Iron Man

Hi all

It’s likely that my next couple of movie reviews will cover superheroes, they were abundant this summer. I’ll start with Iron Man. Iron Man is a film adaptation of the Marvel comic, like Spiderman or Fantastic Four. But where Spiderman disappointed me and FF is entertaining at best, memories from Iron Man still bring a faint smile to my face even after a couple of weeks. 

Bad boy Robert Downey, Jr is simply wonderful as the wealthy playboy Tony Stark, imbuing the character with humor, charisma and moral strength. Though that moral part had to be activated by a hostage situation, where he had to design weapons for Afghani terrorists (where have I heard that before?). He builds an advanced exoskeleton suit and becomes a merchant of death to evildoers around the world.

The movie is absolutely a blatant display of advanced technology, engineering and flawless special effects. And if you look a bit deeper there is a hint of criticism about America’s weapons industry. Director John Favreau is able to serve the whole as a solid and consistently entertaining film.

Iron Man

And the hidden scene after the credits definitely leaves me hungry.

Glass Cards

Hi all

This deal is from Star. During summer season I get to play with a lot of random partners and this time I was lucky to play with Dirk "Bear".

South
KJT
AKJ96
KJ754

West
North
East
South
 
1NT1
pass
2
pass
2
pass
3
pass
3NT
pass
42
pass
43
pass
4NT
pass
5
pass
74
a.p.
 
 
 

1. 14-16 NT
2. still aspiring slam
3. cue, no cue!
4. Hoot hoot!

The bidding looks quite straightforward. I nearly fell from my chair when Dirk skipped the control. So it might seem strange to ask for Aces when holding a void, but during the bidding I already found out partner had no wasted honours in my void. When partner showed two keys with trump Queen I felt like Moses for a moment, seeing everything on board. I wasted no time and jumped to the grand.

LHO started with a small trump and I notice thirteen tricks are not available upon request.

North
A932
Q8
QT75
AQ2

South
KJT
AKJ96
KJ754

I took the lead in dummy and played a small from dummy. That was too much pressure for East and he inserted the King (!). I ruffed and cashed the King of trumps seeing trumps split. I crossed to trump Ace and asked for the Queen. East took a fifteen second pause before playing low. I discarded my Ten and West coughs up the Jack.

Huh? A 2-7 split?

I play the Queen from table and another one to my hand, East showing out on the second one. Oh boy! West stops my fifth with the Ten. But I don’t let my head down. With two more I have worked myself to this position:

North
A93
T

South
KJ
9
J

On trump Jack I squeeze West out of Queen-third in and the Ten. So the shiny 9 is my thirteenth trick.

North Dealer
All Vul
North
A932
Q8
QT75
AQ2
West
Q87
T7542
J9
963
East
654
3
AK86432
T8
South
KJT
AKJ96
KJ754

A small detail that might go by unnoticed. When you find out about the bad split it looks like you can revert to the suit as a source for four tricks. But there are no entries to dummy anymore and West can ruin your communications by inserting the Queen of  on the right moment.

Sometimes you get to play with glass cards. I feel like a beast, an ancient beast. Can you hear my roar?

Happily ever after

Hi all

I have a nice deal and some news.

North
Q97632
Q532
865

West
North
East
South
1
pass
1
pass
1
21
pass
pass
…6
pass
pass
double
a.p.
 
 
 

1. Obstructing

I like my partner’s 2 bid here, it takes away fourth suit forcing and a load of bidding space as well. In my opinion it doesn’t really qualify as an immediate weak jump because of the meager suit quality and the four card suit, but in the rebound it looks fine. The lack of high cards is nauseating, but your distribution makes up for action.

I showed my discomfort about the auction with a sweaty double. And it was up to my partner to pull the winning lead from her collection.

She kicked off with a small trump. Olympic gold!

West Dealer
– Vul
North
Q97632
Q532
865
West
A
AKT4
Q7
AQJ972
East
J8
86
KJT9654
KT
South
KT54
J97
A832
43

Without a trump lead declarer can ruff his two small in dummy and claim twelve tricks without effort.

Don’t you just wanna kiss and marry such a partner? So I did.
Sanne and Jannes got married on the 6th of August, 2008.

The Dark Knight

Hi all

Christian Bale returns as The Dark Knight.

Wait!

It is absolutely more than an action movie, it’s a film that explores literary themes of the hero & villain, as well as order & anarchy. For as much (brutal and bone crushing) action as there is in this movie, it’s the acting that makes it a great piece of work. All the actors have their moments. The Dark Knight possesses the essence that should always exist in the handover from comics to the big screen. This film is the darkest Batman, as well as one of the blackest, violent and gripping films, ever made.

I have fond & scary memories of the character and actor below. Thank you, Heath Ledger.

Heath Ledger - Joker