Bridge Blog 745-A: I am a bad person

Streak week’s most memorable hand was a fluke, right from the start, and since it turned up during the ACBL International Fund Game on Thursday, we can go straight to the hand records for Board 13. I’m sitting North, both pairs are vulnerable and I’m the dealer. Here’s my holding:

Spades: J-3-2; Hearts: K-3; Diamonds: None; Clubs: A-K-10-8-7-5-4-3.

Eight-card Club suit. Could be eight tricks off the top, if I’m lucky and nobody has a third Club. And you have to  figure on at least one trick in the dummy or, if you’re really, really lucky, from the King of Hearts. So I open with a gambling 3 No Trump.

I love the gambling 3 No Trump. It screws up the opponents’ bidding and, if everybody passes, it gives them no clue about what to lead. But, alas, I have not discussed this bid at all with partner Dianne Bloom. Allen Beroza, sitting East, passes. Dianne passes. Jerry Geiger, who’s been a mentor to Dianne, asks what that 3 NT bid means and she says, she’s not sure, but I probably have 25 to 27 points.

Jerry says something about this being a 50-point hand, but since he’s West, the opening lead isn’t his. Allen puts down the Ace of Hearts and Dianne lays out these cards:

Spades: K-9-8-5; Hearts: 5; Diamonds: A-Q-J-9-7-6-2; Clubs: 2.

The endless Club suit creates an excruciating squeeze. I watch Allen and Jerry’s pitches and shorten the dummy accordingly. A little light bulb goes on when I see Jerry jettison the Queen of Spades, so I keep the King of Spades and Ace-Queen of Diamonds in the dummy and exit my hand with the only suit that’s left – a Spade. Jerry wins the Ace, but he’s kept Diamonds and he’s end-played. Making 5 No Trump.

Allen calls the director, but gets no satisfaction. Although the bid was not part of an agreement between me and Dianne, Bill Finkelstein said it was part of my unpredictability and he allowed it. It was a top board.

Here are the other hands and the ACBL commentary:

East

Spades: 10-6; Hearts: A-Q-10-9-5-4-2; Diamonds: 10-3; Clubs: Q-9.

West

Spades: A-Q-7-4; Hearts: J-8-7; Diamonds: K-8-5-4; Clubs: J-6.

“With all the seven-card and eight-card suits, six-card suits hardly look rebiddable. Say North opens 1 Club, declining to preempt because he has defensive values. If East passed or overcalled 1 Heart or 2 Hearts (2-7-2-2 pattern is the least attractive to preempt), North-South might take a small minus at a minor-suit partial.

“But if East puts it up to 3 Hearts, South will have a problem if he tries 4 Diamonds or a negative double. North-South will probably play at the five level. If North plays 5 Clubs doubled, perfect defense, starting with a Spade opening lead, will collect +800 and N-S may score plenty of match points if they escape for minus 200.

“We doubt that any East will play 4 Hearts, but a pretty defense would beat him: South leads a Club to the King and North returns the 2 of Clubs (that’s what it says, but let’s make it the 3 of Clubs), letting South ruff and shift to the Ace and Queen of Diamonds.”

Bridge Blog 744: Shuffle off, Buffalo

Western New York Unit 116 usually dominates the District 5 master point races, particularly in the 1,000 to 2,500-point category that I’m competing in, so it comes as a surprise – wait, make that a shock – to see so few of us in the District standings for February, which were posted Thursday on the ACBL website.

In the District 5 Ace of Clubs race, for points earned only in club play, where we occupied eight of the top 10 places last year, we hold only four out of 25. In the Mini-McKenney, which counts all points earned everywhere (except online), we’re even less of a factor – just two out of 25.

So while I’ve been bemoaning my shortage of points so far this year – 15.97 overall, 12.13 in club play in two months – I’m not the only one experiencing a drought locally. It’s a city-wide phenomenon. What’s happening is that the clubs seem to have dramatically cut back on the extra-point games that they offered regularly in the past.

