Friday, February 5, 2010

But the patient died

I went to the club last night and played with Brent. Playing against two good players, I held:
--- J 10 Q 10 9 4 3 A K J 10 4 3.

At favorable vulnerability, I was first to act and opened 2. We are playing precision and this showed 11 -- 15 high-card points and (usually) six or more clubs (I could have five if they were headed by the A K Q). My left-hand opponent bid 2 partner bid 3 and RHO bid 4.

You're up to bat.

I decided that there was too much of a chance that opponents could make their vulnerable game (I was right), and that 5 would go set less than their game (I was right).

But what if the opponents bid to 5? I don't really have much defense against that, either. I decided to get cute and bid 4. My thinking was that with a spade lead, I could ruff and increase our chances of defeating them if they bid on over 5.

The operation was a success! Over 4, the bidding passed out! I'll take minus 50 a trick versus their vulnerable game.

Here are all four hands:

Q 8 7 6 3
Q 9 2
8 2
9 7 2
A 10 2 K J 9 5 4
K 7 6 5 4 A 8 3
A 5 K J 7 6
8 6 5 Q
---
J 10
Q 10 9 4 3
A K J 10 4 3

In 4, I took one club and two spades for down seven and minus 350.

Even though they can make 4 (or 4 for that matter), and we go set 500 in 5 (according to Deep Finesse), this was a stone-cold zero. The score sheet showed two minus 300s our way, and some assorted 50s, 100s, etc.

Below is a shot of the results (with the names blanked out):

2 comments:

  1. I don't want to understand how this kind of scoresheet happens. Well, 300 I understand, it's easy to misdefend 5C. 170 I understand, it's easy to miss game. But the +140 and -100, not to mention -150, bizarre. I guess some people started spades with the K because your hand opened. I think they can *still* make 4, but it gets complicated and they panicked.

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  2. @Jonathan: The bridge at the local dups in Memphis used to be quite strong. Now, it's gone the other way and the scoresheet you saw is a good example.

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