Adam Fortune is often puzzled
about his last name. He is not rich, so obviously the meaning is not
from there, and, as far as he knows, he is the most unlucky person in
the world. He used to play Bridge a lot, but then he quit for almost a
year. Now he is back to his first game, after that long break, together
with his last partner.
"Why did you quit for so long?," asked his partner.
"Isn't it obvious? – Because of my bad luck. I'm still trying to figure
out if there is another meaning to my name. Really I don't get how come
I am called Fortune with the luck I have," said Adam with a self pity
tone.
But his Partner disagreed: "That is not how I remember things. I
remember you used to go down and complain about your bad luck, while
you could actually make each and every one of these hands due to...
very lucky layouts! Fortune at its best. It was just you couldn't see
that Fortune was dancing naked in front of your eyes. By the way, why
are you wearing sunglasses, it's not too bright in here?," asked his
partner.
Adam took off the sunglasses, revealing a huge black eye. "After I gave
up Bridge last year, I started playing chess. But one week after I
joined the club – it got bankrupted and the whole place closed down.
Then I tried swimming, but got hospitalized due to a unique allergy for
chlor. And then I discovered Golf. It went well for some time till I
broke my leg, stepping on a concealed hole. I returned there after 2
months of recovery, and at my first game, I felt into the lake. This
black eye I got last week, from a stray shot that landed straight into
my eye. So, no matter what my name is, I am the most misfortunate guy
on earth," ended Adam in a gloomy voice.
A few minutes later, here came a deal to "prove" his case once again.
East - West vulnerable, dealer South:
West lead the ♦9.
Adam tried the ♦10
and won the ♦A
when East covered with the ♦Q.
After thinking for a while (and mumbling: "...useless to finesse with
my luck...") , he tried the spade finesse, losing to East's ♠K "
(another mumble: "...obviously...").
He skeptically tried the heart finesse too, when East played heart, and
lost to West's ♥K
(mumble: "...naturally...").
West continued with the ♦8
and dummy's ♦J
lost to East's ♦K.
East then cashed the ♦7
and the ♦5,
setting the contract.
"You see?! Show me someone who is more unlucky than I am, to find
the ♦KQ
over his ♦J10,
to find both major finesses off side, and to get a diamond lead instead
of a club lead – No one! No one but me!," sighed Adam.
"Yes I see, my friend. As I claimed, only you have that good fortune,
but you cannot see how lucky you are. I wish I could have your luck.
Here you had to realize that you don't need two diamond tricks to make
your contract, but you cannot afford to lose 3 diamonds. See the
difference? Just thank your good Fortune for having dealt you
the ♦J10,
and play LOW from dummy at trick 1. Win West's ♦9 with the ♦A and try the spade
finesse. When it loses to East's ♠K, and then the heart
finesse loses to West's ♥K,
you'll get another diamond back, and there – play the ♦10. Now you will not lose
more than 2 diamond tricks as the ♦J
will save you. I really wished I could have your luck... Maybe I should
change my name!" vented his partner.
Tuesday, June 23, 2015
Tuesday, June 16, 2015
Know it all (almost)
"Susan, you are very lucky to have me as a partner. I know all the
cards and distribution in the game and I also know exactly what suit
will follow when any player wins a trick. I just "have it," said Arthur
to his new partner, Susan, when they sat to the first round.
He totally ignored the "Hi" from the opponents and continued talking about his great abilities.
"Not only are you wise, but also handsome... and modest," whispered the opponent sitting North.
Susan heard it and smiled but Arthur was too self concentrated and didn't notice.
"And also full of empathy and awareness for those around you," added South.
On the first board Arthur proved his abilities: He lead a singleton, and when Susan took the ace he immediately pulled out a card from hand (a trump), ready to ruff. But Susan thought for a while, and switched to another suit. Arthur sighed with a long "Pffffffff".
The director was called to the table: "What?! I'm not allowed to breath in this club?" The director explained him that this sort of "breathing" means "Partner, I had a singleton! Why didn't you let me ruff that suit?" He asked Arthur to be more careful and breathe normally.
On the 2nd board, Arthur was the superstar again.
East - West vulnerable, dealer East:
Arthur, West, lead the ♠Q and mumbled: "No limits for foolish daring..." The defense won the first 2 tricks and declarer ruffed the 3rd spade, played club to the ♣A, ruffed a club and ran the ♥Q, when Arthur followed low.
When Susan followed with the ♥10, declarer started to think. "Waste of time. One down," said Arthur, tabled his hand and went on: You have 7 hearts, 2 spades and 1 club. Therefore you hold 3 diamonds. The ♦Q is no doubt with my partner, or else she has not enough values for an opening. That means you will always lose a diamond trick and I will always get my ♥K too, having ♥Kx while you hold a stiff ♥A in dummy. 1 down!"
