Priceless

Hi all

Here’s a britishism that cracked me up: What is (called) a Sleeping Police Officer? Answer at the end of the article.

Last Saturday Elenalani and I played an afternoon game in Fremont. The playsite was hidden deep in a gigantic home for the elderly. In the deal below the opponents had a short auction: 1 – 5NT – 6NT. It’s not very scientific, but it got them to the right spot.

West Dealer
All Vul
North
J962
85
KT92
J63
West
7
AKQ3
Q75
QT842
East
AK3
62
AJ83
AK95
South
QT854
JT974
64
7

Sitting South I started a from my sequence and saw declarer scramble together twelve tricks via a finesse. Declarer looked at the score sheet with $ signs in his eyes. Seconds later he had come down from his pink cloud when he found out about half the field had made thirteen tricks, some of them had even bid a grand. Looking for an excuse he asked us what he did wrong.

I rolled up my sleeves, cleaned my glasses and teacher Jannes arrived at the table. I could have commented on the defensive skills of the majority present, or have said something incomprehensible like: Thirteen are cold on a non-simultaneous double squeeze with as pivot suit. But I chose to be a little more helpful.

I explained that after the lead he could hook the immediately. Then after cashing the Ace run all the and pitch a from hand. Leading to this position:

West Dealer
All Vul
North
J96
KT
West
7
AK3
Q
East
AK3
6
8
South
QT
T97

As you can see South got squeezed out of the suit two tricks earlier than North, who’s in trouble when both top hit the table. Eventually AK3 is good for three tricks. The look in his eyes was priceless when he understood the squeeze.

A Sleeping Police Officer is what they call a speed bump in the UK.

Revelations

Hi all

I’m excited, only a couple of days left and I will see family and friends again. I’m spending most of my time in Oakland now finishing up my courses and certifications. Satisfied with successfully completing all my Oracle stuff (I’m an OCP now!), but I couldn’t keep my momentum to finish up Java too. Oh well, I’ll add it to my 2010 resolutions list.

Here’s a deal where the opponents were pretty helpful.

South
AJ62
87
QJT4
743

West
North
East
South
pass
1
2
21
3
pass
pass
32
4
pass
4
… 43
a.p.
 
 
 

1. Taking it easy
2. Enough to compete
3. Boing!

West came alive after her partner overcalled 2. And when she decided to compete to the four-level she had drawn a very clear picture of her hand, and my partner’s! When the opponents revealed their double fit in the round suits it was very easy to put together Elenalani’s hand: & with shortness. It was like looking into a glass orb with a degree in Prophecy & Revelations.

West Dealer
– Vul
North
KQ974
952
K876
A
West
8
AKQ63
532
T862
East
T53
JT4
A9
KQJ95
South
AJ62
87
QJT4
743

Elenalani had an easy roll to ten tricks and the full load in matchpoints.

Lemon

Hi all

This deal is from the Oakland sectional a couple weeks ago. I’ve consulted with friends, experts and expert friends about getting to the right spot. Sour times, nobody has been able to provide a sensible path to 6.

North Dealer
All Vul
North
3
J6
K42
AKQJ974
West
T872
AT54
J976
3
East
KQ964
972
QT
T85
South
AJ5
KQ83
A853
62

Only the Jack of is a wasted card, all other cards pull their full weight to make 6 lay down. This was our auction:

West
North
East
South
 
1
1
DBL
2
3
3
3NT
a.p.
 
 
 

Maybe there are good-bad tricks (that I’m never really able to understand) available that can convey North’s playing strength. Maybe North can take a slightly aggressive approach by bidding 3 instead of 3, which should show a very good suit/solid with extras. Maybe I should have bid more than 3NT. The road to the best contract is paved with good intentions, or something like that … 

East suffered from temporary ataraxia, I guess. He pulled that vulnerable 3 bid from another dimension, looking at those ultra-minimum values in a flat hand. On the other hand I think that West’s 2 was a bit timid, in my opinion West holds plenty distribution and trumps for a jump to 3.

West led a and when East inserted the Queen I ducked smoothly. East threw me a strange look for I had bid 3NT with confidence. He returned another in my Ace-Jack and I pitched both from dummy. On the run of dummy’s West got squeezed out of his red suits like a ripe lemon. Twelve juicy tricks and my play won the imp that saved us a victory point.

Submerged

Hi all

Sanne and I have rescheduled our trip to The Netherlands. Starting Christmas we’ll be spending about three weeks visiting friends and family. Hopefully I can squeeze in some bridge as well. Even after what happened in the story below.

Playing pairs in Piedmont November 30th.

North
987432
J94
AT5
K
South
AQJ5
A6
843
AT72
West
North
East
South
 
 
 
1NT
pass
2
pass
31
pass
4
a.p.
 
  1. Super accept, minimum values

My first problem was assessing the value of the South hand after my partner surprised me with his transfer. I was holding lots of nice Aces and a likely valuable doubleton, but the Queen-Jack of seemed like overkill, so I sold it as a minimum. Geoff raised me to game.

When dummy came down I saw that the contract was healthy and sane, so I assumed most players would find this game. Ten tricks are easy on the King of lead. Take the Ace, unblock the King, cross to the Ace and discard a on the Ace. Losing just a trump, a and one .

So I was looking for an overtrick. There is one available in hooking the King, but on the lead I don’t want to endanger the contract. So I won the lead with the Ace, unblocked the King, crossed to the Ace of and played two rounds of pitching all from dummy. East is on lead now and cashes the Queen of . “Sure buddy, I’m going to finesse against your King of “, I smile to myself.

North
987432
J
South
AQJ5
84
T

East surprises me with an unexpected fourth round of . I play my Ten and West submerges for nearly two minutes before firing his Ten of torpedo. Yikes! I didn’t anticipate that.

I ruff the return in dummy and now I’m facing the music. Take the trump finesse or go for the drop? Suddenly I wish I had taken the solid plan for ten tricks. Finally I decide to go for the drop, taking West’s long, long pause into account. Defeat.

South Dealer
EW Vul
North
987432
J94
AT5
K
West
T
K752
KQJ72
984
East
K6
QT83
96
QJ653
South
AQJ5
A6
843
AT72

I still don’t know what West was thinking about. When I found out that my minus 50 was an utter and complete cold bottom I shuddered. Nobody, absolutely nobody was in 4. Only +140’s and +170’s on the travelling score sheet. Sometimes I really hate playing pairs.