[inquiry]

Let me begin by noting that I hope to play in a jec match in the near future, so my mistakes will be on display for all to see soon enough. I think the quality of the play was excellent at both tables, there was some bidding judgement mistakes based on non-regular partnerships, which is to be expected. This was a hand that the kibitzerazzi (those using gib, no doubt), keep giving "making", no now it is "down" comments, without making one useful comment about the play. This hand was a minor swing in the early going. FORUM lost 1 imp to 2♥ making at the other table, but if they set 3♥ they would win 5 imps (a six imp swing). I apologize if this hand has already been shown. I think it has some interesting points worth discussing.

Let's start with the bidding. Would anyone open 1♦ with east (light) in third seat? It is likely to get your partner off to best lead if you defend, you have an easy pass of the three most likely bids by partner (1h, 1s, 1nt) not that any of those contracts would necessarily be good. On the other hand, you are vul, it is early in the match, at this is imps. I think I would bid 1♦ in 3rd seat, but I am not certain. It is worth noting that a diamond was played to trick one even without the light opening.

The kibitzerazzi predicted a swing for team forum, as 3♥ can't make (gib is such a wonderful tool for them). Fluffy began the ♦5 (third/fifth leads), and east correctly won the ♦J, placing the ♦AQJ in his hand for fluffy. Declarer doesn't know about the ♦Q, that could be with west.

East returned a club, and jec muddied the water by not playing his 3 (he played the 8). East could have two (4-3 doubleton) or one club (just the 4). The kibitzerazzi were certain the defense would be easy now, fluffy would win the ♣A and play the ♣Q to ruff out the ♣K, holding jec to 5♥ and 3♠ tricks, for down one.

This defense is not quite so clear to West, who returned a very honest ♦2, the queen getting ruffed by south. With only three diamonds in dummy, there is some reason to return a higher diamond now, if south follows to the 2nd diamond, on the third diamond, west can play an honest ♦2 or still hide his diamond holdign if south shows out by playing yet another higher diamond. Here, South knows about west's five clubs from the bidding, and now either 2 or 4 diamonds, If he is thinking, he can elminate 2♦, because with ♦AQJ9874 he would bid diamonds in the third seat (weak two perhaps).

After the ♦ return, the kibitzerazzi was now certain 3♥ was going to make, especially after he played heart to king and finessed the heart queen on the way back. Fluffy discarded a diamond, confirming the 4 card diamond suit shown already by the ♦2 return. With fluffy having 5 clubs (the bid), 4 diamonds (nicely shown by carding), and one heart (showed out), south knows the entire distribution. IF fluffy had hidden the ♦2, it should make declarer pause at least thinking west had 4♠.

As it is, all south needs to do is duck a spade to EAST to establish the 13th spade, and east is unable to play a club. The ending if a spade is ducked to east is interesting, east exits the diamond ace hoping south ruffs to set up a trump trick, but south discards a club loser. IF east continues diamonds, ruff in dummy, pitching another club, then cash two clubs ending in dummy for a trump coup.

West can try to upset this by playing danger hand high (the spade queen when jec leads a lowpade). Now the dummy has to win the king. The hand can still be made, but declarer has a hoop or two to jump through. Playing the queen of spades doesn't even give up an extra trick if south has the ♠J, because the correct play is to hook the queen anyway.

South did not make the correct play, however. Instead of inserting the Ten (or a very cruel ♠3), he played the ♠K. Now there is no way to keep west off lead. If he pulls trumps, east will get to cash diamonds when west gets in. If he leaves trumps outstanding, east gets to ruff. So the kibitzerazzi is back on the contract going down. The prediction this time looked sound. South played two more round of spades to west, who, holding one diamond and four clubs, made a mistake: he exited with a diamond.

This seems like a huge mistake. IF south had six hearts, contract already makes (6H+2S+1C), so south has to be 4s-5h-1d-3c, and the queen of clubs asssures this is done one (club king gets ruff, and no way to get rid of the other club, so ends up with 5h,3s and that is all.

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[Fluffy]

thx Ben I didn't see a way to bring this hand into play.

This is the beautiful ending reached by JC. Wich I think its worth showing.

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I played ♦7 without thinking enough as it seemed to me tapping south was enouh for 1 down. Heck I though that playing diamond to tap declarer early had been the right decision!

But JC had better idea, he discarded ♣3 on the diamond and now Wank become endplayed, if he plays a trump south's hand is high, so he went for ruff a discard, but now JC discarded the last club, ruffed in dummy and finesed trumps with a coup playing first ♣K after wank failed to ruff made the last 2 tricks with ♥A10 after ♥Q9

I supose it is imposible right now, but it would be funny to see those kibs if GIB could be disabled.

[JLOGIC]

You are not being hard enough on yourself, you knew the entire hand and made the wrong play because you were lazy. That is not to be mean, but imo those are the worst mistakes because you are certainly capable of getting it right. If you were given this as a double dummy problem, would you ever go wrong? No, not a chance, yet in reality it was a double dummy problem if you stopped to think. This play doesn't seem like it matters but your play is the "kill point" of the hand, it's where you should stop and think and make the right play. IMO this hand should make you angry at yourself not the kibs.

Basically, I think that once you reach a certain level of play like you or I have reached, you can probably execute all plays on paper, and if you don't irl it's likely due to bias or being lazy, and the only way to stop that is to try really hard and get angry with yourself when you ***** up.

[Fluffy]

I agree with you on most, I will go harder on myself althou my problem is bigger than just missing the end game (I though I was off from the deal and all my decisions were done so I went to auto-mode).

Just I am not angry at kibs, but maybe the quality of coments would increase if GIB button was unavaible.

[bluecalm]

Quote

Just I am not angry at kibs, but maybe the quality of coments would increase if GIB button was unavaible.

You should try reading chess commentary sometimes

[MrAce]

I have slightly different opinion than Ben here in some detail. But overall his analysis is a must to read imo.

If i were Wank, i would make life easier for Fluffy by simply takint the first trick with Q instead of J to stop pd from playing ♦, if my intention is to get my ♣ ruff. As ben said, once the ♣ is not returned Jimmy shd have made this anyway.


@ Ben (Inquiry) : Why dont u start playing this thursday vs JEC ?

[inquiry]

MrAce, on 2012-February-19, 17:24, said:

@ Ben (Inquiry) : Why dont u start playing this thursday vs JEC ?

i am going to be playing in a regional event in Sarasota Florida on Thursday (about 450 miles from home), so I can't play this week. However, I am good for the following week if barmar can play... we thought we would play a few easy matches, like against jec, to prepare for the bbo league...


The ♦Q is a good play--certainly partner has the ♣A for the 2♣ bid, and that would effectively stop the diamond return.

[MrAce]

inquiry, on 2012-February-19, 21:41, said:

i am going to be playing in a regional event in Sarasota Florida on Thursday (about 450 miles from home), so I can't play this week. However, I am good for the following week if barmar can play... we thought we would play a few easy matches, like against jec, to prepare for the bbo league...


The ♦Q is a good play--certainly partner has the ♣A for the 2♣ bid, and that would effectively stop the diamond return.

Ok Barmar and You will be a good pair for us, thanks, reserved for next week thursday !