Hi all
Life is back to normal, well, as normal as it can get in Berkeley. I’m still on the lookout for a job, but recently CNN brought the news that the unemployment rate in California has risen to more than 9%. Combine that with the global economic situation and you can figure out that I’m in for a bumpy ride. Oh well, we’ll see what the future brings us.
Last weekend was exciting. On Saturday I played a sectional in Pleasanton together with Andrew G. The morning session we scored a fine 60% round, the afternoon session my lack of routine struck for a skinny 51something%. That feels good if you haven’t played a serious match in weeks… months. And on Sunday Sanne and I went to a Bay Area Quasi Juniors party in San Francisco. That’s quite the mouthful. Games and beer, you don’t need extra ingredients for a succesful party.
Here’s a deal from Pleasanton:
Your sitting 3rd seat, vulnerable against not, pondering whether or not you should (or dare to) pre in 
. But to your surprise your partner opens 1 and your RHO overcalls 2
. Right! You have maximum support but a terrible flat distribution. Maybe a direct jump to game obfuscates things best for the opponents, but I chose to bid a timid 2 intending to bid up to the five level if needed. LHO supports and partner makes a nice describing bid with 4
. The auction ends with my 4 bid. Huh?
11. Natural, intending to compete to the five level if there is a double fit present
RHO starts with a top 
and I ask partner with a smile how many trumps he expects. I drop all seven of them on the table and I’m not surprised Andrew is set one trick.
Having seven trumps as support is a nice thing, just as bidding a timid 2. But I’m still wondering what East was looking for. Did he need another Ace to bid? Didn’t he hear his partner support? I know for sure that we would have reached at least small slam if we had held the EW cards.