Hi all,
Thanks again for dropping by, it has been a while. I hope you are well. Just to give you a few updates: switched jobs, moved out of Amsterdam, proud owner of a 50+ year old gorgeous wisteria, recovered from covid, my Spanish improves little by little, planning to attend the regional in Puerto Vallarta later this year, and current wood shortages impede our plans for getting a sauna. Oh .. those first world struggles I have to endure!
Here’s a nice deal where Kees and I were beating the drums like old times:
Sitting 3rd hand I’m contemplating whether I’ll slightly upgrade this hand to a strong 
or whether a natural approach is better. Kees opens a hazy (like my favorite IPA) 1
so that problem has turned academic rather quickly.
1
2
4678910- Precision, 11-13 bal, or 10-15 unbal
- Natural, or GF relay trigger
- 11-13 bal
- Natural GF reverse
- By inference a 3-2-4-4
- Natural, very short
- Honour-doubleton
- Probing
- Masterful
- Kapow!
Over 1NT I have my first decision, do I ask or do I show. I decide to show. Kees could have shown or support, a 5crd minor, but when he doesn’t it’s quite clear he’s 3-2-4-4. I show my third suit and we’re off to the races. While holding a dead minimum point wise, Kees sees only working cards in his hand and bypasses 3NT. I accept.
My RHO (East) tries to cash the Ace, I put down my genuine three-suiter:
Kees ruffs the lead and tanks for a bit. He plays a small trump towards his QJ-combination, losing to the King. A trump comes back which Kees wins in dummy, West following suit. A to the Queen, another ruff, a to the Ace to draw the last trump. Claim. Scoring five trumps in total, five tricks in and two top .
It’s good to be back.