Anyway, here’s the breakdown. I do not appear on either of the District 5 lists in the 1,000 to 2,500 master point category. The cut-off points are 23.91 on the Mini-McKenney and 12.24 on the Ace of Clubs.

Our only people to show up on the Mini-McKenney are Fred Yellen (27.33, 19th) and Ken Meier (25.32, 23rd). The Ace of Clubs list includes Fred Yellen (21.74, fifth), Ken Meier (19.96, seventh), Gene Finton (17.38, ninth) and John Ziemer (15.71, 13 th).

Topping District 5 Ace of Clubs are James Gray of Murrysville, Pa., with 26.57; Joane D’Antonio of Sewickley, Pa., with 23.78; John Bernhard, also of Sewickley, with 22.98; and Mary Lou Naughton of Pittsburgh with 22.47.

Leading District 5 Mini-McKenney are Michael Creager of Brecksville, Ohio, with 68.58; Fleur Howard of Gates Mills, Ohio, with 51.01; and the aforementioned Pittsburgh-area players, Mary Lou Naughton with 50.68, Joane D’Antonio with 44.83 and James Gray with 40.01.

Here’s what we look like on the Unit 116 level:

Ace of Clubs: Fred Yellen, 21.74; Ken Meier, 19.96; Gene Finton, 17.38; John Ziemer, 15.71; me, 12.13; Anne Watkins, 12 even; Cathy Majewski, 11.38; Mike Silverman, 10.72; Elaine Kurasiewicz, 10.71; and Carolyn Siracuse, 10.34.

In the whole unit, only a pair of 5,000 to 7,500-point players have more points so far this year than Fred Yellen – his sometimes partner Bud Seidenberg, with 25.65, and Jerry Geiger, with 24.79. There’s also Meg Klamp, who has 40.44, but she’s in Florida.

Mini-McKenney: Fred Yellen, 27.33; Ken Meier, 25.32; David Hemmer, 23.66; Gene Finton, 23.59; Chongmin Zhang, 22.60; John Ziemer, 18.83; me, 15.97; Anne Watkins, 15.88; Gene Harvey, 14.80; and Cathy Majewski, 14.02.

In Mini-McKenney, the point counts elsewhere soar. Six players (including Meg Klamp) have more than 40 and six more have more than 30.

Nationwide, the top Ace of Club players in my division are Sanford Robbins of Miami Lakes, Fla., with 74.43, and Kenneth Wagner Jr. of Hollywood, Fla., with 60 even. The list of 100 cuts off at 31.59.

National Mini-McKenney leaders in my division are Robert Micone of Tustin, Calif., with 189.70, and John McAllister of Charlottesville, Va., with 163.71. This list of 100 stops at 68.29.

Bridge Blog 743: Conundrum

So I’m looking at the ACBL website to see how close I am to 1,700 master points (1,665 as of Jan. 31) and I notice the pending points for February – the 1.79 from the St. Catharines Sectional and – what’s this? – 0.37 from CANSTAC, the Canada-wide Sectional Tournament at the Clubs last week. Except my summary from the Bridge Centre of Niagara said we won 0.85 of a point. So what is it? 0.37? 0.85? Or both?

Bridge Blog 743-A: February fizzle

There was an end-of-month rally this week, sort of like a last-minute sprint to the finish line at the end of a track meet. Not that I could expect to break into double digits. The rest of the race had been too slow.

There's not much to add up. 1.07 for that 55% game with Bill Boardman on Feb. 1; 0.45 for the 54.86% game with Barbara Sadkin on Feb. 10; 0.22 for the 49.40% with Dianne Bloom on Feb. 13; and 0.63 for the 59.52% game (first in B) with Barb Sadkin on Feb. 18. The other dates? Mediocrity. Or worse. 36% with Celine Murray on Feb. 19. Another 36% with Paula Salamone on Feb. 24.

