The Austin Unit hosted their Christmas party this year with the unit picking up the tab.  I thought that was a nice idea, and wasn't about to turn down a free session or two and some decent grub.  My friend Joanie and I had a fairly decent game in the afternoon, scooping 2nd in our section but we faded in the evening.

Here are my favorite and least favorite hands of the afternoon:

Favorable, 2nd seat, pass to you:

JT43 / A4 / Q9 / AKQJ9

I was tempted to not upgrade this hand (the 5-card suit is nice, but the CJ might be superfluous and the Q9 of D isn't too pretty) but the nice spots to go with the 5-bagger kept me from opening 1N.  I opened 1C.

LHO overcalled 1H and partner passed.  Mildred Breed bid 2H on my right and I decided to double (2S is probably better but my Spades aren't really Moyse-worthy.)  Joanie, of course, bid 3D and it was up to me.

Bidding 3N here is pretty gross.  Pard could be broke and you can't even duck H twice.  But I just couldn't bear to let partner flounder in a 4-2 or 5-2 D fit.  We're at the 3 level already, might as well be in game.  I bid 3N.

Mildred kinda shrugged and passed.  LHO led the H3.  I bought pretty well, considering:

92 / JT8 / KJ743 / T86

JT43 / A4 / Q9 / AKQJ9

Looks like down 1, but just maybe the opponents will give me a 2nd H trick when they get in with their DA instead of testing S.

I played the HJ and it held!  I was soon claiming 9 tricks.  (Mildred had A765 / Q76 / T82 / 743.)  +400 was worth a somewhat surprising 100% of the matchpoints (11 on an 11 top.) 

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Favorable, 1st seat:

AKQT853 / T95 / 73 / T

I guess 1S is possible, especially with the H length, but I made the practical bid of 4S.  Float.

2 of Clubs was led:

92 / QJ / KJ852 / AKJ5

AKQT853 / T95 / 73 / T

Do you or don't you?

This is probably a state-of-the-match decision more than anything.  If you're having a good game, or feel you're the best pair in the field, maybe you don't hook.  If you play the CJ and the Clubs cash (and it appear they will, assuming 4th best leads,) you'll get a screaming top for +450.  Of course if you play the J and it loses ...

... they call you Mr. Ferguson.

Looking at the hand later, Joanie noted that Deep Finesse says I could have made this hand.  No, really?  I hadn't noticed that.  I wonder how.

LHO held J7 / A863 / QT4 / 8632