Had a lucky half-set with Jim today (Thursday.)  I was hoping for a decent set as the first of my medical bills (more on that in another post) and the tragedy at Fort Hood had me somewhat out of sorts.

First board, first seat:

7 / K2 / K87652 / KJ85

If you open this cheesebox, you get to 3N:

1D - 1S
2C - 2H(4SF)
2N? - 3N

Do you want to be there?

AQJ42 / QJ85 / QT4 / 9

7 / K2 / K87652 / KJ85

You're hoping for 5D, 2H, 1S and 1 more black-suit trick. 

I got a heart lead (4) and was faced with my first decision, stick in the 8 or play low?

If you play low, you're hoping that righty will play the 9 or 10 and you can win and hook lefty for the other heart spot, setting up a 3rd heart trick. 

If you stick in the 8, you're hoping that lefty underled the T9 of hearts.

I played low and righty stuck in the 7.  Doh. 

I won the K and led the D8 to the 9, Q, and Ace.

A low club (another 4) came back, now what?

AQJ42/ QJ8 / T4 / 9

7 / 2 / K7652 / KJ85

These are the decisions I hate (and they seem to come disproportionately on the first board.)  If I guess wrong here, a spade return probably beats me (even if the spade finesse works my communication is shot and I can be locked in my hand at the end.)  On the bright side there's a good chance that lefty will return a club and then I'm still in business as long as diamonds come home.

I played a low club and lefty won the Q (cool) and didn't find the best defense of a spade return, returning a club to righty's ace and giving me 9 tricks when I navigated the diamond suit successfully.

http://www.bridgebase.com/myhands/fetchlin.php?id=2022526&when_played=1257067933

Bidding 3N was worth 7 IMPs.