Bridge in Oz

Match 7, Board 10, I picked up this monster.

♠ AQ105
♥ --
♦ AKQJ6
♣ AQ108

The problem with opening 2♣ on such a hand is that you'll start naming your suits at the level of 3♦, and you'll still have two suits left to show. Would you open 2♣ anyway?

I chose 1♦, which looked like a very bad choice after the next two hands passed. Fortunately my RHO balanced in hearts and we reached a 5♦ contract after my cue-bid of hearts.

Others were not so lucky. Only 6 of 18 pairs made game, one of which was a very lucky 6♦. Three pairs went minus. Another 3 pairs played a 1♦ contract.

The full deal and results are here.

Here's another cute problem. Match 7, board 2, at favorable vulnerability I opened 4♠ with:

♠ KJ109743
♥ 3
♦ 643
♣ A4

I like the rule of 2, 3 and 4 for preempts. That means at favorable you want to be within 4 tricks of the contract; at equal 3, and at unfavorable 2.

My LHO thought for quite a while about what to do with these cards:

♠ AQ652
♥ A7
♦ 108
♣ QJ96

The problem of course is the likelihood that partner will bid a red suit. But they doubled anyway and this became the final contract.

Remarkably, the result was +590 for us! Here is the full deal.