[hrothgar]

"Day Bridge" or "Come win the EMBA STAC with me...."

Yesterday morning, I was revealing in one of the last few days of R+R before the start of my new job. The morning was oppressively hot, so outdoors activities were right out. At the same time, I was thoroughly sick of my apartment. I decided that something weird was called for, so I gave Sue Ostrowski a call and suggested that we play a few boards down at the local clubs. Sue said why not, so off we went. Now Sue and I haven't played a hand of Bridge together since our miracle game in Las Vegas six years back. She handed me a 2/1 card that she uses with another partner and I agreed to figure it out.

We arrived at the club for what we thought was a sleepy little game, only to discover that we had stumbled into a "Section Tournament at Clubs" (STAC). The Bridge Spot was crawling with players, some of whom - Howard Pitch, Bill Hunter, and the like - are amongst the cream of the New England Bridge establishment. We figured that this was a definite plus, because it meant that we might get a decent game. When the dust settled, we were walking out the door with a 73% game and probably won the whole shebang. (A couple clubs haven't reported back in yet). 73% percent is a BIG game. I haven't had many better in a "real" event. Most of the time, we were clubbing baby seals. We'd sit down at a table, they'd look at us with big trusting eyes and we'd smash their heads in with an axe handle. (We got a lot gifts yesterday morning).

There are a few hands that I'm going post. Sadly, there weren't any real technical brilliancies worth crowing about. These hands are more an example of "rub of the green". Some days you're in the zone and NOTHING can go wrong. Even hands that should be a complete disaster work out perfectly.

Board 27

Scoring: MP

---

The auction started pretty normally:

(P) - P - (P) - 1N
(P) - ???

Partner opened 1NT in 4th seat and RHO passed. I decided that I was willing to force game. At the same time, I figured that my hand was particular poorly suited for a suit contract. I have lots of soft values and a whole lot of 10s. I decided to eschew Stayman and leaped straight to 3NT. Sue quickly racked up +400 for a cold top when the field declared 4H -1.

Board 8

Scoring: MP

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I decided to pass in first seat, because I don't consider the hand quite strong enough to open playing 2/1. The auction proceeded

P - (1♦) - 2♣ - (P)
2N - (P) - 3N all pass

The 2NT rebid might seem quite wimpy, however, Sue overcalls light and I wanted to give her a bit of leeway. North decided to underlead her AK of Hearts. I had every missing card marked, and we soon racked up 13 tricks.

Board 16

Scoring: MP

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This one was just plain silly: Here's the auction

P - (1♣) - 1♠ - (P)
2NT - all pass

The initial pass and the 1♣ opening both seem normal. Sue decided to overcall 1♠ (recall, I mentioned that her overcalls can be a bit light). I bid 2NT, which I'm used to playing as a mixed Spade raise. Sue assumed that this was natural and passed left me dangling. Before the opening lead, I informed the opponents that there had been a failure to alert and that I had intended 2NT as a Spade raise. Sue gave a look that suggested that I was from Mars and everyone had a good laugh. Unfortunately, North somehow convinced himself that he was defending against a Spade contract and lead a Spade to kill a ruff. This blew a tempo them, and I quick score +120 for yet another top.

Board 24

This one was actually annoying because one of the opponents got all bent out of shape.

Scoring: MP

---

The auction here was fairly convoluted

1♣ - 1♥
1♠ - 2♦
3♣ - 3♠
3N* - 4S

* Break In Tempo

I opened 1 Club and Sue responded 1♥. I rebid 1S showing an unbalanced hand, and Sue rebid 2♦ (4th suit forcing). I decided to rebid 3♣ (It can be argued that 2NT showing a Diamond stopper is the right bid).

Sue now bid 3♠ which she though was showing 4 Spades and setting trump. I thought that Sue was worried about a Diamond stopper and was groping for strain. Unfortunately, for the opponents, Sue thought that my hesitation suggested extra values. Therefore, she thought that she was barred from making a slam try and bid 4♠. If you just look at our two hands, we missed a great slam. Unfortunately, the Spade break meant that 6♠ has zero play and we scored yet another top.

One of the opponent's got quite peeved and started in on a bullshit lecture regarding ethic improprieties.

In any case, the whole days was characterized by a bizarre string of luck: You have to love a day when you can score +400 after the following auction

1N - (P) - P - (2S)
P - (P) - X - (P)
3♥ - (P) - 3N - All pass

I was the partner of the NT bidder. I initially passed holding

♠ Jxxx
♥ xxx
♦ AQxx
♣ xx

However, when LHO balanced 2♠ red versus white, I decided to double for penalty. Partner figured that this had to be a takeout double. (How could I be doubling for penalty when she was sitting on the AK tight in Spades). She bid 3♥ with her four card heart suit. I figured that 3N had to be a better option than 3♥. (Somehow the opponents didn't find a double, which was luck for them because Sue wrapped up yet another 3NT contract)

Strange days indeed...

[jillybean]

Great result, well done

[BebopKid]

Great job, and thanks for sharing.

[pclayton]

Nice game Richard and a confidence builder. Save your private card and the hand record.

[gwnn]

Nice hands, nice result

[TimG]

pclayton, on Jun 29 2007, 12:34 PM, said:

Nice game Richard and a confidence builder. Save your private card and the hand record.

I disagree, this really shouldn't be a confidence builder. Just the same way that I don't keep track of the chess games I play with my 9 year-old son. The average club player really is a horrible bridge player.

