While I wasn't completely certain at the time, it turns out that I have correctly identified a restricted choice problem for the first time.
Dummy's trumps:
AT4
K76532
My trumps.
I led a low trump towards the king, and RHO dropped the queen.
Restricted choice says that it's better to finesse LHO for the jack. I correctly identified this, made the finesse, and lost.
No worries. Statistics is a long-term game. Hopefully I'll start to identify these situations consistently, now that I've seen it once, and I'll reap the benefits of the percentage play.
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
Lessons Learned
I have reviewed the hands from my lovely 21% game. Two hands jumped out.
On the first, I was invited to game in spades. Holding 14 points (and 4 spades), I declined the invite. On the second, I decided not to compete to 5 spades over 5 in a red holding 5215 distribution.
Both times I opted to pass. Both decisions were in the minority, and both were losing decisions.
I have always known that I'm on the conservative side of things. I know that I'm getting better, and approaching "normal". This means that I need to push myself to be a little bit more agressive.
On Sunday, I played in the Intermediate/Advanced club weekly tournament. One of my former teammates, from this spring's I/A teams tournament, asked me to play. Thanks to some excellent bidding and defense on her part, we managed to win the tournament by several IMPs.
I did catch myself making one very noticeable mistake, though fortunately it did not cost us a trick. I bid 1NT on the way to opponents bidding game in a major. I was very careless on defense, which is unfortunate as my play mattered far more than my partners.
Before the hand was even done I was kicking myself. Hopefully I'll sit a bit straighter next time that happens.
Overall, I can't let the highs (2 first places) or lows (one dead last place) from last week get to me. I need to take the long view, and work on improving my overall game. Bridge is a game where the best and the worst will both have highs and lows. If I play each individual hand well and work on improving, my results will be good in the long haul.
On the first, I was invited to game in spades. Holding 14 points (and 4 spades), I declined the invite. On the second, I decided not to compete to 5 spades over 5 in a red holding 5215 distribution.
Both times I opted to pass. Both decisions were in the minority, and both were losing decisions.
I have always known that I'm on the conservative side of things. I know that I'm getting better, and approaching "normal". This means that I need to push myself to be a little bit more agressive.
On Sunday, I played in the Intermediate/Advanced club weekly tournament. One of my former teammates, from this spring's I/A teams tournament, asked me to play. Thanks to some excellent bidding and defense on her part, we managed to win the tournament by several IMPs.
I did catch myself making one very noticeable mistake, though fortunately it did not cost us a trick. I bid 1NT on the way to opponents bidding game in a major. I was very careless on defense, which is unfortunate as my play mattered far more than my partners.
Before the hand was even done I was kicking myself. Hopefully I'll sit a bit straighter next time that happens.
Overall, I can't let the highs (2 first places) or lows (one dead last place) from last week get to me. I need to take the long view, and work on improving my overall game. Bridge is a game where the best and the worst will both have highs and lows. If I play each individual hand well and work on improving, my results will be good in the long haul.
Saturday, September 6, 2008
Indy 4
Karma sucks. 21%, 40th of 40.
I'll do my best to review the hands later. I know at least one mental lapse resulted in a zero, but chances are it was only a 10% anyways.
Right now, I don't feel like I played awfully, but every hand wound up a disaster.
I'll do my best to review the hands later. I know at least one mental lapse resulted in a zero, but chances are it was only a 10% anyways.
Right now, I don't feel like I played awfully, but every hand wound up a disaster.
Thursday, September 4, 2008
Indy 3
Another indy. Kind of a weird format.
Anyways, finished 1st of 44. I'm very pumped. Of course, A) It will probably never happen again, and B) my opponents helped out a lot.
Really, I'm not sure I can take full credit for this.
On to the interesting hands.
Board 3:
Kudos to partner for leaving the double in, as this scored +1100, for a cool 90%.
Next hand:
Partner asked after the hand if I considered doubling. I did, and maybe it's right. I was concerned, though, that opponent was bidding based on a diamond void, in which case my hand was suddenly devalued. Turns out it was a singleton, and we collected 90% anyways.
This one was tough to bid. I'm not really sure I did it right, and was really unsure when we made +3. Fortunately, we took 75% anyways.
As soon as I bid 3 spades, it occurred to me that 4 spades was much better. We only scored 40% here - we needed to either bid 4 spades and play there, or double 5 clubs.
I think I should be the one to double 5 clubs, so I take all the blame here.
Anyways, finished 1st of 44. I'm very pumped. Of course, A) It will probably never happen again, and B) my opponents helped out a lot.
Really, I'm not sure I can take full credit for this.
On to the interesting hands.
Board 3:
| ||||||||||||||||||
|
| |||||||||||||||||
|
| West | North | East | South |
| 1♠ | p | 4♠ | X |
| p | p | p |
Kudos to partner for leaving the double in, as this scored +1100, for a cool 90%.
Next hand:
|
| |||||||||||||||||
|
| |||||||||||||||||
|
| West | North | East | South |
| p | p | 1♦ | |
| 1♥ | p | 2♥ | X |
| p | 3♦ | p | p |
| 4♥ | p | p | p |
Partner asked after the hand if I considered doubling. I did, and maybe it's right. I was concerned, though, that opponent was bidding based on a diamond void, in which case my hand was suddenly devalued. Turns out it was a singleton, and we collected 90% anyways.
|
| |||||||||||||||||
|
| |||||||||||||||||
|
| West | North | East | South |
| 1♣ | 1♦ | 1♥ | 1NT |
| 2♥ | 3♦ | p | p |
| p |
This one was tough to bid. I'm not really sure I did it right, and was really unsure when we made +3. Fortunately, we took 75% anyways.
|
| |||||||||||||||||
|
| |||||||||||||||||
|
| West | North | East | South |
| 1♥ | 2NT | 3♠ | |
| 4♣ | 4♥ | 5♣ | p |
| p | p |
As soon as I bid 3 spades, it occurred to me that 4 spades was much better. We only scored 40% here - we needed to either bid 4 spades and play there, or double 5 clubs.
