29 August 2012

Unlikely Destination

Lack of updates has become a common theme on ToyBridge lately but when this hand came up I knew I had some great material. I was playing pairs and since it was board 13 everyone was vulnerable.

Partner, West, started off with 1 which gave me the impression that he had 5 of them and opening values. North passed which presumably denied a bid. These assumptions will turn out to be false.

Still I held:
6
Q J 8 3
5 3
Q T 9 8 3 2

and the action obvious to me was to bid game in hearts. There's a good chance it'll make and even if it doesn't 3 may well make and opponents may misjudge whether or not to bid 4.

Another thing I didn't know at the time is that South now had a penalty double available. The axe slammed into 4 with a wet thump causing everybody to wince a little. Not to worry though as the double was pulled to 4.

WestNorthEastSouth
1 Pass 4 X
Pass 4 ?

I'll admit I'm embarrased at how long I thought here, there's no way I have anything more to contribute to this auction. South was visibly distraught that her penalty double hadn't stuck but trying to make the best of a bad situation bid 5.

And that's where it ended.
K J 9 8 7 4 3
7
9 7 6 2
7
A Q T 5
T 9 4 2
K Q J 4
4
6
Q J 8 3
5 3
Q T 9 8 3 2
2
A K 6 5
A T 8
A K J 6 5

14 August 2012

Two speeds

Playing a casual teams match I picked up a really good hand:

J 8 7 2
Q J 3
J 9 7
Q T 7

Favourable and as dealer partner opened 1. My RHO overcalled 2 and anxious to convey the true nature of my hand I passed.

This is what came back:
SouthWestNorthEast
1 2 Pass 2
3 3 ?

Interesting, bidding into our opponents strong auction without any help partner actually has a hand. Better own up to our two queens:

SouthWestNorthEast
1 2 Pass 2
3 3 4 4
5 X End

Blast! With all this defence surely we wanted to defeat their vulnerable game rather than take our chances at the five level.
J 8 7 2
Q J 3
J 9 7
Q T 7
Q 4 3
T 5
A K Q 6 5
A 4 2
A K T 6 5
9 2
T 8 4 2
8 3
9
A K 8 7 6 4
3
K J 9 6 5
Shows what I know. Their game is not only cold but they should have bid five over five because that makes as well. We concede a mere hundred for finding the profitable sacrifice. How did things go over at the other table:

SouthWestNorthEast
1 X 1 4

Two very different speeds.