Bridge Blog 653: February finale

Nothing like a respiratory condition to make February seem even longer and drearier. Through the fog of decongestants, the only bright spots have come at the bridge table and they’ve been unexpected.

The first was at the Unit 116 Pro-Am game on Sunday, with me, the groggy 1,500-point pro who had just called in sick to work that night, teaming up with a total stranger, amateur Jim Tao. Jim is a good amateur, though, and I didn’t get in his way too much. In a big, two-section game, we finished with 59.44%, third overall, second in B, 2.31 points.

The other was even more accidental. After Wednesday partner Celine Murray canceled to go to her country club group, I walked into the Airport Bridge Club without a partner and was paired with the guy with the most points in the room, Jerry Geiger. His partner, Jim Mathis, a guy with twice as many points as he has, had forgotten the date.

Jerry was sleep-deprived, having driven his wife to eye surgery at dawn, and I was still decongesting. Add to that the first few hands, which were wildly distributional, and my bidding, which was not the best. Nevertheless, after I plunged ahead to 5 Diamonds doubled vulnerable (A-K-Q-x-x-x-x in Diamonds, A-K-J-x in Hearts) and made it (thanks to Jerry’s Jack of Diamonds and Queen of Hearts), I figured the gods must be looking after me. We finished second with a 59.24% game, good for 1.40 points, giving me 12.17 at the club for February.

I have no irrational expectations for the final day of the month Thursday. Last time I played with Florence Boyd, we had a really good time, but we were lucky not to finish last.