In the Mud Cup last year, I held the North hand. It had been a long session, and the coffee I had sucked down to try to stay awake was making its fluidic presence sharply felt.
Thus, I gratefully responded 1N to pard’s 1S opening.
It was a strategic call. I knew I could Pass or raise any response and flee to a room reserved for rest.
Pard claimed that, through lonnng experience, knew I would be 1-3-4-5 and did not fancy being at the helm in either major. So, he looked at his short suits and spot cards, and raised to 2N. (Maybe he needed the loo, too but would not admit it.)
I gritted my teeth hard, crossed my legs even harder, and Passed.
West, equally sleepy after the long session or perhaps bored with his boring holding, led the 5D.
Seizing my chance, I called for the Director, probably waking him up, chose to table my hand, and fled.
I got back in time to see pard scoring up +120 and that was enough to win the Board easily, as the other table was in some number of Hearts going down.
I asked pard how the play went, more to placate him for abandoning him than out of any real interest.
He said he captured the JD w/ AD, advanced the 10D which West, now awake, ducked.
Next, he unblocked the Cs and led the 9H towards the dummy, which West also ducked, and he won with the KH.
He then cashed the KD. East, looking at 5 little Clubs and remembering the 1S opening, pitched a Club.
Pard then cashed the last top Club and led the Board’s only Spade.
I tried to compliment him, but he had already gotten to his feet and was walking briskly in the direction from whence I had returned.
bobbywolffSeptember 1st, 2023 at 9:13 pm
Hi Jim2,
Although I have never become enamored with the idea of playing 1NT over 1 of a major by partner as forcing, it has certainly passed the ordeal of being widely accepted by a heap of very fine players.
This hand presented is one of the common types of strength and distribution, certainly with a raise to 2NT, to which I harvest my opinion.
Not that I care to even discuss the possibility of the changes necessary, if someone
wanted to agree with me and try and change it for what I think is the better.
Your writing continues to elicit plaudits from me, both as to excitement and even to honest assessment when discussing bathroom breaks.
Please keep them coming, simply because, without them, all who have known you, which, no doubt includes all those who have ever even just visited this site, will normally think of you by the mention of TOCM, rather than the totally honest assessment of a great bridge player and also someone who definitely knows how to word a story about a random bridge hand to include the excitement.
jim2September 1st, 2023 at 9:56 pm
You are very kind. TY
I am simply glad my occasional flights continue to amuse!
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In the Mud Cup last year, I held the North hand. It had been a long session, and the coffee I had sucked down to try to stay awake was making its fluidic presence sharply felt.
Thus, I gratefully responded 1N to pard’s 1S opening.
It was a strategic call. I knew I could Pass or raise any response and flee to a room reserved for rest.
Pard claimed that, through lonnng experience, knew I would be 1-3-4-5 and did not fancy being at the helm in either major. So, he looked at his short suits and spot cards, and raised to 2N. (Maybe he needed the loo, too but would not admit it.)
I gritted my teeth hard, crossed my legs even harder, and Passed.
West, equally sleepy after the long session or perhaps bored with his boring holding, led the 5D.
Seizing my chance, I called for the Director, probably waking him up, chose to table my hand, and fled.
I got back in time to see pard scoring up +120 and that was enough to win the Board easily, as the other table was in some number of Hearts going down.
I asked pard how the play went, more to placate him for abandoning him than out of any real interest.
He said he captured the JD w/ AD, advanced the 10D which West, now awake, ducked.
Next, he unblocked the Cs and led the 9H towards the dummy, which West also ducked, and he won with the KH.
He then cashed the KD. East, looking at 5 little Clubs and remembering the 1S opening, pitched a Club.
Pard then cashed the last top Club and led the Board’s only Spade.
I tried to compliment him, but he had already gotten to his feet and was walking briskly in the direction from whence I had returned.
Hi Jim2,
Although I have never become enamored with the idea of playing 1NT over 1 of a major by partner as forcing, it has certainly passed the ordeal of being widely accepted by a heap of very fine players.
This hand presented is one of the common types of strength and distribution, certainly with a raise to 2NT, to which I harvest my opinion.
Not that I care to even discuss the possibility of the changes necessary, if someone
wanted to agree with me and try and change it for what I think is the better.
Your writing continues to elicit plaudits from me, both as to excitement and even to honest assessment when discussing bathroom breaks.
Please keep them coming, simply because, without them, all who have known you, which, no doubt includes all those who have ever even just visited this site, will normally think of you by the mention of TOCM, rather than the totally honest assessment of a great bridge player and also someone who definitely knows how to word a story about a random bridge hand to include the excitement.
You are very kind. TY
I am simply glad my occasional flights continue to amuse!