A FEW HANDS FROM THE PORTLAND PAIRS
March 17/18 2001
The Portland Pairs is an event for mixed pairs that is now played over one weekend only, at several venues across the country and scored across the whole field, with the results being displayed over the internet. What I like about it is that there are ranking green points for each of the three sessions, as well as points for your final position. So there is always something to play for - even if you have two disastrous sessions! There are 2x24 board sessions on the Saturday, with a 36 board marathon on the Sunday.
There were three pairs representing the Abingdon/Wallingford Clubs traveling to the West Midlands Bridge Club at Solihul on the Saturday - Debbie Roberts & Geoff Nicholas, Pat Rhodes-Fisher & Peter Baxter and Gillian Lonsdale & myself. We agreed to meet up at the Park & Ride just off the 'Pear-tree' roundabout at Oxford and travel in two cars. The agreed time was 11.00, as it is only a one-hour trip from there so we should have an hour to get a sandwich before we start. We were a bit late leaving due to one of us (who shall be nameless) waiting at the opposite end of the car park to the others (Baxter's fault). Anyhow we got there in plenty of time, after driving through the snow to the Bridge Club.
Gillian & I had about an average score at the end of the 48 boards on the Saturday, scoring 52.5% over the whole field. I in particular did not play that well, and was pleased to be where we were. On to the Sunday! We sat East-West throughout. What would you do with this hand, red against green?
Nice hand isn't it? You are sitting East, with South the Dealer, thinking quite smugly that you were going to open 2NT showing 24-26 points after the three expected passes. Anyhow, life isn't like that. After two passes, your RHO opens 1H. Well? I doubled, LHO bid 2C, partner passes (don't they always!) and RHO bids 2S! Now what? Quietly smiling to myself (it looks like RHO is bidding the suits he hasn't got) I double again. RHO bids 3C passed round to you. Well, what are you going to do? Bid 3N? Double?
AK84
AK73
AK7
K6
This is the bidding then -
N
S
E
W
pass
pass
1H
dble
2C
pass
2S
dble
3C
pass
pass
?
In Teams of course, it must be right to 'take the money' - but at Pairs, red against green? Can we make 3N? I reasoned that I only have 7 tricks in my hand, even on a club lead - and I don't think a Club will be led! 6 tricks? Has Partner got a couple of critical Q's? I reasoned that even if this were the case, then LHO has a likely 6-card Club suit (he hasn't pre-empted), with the Ace on your right - so that the only tricks they will make is 5 clubs - the magical 4 off for +800. If my Partner does have nothing, then at least we will get a positive score, and we cannot make more than 1N or thereabouts. So I doubled. Wrong!! These were the complete hands -
We took the obvious six tricks for +500, with either 9 or 10 tricks available in 3N, depending upon the lead. Note that without a club lead you need the Diamonds 3-3 (or a finesse for the Jack), even though partner has 2 Queens? Oh Dear, LHO has 7 clubs, not 6. At all the other tables South opened 3C - then after the obvious 2 passes you bid 3N don't you! That was a National bottom score. When we left the table, Partner asked - Why didn't you bid it? There was no answer to that - but I still I reckon I would do the same again - that's why I don't win at pairs!!J973
QJ105
J96
A
Q65
982
Q1085
854AK84
AK73
AK7
K6102
6
432
QJ109732
On to the next! This one was a system gain for us - the four hands were -
The bidding goes-J102
Q432
1092
A109
AK97
K105
AQ5
KQ3654
J76
J743
864Q83
A98
K86
J752
1N just made for all the match-points. Everyone else was in 2N
going off. Was it worth all the memory work Gillian?
Malcolm Simpsom and I have played a 'forcing heart' using a strong
club system for years, enabling us to play in 1N with a balanced 19-21
- but very often you find that partner has enough for 2/3N to make anyhow
- but here it was brilliant!
I liked this one - (red against green)
The bidding -A9654
A642
K765
void
K108
KJ93
3
AK986void
Q87
QJ10842
J743QJ732
105
A9
Q1052
Gillian was in the hot seat in this one, after a diamond lead to the Ace and the 10 Hearts to the 3, A and a heart back to the Jack. After three spade ruffs and two diamond ruffs you are in dummy. Gillian led the Jack of clubs - small (eventually) by South. (Eventually) Gillian let this run - it won. Now if South has three Hearts she is home............... not to be, so one off for minus 100. Not bad against any spade score by North/South though.
Finally, my favourite hand of the tournament! It involves trusting partner - is he awake? - has he just been lazy? Here is your hand, after your partner has pre-empted in hearts and the opps have ended in 5S
You lead the Ace of Hearts, Partner plays the 2 (count at trick one) and dummy is -75
A863
853
A983
The bidding was -Q98
10
KJ1096
K762
Well what do you lead? It is usually agreed that in this situation, with a singleton in Dummy, that partner will usually give suit preference. Can Partner really want a Club switch? Is he void? Has he got one? Anyhow, Gillian switched to a low club, and by comparison, carnage ensued. These are the full hands -
Well, what would you do on a Club switch? Even if you put up the K and it wins, it looks like you still have to lose 2 clubs, a diamond and a heart, so she played low, playing me for the Ace of Clubs. I won with the Q, played a club back, ruffed the club return and cashed the ace of diamonds for three off and a huge score. Most pairs were either making 4S, or going 1 or 2 off. Well done Pd! Always do what partner wants!!Q98
10
KJ1096
K762
75
A863
853
A98364
KQJ9742
A4
Q4AKJ1032
5
Q72
J105
We scored over 59% for the last session for 21st place overall for the
Sunday and 56th for the whole event (about 5 greens!), out of about 300
pairs. Perhaps we will make more effort on the Saturday next year!