club. Since North can never lead a Spade without giving up a trick, they'll need South to overtake the ♣ Q or ♣ J with the ♣ A (a clever North will pitch one of them under the ♣ K and play low on the second Club to force their partner to win). South returns a trump, declarer wins in dummy with the ♠ K, and ruffs a Diamond to their hand. Now a Club ruff, Heart to the ♥ J, and two more rounds of trump.

At this point, West has ♥ J ♣ 9, North has ♠ J ♥ 9, and dummy has ♥ QT. A third Heart to the board, followed by the 13th Heart allows declarer to pitch their Club loser while North ruffs with the master trump. Nicely played!

Board 8
West Deals
None Vul

♠	K Q 5 3
♥	6 4 2
♦	Q J 10 8
♣	9 5

♠	A 10 9 8 4 2
♥	K Q
♦	5
♣	Q 10 3 2

N
W		E
S

♠	J 6
♥	A 10 9 5
♦	7 6 4
♣	A 8 7 6

♠	7
♥	J 8 7 3
♦	A K 9 3 2
♣	K J 4

EW 2♠; EW 3♣; NS 2♦; NS 1♥; Par −100: NS 3♦×−1

West	North	East	South
1 ♠	Pass	1 NT1	2 ♦
2 ♠	3 ♦	3 ♠	Pass
Pass	Dbl	Pass	Pass
Pass

Forcing

Contract			Score		Matchpoints		Pair	Pair
			N-S	E-W	N-S	E-W	N-S	E-W
4 ♠×	W	−2	300		11.00	0.00	12-Ramsay-Magnus, Jr	7-McCarthy-Diers
3 ♦	S	3	110		9.50	1.50	2-Pollack-Pollack	13-Lipp-Deutch
3 ♦	N	3	110		9.50	1.50	7-Kereiakes-Kereiakes	10-Earls-Lubow
3 ♠	W	−2	100		7.50	3.50	8-Elliott-Runda	12-Kehoe-Stanley
4 ♠	W	−2	100		7.50	3.50	13-Spiegel-Schapera	9-Burns-Kennedy
2 ♦	S	2	90		5.50	5.50	9-Tedrick-Woodham	1-Lammers-Barron
2 ♦	S	2	90		5.50	5.50	11-Bansal-Mehta	5-Olexsey-Thurnau
3 ♠	W	−1	50		4.00	7.00	1-Wiest-Altman Sr	11-Oblinger-Rice
2 ♠	W	2		110	2.50	8.50	4-Singerman-Cook	4-Felson-Brown
2 ♠	E	2		110	2.50	8.50	10-Mineard-Wolf	3-Temples-Koch
3 ♠	W	3		140	1.00	10.00	3-Vanstone-Gibler	2-Messinger-Dehaan
2 ♠×	W	3		570	0.00	11.00	6-Peng-Hoffman	8-Brendamour-Campbell

Spades is often called the bully suit, as it tends to win auctions of this ilk. E/W lose three Spade tricks, one Diamond, and a Club. Three Spade tricks? Three if you count a Club ruff as a Spade trick. North will need to lead the ♣ 9 on opening lead--not easy to find on the auction, as the ♦ Q looks pretty tempting. If they do lead the Club, expect declarer to hop with the ♣ A in case the ♣ 9 is a singleton. Best line is to play a Spade to the ♠ A followed by a second Spade. It doesn't work though, as North will win, lead a Club to South's ♣ K, ruff the Club continuation, and now play the ♦ Q to collect the defense's fifth and last trick.

Board 9
North Deals
E-W Vul

♠	Q J 4 3
♥	8 5
♦	9 6 5 2
♣	A Q 10

♠	10 6 5
♥	J 10 9
♦	K Q 8 7
♣	8 6 5

N
W		E
S

♠	K 9 8 7
♥	Q 4 3
♦	A 10
♣	J 9 7 2

♠	A 2
♥	A K 7 6 2
♦	J 4 3
♣	K 4 3

NS 3N; NS 2♠; NS 2♥; NS 3♦; NS 2♣; Par +400

West	North	East	South
	Pass	Pass	1 NT1
Pass	2 ♣	Pass	2 ♥
Pass	2 ♠2	Pass	3 ♥3
Pass	3 NT	Pass	Pass
Pass

15 to 17
Playing 4-suit transfers, North has to explicitly show their 4th Spade
Accepting the invitation to 3 NT and showing a 5th Heart

Contract			Score		Matchpoints		Pair	Pair
			N-S	E-W	N-S	E-W	N-S	E-W
3 NT	S	3	400		11.00	0.00	8-Elliott-Runda	11-Oblinger-Rice
1 NT	S	3	150		10.00	1.00	11-Bansal-Mehta	4-Felson-Brown
2 ♥	S	3	140		9.00	2.00	4-Singerman-Cook	3-Temples-Koch
1 NT	S	2	120		7.00	4.00	3-Vanstone-Gibler	1-Lammers-Barron
1 NT	S	2	120		7.00	4.00	12-Ramsay-Magnus, Jr	6-Zimmer-Kammer
1 NT	S	2	120		7.00	4.00	13-Spiegel-Schapera	8-Brendamour-Campbell
2 ♥	S	2	110		5.00	6.00	5-Burnam-Hubka	5-Olexsey-Thurnau
2 ♣	S	2	90		4.00	7.00	2-Pollack-Pollack	12-Kehoe-Stanley
3 NT	S	−1		50	2.50	8.50	1-Wiest-Altman Sr	10-Earls-Lubow
3 ♥	S	−1		50	2.50	8.50	9-Tedrick-Woodham	13-Lipp-Deutch
2 NT	S	−2		100	0.50	10.50	7-Kereiakes-Kereiakes	9-Burns-Kennedy
3 NT	N	−2		100	0.50	10.50	10-Mineard-Wolf	2-Messinger-Dehaan

South's 3 ♥ bid is worth commenting on. When you've shown a 4-card major in a Stayman auction, and partner bids 2 NT to invite you to game, make sure you show a 5th card in your major if (and only if) you're accepting the game invitation. Partner may very well hold a 3rd card in your suit and game in a major might be better.

N/S take four Heart tricks, three Club tricks, and two Spades when the ♠ K is onside. Declarer can cover the ♦T with the ♦ J, as the ♦ 9 in dummy is a stopper.

