Monterey – Part 1

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!