Train makes it to the station

I played online at OKbridge with Kate last night. In first seat I held:

♠K ♥K 10 8 6 5 3 ♦3 ♣K J 9 7 3.

Would you open the bidding? This meets the requirements for the Rule of 20. It states that you can open if your high-card points plus the length of your two longest suits equal 20. I don't pay much attention that that, however, as I've found that it's just an excuse that overbidders use to justify doing what they want to do anyway: Bid, bid, bid!

Of course, I like to bid, too. Probably too much testosterone. The good texture of my round suits argues for opening, as does the fact that it makes life tough for opponents, so, I clicked on 1♥. Partner responded 2♦, and I rebid 2♥. We play the a 3♣ rebid can be made without showing extras (we play a 2/1 style with a big club), but I wanted to slow the train down. Runaway trains wrecks are not pretty. Just sayin'.

Partner rebid 2♠. You knew that was coming, didn't you? I hate this dumb game. I bid 3♣, and partner followed with 3♦. It looks like I'll pay for my sins this time. I really hate this dumb game. Being backed into a corner, I shrugged my shoulders, and bid 3NT, ending the auction. I really, really hate this dumb game.

At this point I clicked on my opponents' avatars to check their stats to try to gauge how accurate the defense would be. Both were Diamond Life Masters. Also, East ranked himself a "near expert." I'm not sure what that means. Maybe it's like almost being a virgin. I rode to the top of the Eiffel Tower, so I'm a near astronaut.

West led the ♦6, and these were the two hands I saw:

                ♠ A Q 10 8
                ♥ 9
                ♦ A J 8 7 4 2
                ♣ A 2
==
                ♠ K
                ♥ K 10 8 6 5 3
                ♦ 3
                ♣ K J 9 7 3

It's a good thing partner had her bid because I sure didn't. I played low, East won the ♦Q, and shifted to the ♠3. After winning my king, I led a club to dummy's ace, and advanced the ♥9. Mr. Near Expert covered with the jack, I played the king, and it held.

Now what? I continued with the ♥10, West played the 7 (sweet!) and Mr. Near won the queen. He exited with the ♣6, and I played the jack which held. Things were starting to look up.

I led the ♥5 which forced the ace, and Mr. Near led another club, putting me in my hand! He lost his near expert status this time. I ran my good hearts and discarded diamonds from dummy.

With one heart to cash, dummy had ♠A Q and ♦A. If I cashed my last good heart, when I exited with a club, I would not be completely positive which good card to sluff, so I exited at trick 11, instead. The last two cards in dummy were high, and East had to lead one of them -- making 3NT.

Here are all four hands (rotated):

                ♠ A Q 10 8
                ♥ 9
                ♦ A J 8 7 4 2
                ♣ A 2
♠ 9 7 5 2                     ♠ J 6 4 3
♥ 7 2                         ♥ A Q J 4
♦ K 10 9 6 5                  ♦ Q
♣ 8 5                         ♣ Q 10 6 4
                ♠ K
                ♥ K 10 8 6 5 3
                ♦ 3
                ♣ K J 9 7 3

Let's see what Mr. Near did here. Covering with the ♥J at trick four is wrong. If he wins his ace, he can take three heart tricks, instead of two. Then, Mr. Near had no fear -- he put me in my hand (with a club), when I'm known to have running heart tricks. That should have been clear to Mr. Near (ahem).

Let's go back to the opening lead -- a diamond? Don't you normally lead dummy's second suit (spades) rather than the suit she bid and rebid (likely showing six or more)?

Making the contract was a miracle scored 6.04 IMPs for our side. On a board like this, there are always some haha results: 6NT doubled down 800, 6♣ and 5♦ down 300. There was 4♥ making five, and watching the defense at that table must have been amusing.

You can see all the results, if you click here.