Planet Terror

Hi all

I saw Planet Terror recently, the second part in the Grindhouse marriage. This one is directed by Robert Rodriguez, also known for El Mariachi and Desperado.

Let’s start with zombies and blood, both are richly abundant in this movie. I didn’t know, had I known I probably wouldn’t have gone there with a girl. But even after strong warnings she still wanted to go. Maybe that says something for me…

Back to the movie. Planet Terror is preceded by a fake trailer: Machete. Three minutes of swearing, nudity and explicit/excessive violence. Boy! If they ever make an entire movie of it count me in. From there on it’s zombies all over. Some military experiment transforms people into flesh eating zombies, spreading panic all over the country. A small group, including Cherry Darling (Rose McGowan) doesn’t get infected by the virus and organizes some resistance. Imagine very gory details (testicle-collecting scientists anyone?) now and multiply it by some large factor. That should get the main part of the movie across.

What can I say? Rose McGowan stars as one of the toughest babes ever to hit the screen. The image of her with a machine gun instead of her missing leg is iconic. Furthermore, the movie contains sequences so insanely violent they make Desperado or Kill Bill look like children’s flicks. It’s very good fun, but only if you’re into the genre.

Rose McGowan - iconic

More minor planning

Hi all

Here’s a game from last Thursday. It was a strange and difficult night, I’m still having some difficulties combining competitive bridge with my fulltime job. And there were some partnership hickups too, but better to have them now, than during competition.

South
Q
QT732
85
KJ974

West
North
East
South
1
dbl
3
4
4
pass
pass
???

If partner has wastage in I should just double them and be happy with +300. Then again it could be a neat example of perfect fitting hands where both sides can make game. But I have no way to find out.

When in doubt opt for play. But I agree in advance this attitude costs points. Everybody is fine with 5.

North
853
AJ
AQJ6
AQT8

South
Q
QT732
85
KJ974

West starts with the Ace of . Whoa! Partner surely brings some nice cards. I ruff the second round of and I’m almost in claim mode. Both red Kings onside and twelve tricks are so cold I can chill my Martini with them. I play a small trump to dummy and West shows out. Oh! Better cancel that claim mode. I cross to hand with another trump to finesse in , but East wins and returns a third round of trumps.

I have nowhere to go and finish with ten tricks, losing a and two tricks in . Hoek doesn’t mention a thing, but I feel I deserve a suspicious look.

West Dealer
– Vul
North
853
AJ
AQJ6
AQT8
West
AK9642
K965
972
East
JT7
84
KT43
6532
South
Q
QT732
85
KJ974

When in dummy I should have ruffed the third and then finesse in . East will win and return a trump, but now I still have enough trumps left to score eleven tricks on a cross ruff.

I got punished for my laziness. I didn’t acknowledge the dangers of a 0-4 trump split and when I found out I was too dumbstruck to rethink my strategy and plan.

Minor planning

Hi all

Here’s a nice 5 from Hoek last week. The defence wasn’t really paying attention, they gave the contract away actually, but Hoek’s plan was thoughtful and solid.

North
Jxx
J8xx
K87x
Kx

South
A
ATx
AQJ9xx
xxx

West
North
East
South
 
 
pass
1
double
1
1
3
pass
31
pass
4
pass
5
pass
pass

1. Asking for a stopper

I like the 3 bid. I agree it’s on the light side, but you’ve got a suit playable opposite a singleton and offensive values, no wasted Queens and Jacks. West starts with the King. Now how to get to eleven tricks?

Let’s count first. You can see ten tricks, six , two Major suit Aces, the King and a ruff. It looks like the eleventh trick has to come from a throw in. Start by eliminating side suits. Draw two rounds of trumps (ending in dummy), ruff a and play a towards the King. West rises (doesn’t make a difference) and continues with a for dummy. Now ruff the last and ruff your loser in dummy. This is what’s remaining.

North
J8xx
8

South
ATx
Qx

Now play a from dummy to your Ten. West has to return a  now or give away a ruff and sluff. Analyze! West has shown enough for a takeout double with King-Queen of , a  honour and the Ace, so play for split  honours and finesse against the  9. Everything cool and you can write +600.

East Dealer
NS Vul
North
J6x
J8xx
K87x
Kx
West
KQ8x
K9x
T
AJTxx
East
T9xxx
Qxx
xx
Qxx
South
A
ATx
AQJ9xx
xxx

Masterbid

Hi all

I told you about jewelry. Big gold credits to our teammates Martin & Tim for this beautiful sequence.

North
KQ7
8
9542
AK432
South
A9863
AKJ63
J87
West
North
East
South
 
 
pass
1
pass
2
pass
2
pass
4
pass
5
pass
6
a.p.
 

Martin (North) thought he ended the auction with his jump to 4, but then his partner Tim (Hendrik had other duties) surprised him with a 5 (void)cuebid. Talk about hitting the sweet spot, North is now almost worthy of a jump to the grand. But Martin didn’t have the right surgical tools to show his happiness with the cuebid, so he settled for the small slam in , with a very large smile.

East Dealer
EW Vul
North
KQ7
8
9542
AK432
West
T54
QT75
AKT8
Q6
East
J2
942
QJ763
T95
South
A9863
AKJ63
J87

Tim ducked a to keep communications intact and he ruffed a in dummy. He got home when both black suits broke. In the post mortem at the bar Hoek mentioned that a crossruff also works (on a non-trump lead), cash both Ace-King in and and then score eight tricks in trumps. I like the latter one better because of aesthetics, but it looks like both plans are about equal in odds.

