Seattle Buzz

Hi all

Thanksgiving was turkey-free and I’ve stayed clear from any black Friday (or Cyber Monday) madness. I will leave for Seattle on Wednesday. For Thursday I’m still a bit on the fence, either go check out Seattle or getting warmed up at some small side event. I’ll let the rain decide. Then Geoff and I will join forces with our team mates and enter the Keohane North American Swiss Teams.

The deal below is from the home knock out series I talked about earlier:

South
A6543
74
AT862
3
West
North
East
South
 
21
3
4
5
pass
pass
Double
a.p.
 
 
 
  1. Exactly 4 card suit, 8-12 hcp, unbalanced

I had an easy raise to game after Geoff opened 2, but when the opponents competed to 5 I decided to draw my axe. Two quick tricks, a clear lead, 8-12 hcp sitting across and vulnerable opponents seemed enough for a decently bloody reward. I lead my stiff and dummy puts down:

West
8
KQ8
KQ53
JT754
South
A6543
74
AT862
3

Urgh! That’s quite a good dummy. The travels via partner’s Queen to declarer’s Ace. A hits the table and I’m pretty sure it’s a singleton. So I rise and now I’m at crossroads. Where is Geoff’s entry? At this point I’m pretty confident Geoff is holding a 4-1-3-5 (maybe a 4-2-2-5) with King – Queen of , Jack and a mystery card.

Partner has followed with just small cards so far, nothing to encourage me to underlead my Ace. But if Geoff doesn’t hold an entry in then we’re not going to defeat it, I decide. I whisper a small prayer and lead a low . Low … Low … And slightly higher. Something inside me shatters in uncountable little painful fragments.

I write down -850. Full deal:

North Dealer
EW Vul
North
JT72
A
J94
KQ982
West
8
KQ8
KQ53
JT754
East
KQ9
JT96532
7
A6
South
A6543
74
AT862
3

Declarer was ready for -500, but after I had won the Ace and considering my enormous pause, he understood the predicament I was in. That declarer afterwards confirmed the magnitude of my defensive problem and agreed with my play provided a little solace after all.

In retrospect I probably should have taken all the small cards at face value. Unusual cards at unusual moments reveal a specific holding or signal and I guess it works the other way as well. It is too much to ask for at the table, but if North (with exceptional & high speed visualization skills) does not cover the in trick one, it will lead to a successful defeat of the contract, stuck in dummy declarer has no plan, play or prospects.

Trickery

Hi all

There have been some very local earthquakes (USGS). Raleigh’s and Café Intermezzo on Telegraph have been condemned and will probably have to be demolished after a big fire last Friday. And again I’m surprised how cold it can get in California during the rain season. It’s unreal.

Here’s a nice deal from a home knock-out series. Sitting South Geoff and I had a fast auction to the NT game.

North
K84
AK5
98764
98
South
AQ72
QT7
QJ
KQ74

West leads the 2 (4th best).

So looks like the suit to tackle. I win the in dummy and play a to my Jack, West winning the Ace. Another and I find myself in a bind. If I win in hand to play the Queen I’m basically depending on the Ten dropping or East having the Ten and the Ace (so that West never gets to collect the 13th ). Prospects are bleak at best.

I decide to go for a little swindle. See if my RHO is awake.

I win the in dummy and smoothly request another from dummy, playing towards my stiff Queen. East doesn’t look too concerned and my Queen wins the trick. When the break evenly I’m home.

South Dealer
NS Vul
North
K84
AK5
98764
98
West
J93
8632
AT5
AJ3
East
T65
J94
K32
J652
South
AQ72
QT7
QJ
KQ74

As it turns out there’s no legal way to 9 tricks. Sometimes I really feel like the Hideous Hog, taking the tricks I’m entitled to and a few that belong to the opponents, too.

Glory for Grabs

Hi all

Trentemöller Saturday night at the Fillmore was awesome. Most of the tracks of Into The Great White Yonder translated very well to the live stage.

Here’s a challenge for you. Eternal glory for grabs if you manage to provide a watertight line to 6. The hand records show that 12 tricks are cold, where 6NT is somewhat easier than 6 (deal 8, rotated for convenience). I was sitting West and led a trump. Good luck.

South Dealer
– Vul
North
Q642
KT5
AKQJT5
West
63
KJT8
7642
963
East
AJ954
953
3
8742
South
KQT872
A7
AQJ98