[Note: Another article from my archive. This was originally published on April 15, 2010 on aproposofmark.com]
I played in the Sunday Swiss at the Lansing Regional today with Kevin (what’s the deal with seven seven-board matches for the final Swiss?). Things were going swimmingly at 4-0 with 64 VP’s (20 point scale), when…
| ♠ | ♠ KQxx |
| ♥ A9xxx | ♥ Q10xxx |
| ♦ Axx | ♦ xxx |
| ♣ KQ10xx | ♣ J |
| 1♥ | 3♣ * |
| 3♦ | 3♥ |
| 3♠ | 6♥ |
* – 4+ card constructive raise
Looking at these two hands, you would figure that I am posting this as a disaster that Kevin and I had in the bidding. Unfortunately, no…
| ♠ xxx | ||
| ♥ K | ||
| ♦ KQxxxx | ||
| ♣ xxx | ||
| ♠ | ♠ KQxx | |
| ♥ A9xxx | ♥ Q10xxx | |
| ♦ Axx | ♦ xxx | |
| ♣ KQ10xx | ♣ J | |
| ♠Axxxxx | ||
| ♥ Jx | ||
| ♦ J | ||
| ♣ A98x |
On the lead of the ♦K, declarer won, dropped the ♥K, drew the other trump and lead the ♣J. I was helpless. I won the ace, but had no way over to Kevin. So, declarer pitched two diamonds and a spade on the clubs and made 6. The slam needed hearts 2-1 with a singleton king, diamonds 6-1 AND the club ace to be with the short diamonds. All in all about a 1.5% slam. Some days you’re the pigeon and some days you’re the statue.
Mark Leonard Bridge 