Board 10
East Deals
Both Vul

♠	J 8
♥	A 10 6 5 4
♦	9 7
♣	A K 3 2

♠	K 9 5
♥	J 9 7 2
♦	A 10 8
♣	Q 9 8

N
W		E
S

♠	7 3 2
♥	K Q
♦	Q J 6 4 3 2
♣	6 5

♠	A Q 10 6 4
♥	8 3
♦	K 5
♣	J 10 7 4

NS 3♠; NS 3♣; EW 2♦; NS 1♥; Par +140

West	North	East	South
		Pass	Pass
Pass	1 ♥	Pass	1 ♠
Pass	2 ♣	Pass	2 ♦1
Pass	2 ♠	Pass	Pass
Pass

Fourth-suit forcing by a passed hand showing invitational values and no clear direction

Contract			Score		Matchpoints		Pair	Pair
			N-S	E-W	N-S	E-W	N-S	E-W
3 ♦	E	−2	200		10.50	0.50	4-Singerman-Cook	3-Temples-Koch
3 ♠	S	5	200		10.50	0.50	9-Tedrick-Woodham	13-Lipp-Deutch
1 NT	S	3	150		9.00	2.00	3-Vanstone-Gibler	1-Lammers-Barron
3 ♠	S	3	140		7.50	3.50	1-Wiest-Altman Sr	10-Earls-Lubow
1 ♥	N	3	140		7.50	3.50	10-Mineard-Wolf	2-Messinger-Dehaan
3 ♣	N	4	130		6.00	5.00	5-Burnam-Hubka	5-Olexsey-Thurnau
2 ♥	N	2	110		4.50	6.50	7-Kereiakes-Kereiakes	9-Burns-Kennedy
3 ♣	N	3	110		4.50	6.50	8-Elliott-Runda	11-Oblinger-Rice
2 ♣	N	2	90		3.00	8.00	2-Pollack-Pollack	12-Kehoe-Stanley
2 NT	N	−1		100	2.00	9.00	13-Spiegel-Schapera	8-Brendamour-Campbell
3 ♦	E	3		110	1.00	10.00	11-Bansal-Mehta	4-Felson-Brown
1 NT	N	−2		200	0.00	11.00	12-Ramsay-Magnus, Jr	6-Zimmer-Kammer

South has a tough rebid. 2 NT would be a slight overbid and should probably deny four Spades, two Hearts would be a slight underbid, and 3 ♣ is dangerous as North could have bid 2 ♣ with only three Clubs. It's a good idea to play that the fourth suit by a passed hand is artificial, invitational, and forcing for one round. North has no better bid than to show a second Spade, and South passes.

N/S lose one Spade, one Heart, and two Diamonds, making three. West might lead a small trump on opening lead.

Board 11
South Deals
None Vul

♠	J 10 5 4
♥	A 10 9 7 3
♦	Q
♣	A 6 5

♠	8 7 6
♥	J 5
♦	10 5 4 3 2
♣	8 4 2

N
W		E
S

♠	A K 3
♥	K 8 6 4
♦	J 6
♣	Q 9 7 3

♠	Q 9 2
♥	Q 2
♦	A K 9 8 7
♣	K J 10

NS 4N; NS 4♠; NS 4♥; N 3♦; NS 3♣; S 2♦; Par +430

West	North	East	South
			1 NT1
Pass	2 ♣2	Pass	2 ♦
Pass	3 ♠3	Pass	3 NT
Pass	Pass	Pass

15 to 17
Phew, remembered Smolen in the nick of time
Alert, showing exactly four Spades and five Hearts

Contract			Score		Matchpoints		Pair	Pair
			N-S	E-W	N-S	E-W	N-S	E-W
3 NT	S	5	460		10.50	0.50	1-Wiest-Altman Sr	9-Burns-Kennedy
3 NT	S	5	460		10.50	0.50	4-Singerman-Cook	2-Messinger-Dehaan
3 NT	S	4	430		6.50	4.50	2-Pollack-Pollack	11-Oblinger-Rice
3 NT	S	4	430		6.50	4.50	3-Vanstone-Gibler	13-Lipp-Deutch
3 NT	S	4	430		6.50	4.50	5-Burnam-Hubka	4-Felson-Brown
3 NT	N	4	430		6.50	4.50	10-Mineard-Wolf	1-Lammers-Barron
3 NT	S	4	430		6.50	4.50	11-Bansal-Mehta	3-Temples-Koch
3 NT	S	4	430		6.50	4.50	13-Spiegel-Schapera	7-McCarthy-Diers
4 ♥	S	4	420		3.00	8.00	6-Peng-Hoffman	6-Zimmer-Kammer
3 NT	S	3	400		1.50	9.50	8-Elliott-Runda	10-Earls-Lubow
3 NT	S	3	400		1.50	9.50	12-Ramsay-Magnus, Jr	5-Olexsey-Thurnau
3 NT	S	−1		50	0.00	11.00	9-Tedrick-Woodham	12-Kehoe-Stanley

Don't forget Smolen--it gets sad when you do (poor Smolen). West isn't particularly happy to lead anything on this hand, and may simply refuse to do so. That's their prerogative (it's not). No lead makes any difference on this hand, as E/W always have two Spade tricks and one Heart trick, assuming that declarer doesn't do the practice Club finesse. Declarer always has two Club tricks, three Diamond tricks, two Spade tricks, and three Hearts, so there's no need to try for a third Club.

You didn't, did you?

Board 12
West Deals
N-S Vul

♠	K 10 7
♥	Q 10 7 5 4
♦	7 6 3
♣	10 4

♠	A Q J 8 4
♥	6
♦	A J
♣	K Q 9 7 2

N
W		E
S

♠	5 2
♥	K 9 3 2
♦	Q 10 5
♣	8 6 5 3

♠	9 6 3
♥	A J 8
♦	K 9 8 4 2
♣	A J

EW 4♠; EW 4♣; EW 1N; NS 1♥; NS 1♦; Par −420

West	North	East	South
1 ♠1	Pass	Pass	2 ♦
3 ♣2	Pass	3 ♠	Pass
4 ♠	Pass	Pass	Pass

Planning on jump shifting into Clubs
Told you

Contract			Score		Matchpoints		Pair	Pair
			N-S	E-W	N-S	E-W	N-S	E-W
1 ♠	W	2		110	10.50	0.50	2-Pollack-Pollack	11-Oblinger-Rice
2 ♠	W	2		110	10.50	0.50	3-Vanstone-Gibler	13-Lipp-Deutch
3 ♣	W	4		130	6.50	4.50	4-Singerman-Cook	2-Messinger-Dehaan
3 ♣	W	4		130	6.50	4.50	5-Burnam-Hubka	4-Felson-Brown
3 ♣	W	4		130	6.50	4.50	6-Peng-Hoffman	6-Zimmer-Kammer
3 ♣	W	4		130	6.50	4.50	9-Tedrick-Woodham	12-Kehoe-Stanley
3 ♣	W	4		130	6.50	4.50	11-Bansal-Mehta	3-Temples-Koch
3 ♣	W	4		130	6.50	4.50	12-Ramsay-Magnus, Jr	5-Olexsey-Thurnau
1 ♠	E	3		140	3.00	8.00	10-Mineard-Wolf	1-Lammers-Barron
3 ♠	W	4		170	2.00	9.00	13-Spiegel-Schapera	7-McCarthy-Diers
3 ♦	S	−2		200	1.00	10.00	8-Elliott-Runda	10-Earls-Lubow
4 ♠	W	4		420	0.00	11.00	1-Wiest-Altman Sr	9-Burns-Kennedy

