Had a decent set with Buddy at the club on Monday night.  We only had one zero all night (not a simple task on a 2 top) when the opps bid a slam that others missed.  This is probably the first time I've beaten a pair by 50% (even though we only shot a 66 ...) and surely the first time I've done it and not won.

Here's a hand I enjoyed from that set.

All red in 1st I picked up

x / KJxxxx / Ax / QJxx

I opened 1 Heart and pard bid 2NT, now Righty bid 3 Spades.

This is the 2nd time this problem has come up for me in the last couple of weeks.  Does it make sense to play 'stolen bids' in this sequence and if so, is it 'standard'?  In other words, am I supposed to wack 3 Spades to show a singleton?

Rather than risk a disaster in 3 Spades doubled, and not particularly wanting to show extras (pass) with my nice shape but minimum values I just bid 4 Hearts.  Float.

Lefty led the ten of Spades.  How do you play it?

Axx / ATxx / QTx / Axx

x / KJxxxx / Ax / QJxx

Here's a hand most intermediates will get wrong.  They see the QJ of Clubs in one hand and the A in the other and immediately think 'A finesse!  I know how to do that.'  Of course, the Club finesse is a distraction and can only gain a trick if LHO has specifically KT9 of Clubs (third) and a Diamond honor.

It seemed to me like a better shot if I decided to play for Righty to have Kx of Clubs and the King of Diamonds.  I ruffed a Spade (perhaps not best, but 8-1 Spades seems ridiculously unlikely and I wanted to be able to pick up 3-0 trumps if necessary,) played the King of Hearts (if Hearts are 3-0, LHO is probably the one with 3) and a Heart up (trumps breaking) and ruffed Dummy's last Spade.

- / Tx / QTx / Axx

- / Jx / Ax / QJxx

Now a Club to the Ace and a Club and all my clean living paid off with the lie of the cards I was hoping for.  Righty won the King and had to either lead a Spade, giving me a sluff/ruff or lead a Diamond away from her King.

680 beat the twin 650's on the traveler.