The director was called once again.
South was trying to speak but Arthur shouted first: "He is just making a fuss. Let him show me how he can avoid a diamond loser."
The tournament director first explained to Arthur that a claim is not made by a defender, especially when most high cards are with his partner. Then, he asked declarer in South how he plans to avoid a diamond loser.
"I will lose a diamond trick but will not lose a heart trick," he said.
Arthur giggled: "You should go to a beginner course before heading for a real tournament. Now listen and learn a free lesson: When you have a stiff ♥A in dummy and opponent has ♥Kx, there is no way to avoid a heart loser."
The director asked declarer to explain his claim. Dear readers, an exercise for you: Can you think of a way to avoid losing a heart trick in this situation? – Try to think of it, before you read on.
"I will continue now with a diamond to the ♦K, ruff a third club, diamond to the ♦A, ruff the fourth club and concede the 3rd diamond to East's ♦Q. The ending before trick 12 is:
East is to play now, and he has only spades to play. I ruff with the ♥9 and the last 2 tricks are mine:
- If West overruffs with the ♥K, I overruff with the ♥A, and my ♥J is good.
- If West underruffs with the ♥8, I throw the ♦3 from dummy and take the ♥A at trick 13."
North complimented his partner and whispered to Arthur: "You know, my partner is a member of the national team, and he really knows it all. I mean all! Not almost all."
He totally ignored the "Hi" from the opponents and continued talking about his great abilities.
"Not only are you wise, but also handsome... and modest," whispered the opponent sitting North.
Susan heard it and smiled but Arthur was too self concentrated and didn't notice.
"And also full of empathy and awareness for those around you," added South.
On the first board Arthur proved his abilities: He lead a singleton, and when Susan took the ace he immediately pulled out a card from hand (a trump), ready to ruff. But Susan thought for a while, and switched to another suit. Arthur sighed with a long "Pffffffff".
The director was called to the table: "What?! I'm not allowed to breath in this club?" The director explained him that this sort of "breathing" means "Partner, I had a singleton! Why didn't you let me ruff that suit?" He asked Arthur to be more careful and breathe normally.
On the 2nd board, Arthur was the superstar again.
East - West vulnerable, dealer East:
Arthur, West, lead the ♠Q and mumbled: "No limits for foolish daring..." The defense won the first 2 tricks and declarer ruffed the 3rd spade, played club to the ♣A, ruffed a club and ran the ♥Q, when Arthur followed low.
When Susan followed with the ♥10, declarer started to think. "Waste of time. One down," said Arthur, tabled his hand and went on: You have 7 hearts, 2 spades and 1 club. Therefore you hold 3 diamonds. The ♦Q is no doubt with my partner, or else she has not enough values for an opening. That means you will always lose a diamond trick and I will always get my ♥K too, having ♥Kx while you hold a stiff ♥A in dummy. 1 down!"
The director was called once again.
South was trying to speak but Arthur shouted first: "He is just making a fuss. Let him show me how he can avoid a diamond loser."
The tournament director first explained to Arthur that a claim is not made by a defender, especially when most high cards are with his partner. Then, he asked declarer in South how he plans to avoid a diamond loser.
"I will lose a diamond trick but will not lose a heart trick," he said.
Arthur giggled: "You should go to a beginner course before heading for a real tournament. Now listen and learn a free lesson: When you have a stiff ♥A in dummy and opponent has ♥Kx, there is no way to avoid a heart loser."
The director asked declarer to explain his claim. Dear readers, an exercise for you: Can you think of a way to avoid losing a heart trick in this situation? – Try to think of it, before you read on.
"I will continue now with a diamond to the ♦K, ruff a third club, diamond to the ♦A, ruff the fourth club and concede the 3rd diamond to East's ♦Q. The ending before trick 12 is:
East is to play now, and he has only spades to play. I ruff with the ♥9 and the last 2 tricks are mine:
- If West overruffs with the ♥K, I overruff with the ♥A, and my ♥J is good.
- If West underruffs with the ♥8, I throw the ♦3 from dummy and take the ♥A at trick 13."
North complimented his partner and whispered to Arthur: "You know, my partner is a member of the national team, and he really knows it all. I mean all! Not almost all."
Saturday, June 6, 2015
Seeing through cards #15
Dealer South. None Vul.
Against 4♠ West lead the ♥Q and East played the ♥10.
Against 4♠ West lead the ♥Q and East played the ♥10.
- Will you win or duck?
- You decide to duck and West continued with the ♥J, which East overtook with the ♥ K. Will you win or play low?
- This time you win the ♥A. How will you tackle the trump suit?
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