That’s just 2.37 at the Airport Bridge Club until the big finale – 0.90 for first overall with 67.26% with Marietta Kalman on Tuesday the 25th (best of the year so far); 0.35 for a 55.68% game (second in B) with Celine Murray on Wednesday the 26th; and 0.50 for a 50.84% game (second in B in a bigger field) with Dianne Bloom on Thursday the 27th. Bringing the club total up to 4.12.

I’m radiating confidence Friday morning in anticipation of my weekly drive to St. Catharines. But then the phone rings. Selina Volpatti. She asks if I’ve seen my e-mail. No, not since 3 a.m. Well, she’s sent me a message. She’s sick with the flu. Can’t play today. Since it’s well past 11 a.m., I can’t shift gears and get to the Airport Bridge Club either. No more points, or fractions, for February. So it won’t matter much how they count CANSTAC. The tally for February is going to fall on the short side of 7.  

Bridge Blog 742: Bronze vs. Silver

It seemed like the whole crowd Friday afternoon at the Bridge Centre of Niagara in St. Catharines, Ont., was caught up in the Olympics, namely the men’s hockey semifinals, which were in progress as the game started. Canada vs. the U.S. Partner Selina Volpatti, who was following it on her smart phone, also brought along her tablet computer in case somebody wanted to watch it online.

The margin was 1-0 Canada through our first several rounds and a cheer erupted when that was announced as the final score. Canada goes on to play Sweden for the gold medal. Best the U.S. can do is win the consolation round for third place and bronze.

Meanwhile, Selina and I had a fine time on offense as North-South. We were declarers on 20 of the 27 boards and many of our risks paid off. One of our four top boards was this 4 Hearts doubled vulnerable contract, though it turned out not to be a risk at all. Both sides are vulnerable. West is dealer. I’m sitting North with this hand:

Spades: 8-5; Hearts: K-J-10-9-6; Diamonds: 10-7-5; Clubs: K-9-5.

West, Frances Aboud, opens 1 Diamond, I go 1 Heart. East, Viola Heywood, passes, though she shouldn’t. Selina jumps to 4 Hearts. Frances doubles and Viola leaves the double in. Viola’s opening lead is a Spade and Selina puts down what turns out to be the perfect dummy:

Spades: 6; Hearts: Q-7-5-4-2; Diamonds: K-J; Clubs: A-Q-6-4-3.

We lose the three Aces and that’s that. Plus 790. Here are the other hands:

East:

Spades: 10-9-7-4-3-2; Hearts: 8; Diamonds: Q-8-6-3; Clubs: 10-7.

West:

Spades: A-K-Q-J; Hearts: A-3; Diamonds: A-9-4-2; Clubs: J-8-2.

According to the hand record, it’s supposed to make 4 Hearts North-South. It also makes 3 Clubs. East-West, meanwhile, is supposed to make 4 Spades or 3 Diamonds.

According to the club website, only two other North-Souths played it in Hearts. The North who played it at 5 Hearts, doubled, went down one. Another North played it and made it at 4 Hearts, undoubled, for second-best board. Third-best for North-South was an East-West 5 Spades doubled, down two (!). Fourth-best was 2 No Trump by West, of all things, also down two, but not doubled. Seven East-Wests played it at 4 Spades. One made an overtrick. Two made 4 Spades exactly. Four went down a trick.

We wound up with a 53.70% game, fifth out of 12 North-Souths and third in the B stratification. In the Olympics, third would be bronze, but this week is a Canada-wide STaC (Sectional Tournament at the Clubs). That 0.85 of a point that we won is silver!

Bridge Blog 741: Rear-view mirror

Games, blogs, life itself, all came to a screeching standstill over the weekend, thanks to a nasty cold that left me unable to do anything for more than five minutes without conking out. The cold is still with me, but the conk-out factor is much improved so, full of decongestants, I'm back at the bridge table but taking Tuesday night off sick.

