I played in a teams match this weekend. 11 of the 12 boards were decent - maybe I made some fundamental error I'm overlooking, but by and large, I think I did ok. My cardplay, in particular, was good (I think).
Nonetheless, I'm quite down on myself over the whole thing.
On one hand, a competetive auction, I massively overbid, giving up 10 IMPs single-handedly.
This seems to be a recurring theme. While my card play is slowly (slowly!) improving, my bidding seems to be fundamentally unchanged from the rubber bridge "one-upmanship" battles of my youth.
What it may come down to, fundamentally, is that I lose my head. Something happens, I get flustered, and my judgement runs away from me. I either stop thinking, or get an idea fixated in my head and I can't be fully rational about it.
If I'm well on the road to "card sense", then when I get there the next road I'll take will be to "sound judgement".
In the meantime, it would be nice if I would stop embarrassing myself.
Monday, November 24, 2008
Friday, November 21, 2008
Focusing
My play this week hasn't been very good. I'm noticing that I'm counting less and less, and playing on cruise control more and more.
I played 3 hands before work this morning, with the intent purpose of focusing on counting. (Naturally, I was dummy on the first hand. Bleh!) While I made 2 mistakes (missed a club discard on one, forgot that declarer opened 1NT, not 1 spade), it felt very good to take the time to reason everything out. It's not really all that much harder, and in the long run it's a lot more fun to play when you "know" what everyone has.
One thing I am curious about. When I'm on defense, I'll often assume that declarer has a minimum, for the purposes of estimating what partner might have. I wonder if this is how other players commonly approach the problem, or if instead they just set a range and adjust as the hand plays out.
I played 3 hands before work this morning, with the intent purpose of focusing on counting. (Naturally, I was dummy on the first hand. Bleh!) While I made 2 mistakes (missed a club discard on one, forgot that declarer opened 1NT, not 1 spade), it felt very good to take the time to reason everything out. It's not really all that much harder, and in the long run it's a lot more fun to play when you "know" what everyone has.
One thing I am curious about. When I'm on defense, I'll often assume that declarer has a minimum, for the purposes of estimating what partner might have. I wonder if this is how other players commonly approach the problem, or if instead they just set a range and adjust as the hand plays out.
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
First in Canada - Erin Berry Rookie Master Game
It's official - my partner and I managed to finish first in Canada in the rookie master game, out of 589 pairs.
Results here: http://www.cbf.ca/Rookie/08EBresults-1.htm
Results here: http://www.cbf.ca/Rookie/08EBresults-1.htm
Sunday, November 16, 2008
Stoppers
| West | North | East | South |
| p | 1♣ | 1♠ | |
| ? |
|  |
I wimped out, but the AKJ of spades were all on my right. I think, in retrospect, it was worth bidding 3NT.
Thursday, November 13, 2008
It's a Trap!
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| West | North | East | South |
| p | 1♥ | ||
| p | 1♠ | p | 2♦ |
| p | 3♥ | p | 4♥ |
| p | p | p |
Opening lead: Queen of spades.
Interesting lead. Glad I paid attention to it. The full deal:
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At least one table played a spade on the second round. Sure, it's unlikely, but the lead is a clear warning sign.
Monday, November 10, 2008
Quite Possibly the Coolest Thing Ever
While I have ambitions to be a very good duplicate player someday, bridge for me will always be about sitting around a table with friends and family having fun.
So, once a week I get together online and play with some good friends who have moved out west. We either play rubber or IMPs, but it's always laid back and fun, with craziness and laughs. I'm the only player who could be called even remotely serious, and I always, always have fun.
During last week's game, though, something very cool happened.
The 7 of spades was led. I suppose a rule of 11 would have told me I could with with the 9, but I put in the jack anyways, which won.
A club to the jack held, and the queen drew the ace from LHO, both following. A low diamond was won by RHO's ace. She returned the 3 of diamonds, and I decided that the king was clearly right.
By now, I already have 10 tricks, so the contract is assured (2 spades, 2 hearts, diamond and 5 clubs). Nonetheless, my mind was fully engaged, and I was pretty sure I had count for what had happened so far.