I think I should be the one to double 5 clubs, so I take all the blame here.
Monday, September 1, 2008
Second Indy
I started off with some huge boards, then tapered off.
Finished up again over 50% - 52.43%, tied for 17th of 52. Not bad.
Board 2.
partner:
J6
AT8
KJ7
KT542
me:
832
KJ752
32
AJ3
The bidding (partner dealt):
1C P 1H X
P 1NT P 2D
all pass
This was a bad board for us - 2 hearts, 3 clubs, even 2NT seemed to score better. At the time, I wondered if we were wimps for selling out too easily.
In retrospect, though, I'm not sure who should be moving.
Board 10: partner opens 1 spade. I held:
832
J54
AQ543
K7
Should I bid 2 spades? 3 spades? Something else? I opted for 2 spades, which was a losing choice when 4 spades made.
Board 12.
The bidding, with me sitting in 4th position:
1S P 2H 3C
4S all pass
Dummy comes down:
J8
AJT965
K875
7
I held:
6
Q7
AQJ432
AQ53
I won partner's 9 of clubs lead with the jack, declarer playing the ten. I exited a spade, but I think cashing the ace of diamonds is required. Dummy looks to have very runnable hearts, and I know declarer has a massive spade suit. If I don't get my winners now, I may never do so.
Finished up again over 50% - 52.43%, tied for 17th of 52. Not bad.
Board 2.
partner:
J6
AT8
KJ7
KT542
me:
832
KJ752
32
AJ3
The bidding (partner dealt):
1C P 1H X
P 1NT P 2D
all pass
This was a bad board for us - 2 hearts, 3 clubs, even 2NT seemed to score better. At the time, I wondered if we were wimps for selling out too easily.
In retrospect, though, I'm not sure who should be moving.
Board 10: partner opens 1 spade. I held:
832
J54
AQ543
K7
Should I bid 2 spades? 3 spades? Something else? I opted for 2 spades, which was a losing choice when 4 spades made.
Board 12.
The bidding, with me sitting in 4th position:
1S P 2H 3C
4S all pass
Dummy comes down:
J8
AJT965
K875
7
I held:
6
Q7
AQJ432
AQ53
I won partner's 9 of clubs lead with the jack, declarer playing the ten. I exited a spade, but I think cashing the ace of diamonds is required. Dummy looks to have very runnable hearts, and I know declarer has a massive spade suit. If I don't get my winners now, I may never do so.
ACBL Indy
It's been a long, long time since I played in an ACBL tournament. Today, after reactivating my membership, I played in an INDY on BBO.
I ended up with a 53% - a healthy mix of my mistakes, partner's mistakes, and opponent's mistakes. Here are some of my bigger ones:
Board 4, 50%: 2H by LHO
Dummy, RHO:
KQJ8
QJ82
v
KQ754
I held:
AT64
5
J432
AJT9
It came down to a decision as to whether or not to hold onto clubs or spades. I chose clubs, which was a mistake, allowing the 8 of spades to take a trick. In retrospect, opponent is going to try to cash the KQJ pretty much no matter what, so I think the choice was clear.
Board 7:
playing 4H, on the lead of the ten of spades:
dummy:
Q752
KJ82
K985
5
me:
A
A764
AQJT6
KT6
LHO had overcalled, so I oped to finesse him for the queen of hearts. This failed, and RHO alertly returned a heart.
I should have ruffed two spades before drawing trump. I make this mistake a lot, I think.
Board 10:
I open a weak 2 in hearts. Bidding goes double, 4 hearts, 4 spades, all pass.
Dummy comes down:
AKT
J6
JT32
A852
I hold:
42
AKT532
93
K75
I cash the AK of hearts (should have done King then Ace, but oh well). I underlead my king of clubs - partner wins with the ace, and returns a club to my king.
At this point, I need to exit with a diamond. I force through a club, which allows declarer to discard a diamond on the established club honour on the board (declarer started with 2 clubs). Not sure if I should see this or not.
I ended up with a 53% - a healthy mix of my mistakes, partner's mistakes, and opponent's mistakes. Here are some of my bigger ones:
Board 4, 50%: 2H by LHO
Dummy, RHO:
KQJ8
QJ82
v
KQ754
I held:
AT64
5
J432
AJT9
It came down to a decision as to whether or not to hold onto clubs or spades. I chose clubs, which was a mistake, allowing the 8 of spades to take a trick. In retrospect, opponent is going to try to cash the KQJ pretty much no matter what, so I think the choice was clear.
Board 7:
playing 4H, on the lead of the ten of spades:
dummy:
Q752
KJ82
K985
5
me:
A
A764
AQJT6
KT6
LHO had overcalled, so I oped to finesse him for the queen of hearts. This failed, and RHO alertly returned a heart.
I should have ruffed two spades before drawing trump. I make this mistake a lot, I think.
Board 10:
I open a weak 2 in hearts. Bidding goes double, 4 hearts, 4 spades, all pass.
Dummy comes down:
AKT
J6
JT32
A852
I hold:
42
AKT532
93
K75
I cash the AK of hearts (should have done King then Ace, but oh well). I underlead my king of clubs - partner wins with the ace, and returns a club to my king.
At this point, I need to exit with a diamond. I force through a club, which allows declarer to discard a diamond on the established club honour on the board (declarer started with 2 clubs). Not sure if I should see this or not.
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