Month: January 2012

Hi all

Here’s a deal from the San Francisco Sectional. Geoff and I reach heights where the air gets very, very thin. I pick up a decent hand, but the auction that follows doesn’t give me warm feelings.

West

North

East

South

 

11

pass

2

pass

22

dbl

2

pass

3

pass

3NT

pass

…5

a.p.

 

1. 8-17 hcp systematically
2. Any minimum

Perhaps I should have smelled a rat and pass out 3 but I still visualized game to be reasonable. I’m surprised by the jump to 5, curious I wait for dummy.

Of course West starts with a trump so ruffing all my losers is going to get difficult. I’m in a terrible spot. And I make a mental note to tell Geoff his hand doesn’t qualify for opening in my standards, or our standards for that matter. Add a couple of spots to the suit, then maybe if not vulnerable.

Anyway, I’d better make a plan. My best chance is to find QJ-third onside. Perhaps I can set up a to pitch a from dummy so I can tackle 3-3. Not that it brings my odds for bringing this baby home anywhere close to 50%.

I win in dummy with the Ace and request the 5. East rises with the Ace and returns her trump, fortunately they break 2-2. Now let’s see if I can work something in the suit.

But wait… if I play a top from hand then it doesn’t matter what West does. Covering and forcing me to ruff will leave me an entry short to finesse twice in later (East will split) if my experiment is fruitless. While if West ducks then it doesn’t gain me anything, with the miniscule exception of finding East with exactly AK9 or AQ9.

A cunning plan fosters in my mind… I check whether West is awake. I put down the 8 intending to let it ride, playing West for any Honor-9 combination. Later I can take a ruffing finesse against his honor, and I have one trump left in dummy to establish my (just depending on a 3-3 split).

But no, West covers the 8 with the 9 and I’m forced to ruff. So far my experiment in the suit… The hook against QJ is all I have left.

It works… for +600. Not happy with the bidding, but the result is nice to surprise your team mates with.

Hi all

So it’s Saturday evening now. After a wealthy dinner at Montrio we get to sit down against two lovely ladies. I had my guard up a bit, because it’s still the finals of a two day KO. I’d better not be lulled into a false sense of comfort.

We start good by extracting +800 from a phantom sacrifice. And then Geoff and I Beowulf to slam on the cards below.

West

North

East

South

 

pass

pass

11

pass

12

pass

13

pass

34

pass

4

pass

4

pass

4NT

pass

55

pass

6

a.p.

 

 

 

1. 15-17 bal, or stronger any shape
2. 6+ hcp
3. Natural, 18+
4. Maximum/slammish raise
5. Two keys with trump Queen or extra length

When West led a trump, I needed either the to break or the double finesse in . I’m glad they didn’t lead a ! A tentative estimate puts us now at +20, I think. But the ladies proved to be a lot more resilient than expected.

West

North

East

South

1

pass

1

2NT1

4

4

dbl

pass

5

a.p.

 

 

1. Unusual

5 went down one silently, but at the other table they maneuvered a contract of 5 in the South hand. So East gets his two tricks, but West not the ruff he was looking for: 13 imp down the drain.

In addition they brought home a sharp 3NT and outbid us on a couple of part scores, so after the first 12 boards a boatload of imps has crossed the table: 42-42.

The second half starts of poorly for us when I find the single lead that lets them make their game. Then the ladies hopscotched into 6 with two top missing. But on a non- lead all losers went away… Geoff and I now both sit at the table like hawks, waiting for an opportunity to pounce. And the opportunity gets there…

Sitting in 3rd seat, all red I decide to open a Beowulf 2 (showing 8-12 hcp, exactly 4 crd suit, unbalanced).

My LHO overcalls 3, passed to me… I know we’re good. She misplayed a bit and went down four, for +400, no game for anyone in sight. A funny side note: Because in the US we’re not allowed to play any conventions over an opening like this, all bids after that have to be natural. So without a blush or embarrassment I could have doubled 3 for penalties. Now how’s that if you have opened weakly in 3rd chair?

We have a lock. We win the finals by 89 to 77. That’s quite rich over a 24 board match.

Hi all

Back from Belize safe & sound. In a nutshell: snorkeling, sea turtles, eagle rays, I kissed a shark, Maya ruins (Caracol), roasted pig on the beach, termites taste minty – carrotty (really!), ATM cave, slightly tanned, donated a lot of blood to local mosquito population and I had the most amazing smoked pork chops ever at Erva’s in San Ignacio.

Barely back from Belize and I’m headed for Monterey again, attending the Clambake Regional. Geoff and I teamed up with Grant and Jessica (picture probably in the next issue of the Bridge magazine). We entered the Friday – Saturday KO, and after a pretty flat round robin we picked up steam. Here’s me drawing nine out of the fire with bare hands.

West

North

East

South

 

 

 

11

3

3

pass

3NT

a.p.

 

 

 

1. Could be light (8-17)

Geoff took a flyer when he bid 3, hoping to find me with some kind of fit. Well, this is what I saw after West leads the Jack:

Ugh! 3NT needs a lot of work with only 3 tricks from top. Fortunately I’m not vulnerable, so damage control is not a top priority.

I request the Queen from dummy and it wins the trick. A to my Jack survives as well, and prospects look a little bit less bleak. A second back to dummy and East wins his Queen (West has followed suit with the 8 and 9). A surprising Ten of hits the table that gets covered around to dummy.

A back to the 8 and it wins, 7 tricks in the pocket now. I check whether the break, but they don’t. One last resort, if the break 7-1, I can endplay East. I cash my Ace and exit with another one.

East grumpily cashes his trick and the Ace, but then surrenders a to dummy’s King. The Ace is the entry to my free , and that’s trick number nine.

Thank you!