PATIENT X: (randomly collapses while doing something ( Read more... )

Today's Bridge: I declared 3NT with S x-x H J-9-x-x-x D A-K-J-x C K-x facing S A-K-x-x H A-Q D 9-x-x C 10-x-x-x. Brent opened the auction 1C, I responded 1H, and he bid 1S, so I jumped to 3NT to guard against a club lead through the king. As expected, the opening diamond lead gave me an extra trick there, but I still needed a few more, so I started ( Read more... )

Today's Bridge: There were some really weird splits today, and only one of them was a goulash. Raymond opened that 3S when I predictably had no spades. I had no way to urge him to bid his next best suit, and figured spades might still be the best choice. They may or may not have been. But I opened S K-Q H Q-x-x-x D A-10-8-x C A-10-x with 1D, ( Read more... )

Today's Bridge: We started with a grossly underbid 2NT, but I didn't want to jump to game and risk missing something. I finished with a hard-fought 1NT (with A-K-x-x of spades facing J-9-x-x, the queen fell, so I didn't need to fight for a trick in Anna's diamond suit), then put Brent in 3NT with eight tricks on top and the eventual heart for the ( Read more... )

Today's Bridge: I was really disappointed that Brent passed my 2NT jump with more than enough power to go for game, but we were wide open in hearts and the diamond finesse that was my only hope for a ninth trick was off, so I had to cash my eight and call it done. The opponents made 2C with an overtrick and no play for game, and then I declared 4H ( Read more... )

Today's Bridge: Not a great day for anyone - I botched the opening 4H by misplaying the trump suit. I had K-10-x-x-x-x and dummy had J-8-x, and I couldn't afford to lose more than the ace. I ruffed a diamond in dummy, then played all of the side suits without touching trump, losing the last trick to LHO. He led back a diamond, and I ruffed in my ( Read more... )

Today's Bridge: It was my turn to bid contracts that I had no business playing, but my opponents were generous and my skills were up to the task. The first hand was S x-x-x H 10 D A-x C A-K-J-8-x-x-x, which I felt was more than worth a 1C opener. Anna responded 1NT, indicating precisely 3-3-3-4 distribution, and Ken cut in with 2H. Given my ( Read more... )

Today's Bridge: Ken rejoined us today, and I think he was a bit excited, because he made some highly aggressive bids. He made 4H with an overtrick on an overcall so thin it was two-dimensional (the distributions of the two hands were a perfect fit), then tried to shift Anna out of a 3C opening on 4-4-5-0 distribution with even less power. Granted, ( Read more... )

Today's Bridge: Our summer employee is back, so we rounded up enough people for a game. I was willing to double 2C with S K-J-x H Q D A-x-x-x C K-Q-8-x-x, but didn't double Brent's raise to 3C - off three, but the play left something to be desired. They went for 4H next, and I had a hard time leading from S K-10-x-x H Q-J-x D K-9-x-x C A-10. ( Read more... )

Today's Bridge: We finally rounded up enough people to play, so Dan and I took on Jerry and Ryan. They made the first game after a bit of a false start in 1C, and then I picked up S K H x D Q-x-x-x-x C A-J-9-x-x-x. I opened 1D, Jerry overcalled 1H, Dan passed, Ryan bid 1S, and I jumped to 3C to show my distribution. Dan wasn't sure what to do with ( Read more... )