[kenrexford]

I found last night's club game to be typical hilarity.

Three deals were classic.

On the first, after 1♥-P-1NT-5♦-5♥-P-P-6♦-P-P-?, I found the winning call of 6♥ (I had a forcing 1NT then raise bust) for -500 against their making slam, for a 0. Why? The filed defended a diamond partscore.

On the second, after 1♠-2♦-P-3NT, I found the white-on-red 4♠ sac for -500 instead of -600 for another 0, because the filed defended a diamond partscore.

On the third, we defended a normal 3NT contract. Partner found the spade lead, which held them to the same 11 tricks they started with. But, Declarer failed to cash a winning spade (arbitrarily), cut herself off from her hand (arbitrarily) which cost 4 tricks, and ended up with only 10 tricks using Dummy. This was a 0 as well, because one pair played 4♥ on a non-fit for only 10 tricks (when 11 are easy), and the rest of the field played in some suit contract slam, despite having no fits and having insufficient HCP stength to even THINK about slam.

However, on the fourth, my wife counted her hand wrong in third seat and decided to pass her "ugly 12-count," which was actually a fine 15-count, to avert 1NT down one, for a top.

Next round?

[Venom]

Years and years ago we used to refer to your situation/ experience as "sitting in the toilet seat" for obvious reasons. Did you really HAVE to get out of bed that morning?

DHL/ DON aka Double !

[Cyberyeti]

Yes we all have days like that. Last teams match I lost, 2 slams on finesses, we bid the one where it was wrong, they bid the one missing an ace and the onside king of trumps which we avoided by the simple expedient of keycard.

The only time I've been close to national selection (other than being unable to prove Irish ancestry to play with an Irish partner of mine), we were doing well in a pairs event where the top English qualified pair got a game for the national team, the event was going to be won by a pair of Egyptians who were a long way clear and second place was very tight. We then had a run of 4 bottoms in a row doing nothing wrong, the crowning moment being an auction that went 2N-6N. Dummy decks a flat 9-10 opposite partner's 20 and says "sorry partner, miscounted my points". Anyway 3 finesses and 2 3-3 breaks later we've registered no matchpoints. We finished 4th or 5th.

[Cascade]

Cyberyeti, on 2010-November-01, 07:52, said:

Yes we all have days like that. Last teams match I lost, 2 slams on finesses, we bid the one where it was wrong, they bid the one missing an ace and the onside king of trumps which we avoided by the simple expedient of keycard.

The only time I've been close to national selection (other than being unable to prove Irish ancestry to play with an Irish partner of mine), we were doing well in a pairs event where the top English qualified pair got a game for the national team, the event was going to be won by a pair of Egyptians who were a long way clear and second place was very tight. We then had a run of 4 bottoms in a row doing nothing wrong, the crowning moment being an auction that went 2N-6N. Dummy decks a flat 9-10 opposite partner's 20 and says "sorry partner, miscounted my points". Anyway 3 finesses and 2 3-3 breaks later we've registered no matchpoints. We finished 4th or 5th.

National selection based on matchpoints?

[Cyberyeti]

Cascade, on 2010-November-01, 08:58, said:

National selection based on matchpoints?

The top home pair used to be guaranteed (subject to the credentials committee approving) a place in the domestic international series (England/Scotland/Wales/NI at the time, Republic of Ireland has since been added). It's no longer done this way.

[billw55]

I remember one where we had an ordinary 1NT-3NT auction. The ops propmptly cashed the ♥AKQJ, then exited. I took the rest, opened the traveler, and found six lines of 3NT (my way!) making 4. Meh.

Another time I was dealt 65 high card points in one three-board round. By itself that might not be so utterly strange, but then all three hands ended up on the table as dummy. Go figure.