East should take a false preference back to Spades, since they were at the top of their range for their pass. 5 ♣ is a tough contract to make--after all, it's only one freaking trick away from slam.

E/W lose one Spade, one Diamond, and one Club, making four. North will lead the ♦ 6 (MUD). If declarer plays the ♦ 5 or ♦T on the first trick, South shouldn't cover. If declarer plays the ♦ Q, South has to cover and hope that the suit is blocked (it is). Although West would love to get to dummy to take some finesses (they're fun!), it wouldn't make any difference since the ♠ K is offside and the Club split 2-2. Sweet.

Board 13
North Deals
Both Vul

♠	A K 10 9
♥	9 8 7
♦	K 10 7 2
♣	4 3

♠	Q 8 5
♥	K Q 10 3
♦	A Q 5
♣	9 8 6

N
W		E
S

♠	7 4
♥	A J 4
♦	J 9 8 4
♣	A 10 7 2

♠	J 6 3 2
♥	6 5 2
♦	6 3
♣	K Q J 5

NS 2♠; EW 2♥; EW 2♦; EW 1♣; Par +110

West	North	East	South
	Pass	Pass	Pass
1 ♣	Dbl	Rdbl1	1 ♠
Pass	Pass	Dbl2	Pass
2 ♥	Pass	Pass	Dbl3
Pass	2 ♠	Pass	Pass
Pass

Showing 10+ HCP and a desire to defend
Do something smart partner
Do something smarter partner

Contract			Score		Matchpoints		Pair	Pair
			N-S	E-W	N-S	E-W	N-S	E-W
3 ♦	E	−3	300		11.00	0.00	12-Ramsay-Magnus, Jr	4-Felson-Brown
4 ♥	W	−2	200		10.00	1.00	7-Kereiakes-Kereiakes	7-McCarthy-Diers
2 ♠	N	3	140		9.00	2.00	10-Mineard-Wolf	13-Lipp-Deutch
3 NT	E	−1	100		7.50	3.50	6-Peng-Hoffman	5-Olexsey-Thurnau
2 ♣	W	−1	100		7.50	3.50	13-Spiegel-Schapera	6-Zimmer-Kammer
1 NT	E	1		90	5.00	6.00	1-Wiest-Altman Sr	8-Brendamour-Campbell
2 ♣	W	2		90	5.00	6.00	3-Vanstone-Gibler	12-Kehoe-Stanley
1 NT	E	1		90	5.00	6.00	4-Singerman-Cook	1-Lammers-Barron
1 NT	W	2		120	1.50	9.50	2-Pollack-Pollack	10-Earls-Lubow
1 NT	E	2		120	1.50	9.50	5-Burnam-Hubka	3-Temples-Koch
2 NT	W	2		120	1.50	9.50	9-Tedrick-Woodham	11-Oblinger-Rice
1 NT	E	2		120	1.50	9.50	11-Bansal-Mehta	2-Messinger-Dehaan

That's a lot of bidding to end up in 2 ♠. N/S lose three Heart tricks, one Diamond, and one Club. It will be pretty easy to get the Spades right, since East will have shown up with the ♣ A, ♥ A, and ♥ J (West needs the other stuff for their 4th-seat opener). The opening lead will be the ♥ K.

Board 14
East Deals
None Vul

♠	9 7 4
♥	9 5 3 2
♦	6
♣	A J 8 3 2

♠	A K Q 8 6 5 3
♥	A 10 7
♦	A
♣	K 9

N
W		E
S

♠	J 10 2
♥	6 4
♦	J 10 5 2
♣	Q 7 5 4

♠	—
♥	K Q J 8
♦	K Q 9 8 7 4 3
♣	10 6

EW 5♠; EW 3N; NS 2♥; NS 3♦; EW 1♣; Par −450

West	North	East	South
		Pass	1 ♦
Dbl1	Pass	2 ♣2	2 ♥
4 ♠	Pass	Pass	Pass

All big hands start with a double
Showing 0-9 HCP with a preference for Clubs

Contract			Score		Matchpoints		Pair	Pair
			N-S	E-W	N-S	E-W	N-S	E-W
5 ♦	W	−1	50		9.50	1.50	6-Peng-Hoffman	5-Olexsey-Thurnau
5 ♠	W	−1	50		9.50	1.50	7-Kereiakes-Kereiakes	7-McCarthy-Diers
5 ♠	E	−1	50		9.50	1.50	10-Mineard-Wolf	13-Lipp-Deutch
5 ♠	W	−1	50		9.50	1.50	11-Bansal-Mehta	2-Messinger-Dehaan
3 ♠	W	4		170	7.00	4.00	9-Tedrick-Woodham	11-Oblinger-Rice
4 ♠	W	4		420	5.50	5.50	1-Wiest-Altman Sr	8-Brendamour-Campbell
4 ♠	W	4		420	5.50	5.50	4-Singerman-Cook	1-Lammers-Barron
4 ♠	W	5		450	2.50	8.50	3-Vanstone-Gibler	12-Kehoe-Stanley
4 ♠	W	5		450	2.50	8.50	5-Burnam-Hubka	3-Temples-Koch
4 ♠	W	5		450	2.50	8.50	12-Ramsay-Magnus, Jr	4-Felson-Brown
5 ♠	W	5		450	2.50	8.50	13-Spiegel-Schapera	6-Zimmer-Kammer
5 ♦×	S	−3		500	0.00	11.00	2-Pollack-Pollack	10-Earls-Lubow

If N/S bid 5 ♥, West will double them for –500. Take that stupid N/S. E/W lose one Heart and one Club, making five. North will lead the ♦ 6. If the South at your table plays anything other that the ♦ 3, kick them (i.e., they can see twelve billion Diamonds between their hand, dummy, and the one in front of their partner....how many Diamonds do they think declarer has?)

