Stratosphere

Hi all

Here’s a deal from the San Francisco Sectional. Geoff and I reach heights where the air gets very, very thin. I pick up a decent hand, but the auction that follows doesn’t give me warm feelings.

South
JT84
KQJT4
AKT8
West
North
East
South
 
11
pass
2
pass
22
dbl
2
pass
3
pass
3NT
pass
…5
a.p.
 
  1. 8-17 hcp systematically
  2. Any minimum

Perhaps I should have smelled a rat and pass out 3 but I still visualized game to be reasonable. I’m surprised by the jump to 5, curious I wait for dummy.

North
5
KJ864
A986
753
South
JT84
KQJT4
AKT8

Of course West starts with a trump so ruffing all my losers is going to get difficult. I’m in a terrible spot. And I make a mental note to tell Geoff his hand doesn’t qualify for opening in my standards, or our standards for that matter. Add a couple of spots to the suit, then maybe if not vulnerable.

Anyway, I’d better make a plan. My best chance is to find QJ-third onside. Perhaps I can set up a to pitch a from dummy so I can tackle 3-3. Not that it brings my odds for bringing this baby home anywhere close to 50%.

I win in dummy with the Ace and request the 5. East rises with the Ace and returns her trump, fortunately they break 2-2. Now let’s see if I can work something in the suit.

But wait… if I play a top from hand then it doesn’t matter what West does. Covering and forcing me to ruff will leave me an entry short to finesse twice in later (East will split) if my experiment is fruitless. While if West ducks then it doesn’t gain me anything, with the miniscule exception of finding East with exactly AK9 or AQ9.

A cunning plan fosters in my mind… I check whether West is awake. I put down the 8 intending to let it ride, playing West for any Honor-9 combination. Later I can take a ruffing finesse against his honor, and I have one trump left in dummy to establish my (just depending on a 3-3 split).

But no, West covers the 8 with the 9 and I’m forced to ruff. So far my experiment in the suit… The hook against QJ is all I have left.

North Dealer
NS Vul
North
5
KJ864
A986
753
West
Q9732
932
73
962
East
AK6
AQT75
52
QJ4
South
JT84
KQJT4
AKT8

It works… for +600. Not happy with the bidding, but the result is nice to surprise your team mates with.

Monterey – Part 2

Hi all

So it’s Saturday evening now. After a wealthy dinner at Montrio we get to sit down against two lovely ladies. I had my guard up a bit, because it’s still the finals of a two day KO. I’d better not be lulled into a false sense of comfort.

We start good by extracting +800 from a phantom sacrifice. And then Geoff and I Beowulf to slam on the cards below.

North Dealer
NS Vul
North
KJ653
T4
AJT
842
West
84
K762
K87
J965
East
7
Q9853
Q9642
T3
South
AQT92
AJ
53
AKQ7
West
North
East
South
 
pass
pass
11
pass
12
pass
13
pass
34
pass
4
pass
4
pass
4NT
pass
55
pass
6
a.p.
 
 
 
  1. 15-17 bal, or stronger any shape
  2. 6+ hcp
  3. Natural, 18+
  4. Maximum/slammish raise
  5. Two keys with trump Queen or extra length

When West led a trump, I needed either the to break or the double finesse in . I’m glad they didn’t lead a ! A tentative estimate puts us now at +20, I think. But the ladies proved to be a lot more resilient than expected.

West Dealer
NS Vul
North
T983
953
76542
A
West
54
AJ762
KQJ942
East
J6
KQT84
AK8
873
South
AKQ72
QJT93
T65
West
North
East
South
1
pass
1
2NT1
4
4
dbl
pass
5
a.p.
 
 
  1. Unusual

5 went down one silently, but at the other table they maneuvered a contract of 5 in the South hand. So East gets his two tricks, but West not the ruff he was looking for: 13 imp down the drain.

In addition they brought home a sharp 3NT and outbid us on a couple of part scores, so after the first 12 boards a boatload of imps has crossed the table: 42-42.

The second half starts of poorly for us when I find the single lead that lets them make their game. Then the ladies hopscotched into 6 with two top missing. But on a non- lead all losers went away… Geoff and I now both sit at the table like hawks, waiting for an opportunity to pounce. And the opportunity gets there…

Sitting in 3rd seat, all red I decide to open a Beowulf 2 (showing 8-12 hcp, exactly 4 crd suit, unbalanced).

South
64
A975
T9864
AK

My LHO overcalls 3, passed to me… I know we’re good. She misplayed a bit and went down four, for +400, no game for anyone in sight. A funny side note: Because in the US we’re not allowed to play any conventions over an opening like this, all bids after that have to be natural. So without a blush or embarrassment I could have doubled 3 for penalties. Now how’s that if you have opened weakly in 3rd chair?

We have a lock. We win the finals by 89 to 77. That’s quite rich over a 24 board match.

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:

North
KT8763
T5
Q7
A52
South
4
AJ643
A84
QJ84

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.

North
KT87
7
South
4
6
A8
4

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.

South Dealer
– Vul
North
KT8763
T5
Q7
A52
West
J5
98
KJT9632
K3
East
AQ92
KQ72
5
T976
South
4
AJ643
A84
QJ84

Thank you!