Detonate

Hi all

Some jewelry last night. Hoek and I didn’t handle all freaky hands that well (there were several), but overall we were satisfied with bidding and play. Here’s one, repeat after me: powder and keg.

South
6
Q876
K8
AJ6432
West
North
East
South
1
2
2
3
3
pass
4
dbl1
a.p.
 
 
 

1. Booomm!

I put a fuse in declarer and light it. The lead is easy: the King of and dummy comes down. I’m happy.

West
AQT753
KJ
643
Q5
 
South
6
Q876
K8
AJ6432

West mistook one of his little for a and starts with some apologies. I don’t mind, dinner just got a little bigger.

I continue with a to partner’s Queen and Hoek returns a for my Ace. An innocent little follows and declarer finesses into Hoek’s King. Another gets ruffed and overruffed. I exit in for dummy’s Queen. When declarer tried to cross to the Jack of I ruff and play another round of .

West
AT75
KJ
South
Q8
J643

Declarer really in trouble has to ruff with one of dummy’s honors else Hoek gets a free ruff. But now he cannot draw both my remaining trumps. So my Queen of is good for down four. It has been a long time ago I had a gratifying double like this.

West Dealer
NS Vul
North
K984
T
AQT972
T9
West
AQT753
KJ
643
Q5
East
J2
A95432
J5
K87
South
6
Q876
K8
AJ6432

Silverplated, The Clash Part 3

Hi all

The end is near, I look up and see the sky is red. I focus on my cards again and what I see looks promising.

South
AKQJ
Jxxx
AQTx
J

It’s definitely a beast opposite a fitting hand.

West
North
East
South
 
21
3
42
pass
43
pass
???

1. Multicoloured (weak, 5+ card suit in a Major)
2. Asking for a transfer
3. Showing

What to do? The vulnerability is very favourable, so Dennis could be really light for his multi. I can’t, I bid 4 with pain in my heart.

North Dealer
EW Vul
North
xxxx
AKQT9
xx
xx
West
xxx
xx
Jxxx
xxxx
East
xx
xx
Kxx
AKQTxx
South
AKQJ
Jxxx
AQTx
J

Opportunity sorely missed. After some discussion I have to agree 5 is the expert bid here, it asks how good partner’s trumps are. Dennis has the easiest raise ever then. The finesse against the King of is just a formality, for East has made a vulnerable call on the three level. 

I’m a coward. And cowards don’t win matches. Aggressive bidding and playing finally got US (Amsterdam) the victory they deserved. Congratulations!

Next year we’ll battle for glory again.

Brassbound, The Clash Part 2

Hi all

I put aside my trusted battle axe and stretch my aching arms and legs. This match isn’t as easy as expected. And it’s far from over, I still see fervor and frenzy on the faces of my opponents.

North
AKxxx
x
KJx
KJxx

West
North
East
South
 
1
pass
21
pass
32
pass
43
pass
44
pass
4NT
pass
5
pass
6
a.p.
 
 
 

1. Invitational with exactly three or natural
2. Natural, 14+ hcp
3. Splinter, agreeing
4. Cue

North Dealer
– Vul
North
AKxxx
x
KJx
KJxx
West
QTx
Kxxx
xxxx
xx
East
Jx
Jxx
QTxxx
Qxx
South
xxx
AQTxx
A
ATxx

I like Dennis’ (canapé) approach, introducing his four card suit instead of his longer . Of course he still had his three card support to revert to. When I could show a fit with a non-minimum there was no way we could stay out of slam. Trade my Jacks for the Queen of trumps and it’s a fair grand. I wonder if we would have reached slam if the bidding had started with 1 – 2 – 3. Funny, didn’t I write a story lately about the power of the 4-4 fit?

Dennis received a passive lead. After some thought he played quite straightforward: Ace and King of , King of  to discard a , ruff out the Queen and he kept playing high cards until somebody came up with the Queen of trumps. Twelve tricks and no surprises or answers from our opponents’ camp.

Ironclad, The Clash Part 1

Hi all

Last Saturday twelve heroic fighters from Dombo fought an epic battle against the dirty dozen from Groningen (APIH) and a number of vile, unshaved villains from Amsterdam (US). Here’s a story starring Dennis and yours truly.

North
96
J652
Q85
KJ76

West
North
East
South
 
 
 
2NT
4
dbl1
pass
52
pass
???
 
 

1. (Moderate) values, pass would have been forcing anyway
2. Very offensive hand (nice!)

I chose to bid 6 and that was spot on, for this was the deal:

South Dealer
NS Vul
North
96
J652
Q85
KJ76
West
KQJ743
KQ98
T3
8
East
T852
T4
J64
T542
South
A
A73
AK972
AQ93

I took the lead, drew three rounds of trumps, ruffed a , cashed the Ace of and crossed to hand with the Queen to draw the last trump (safety measure against a 4-1 split). Claim in approximately 30 seconds losing only one trick in . It felt like a true coup de grâce, but to my surprise they scored +1370 at the other table too.

This is a very clean example of the power of the 4-4 fit. In twelve tricks are available too (on a non lead), but that’s way too sweaty and ugly for me if I have a solid alternative.