Board 15
South Deals
N-S Vul

♠	9 6 4 2
♥	K Q 8 4 2
♦	Q 9
♣	Q 5

♠	Q 7 5 3
♥	A 10 6
♦	J 5 4 3
♣	10 2

N
W		E
S

♠	A J
♥	J 9 5
♦	K 8 6 2
♣	K 8 4 3

♠	K 10 8
♥	7 3
♦	A 10 7
♣	A J 9 7 6

NS 3♠; NS 3♥; NS 2N; NS 3♣; NS 1♦; Par +140

West	North	East	South
			1 ♣
Pass	1 ♥	Pass	1 NT
Pass	2 ♥1	Pass	Pass
Pass

To play

Contract			Score		Matchpoints		Pair	Pair
			N-S	E-W	N-S	E-W	N-S	E-W
1 NT	S	3	150		10.00	1.00	3-Vanstone-Gibler	11-Oblinger-Rice
3 ♦	E	−3	150		10.00	1.00	4-Singerman-Cook	13-Lipp-Deutch
2 NT	S	3	150		10.00	1.00	12-Ramsay-Magnus, Jr	3-Temples-Koch
2 ♥	N	3	140		8.00	3.00	8-Elliott-Runda	8-Brendamour-Campbell
1 NT	S	2	120		5.50	5.50	2-Pollack-Pollack	9-Burns-Kennedy
2 NT	S	2	120		5.50	5.50	5-Burnam-Hubka	2-Messinger-Dehaan
2 NT	S	2	120		5.50	5.50	6-Peng-Hoffman	4-Felson-Brown
2 NT	S	2	120		5.50	5.50	11-Bansal-Mehta	1-Lammers-Barron
2 ♥	N	2	110		3.00	8.00	13-Spiegel-Schapera	5-Olexsey-Thurnau
1 NT	S	1	90		1.00	10.00	1-Wiest-Altman Sr	7-McCarthy-Diers
1 NT	S	1	90		1.00	10.00	7-Kereiakes-Kereiakes	6-Zimmer-Kammer
1 NT	N	1	90		1.00	10.00	10-Mineard-Wolf	12-Kehoe-Stanley

When South rebids 1 NT, North needs to take a moment and decide what they would have done if they were playing weak notrump openers (12-14 HCP) and their partner had opened 1 NT. They would have bid 2 ♦ (Transfer) and passed when their partner accepted the transfer. This auction is basically the same thing.

N/S lose two Spade tricks, one Heart, and one Diamond, making three. East may very well lead the ♠ A and continue with Spades. Declarer wins in dummy with the ♠ K and leads a Heart towards the ♥ KQ. East will hop to cash the ♠ Q and give their partner a ruff, but that will be the last tricks for the defense as declarer's Diamond loser goes away on the ♣ 9 (the ♣T falls under the ♣ J). If the defense goes after their Diamond trick, it will be at the expense of their Spade ruff. Life's a.....well, you know the rest.

Board 16
West Deals
E-W Vul

♠	9 5 4 2
♥	9 4 3
♦	9 6 3 2
♣	9 6

♠	A K J 7 3
♥	A K 8 2
♦	K J 10 4
♣	—

N
W		E
S

♠	Q 8
♥	J 10 6
♦	A Q 5
♣	A J 10 8 5

♠	10 6
♥	Q 7 5
♦	8 7
♣	K Q 7 4 3 2

EW 7N; EW 7♠; EW 7♥; EW 7♦; EW 4♣; Par −2220

West	North	East	South
2 ♣	Pass1	2 ♦2	Pass
2 ♠	Pass	4 NT3	Pass
6 ♣4	Pass	6 NT5	Pass
Pass	Pass

See below
Artificial and game forcing, showing an A, K, or QQ
RKB for Spades
Showing 1 or 3 keycards and a void in Clubs
No reasonable way to get to 7 NT

Contract			Score		Matchpoints		Pair	Pair
			N-S	E-W	N-S	E-W	N-S	E-W
4 ♠	W	6		680	10.50	0.50	4-Singerman-Cook	13-Lipp-Deutch
4 ♠	W	6		680	10.50	0.50	7-Kereiakes-Kereiakes	6-Zimmer-Kammer
3 NT	E	6		690	8.50	2.50	1-Wiest-Altman Sr	7-McCarthy-Diers
3 NT	E	6		690	8.50	2.50	13-Spiegel-Schapera	5-Olexsey-Thurnau
3 NT	W	7		720	6.50	4.50	3-Vanstone-Gibler	11-Oblinger-Rice
3 NT	E	7		720	6.50	4.50	5-Burnam-Hubka	2-Messinger-Dehaan
6 NT	E	6		1440	3.50	7.50	6-Peng-Hoffman	4-Felson-Brown
6 NT	E	6		1440	3.50	7.50	8-Elliott-Runda	8-Brendamour-Campbell
6 NT	E	6		1440	3.50	7.50	10-Mineard-Wolf	12-Kehoe-Stanley
6 NT	E	6		1440	3.50	7.50	12-Ramsay-Magnus, Jr	3-Temples-Koch
6 ♠	W	7		1460	1.00	10.00	2-Pollack-Pollack	9-Burns-Kennedy
6 NT	E	7		1470	0.00	11.00	11-Bansal-Mehta	1-Lammers-Barron

If you're ever going to make a psyche bid, this would be the perfect time. Imagine how difficult it will be for E/W to get to 7 NT if you stick in a 2 ♠ overcall with this hand. The auction would continue with Pass (Alert, showing values) - Pass - Double (WTF?) - Pass - 3 ♣, and you'd be off the hook. Down eight doubled would not be a very good score, but it's incredibly difficult for E/W to double it for penalty. If you ever try something like this, don't do it more than once a month (year), and don't do it at my table (I'm heavily armed).

E/W don't want to be in 7 NT needing a Heart finesse (the Club-Heart squeeze suffers from a lack of timely entries to the East hand). In 6 NT, the Heart finesse provides an overtrick. South will lead the ♣ K.