The only deal that seems to belong in "Advance and Expert-Class Bridge" is board 27. I agree with your decision to bid 3NT. It looks to me like a spade or diamond lead will hold 3NT to nine tricks, while it takes specifically the CA to beat 4H. I wonder which is better in an all expert field. (I imagine 3NT, because there will be some heart leads and possible 430s.)

Tim

PS I know Richard in real life and have even sat across the table from him, so I expect he will understand the tone in which this was offered even if it might seem to the disassociated observer that I'm being nasty.

[awm]

Nice game! While the field is obviously pretty weak, even so it's hard to make it above 70%. I've had plenty of experiences playing in weak fields where the crazy results from other tables work to fix me almost as often as help. Of course it's easy to score in the high 50s in such a field just on general competence, but 73 is a nice number.

One of the factors in pairs play that a lot of people don't like (and this is even more of an issue in IMP pairs than MP pairs by the way) is that beating up on the bad players is a major part of doing well. Even in a major event there will be plenty of weak pairs in the early rounds, and really crushing these pairs helps (via carryover) in the final standings. Like it or not, this is a skill that's useful to develop.

[barmar]

I count 12 tricks on board 8, assuming you don't finesse the ♠9 (the auction told you where the Q was, but not the 10) and North covers the ♣J. Don't you have to lose a black card at the end? Or did North pitch a ♠ so he could hold on to both high ♥?

[TimG]

barmar, on Jun 29 2007, 02:21 PM, said:

I count 12 tricks on board 8, assuming you don't finesse the ♠9 (the auction told you where the Q was, but not the 10) and North covers the ♣J. Don't you have to lose a black card at the end? Or did North pitch a ♠ so he could hold on to both high ♥?

North didn't cover when the ♣J was led?

[pclayton]

TimG, on Jun 29 2007, 10:24 AM, said:

pclayton, on Jun 29 2007, 12:34 PM, said:

Nice game Richard and a confidence builder. Save your private card and the hand record.

I disagree, this really shouldn't be a confidence builder. Just the same way that I don't keep track of the chess games I play with my 9 year-old son. The average club player really is a horrible bridge player.

The only deal that seems to belong in "Advance and Expert-Class Bridge" is board 27. I agree with your decision to bid 3NT. It looks to me like a spade or diamond lead will hold 3NT to nine tricks, while it takes specifically the CA to beat 4H. I wonder which is better in an all expert field. (I imagine 3NT, because there will be some heart leads and possible 430s.)

Tim

PS I know Richard in real life and have even sat across the table from him, so I expect he will understand the tone in which this was offered even if it might seem to the disassociated observer that I'm being nasty.

Baloney. Just because its a club game doesnt mean that scoring 73% isn't tough. You need to have a lot of things go right and give away one board at the most. You also need a greater number of gifts than usual.

Because its a weak field, many of your gifts will be offset by getting fixed on several boards. The pair you play stops in a part score where the field bids game and 9 tricks is the limit because of bad splits, for instance.

Richard played well. Give him his due.

[jtfanclub]

barmar, on Jun 29 2007, 02:21 PM, said:

I count 12 tricks on board 8, assuming you don't finesse the ♠9 (the auction told you where the Q was, but not the 10) and North covers the ♣J. Don't you have to lose a black card at the end? Or did North pitch a ♠ so he could hold on to both high ♥?

---

So far, EW have taken 1 spade (to get back to hand), 1 heart, 4 diamonds, and 3 clubs.

On the last diamond, what does North discard? East discards the heart, leaving him with 3 spades.

[P_Marlowe]

hrothgar, on Jun 29 2007, 11:07 AM, said:

<snip>
We arrived at the club for what we thought was a sleepy little game, only to discover that we had stumbled into a "Section Tournament at Clubs" (STAC).  The Bridge Spot was crawling with players, some of whom - Howard Pitch, Bill Hunter, and the like - are amongst the cream of the New England Bridge establishment.  We figured that this was a definite plus, because it meant that we might get a decent game.
<snip>

Are the names real? I am not good in spotting masked irony.
I though this statement meant, that the quality was reasonable.

With kind regards
Marlowe

[han]

The names are real, I hear Chuck Detricks, Billy Void and Vinno Klue also showed up.

More seriously, well done Richard. As Adam mentions, beating up the poorer players is definitely an important skill to have.

[TimG]

P_Marlowe, on Jun 30 2007, 03:55 AM, said:

hrothgar, on Jun 29 2007, 11:07 AM, said:

The Bridge Spot was crawling with players, some of whom - Howard Pitch, Bill Hunter, and the like - are amongst the cream of the New England Bridge establishment.

Are the names real?

Bill and Howard both have over 10,000 masterpoints and Bill has at least one NA Championship to his credit.

[hrothgar]

For what its worth, when Sue and I left the room, she turned to me and said that she never wanted to play "Day Bridge" again. (This was shorthand for stating that there were way too many weak pairs in the room)

At the end of the day, I think that our score (primarily) came from executing very well against weak pairs as well as a large contingent of luck. When I posted these hands, I was (primarily) selecting based on the luck factor. Most of these examples were hands that COULD very easily have gone disastrously wrong.

We missed a great slam that failed because of a bad trump break.
I got passed out in a conventional 2NT
We stumbled into a bizarre 3NT when I thought that I was doubling for business and partner thought that I was doubling for penalty.

ALL of these hands worked out brilliantly. I was trying to point out that getting this type of score requires a lot more than avoiding mistakes. (Avoiding mistakes can get you a 65% game). Getting a 73% game requires making a few mistakes but have Tyche smile upon you.