Howdy
Hoek and I weren’t really there last time at Star. I was still suffering from a jet lag and Hoek had one of his not-so-good days. Some 42% isn’t something to write home about. But it’s true, and there were some nice games.
Here’s a nice one:
A fine sixteencount. But it’s not your turn yet, you’re sitting 4th position, all vulnerable.
*** Lightning fast
Hoek shattered the window of sane bidding with a completely unexpected 4, my RHO doesn’t even waste half a second in bidding 4. I have excellent trumps and some other nice values so I decide to jump too, to 6. LHO believes my confident look and resorts to 6. I double, ending the sequence.
I spend half a moment thinking about calling the director, because neither opponent followed to the stop rule. And the director is there to protect me against any unauthorised information that moves across the table. With a small sigh I let it pass.
When Hoek started with the Queen, it was the end of the defence. Declarer threw a 
from hand while ruffing in dummy, and after two rounds of trumps I was thrown in with to lead away from my Ace of 
. Down 1. Well, it’s a plus, and there are only 11 tricks for us to buy in a contract, but down 1 just doesn’t really quench my thirst for tricks.
A lead is obviously the most rewarding defence. On that lead it’s not even game for EW! After two rounds of and a ruff declarer still has to have a keen eye and let the King of hold the trick. The ensuing ruff and sluff lets declarer get rid of the losing .