Board 17
North Deals
None Vul

♠	A
♥	K Q 8 5
♦	9 8 7
♣	8 6 4 3 2

♠	K 8 7
♥	A 9 7 6
♦	Q J 5 4
♣	Q J

N
W		E
S

♠	J 10 6 4 3 2
♥	J 10 2
♦	K 6 3
♣	A

♠	Q 9 5
♥	4 3
♦	A 10 2
♣	K 10 9 7 5

W 3♠; E 2♠; EW 2♥; NS 3♣; EW 1♦; Par −100: NS 4♣×−1

West	North	East	South
	Pass	2 ♠1	Pass
2 NT2	Pass	3 ♣3	Pass
3 ♠	Pass	Pass	Pass

An odd weak-two opener, but there you go
Ogust asking for the quality of partner's suit/hand
Alert, artificial showing a bad hand and a bad suit

Contract			Score		Matchpoints		Pair	Pair
			N-S	E-W	N-S	E-W	N-S	E-W
2 NT	W	−4	200		11.00	0.00	11-Bansal-Mehta	13-Lipp-Deutch
3 NT	W	−3	150		10.00	1.00	6-Peng-Hoffman	3-Temples-Koch
4 ♠	E	−2	100		8.00	3.00	8-Elliott-Runda	7-McCarthy-Diers
4 ♠	E	−2	100		8.00	3.00	12-Ramsay-Magnus, Jr	2-Messinger-Dehaan
1 NT	W	−2	100		8.00	3.00	13-Spiegel-Schapera	4-Felson-Brown
4 ♠	E	−1	50		5.50	5.50	3-Vanstone-Gibler	10-Earls-Lubow
2 ♠	E	−1	50		5.50	5.50	5-Burnam-Hubka	1-Lammers-Barron
2 ♠	E	2		110	4.00	7.00	1-Wiest-Altman Sr	6-Zimmer-Kammer
2 ♠	E	3		140	1.50	9.50	2-Pollack-Pollack	8-Brendamour-Campbell
2 ♠	E	3		140	1.50	9.50	4-Singerman-Cook	12-Kehoe-Stanley
2 ♠	E	3		140	1.50	9.50	7-Kereiakes-Kereiakes	5-Olexsey-Thurnau
3 ♠	E	3		140	1.50	9.50	9-Tedrick-Woodham	9-Burns-Kennedy

East has nine HCP, but that doesn't make their hand any better. Beware of singleton Aces--they don't help create additional tricks and often end up taking a slew of small cards. Also, watch out for high cards in short suits--same problem.

E/W lose two Spade tricks (one is a Heart ruff assuming a Heart lead), one Diamond, and two Hearts, for down one. If the lead is not a Heart, declarer will have to guess that North has a stiff (singleton) ♠ A, and that's not going to happen.

Board 18
East Deals
N-S Vul

♠	J 8 4 2
♥	K 8 7 5
♦	K 9
♣	Q J 6

♠	Q 3
♥	A J 10 9 4
♦	Q 6 4
♣	9 7 2

N
W		E
S

♠	A 9 7 5
♥	6 3
♦	A 7 3 2
♣	K 8 5

♠	K 10 6
♥	Q 2
♦	J 10 8 5
♣	A 10 4 3

NS 2♠; NS 1N; NS 2♣; NS 1♥; NS 1♦; Par +110

West	North	East	South
		Pass	Pass
Pass	Pass

Contract			Score		Matchpoints		Pair	Pair
			N-S	E-W	N-S	E-W	N-S	E-W
1 NT	S	4	180		11.00	0.00	6-Peng-Hoffman	3-Temples-Koch
1 ♠	E	−3	150		10.00	1.00	9-Tedrick-Woodham	9-Burns-Kennedy
2 ♥	W	−2	100		8.50	2.50	2-Pollack-Pollack	8-Brendamour-Campbell
3 NT	E	−2	100		8.50	2.50	12-Ramsay-Magnus, Jr	2-Messinger-Dehaan
Pass			Pass		5.00	6.00	3-Vanstone-Gibler	10-Earls-Lubow
Pass			Pass		5.00	6.00	4-Singerman-Cook	12-Kehoe-Stanley
Pass			Pass		5.00	6.00	7-Kereiakes-Kereiakes	5-Olexsey-Thurnau
Pass			Pass		5.00	6.00	11-Bansal-Mehta	13-Lipp-Deutch
Pass			Pass		5.00	6.00	13-Spiegel-Schapera	4-Felson-Brown
1 NT	N	−1		100	2.00	9.00	8-Elliott-Runda	7-McCarthy-Diers
3 ♣	N	−2		200	0.50	10.50	1-Wiest-Altman Sr	6-Zimmer-Kammer
3 NT	S	−2		200	0.50	10.50	5-Burnam-Hubka	1-Lammers-Barron

Oh, c'mon! Two in one evening?!? Ask the director for your money back. Even if you don't get all of it back, at least ask for a dollar or two off. Or maybe the director can give everyone a back rub?

Board 19
South Deals
E-W Vul

♠	5
♥	J 10 5
♦	Q 10 8 6
♣	K Q 10 4 3

♠	K 7 3
♥	K 8 2
♦	K 9 5
♣	9 7 5 2

N
W		E
S

♠	J 8 6 4 2
♥	9 4
♦	A J 4 2
♣	J 6

♠	A Q 10 9
♥	A Q 7 6 3
♦	7 3
♣	A 8

NS 4♥; NS 2N; NS 3♣; NS 2♦; NS 1♠; Par +420

West	North	East	South
			1 ♥
Pass	2 ♥	Pass	2 ♠1
Pass	4 ♥2	Pass	Pass
Pass

Alert, game try asking the lowest ranking side suit where responder can help
Responder can help everywhere!

Contract			Score		Matchpoints		Pair	Pair
			N-S	E-W	N-S	E-W	N-S	E-W
4 ♥	S	5	450		10.00	1.00	3-Vanstone-Gibler	9-Burns-Kennedy
4 ♥	S	5	450		10.00	1.00	4-Singerman-Cook	11-Oblinger-Rice
4 ♥	S	5	450		10.00	1.00	6-Peng-Hoffman	2-Messinger-Dehaan
4 ♥	S	4	420		6.50	4.50	5-Burnam-Hubka	13-Lipp-Deutch
4 ♥	S	4	420		6.50	4.50	7-Kereiakes-Kereiakes	4-Felson-Brown
4 ♥	S	4	420		6.50	4.50	9-Tedrick-Woodham	8-Brendamour-Campbell
4 ♥	N	4	420		6.50	4.50	10-Mineard-Wolf	10-Earls-Lubow
5 ♣	S	5	400		4.00	7.00	8-Elliott-Runda	6-Zimmer-Kammer
3 ♥	S	5	200		3.00	8.00	1-Wiest-Altman Sr	5-Olexsey-Thurnau
2 ♥	S	4	170		2.00	9.00	2-Pollack-Pollack	7-McCarthy-Diers
4 ♥	S	−1		50	0.50	10.50	12-Ramsay-Magnus, Jr	1-Lammers-Barron
4 ♥	S	−1		50	0.50	10.50	13-Spiegel-Schapera	3-Temples-Koch

The best part of Kokish Game Tries is that opener doesn't have to divulge anything--they simply ask partner where they can help. Sometimes, partner can't help at all and rebids the major suit at the three level. Other times, partner has stuff in all of the suits, and they jump directly to game, again giving no information away. That's the case here.

