Two bridge deals from NOLA

Playing with Buddy Hanby in the final session of the Silodor Open Pairs, I picked up:

♠J 5 2 ♥A K J 5 ♦Q 5 ♣J 10 9 6.

With the opponents silent, Buddy opened 1♦, I responded 1♥ and Buddy rebid 3♥.

We were playing a weak 1NT (12 to 14 high-card points), so 2♥ would have been 15 to 17 HCP. Therefore, his jump rebid showed 16 to 18 points with a distributional hand or 18 HCP and a balanced hand. If he has the balanced hand, we have 30 HCP and hands like this often make the same in notrump as in a trump suit -- you are off the same tricks in either.

I rebid 3NT knowing he would pass with the 18 balanced and correct with the distributional hand. Buddy passed, and here are all four hands (I was North):

East led the ♠K and I ducked. He shifted to the ♦10 which I won to play the ace of clubs and another. When East didn't rise with his ♣K, I was able to set up a second club trick to make four for a score of 630 and 72.5 matchpoints on a 90 top. Most players were in 4♥ going set one with the horrible split.

Here's another deal with the same principle. My partner Sandy opened 1NT (15 to 17 HCP) in the Mixed Pairs, and I held:

♠9 6 ♥A K J 5 3 ♦K 7 ♣Q J 7 3.

I again knew we had 29 to 31 HCP, so bid 3NT. Here is the layout:

The opening lead was the ♠10, but it didn't matter. The opponents won their two aces, the same two tricks they would win in 4♥. This one was even more spectacular scoring 62.5 on a 64 top. Sometimes when you bid like this, they lead your five-card suit. Notice this South picked her doubleton spade, but she could have just as easily led a heart.