Punch

Hi all

If you take a drive towards Oakland you’ll see quite a few billboards of doom.

… And the bible guarantees it.

Pffffff
Hi
Hi
Muahahahahaaa
* snort *

Well, I don’t have to clarify my point of view now, I guess. I thought mankind was beyond this already. Anyway, we’ll be sitting in a plane to The Netherlands, the only screening we will be subjected to is by DHS (not so great either). Three weeks of visiting family & friends, indulging in decent bread & cheese, and play some non-ACBL-cured bridge. Good times.

Here’s a fine deal from a STaC game in San Francisco. I’ve met my LHO before, she’s venomous. The frost at the table is very real, her glares at my partner chill my spine. After pass – pass – 2 – double – pass it’s my turn again:

South
K865
QJ72
T932
Q

Lebensohl or no? I decide to take the weak route (2NT) because I hate my King in front of the preempt and a stiff Queen doesn’t give me warm feelings either.

Partner surprises me with a jump to 4. What? Come again?

Suddenly my hand improves by 1.609 km’s and then some. I expect partner to hold a singlesuited monster. And I add four trumps to the Queen – Jack, a singleton, even the King recovered some of it’s grandeur. I’m worth another call: 5. Raised to 6.

West
North
East
South
 
 
pass
pass
2
Double
pass
2NT1
pass
4
pass
5
pass
6
a.p.
 

1. Lebensohl

This was the full deal:

East Dealer
EW Vul
North
A3
AKT94
AKJ
A93
West
QJT742
83
7
J865
East
9
65
Q8654
KT742
South
K865
QJ72
T932
Q

There was no play to it, two ruffs and then a hook for a possible overtrick. I’m glad my partner decided to sell his hand as a singlesuited hand, I probably would have doubled and then bid NT myself.

Juice

Hi all

I’m a bit sore. Sore from carrying sand and tiles to revamp our backyard. But our combined efforts led to drinking Duvel in the sun’s splendor on our new terrace. Life’s good.

Geoff and I had an uncomplicated auction to 3NT.

North
QJT
Q964
J3
AQ63
South
AK85
A7
AQT7
JT2

West leads a small . I don’t want to endanger my contract so I call low from dummy. I win East’s Ten with my Ace, next my Jack gets covered by the King and Ace, and the same happens for the Jack from dummy. Just for sake of symmetry I cross to the Queen, and all four suits have been played in the first four tricks.

I continue cashing out on the black suits ( breaking) and I find myself squeezing West out of his five card suit and the King. All thirteen are making their bow to me… the 7 last…

West Dealer
NS Vul
North
QJT
Q964
J3
AQ63
West
3
KJ83
98642
K75
East
97642
T52
K5
984
South
AK85
A7
AQT7
JT2

So the juice I squeezed from my opponent magically turned into beer. Well, coming from Dombo I know, no, I feel! the 7 is a false prophet. The universe revolves around the 8. The 7 outranked in class, suit and number. There’s not a lot more to it than that.

But woe me, the invertebrate! The promise of beer and I set aside my beliefs (be it temporarily).

Carrot

Hi all

I’m looking to participate in the summer nationals in Toronto. Unfortunately my partners here have other plans/obligations, so here’s me throwing a pitch: Reasonable & imaginative player, often wears colorful pants and has a lot of fun at the table seeks decent partner to wreak some havoc in Toronto. Responses here.

Here’s a deal from me and James again at Quick Tricks.

South
AT8
KT9843
Q875
West
North
East
South
 
 
pass
11
pass
1NT2
Double3
24
pass
4NT
pass
5
pass
6
a.p.
 

1. A tad light
2. Kaplan inversion, 4+ at least invitational
3. Take out
4. Let’s just take the least dangerous path

After my opening and rebid James switched on the nitro. For a second I pictured myself on the launch schedule at Cape Canaveral. Lift off complete!

My LHO leads a low and I see that I’m standing on the edge of a very deep cliff. But the strong gust of wind has a friendly directional push, I’m not plunging to my demise just yet.

North
KQ52
AJ7
AKQ8
62
South
AT8
KT9843
Q875

So we’re off two tricks from the start, but I can pitch three of them on dummy’s , taking care of half my issues. The other half is to locate the whereabouts of that lovely Queen.

I take stock for two minutes and I’ve formulated a small trap I can set for my RHO. I start with pitching three and then on the fourth round of I throw my last , East winning the trick.

East winces for a second and then switches to a .

He fell for it!

Why would he switch to a if the look so much more attractive in their vulnerability? He must have a stiff ! Combine that with his first round pass and then a minors showing take out double. East is 1-2-5-5.

Confidently I play from top and the Queen does make her appearance.

East Dealer
EW Vul
North
KQ52
AJ7
AKQ8
62
West
J9643
65
T752
K4
East
7
Q2
J9643
AJT93
South
AT8
KT9843
Q875

Perhaps I would have taken the right guess anyway, but a succesfully sprung trap offers some extra backing. Check out this story if you’re hungry for more bridge, it is out of this world:http://www.blakjak.demon.co.uk/crypto.htm