N/S lose one Heart and two Diamonds, making four. Declarer should not try to ruff Spades in dummy--declarer's Spades will go away on dummy's Clubs.

Board 20
West Deals
Both Vul

♠	3 2
♥	K J 5
♦	Q 8 7 6
♣	10 8 7 3

♠	9 8 4
♥	6 2
♦	K J 9 5 3
♣	J 9 2

N
W		E
S

♠	10
♥	A Q 9 8 7 4 3
♦	4 2
♣	K 5 4

♠	A K Q J 7 6 5
♥	10
♦	A 10
♣	A Q 6

NS 4N; NS 4♠; EW 2♥; NS 2♦; NS 2♣; Par +630

West	North	East	South
Pass	Pass	3 ♥	4 ♠1
Pass	Pass	Pass

Jump overcalls are strong after a preempt

Contract			Score		Matchpoints		Pair	Pair
			N-S	E-W	N-S	E-W	N-S	E-W
5 ♠	S	6	680		10.50	0.50	1-Wiest-Altman Sr	5-Olexsey-Thurnau
4 ♠	S	6	680		10.50	0.50	2-Pollack-Pollack	7-McCarthy-Diers
4 ♠	S	5	650		8.00	3.00	6-Peng-Hoffman	2-Messinger-Dehaan
4 ♠	S	5	650		8.00	3.00	9-Tedrick-Woodham	8-Brendamour-Campbell
4 ♠	S	5	650		8.00	3.00	13-Spiegel-Schapera	3-Temples-Koch
4 ♠	S	4	620		3.50	7.50	3-Vanstone-Gibler	9-Burns-Kennedy
4 ♠	S	4	620		3.50	7.50	4-Singerman-Cook	11-Oblinger-Rice
4 ♠	S	4	620		3.50	7.50	5-Burnam-Hubka	13-Lipp-Deutch
4 ♠	S	4	620		3.50	7.50	7-Kereiakes-Kereiakes	4-Felson-Brown
4 ♠	S	4	620		3.50	7.50	8-Elliott-Runda	6-Zimmer-Kammer
4 ♠	N	4	620		3.50	7.50	10-Mineard-Wolf	10-Earls-Lubow
3 ♠	S	4	170		0.00	11.00	12-Ramsay-Magnus, Jr	1-Lammers-Barron

Simple enough auction. N/S lose one trick in each side suit, making four. The opening lead will be the ♥ 6.

Board 21
North Deals
N-S Vul

♠	Q J 10 8
♥	J 7
♦	K Q 10 6 2
♣	J 5

♠	A 9 4 3 2
♥	10
♦	J 9
♣	A 8 7 4 2

N
W		E
S

♠	K 7
♥	K Q 6 4 2
♦	8 4
♣	Q 10 9 6

♠	6 5
♥	A 9 8 5 3
♦	A 7 5 3
♣	K 3

NS 3♦; EW 3♣; NS 1N; EW 1♠; NS 1♥; Par +100: EW 4♣×−1

West	North	East	South
	Pass	Pass	1 ♥1
2 ♥2	Dbl3	Rdbl4	Pass
3 ♣5	3 ♦6	4 ♣7	Dbl8
Pass	Pass	Pass

Light 3rd seat opener
Michaels, showing a min/max hand with Spades and a minor
Alert, desire to penalize one or both of the opponent's suits
Alert, asking for partner's minor
Minimum hand with Spades and Clubs
No desire to defend Clubs
No desire to play in Diamonds
To keep partner from bidding on

Contract			Score		Matchpoints		Pair	Pair
			N-S	E-W	N-S	E-W	N-S	E-W
3 NT	N	3	600		11.00	0.00	6-Peng-Hoffman	1-Lammers-Barron
3 ♦	N	4	130		9.50	1.50	1-Wiest-Altman Sr	4-Felson-Brown
2 ♦	N	4	130		9.50	1.50	10-Mineard-Wolf	9-Burns-Kennedy
1 NT	S	2	120		8.00	3.00	4-Singerman-Cook	10-Earls-Lubow
2 ♦	N	3	110		6.50	4.50	8-Elliott-Runda	5-Olexsey-Thurnau
3 ♦	N	3	110		6.50	4.50	11-Bansal-Mehta	11-Oblinger-Rice
2 NT	E	−2	100		5.00	6.00	7-Kereiakes-Kereiakes	3-Temples-Koch
4 ♣	W	−1	50		3.50	7.50	3-Vanstone-Gibler	8-Brendamour-Campbell
2 ♥	E	−1	50		3.50	7.50	5-Burnam-Hubka	12-Kehoe-Stanley
3 ♦	N	−1		100	1.50	9.50	2-Pollack-Pollack	6-Zimmer-Kammer
3 ♦	S	−1		100	1.50	9.50	9-Tedrick-Woodham	7-McCarthy-Diers
3 ♥	S	−2		200	0.00	11.00	13-Spiegel-Schapera	2-Messinger-Dehaan

E/W lose one Heart, two Diamonds, and a Club. Best way to play the Clubs is to play the ♣ A and then lead towards the ♣ Q. North will likely lead the ♦ K.

