Exciting stuff!!!

Probably the most exciting hand I have seen on OKB was this one.

Wonder how you fared?

Dlr: North Vul: E-W J84 QJ9853 - - AJ94

109 4 7642 Q87532   AKQ76532 - - AKQ9 10

- - - A K 10 7 6 2 J 10 8 5 3 K 6

At our table, this was the bidding: West CUnext Dbl North egil Pass Pass East jm 1 Pass South elsid 6 Pass

The heart queen was led. I ruffed, and ran the string of trumps. Once East had discarded two "innocuous" diamonds, I claimed 6, for +12.29 IMP's.

Let us start with the scientific:

West wil 4 * 5 6 Pass Pass North JWeyant Pass Pass Pass Pass Pass Pass East egon 1 4 * 5 Pass 7 Pass South ONAPING Pass Pass Pass 6 dbl

4 was spl; 4 a cue; 5 a cue; 5 guarantees 1st round control; 6, of course, was to play. The 6 was gallant, but wil now could Pass to confirm 1st round diamond control, and so invite a grand. Egon, as usual, loves any makable grand! Egon claimed as soon as the diamond ace was led... in his unique style. Making 7 gave egon/wil a score of 16.97 IMP's.

West elindros 4 Dbl Pass North shf Pass Pass Pass Pass East cheetah 1 Pass Pass Pass South AB1 Dbl 6 Rdbl

Here, the club ace was led, followed by another. Declarer ruffed, and started his string of trumps. East discarded two diamonds..... Making gave a score of 15.57 IMP's. Would YOU redouble? lol

West malapert Rdble 4 Dbl Pass North Wensome Pass Pass Pass Pass Pass East edgroner 1 2 Pass Pass Pass South wendell Dbl Dbl 6 Rdbl

malapert led the heart 3, and declarer ruffed. Trumps followed. edgroner discarded all his hearts, one diamond only, and bared his club king. Down 1 for - 3.60 IMP's to N/S.

West vickers 4 6 Pass North mizzi Pass 5 Pass Pass East beppo 1 5 Pass Pass South ursa Dbl 5 6

A funny thing happened here. Declarer ruffed the heart queen lead, cashed the trump king, and followed with the spade 3, and West ducked!!! The story had a happy ending for West though. At trick 4, declarer played a diamond to hand, and West made the trump knave after all!!! Of course, with the situation exposed, declarer lost another diamond. -2 was but -2.49 IMPs.

West mishmish 4 * Pass Dbl Pass North r244 Pass Pass Pass Pass Pass East Zamo 1 4 5 Pass Pass South Felice Dbl 4 5 Rdbl

H3 led yet again, and declarer ruffed. Again a string of trumps followed.... but declarer, probably a cautious person, retained a trump in hand for "just in case." This relieved East greatly, and he thus made a diamond and a club at the end. Making 5xx though gave 1000, for a score of 8.54 IMP's.

West LTT2000 6 Pass North PierreT 3 Pass Pass East nanc 3 Pass Pass South ppeng 4 Dbl

This is the first time North opened, and spades were bid once only - at the conservative 4-level! Imagine nanc's surprise when she got propelled to a small slam!! Making 6x+1 gave N/S -13.10 IMP's. Wow.

West mzamp 7 Pass Pass North shubidoo Pass Pass Pass Pass East sparafuc 1 Pass Rdbl South bjork 6 Dbl Pass

shubidoo opened his cards and thought "what another boring hand." When the smoke cleared, he was 19.90 IMP's poorer! Unlike egon, declarer ruffed the diamond ace lead, then only claimed. The claim was good though

West col2 Dbl Pass North benv Pass Pass East glabi 1 Pass South edb 6 Pass

col2 is the first person to lead a trump. Declarer took his cue and played seven more rounds of them but glabi held on to four diamonds and the stiff club king at the end for -1, and collected a measly 2.67 IMPs for his troubles! Yes.. the H'ers were skewing the scores...        lol

West Trixi Dbl Pass North hawker Pass Pass East zijlstra 1 Pass South lawyer 6 Pass

Our final hand sees a laywer and a hawker get along. The A was led, and it was followed by the 4. Declarer ruffed, but drew only three rounds of trumps. Then lawyer played on diamonds. This lawyer doesn't pressurise. -1 for -2.67 IMP's.

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