[pclayton]

We lost in the District GNT-A semis on Saturday by 10 . Two key hands:

Scoring: IMP

---

We bid: 1♥ - 2♣ - 2♦ - 2N - 3♦ - 3N - 4♦ - 5♦ - Pass.

Other table: 1♥ - 2♣ - 2♦ - 2♠ - 3♦ - 3N - (shrug; 6♦).

Next:

Scoring: IMP

---

Our table: 2♥ - (pass) - 4♥ - (4♠) - swish.

Other table Pass - (1♣) - pass - (1♠) - ..zoom to 6♠.

This was a pretty easy loss to take IMO. Clearly we made the right decisions on these boards at both tables. If the swings go the way they are supposed to, we win by 40.

Its when you play poorly that gnaws at your psyche.

Don't get me wrong, I'm sure we can find 10 IMPs at both tables during this match besides these slam swings.

But knowing the great dealer set the hand this way puts things into perspective.

Besides, I got to spend Easter with my family this way

[mike777]

Congrats Phil on coming so close, well done.

1) As a much lower level GNT player it would be impossible for me to stay out of slam on hand one after partner bids game force 2clubs me thinks. Of course 2/1 shows a pretty good hand for me when I open on junk.

Hand two ya, with only 2 hearts I would have bid x over a weak 2h opener, at other table I would not have opened a weak 2H. oh well.

[awm]

Seems unlucky, but hand two is an interesting example of a hand where preempting seems to backfire. The preemptive auction warns opponents of possible bad breaks, and makes it harder for them to find out the information they need in order to bid the (failing) slam. Passing throughout makes it easy to bid the apparently odds-on (but failing) slam.

I'm not sure how common these boards are, but it seems they come up more often than most people suppose.

[pclayton]

Well, ask yourself if you want to play 6♠ after a weak 2 on your left and a bounce on your right. LHO has 6 hearts (presumably; could have 5) and RHO has 4. Does this foretell of bad splits? I don't think so.

OTOH, if LHO had opened 4♥, I'd be much more concerned.

[whereagles]

1. 5♦ over 4♦ seems a bit timid.
2. Seems normal, just bad luck.

[FrancesHinden]

The second one is just bad luck.

On the first one I would be happy to be in 6H, which neither table seems to have got close to bidding.

[pclayton]

FrancesHinden, on Apr 10 2007, 01:38 AM, said:

The second one is just bad luck.

On the first one I would be happy to be in 6H, which neither table seems to have got close to bidding.

Dummy's heart spot wasn't that big so you arent successfully ruffing the diamond, however 2 of the diamonds go away on the clubs and a 3rd might go away on a spade. The entries are light for establishing the 5th club. There's squeeze chances I guess too.

So 6H is superior to 6D but its still under 50-50.

I dont know why pard didnt give me a 3H preference btw.

[jdonn]

pclayton, on Apr 10 2007, 12:35 PM, said:

I dont know why pard didnt give me a 3H preference btw.

I think his 3NT bid was normal with 2+ stoppers in each black suit and no heart honor. However over 4♦ he should probably give you 5♣, which would not get you to slam but would if your spade was a club.