Board 22
East Deals
E-W Vul

♠	10 3 2
♥	J 7 3 2
♦	8 5
♣	K 10 3 2

♠	A J 6
♥	A Q 9 8 6 5
♦	K J 7
♣	8

N
W		E
S

♠	Q 8 7 5
♥	10
♦	A 9 3 2
♣	J 9 5 4

♠	K 9 4
♥	K 4
♦	Q 10 6 4
♣	A Q 7 6

EW 3♠; EW 3♥; EW 2N; EW 3♦; EW 1♣; Par −140

West	North	East	South
		Pass	1 ♦
1 ♥	Pass	Pass	Pass

Contract			Score		Matchpoints		Pair	Pair
			N-S	E-W	N-S	E-W	N-S	E-W
3 ♥	W	−1	100		11.00	0.00	13-Spiegel-Schapera	2-Messinger-Dehaan
3 ♣	S	−1		50	10.00	1.00	4-Singerman-Cook	10-Earls-Lubow
3 ♣	S	−2		100	9.00	2.00	11-Bansal-Mehta	11-Oblinger-Rice
2 ♥	W	3		140	7.00	4.00	1-Wiest-Altman Sr	4-Felson-Brown
2 ♥	W	3		140	7.00	4.00	6-Peng-Hoffman	1-Lammers-Barron
2 ♥	W	3		140	7.00	4.00	9-Tedrick-Woodham	7-McCarthy-Diers
3 ♣	S	−3		150	5.00	6.00	3-Vanstone-Gibler	8-Brendamour-Campbell
2 ♥	W	4		170	3.00	8.00	2-Pollack-Pollack	6-Zimmer-Kammer
3 ♥	W	4		170	3.00	8.00	5-Burnam-Hubka	12-Kehoe-Stanley
2 ♥	W	4		170	3.00	8.00	7-Kereiakes-Kereiakes	3-Temples-Koch
1 ♥	E	5		200	1.00	10.00	10-Mineard-Wolf	9-Burns-Kennedy
2 ♥	W	6		230	0.00	11.00	8-Elliott-Runda	5-Olexsey-Thurnau

South doesn't have the right cards to make a reopening double, so the hand will likely be played in 1 ♥. E/W lose one Spade, one Heart, and one Club, making three. North will lead the ♦ 8 on opening lead, and declarer's best line is to win in hand with the ♦ J and immediately lead a small Club to dummy. This severs communications between the defender's hands. Look what happens if declarer wins the ♦ J, plays a Diamond to the board's ♦ A, and finesses in Hearts. When the ♥ Q wins, and the ♥ A drops the ♥ K, what does declarer do next? If they now lead a Club, South wins and gives North a Diamond ruff. Playing a Spade at this point is no better nor is a trump.

By playing on Clubs at trick two, declarer can later play ♥ Q, ♥ A, and a third Heart to North's ♥ J. North now has no fast way to get to partner's hand to get their Diamond ruff.

Board 23
South Deals
Both Vul

♠	A 7 6
♥	J
♦	K 4
♣	K Q J 10 6 5 3

♠	Q J 8 3
♥	A 4
♦	J 7 2
♣	9 8 4 2

N
W		E
S

♠	K 10 9 5
♥	9 8 6 5 3
♦	10 6 3
♣	7

♠	4 2
♥	K Q 10 7 2
♦	A Q 9 8 5
♣	A

NS 6N; NS 6♣; NS 4♥; NS 5♦; NS 2♠; Par +1440

West	North	East	South
			1 ♥
Pass	2 ♣	Pass	2 ♦
Pass	4 ♦1	Pass	5 ♣2
Pass	6 ♣3	Pass	Pass
Pass

Minorwood, asking for keycards in Diamonds
Showing two w/ the ♦ Q
Let's play here

Contract			Score		Matchpoints		Pair	Pair
			N-S	E-W	N-S	E-W	N-S	E-W
6 NT	N	6	1440		11.00	0.00	8-Elliott-Runda	4-Felson-Brown
3 NT	N	7	720		9.00	2.00	3-Vanstone-Gibler	7-McCarthy-Diers
3 NT	N	7	720		9.00	2.00	5-Burnam-Hubka	11-Oblinger-Rice
3 NT	N	7	720		9.00	2.00	11-Bansal-Mehta	10-Earls-Lubow
3 NT	N	6	690		6.50	4.50	6-Peng-Hoffman	13-Lipp-Deutch
3 NT	N	6	690		6.50	4.50	9-Tedrick-Woodham	6-Zimmer-Kammer
3 NT	N	5	660		5.00	6.00	1-Wiest-Altman Sr	3-Temples-Koch
5 ♣	S	7	640		4.00	7.00	2-Pollack-Pollack	5-Olexsey-Thurnau
3 NT	S	4	630		3.00	8.00	7-Kereiakes-Kereiakes	2-Messinger-Dehaan
5 ♣	N	6	620		1.50	9.50	4-Singerman-Cook	9-Burns-Kennedy
5 ♣	N	6	620		1.50	9.50	10-Mineard-Wolf	8-Brendamour-Campbell
5 ♣	N	5	600		0.00	11.00	12-Ramsay-Magnus, Jr	12-Kehoe-Stanley

Once South bids 2 ♦, North does well to choose to ask for keycards with Diamonds as trump. When South shows two w/ the ♦ Q, North bids the Club slam. With such a good Club suit, North had nothing to learn by asking for keycards in that suit--they're already staring at the ♣ K and ♣ Q. Some players will play in 6 NT which should collect most of the matchpoints. East will lead the ♠T, and declarer will have to pray for 3-3 Diamonds. Phew.

Board 24
West Deals
None Vul

♠	K J 10
♥	A 9 8 5 3
♦	Q 7 2
♣	7 6

♠	7 6 4
♥	K 7 4
♦	K 8 5 3
♣	A Q 4

N
W		E
S

♠	A 8 5
♥	Q 10 6 2
♦	A 6
♣	10 9 8 2

♠	Q 9 3 2
♥	J
♦	J 10 9 4
♣	K J 5 3

EW 3N; EW 3♥; EW 2♣; EW 1♠; EW 1♦; Par −400

West	North	East	South
1 ♦	1 ♥	1 NT	Pass
Pass	Pass

Contract			Score		Matchpoints		Pair	Pair
			N-S	E-W	N-S	E-W	N-S	E-W
1 NT	S	1	90		11.00	0.00	4-Singerman-Cook	9-Burns-Kennedy
2 NT	E	−1	50		9.50	1.50	1-Wiest-Altman Sr	3-Temples-Koch
3 NT	E	−1	50		9.50	1.50	6-Peng-Hoffman	13-Lipp-Deutch
Pass			Pass		7.00	4.00	3-Vanstone-Gibler	7-McCarthy-Diers
Pass			Pass		7.00	4.00	7-Kereiakes-Kereiakes	2-Messinger-Dehaan
Pass			Pass		7.00	4.00	11-Bansal-Mehta	10-Earls-Lubow
1 NT	W	1		90	5.00	6.00	8-Elliott-Runda	4-Felson-Brown
2 ♠	S	−2		100	4.00	7.00	2-Pollack-Pollack	5-Olexsey-Thurnau
1 NT	E	2		120	3.00	8.00	5-Burnam-Hubka	11-Oblinger-Rice
1 NT	E	3		150	1.50	9.50	10-Mineard-Wolf	8-Brendamour-Campbell
1 NT	E	3		150	1.50	9.50	12-Ramsay-Magnus, Jr	12-Kehoe-Stanley
1 NT×	E	2		280	0.00	11.00	9-Tedrick-Woodham	6-Zimmer-Kammer

Nobody should get to 3 NT on this hand--a combined 22 HCP with no five-card suit. E/W take one Spade trick, two Hearts, two Diamonds, and four Clubs when the ♣ K and ♣ J are both in the slot--a 25% game (less in actuality since North was the overcaller). South will lead the ♥ J on opening lead.