On the first club, LHO followed, while RHO discarded a heart. The next round brought 2 hearts, then the round after 2 spades. (I threw the 2 and 5 of spades off the board).
In my mind, I very clearly thought, "Once LHO discards on the 2 of clubs, I'll stop and try to reason this out." What I had in mind, of course, was a possible squeeze for the 11th trick.
This was the layout, with 5 tricks left.
On the 2 of clubs, LHO discarded the queen of diamonds, and I claimed (jack of diamonds, ace/king of hearts, ace of spades.
While the discard made the right play easy to spot, I truly believe I would have reasoned out the right line regardless of what LHO discarded. I knew from the opening lead that she had 2 spades left before the discard. I was also very aware there were only 4 hearts left, and there was a good chance my jack might be promoted if more hearts were discarded.
So, while I can't fully take credit for pulling off a squeeze (I don't think), I can be awfully proud of the position I put myself in - I remembered the opening lead and what it implied, I had count, I didn't blindly guess the 2-way finesse, and I kept thinking "there may be a squeeze here".
Seeing the layout after the hand, and seeing that the squeeze had, in fact, been on, was one of the coolest things I have ever experienced in bridge.
So, once a week I get together online and play with some good friends who have moved out west. We either play rubber or IMPs, but it's always laid back and fun, with craziness and laughs. I'm the only player who could be called even remotely serious, and I always, always have fun.
During last week's game, though, something very cool happened.
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| West | North | East | South |
| p | 1♠ | p | 2♣ |
| p | 2♥ | p | 3NT |
| p | p | p |
The 7 of spades was led. I suppose a rule of 11 would have told me I could with with the 9, but I put in the jack anyways, which won.
A club to the jack held, and the queen drew the ace from LHO, both following. A low diamond was won by RHO's ace. She returned the 3 of diamonds, and I decided that the king was clearly right.
By now, I already have 10 tricks, so the contract is assured (2 spades, 2 hearts, diamond and 5 clubs). Nonetheless, my mind was fully engaged, and I was pretty sure I had count for what had happened so far.
On the first club, LHO followed, while RHO discarded a heart. The next round brought 2 hearts, then the round after 2 spades. (I threw the 2 and 5 of spades off the board).
In my mind, I very clearly thought, "Once LHO discards on the 2 of clubs, I'll stop and try to reason this out." What I had in mind, of course, was a possible squeeze for the 11th trick.
This was the layout, with 5 tricks left.
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On the 2 of clubs, LHO discarded the queen of diamonds, and I claimed (jack of diamonds, ace/king of hearts, ace of spades.
While the discard made the right play easy to spot, I truly believe I would have reasoned out the right line regardless of what LHO discarded. I knew from the opening lead that she had 2 spades left before the discard. I was also very aware there were only 4 hearts left, and there was a good chance my jack might be promoted if more hearts were discarded.
So, while I can't fully take credit for pulling off a squeeze (I don't think), I can be awfully proud of the position I put myself in - I remembered the opening lead and what it implied, I had count, I didn't blindly guess the 2-way finesse, and I kept thinking "there may be a squeeze here".
Seeing the layout after the hand, and seeing that the squeeze had, in fact, been on, was one of the coolest things I have ever experienced in bridge.
Sunday, November 9, 2008
Team Match Results
We lost 44-14. I managed to pull off a hattrick - costly declarer error, costly defense error, costly bidding error.
I don't feel like I played hideously, but at least 2 of the mistakes are ones that I feel I should not be making.
I won't complain too much though. Partner is gracious and constructive, and losing at bridge is still more fun and "productive" than a lot of other things I could be doing.
I don't feel like I played hideously, but at least 2 of the mistakes are ones that I feel I should not be making.
I won't complain too much though. Partner is gracious and constructive, and losing at bridge is still more fun and "productive" than a lot of other things I could be doing.
Friday, November 7, 2008
Success/Failure
2 hands from my pracice session tonight.
