Friday 8 February 2008

Thursday 7th February

Won again, seem to be on a roll. Like last night we got off to great start which I think helps psychologically. The first board though was thanks to our opponents who had a bidding mix up and end up in an unmakeable 6NT, 3 off.
There weren't many hands of note, we just managed to avoid mistakes and pick up some good scores from our opponent's errors. One hand we got a second top on was this.

It was a Howell Movement and we were E/W here:



North bid diamonds up to the 4 level and we ended in 4S which on the good lie of the cards I made 11 tricks. We were the only ones in this contract. Of the three who were in 5D by North, only one was doubled for -500.


We followed that with another 4S that only a few are in. Then on this board we are just in 2S when most are in 4S:


Now west didn't find a heart lead or when in with A clubs, East doesn't cash the AH because he is defending 2S, not 4S, so Adrianne makes 10 tricks, everyone in game is of course off.


Adrianne got a joint top on the very next board in 3S:


The opponents were bidding hearts so Adrianne got a lucky lead of Ace and another, she enters dummy with a club, finesses the QS, cashes the Ace and plays on clubs. East ruffs before a diamond can go but 9 tricks made. Some E/W played in hearts which makes 10 and some N/S went off in 3 or 4 spades.


The last board which got us a complete top was one of my 'flights of fancy':


Playing East I opened 1H and Adrianne splintered with 4C. Now I have no problem bidding 6, but try 4D for now, Adrianne bids 4H and I bid 5C. Now Adrianne bids 6H. Well surely she sees that I am looking for spade control(s) and holds something good there, so I bite the bullet and bid 7H.

I wish I could report on my masterful play after a trump lead, but I got a spade lead and when the 10S is overtaken by the Queen, the hand is lay down.

How would I have played it on a trump lead? Cashing the top black suit winners and cross ruffing only gives 12 tricks. Trying to drop the QS in 3 rounds and when that fails finesse the club for down 1 is what I would probably have done (I prefer normal finesse to ruffing finesse).

Cashing AC then leading the Queen to test the reaction of South and if that fails, finesse a spade is another way (I would have taken the finesse the correct way), but I don't like playing for a hesitation from a defender, it strikes me as too much gamesmanship. I have seen players do soemthing similar, get a slight pause then a low card and when they run the Queen and lose to the king are calling director before the card is turned over! Not the way to play bridge.

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