Posted 2009-February-25, 17:34
Here's a couple funny ones from a number of years ago, both playing with a friend in graduate school.
(1) We were playing in a regional fast pairs, and I was getting a bit frisky after not having eaten all day. RHO opened 1♣ and I made the ill-advised decision to overcall 1♠ red/white with:
♠KQxx
♥xxx
♦x
♣xxxxx
LHO made a negative double and RHO rebid 1NT. At this point LHO made the very odd decision to pass with twelve high card points, giving us the opportunity to defend 1NT when the opponents held twenty-six highs and were cold for either of 3NT or 4♠. Unfortunately partner decided that now would be a good time to balance on his ratty five-card diamond suit with a 1453 pattern. His 2♦ bid was quickly doubled by LHO, at which point I made my second dubious decision of the auction -- to redouble for rescue. Partner, evidently not on the same page, left this in!
So here we were playing 2♦XX on a 5-1 fit, with fourteen combined points and opponents cold for game. Partner did not put a lot of effort into the play (for obvious reasons) and ended up five down for -2800 and a bottom board. But the funniest part was, if partner had played the hand carefully and held it to four down (basically the best he could do) then it would not have been a bottom! I bet the pair going -2300 on our cards was surprised to get a matchpoint for their efforts!
(2) Playing in an individual event, I happened to be paired with the same partner. Of course, pairing with a regular partner in an individual, you would expect to get a good board or two out of it. However, this was not to be the case.
The opponents bid to 3♠, with partner making several intervening calls. Eventually partner doubled which was "cards" and I left it in. Opponents were vulnerable, so beating this contract would be a top whereas letting it make would of course be a bottom. I held basically nothing. But at some point in the play, declarer lead a small card out of his hand towards a small singleton in dummy. Partner was holding the trick with the seven, but it was obvious that I needed to overtake with the eight in order to prevent partner from possibly being endplayed later in the hand.
After overtaking with the eight, I realized that there were two possible suits I might need to lead back in order to take partner off the endplay, and it wasn't completely obvious which would be the better choice. While I was considering the situation, partner took it into his head to lead another card! Of course, it would not help me to say anything, so we played the hand out. Sure enough, partner got endplayed, and the contract made. After the hand, partner asked me why I didn't overtake his seven and play something through. When I replied that I had, hilarious laughter ensued.
And here's another from the same partner (but not playing with me):
(3)
The auction started with 1♠-3♣-X. White versus red, my friend held six small clubs and nothing else. It seemed obvious to raise the preempt, so he jumped to 5♣. Auction continued:
... 5♣ - X - 5♦ - X
What the heck? Partner preempted clubs, was raised, got doubled, and runs? Still holding six small clubs (and still at favorable), my friend corrected to 6♣.
... 6♣ - X - Pass - Pass
At this point my friend realized what had happened. Very late the night before and after a number of drinks, he and his partner had agreed to play a form of Roman Jump Overcalls. This is sort of like Ghestem, in that some jump overcalls would show two-suiters. Now, even with this new agreement, 3♣ in the auction given would be natural. But partner had evidently remembered the idea but forgotten the details, and most likely held the two red suits.
Now, this was actually at BAM scoring, and 6♣X going for a huge number will be a losing score regardless. So my friend decided to redouble. Now the auction proceeded:
... XX - Pass - Pass - Long hesitation....
Turns out opener was five-five in the black suits with ♣AKQJ9 in his hand. Responder, looking at a void in clubs was starting to wonder if this contract was actually making! But after a great deal of thought, he found a pass.
My friend managed to score his long trump, reaching a result of 5♣XX-10 for -5200. His teammates were reading off scores, and on this board they read off +1430 for bidding and making a very difficult hand. "LOSE" my friend said. Teammates couldn't believe it!
They won the BAM anyway.
Adam W. Meyerson
a.k.a. Appeal Without Merit
Help
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Posted 2009-February-25, 19:26
, and both opponents, pretty amazed 
, showed their cards. They both remained after 7 tricks played with 6 trumps