1. Partner dealt
1S 2D
3C 3NT
Opening lead was the 2 of spades.
I think I played this right, though maybe I overlooked something. I read spades as being 4/3 based on the lead. Win the king, run the club finesse which wins. Yay! Run the spades, discarding 3 diamonds (over my partner's instence to immediately finesse diamonds). Concede a spade.
I now lose 3 hearts, but my 10 is promoted (LHO shows out on the third round). A diamond is returned. No question, I go up with the ace. Cashing the ace of clubs, RHO is now out. Forgetting the ten of hearts is good (because it doesn't matter), club to the jack, King of clubs, 5 of spades. Making.
Partner was very gracious and congratulatory. I think this line is clearly superior to immediately finessing diamonds.
Hand 2:
The bidding was:
I chose the Ace of clubs to lead.
Partner threw the 3 of clubs, declarer the 2. So much for that idea.
With ten spades in sight, I tried the ten of clubs. Ace, 5, 3. A diamond came around to my queen. I tried a spade back, but partner had the queen. Ruff, ace of diamonds, 2 of diamonds from declarer.
Now what?
From the bidding, I thought declarer might be 5/5 in the reds. Having shown out on the second round of spades, that meant 2 clubs - and I knew he had the king.
I saw diamond ruffs coming on the board, and I also wondered if partner could really stop diamonds from running. Of course, maybe declarer was 5/4 in reds with a third club....
I think I was at my limit in terms of picturing hands, which is a shame. This is the actual layout.
I ruffed with the 9, cashed the ace, and exited with the jack of hearts. It was no use - declarer won in hand, ruffed the last diamond, and claimed.
I think I'm better to throw the club, something I definitely considered. The main advantage is that declarer is put on the board, and he may err from there. If I concentrate just a little harder, I should see that I can't stop diamonds from being established. (GiB double dummy analysis seems to indicate that the 2 of diamonds lead allows the contract to make.)
My vision needs to be just a little bit better.
1. Partner dealt
1S 2D
3C 3NT
Opening lead was the 2 of spades.
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I think I played this right, though maybe I overlooked something. I read spades as being 4/3 based on the lead. Win the king, run the club finesse which wins. Yay! Run the spades, discarding 3 diamonds (over my partner's instence to immediately finesse diamonds). Concede a spade.
I now lose 3 hearts, but my 10 is promoted (LHO shows out on the third round). A diamond is returned. No question, I go up with the ace. Cashing the ace of clubs, RHO is now out. Forgetting the ten of hearts is good (because it doesn't matter), club to the jack, King of clubs, 5 of spades. Making.
Partner was very gracious and congratulatory. I think this line is clearly superior to immediately finessing diamonds.
Hand 2:
The bidding was:
| West | North | East | South |
| p | p | 1♥ | 1♠ |
| 2♥ | p | p | 2♠ |
| p | p | 3♦ | p |
| 3♥ | p | p | p |
I chose the Ace of clubs to lead.
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Partner threw the 3 of clubs, declarer the 2. So much for that idea.
With ten spades in sight, I tried the ten of clubs. Ace, 5, 3. A diamond came around to my queen. I tried a spade back, but partner had the queen. Ruff, ace of diamonds, 2 of diamonds from declarer.
Now what?
From the bidding, I thought declarer might be 5/5 in the reds. Having shown out on the second round of spades, that meant 2 clubs - and I knew he had the king.
I saw diamond ruffs coming on the board, and I also wondered if partner could really stop diamonds from running. Of course, maybe declarer was 5/4 in reds with a third club....
I think I was at my limit in terms of picturing hands, which is a shame. This is the actual layout.
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I ruffed with the 9, cashed the ace, and exited with the jack of hearts. It was no use - declarer won in hand, ruffed the last diamond, and claimed.
I think I'm better to throw the club, something I definitely considered. The main advantage is that declarer is put on the board, and he may err from there. If I concentrate just a little harder, I should see that I can't stop diamonds from being established. (GiB double dummy analysis seems to indicate that the 2 of diamonds lead allows the contract to make.)
My vision needs to be just a little bit better.
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