Toronto summary

Two sentence summary:

I came to win GNT C and the micro Spingold. What I got was a comb, a pen, and some maple syrup.

Other amusing things:

It finally happened. I overcalled a suit where the opponents had game (it was ALMOST slam).

RHO opens 1D, limited and unbalanced, does not promise diamonds. I hold xxxxx AK AQxxx x. I overcall 1S, the opps subside in 3C. Their hands:

AKJ9x x KTxx xxx
QT xxxx -- AKJxxxx

Unfortunately I can start a tap in hearts and shorten the long hand if they play spades. Lame. I'll have 4 small next time.

Partner opens 2C and rebids 2N with AKJ9 AJx AKJxx K. I boost to 3N with Txxx KQx xxxxx x. (Yes, that's right, we have K opp x in clubs.) One club underlead later, we wrap up 13 tricks for +520.

Helen recalls a story where she was partnering me. I don't remember it, but she claims I psyched 1NT, and she bid garbage Stayman. Garbage NT and garbage Stayman. Good system.

Helen also walked all over me, literally. While eating a banana.

Canada's buildings do not have a 13th or 14th floor.

The girls in this city are REALLY REALLY PRETTY.

Toronto 7/26

You reach 4H on this auction

1C - (1S) - x - (3S)
p - (p) - x
4H

xx Txxx KQxx AK8
Jx AKJx Axx Jxxx

SA led by LHO, spade continuation to RHO's K, then a trump switch.

No, we did not hold these cards. I wonder if I would have been able to sit for 3Sx.

Toronto 7/24

4S (don't ask)

QT62 J5 KJ5 AJ74
AKJ54 K63 64 962

LHO starts by leading a heart to RHO's ace. The HQ is continued, I win and cash a top trump. I lead a diamond up, LHO puts in the queen! RHO wins the A and returns another diamond, LHO following.

At this point I have

QT6 -- 5 AJ74
KJ54 6 -- 962

I have to hold my club losers to one. I can either play for the CKQ onside, which is extremely unlikely given the lead. The only other way I can see to make this is to find spades 2-2, ruff out the red suits, cash CA, and endplay the opponent who started with Hx of clubs.

To make this harder on them, I started by cashing the CA immediately. I just saw LHO go in the Q from Q-nothing in the diamond suit! I don't want her to inadvertently do the right thing in clubs. Spades break 2-2, I ruff out the red suits, and exit a club, hoping, praying. LHO now cashes the CKQ.

Sigh.

Toronto 7/23

1) You reach 4H on the auction

1C* - (1D) - x*
1S - (2D) - 2H
3C - 3H
4H

AJxxx KQ T KQJTx
xx JT876x Axx xx

LHO leads a small diamond spot, it looks like they are 3-6.

Update: This 4H is my favorite hand from the tournament.

2) Bidding and play.
T7532 xx KQ85 Ax
AK4 AJx Axx Qxxx

Via a relay, south finds out that north holds exactly 5242. Which game contract would you prefer to play?

Right or wrong (wrong), I chose 3NT.

4th best heart is led, there are 2 missing spots underneath it. RHO inserts the K.

Your play.

the spot card coup

Well we lost today. This is the only thing that made me happy.

I have a suit combo of AQ8x opp K9x. I start the A, LHO follows small, partner reaches for a spot but I interrupt and call for the 9. RHO was about to follow, but upon seeing the 9, changes his card to the T.

Now he thinks he's on lead and tries to play a card. It becomes a penalty card. I play low to the K and finesse the 8 on the way back to pick up the original JTxx on my right.

GNT C Toronto day 2

We get KJxx AJx AQ AKQx. Partner opens 1D (could be two.)

1D - 1S
1N - 2D
2S - 2N
3C - 4C
4D - 4N
5C - 5N
6H - ?

Partner showed the CA, HK, DK. Partner is 3244 or 3235 or 3325.

GNT C Toronto day 1

1.
We have Kx xxxx KTxxx xx, the auction goes
(1H) - x - (p) - 2D
(p) - 3D - (p) - ?

It's important not to look at your hand and think that you only have 6 points. This is an auction where you could be broke, and not only do we have two big cards, we have a 5th trump as well. At the table I tried to come up with some 4144 hands and felt like game was pretty good... if partner is more balanced, he should have more to compensate I think.

A club spot is led against 5D, we get

AJTx J AQxx AQTx
Kx xxxx KTxxx xx

Club to the Q and K, losing. Heart back to lefty, HQ, HK, (rho follows again, playing hi-lo), ruffed in dummy. If you cash the DA, LHO follows with the J.

2)

You reach 4H on the auction

1C* - 1D*
1N - 2D*
3H - 4H

S4 is led, we get

JTx J987x Jx Qxx
AKx Q65x AQ AJ9x

You put in the J, RHO puts in the Q. Once you decide how to play trumps (I think ducking both hands is right), LHO is going to show up with AKT.

Santa Clara 7/14

Got pushed around on these two boards.

1)
Qxxxx x Axxx Kxx
AKT9xx Jx Jx Axx

p - p - p - 1S
x - 4S - 5H - all pass

2)
ATx QJxx xxx Qxx
K KT9xxx Ax KJTx

1H - p - 2H - 2S
4H - 4S - all pass

cashout

Declarer is in 3H


-----------AKxxx
-----------Qx
-----------xxx
-----------xxx
JTx--------------------xxx
xx---------------------Ax
AKxx-------------------QJxxx
KQJx-------------------Axx
-----------Qx
-----------KJTxxxx
-----------x
-----------xxx

How do you cash out in the right order?