Board 25
North Deals
E-W Vul

♠	10 8 2
♥	10 8 3
♦	A K 9
♣	K 6 4 2

♠	6 4
♥	A 2
♦	Q J 5 4 3 2
♣	Q J 9

N
W		E
S

♠	Q 9 7
♥	J 9 6 4
♦	10 6
♣	10 8 7 3

♠	A K J 5 3
♥	K Q 7 5
♦	8 7
♣	A 5

NS 6♠; NS 5N; NS 5♥; NS 4♣; NS 2♦; Par +980

West	North	East	South
	Pass	Pass	1 ♠
Pass1	2 ♣2	Pass	2 ♦3
Pass	2 ♠4	Pass	4 ♠
Pass	Pass	Pass

Not a vulnerable overcall
Alert, artificial showing a 3- or 4-card limit raise
Alert, artificial asking for more information
Alert, artificial showing three Spades and no singleton or void

Contract			Score		Matchpoints		Pair	Pair
			N-S	E-W	N-S	E-W	N-S	E-W
4 ♠	S	6	480		10.50	0.50	7-Kereiakes-Kereiakes	1-Lammers-Barron
4 ♠	S	6	480		10.50	0.50	9-Tedrick-Woodham	5-Olexsey-Thurnau
4 ♠	S	5	450		6.50	4.50	3-Vanstone-Gibler	6-Zimmer-Kammer
4 ♠	S	5	450		6.50	4.50	4-Singerman-Cook	8-Brendamour-Campbell
4 ♠	S	5	450		6.50	4.50	8-Elliott-Runda	3-Temples-Koch
4 ♠	N	5	450		6.50	4.50	10-Mineard-Wolf	7-McCarthy-Diers
4 ♠	S	5	450		6.50	4.50	11-Bansal-Mehta	9-Burns-Kennedy
4 ♠	S	5	450		6.50	4.50	13-Spiegel-Schapera	13-Lipp-Deutch
4 ♠	S	4	420		2.50	8.50	6-Peng-Hoffman	12-Kehoe-Stanley
4 ♠	S	4	420		2.50	8.50	12-Ramsay-Magnus, Jr	11-Oblinger-Rice
2 ♠	S	5	200		1.00	10.00	5-Burnam-Hubka	10-Earls-Lubow
2 ♠	S	4	170		0.00	11.00	2-Pollack-Pollack	4-Felson-Brown

South would have happily investigated slam if North had shown up with four Spades and a minor-suit singleton. Alas. While the hand record shows that N/S can take 12 tricks in Spades, how many of you would finesse East for the ♥ J and the ♥ 9 after pulling only two rounds of trump? I wouldn't either. West will lead the ♦ Q on opening lead.

Board 26
East Deals
Both Vul

♠	A 10
♥	J 5 3
♦	8 7 5 2
♣	A J 8 7

♠	K Q J 8 7 4
♥	A K 8
♦	J
♣	K Q 5

N
W		E
S

♠	9 2
♥	Q 6 2
♦	A K Q 6
♣	6 4 3 2

♠	6 5 3
♥	10 9 7 4
♦	10 9 4 3
♣	10 9

W 5N; EW 5♠; W 4♥; E 3N; E 3♥; W 4♦; E 3♦; EW 3♣; Par −660

West	North	East	South
		Pass	Pass
1 ♠	Pass	2 NT1	Pass
3 ♣2	Pass	3 ♦3	Pass
3 ♥4	Pass	3 ♠5	Pass
4 NT6	Pass	5 ♣7	Pass
5 ♠	Pass	Pass	Pass

Showing 11 HCP and less than three Spades
New suit by opener after 2 NT is forcing for one round
Showing Diamond strength
Showing Heart partial (not 4-card suit)
Showing doubleton in Spades
RKC 1430 Blackwood for Spades
Showing one keycard

Contract			Score		Matchpoints		Pair	Pair
			N-S	E-W	N-S	E-W	N-S	E-W
2 NT	W	3		150	11.00	0.00	13-Spiegel-Schapera	13-Lipp-Deutch
4 ♠	W	5		650	9.00	2.00	2-Pollack-Pollack	4-Felson-Brown
4 ♠	W	5		650	9.00	2.00	4-Singerman-Cook	8-Brendamour-Campbell
4 ♠	W	5		650	9.00	2.00	8-Elliott-Runda	3-Temples-Koch
3 NT	E	5		660	6.50	4.50	10-Mineard-Wolf	7-McCarthy-Diers
3 NT	E	5		660	6.50	4.50	12-Ramsay-Magnus, Jr	11-Oblinger-Rice
4 ♠	W	6		680	2.50	8.50	3-Vanstone-Gibler	6-Zimmer-Kammer
4 ♠	E	6		680	2.50	8.50	5-Burnam-Hubka	10-Earls-Lubow
4 ♠	W	6		680	2.50	8.50	6-Peng-Hoffman	12-Kehoe-Stanley
4 ♠	W	6		680	2.50	8.50	7-Kereiakes-Kereiakes	1-Lammers-Barron
4 ♠	W	6		680	2.50	8.50	9-Tedrick-Woodham	5-Olexsey-Thurnau
4 ♠	W	6		680	2.50	8.50	11-Bansal-Mehta	9-Burns-Kennedy

A 2 NT response by a passed hand after a major-suit opening is essentially the same as a 2 NT response after partner's minor-suit opening. If East had three Spades, they would have bid Drury, so their subsequent 3 ♠ bid shows a doubleton. E/W are off two keycards and park in five.

E/W lose one Spade and one Club, making five. If North doesn't lead the ♣ A or cash it at trick two after leading the ♠ A, E/W will make six when declarer pitches their three Clubs on dummy's ♦ AKQ. Crap.