First of all, a wrap-up of the St. Catharines Sectional, where Buffalo players weren't as much of a factor as they sometimes are.  

Leading Unit 116 representatives were the partnership of Bert Hargeshimer and Christy Kellogg, who tied for tenth with 16.89 points, 8.61 for tying for third in the Sunday Swiss teams competition and 7.44 for tying for second in the Friday afternoon pairs.

Other Buffalonians of note included Saleh Fetouh (13.07, tied for 22nd), Bud Seidenberg (11 even, 26th), Kathy Pollock (7.85, 38th), Linda Burroughsford (6.62, 52nd), Madhav and Beena Deshmukh (6.17, tied for 54th), Wufeng Luo, Ten-Pao Lee and Chongmin Zhang (5.83, tied for 59th), and Chris Urbanek (5.42, tied for 63rd).

My point total for the tournament turned out to be more than I calculated – 1.79 (194th). That fourth-place finish in the B strat Friday afternoon (Blog 739) turned out to be worth 1.47 points.  

So, having missed four games on the ailing list (including a much-anticipated Saturday evening session at the St. Catharines club), is there any hope for a decent point count for February?

Let’s ignore things like the 37.04% game with Barbara Sadkin on Monday afternoon and just review the good stuff, like Tuesday’s 59.52% game, again with Barbara, who played most of the hands in our direction. That was second overall, good for 0.63 of a point.

Other successes – 55% with Bill Boardman back on Feb. 1, good for 1.07 point; 54.86% with Barb Sadkin on Feb. 10 for 0.45 of a point; and 49.40% with Dianne Bloom on Feb. 13 for 0.22 of a point. That’s it. Club total – 2.37. Tournament total – 1.79. Not even halfway to double digits.

Bridge Blog 740: St. Catharines Sectional, Days 2 and 3

        In retrospect, my best St. Catharines Sectional Tournament moments Saturday and Sunday came from getting there both days and going out to dinner with partner Selina Volpatti between the afternoon and evening sessions Saturday.

        The trip to St. Catharines looked iffy both days. Saturday morning I had to drop my sweetie off at the Buffalo airport first. I wanted to hit the terminal by 11:30, she wanted to leave our house at 11:30, so guess who prevailed. It was 11:55 when I left airport property and hit the expressway. Miraculously, the miles zipped along and I was at game in a little more than half an hour.

        On Sunday, the morning forecast was for a couple inches of snow, which is sort of what it looked like from my window. Anticipating a slow go, I left at 9:05 to get to the 10:30 Swiss teams game. No wait at the bridge. No snow on the Queen Elizabeth Way. I arrived with nearly an hour to spare and found Selina already holding down a table in the hotel coffee shop.

        For dinner Saturday, I deferred to Selina’s native instincts about restaurants. Jack Astor’s or Wildfire, she asked. Chain vs. local? Local, of course. She’d been there the previous day with her Friday partner and shared the chateaubriand (served for two) and was ready to repeat the experience. And a fine experience it was.

        The experience at the bridge tables, however, left a bit to be desired. Our fraction over 50% effort in the afternoon felt respectable, but we needed 54% to scratch. We’d make it up in the evening, we decided, and it felt like we were, but no. We limped in at 47.12%. In the double session score, we were eighth out of 14.

        Our first setback in the Swiss teams game on Sunday came at sign-in. At the Buffalo sectionals, the stratification is determined by average master points. Here in St. Catharines, it’s decided according to the highest individual point count. Average points would have kept us in the B/C/D game. Individual points put us in the A/X section with the sharks.

        Not having lined up teammates, we picked a pair from partnership chairwoman Kit Nash – Herb Heller and Sally Kellar. Like Selina and I, they were an international partnership, but in more ways than one. Herb, an 80ish widower in Pittsburgh, and Sally, a 70ish widow in the north end of Toronto, met online 10 years ago and have carried on a long-distance relationship ever since.

        Needless to say, the sharks got us. We took a 30-0 victory point shellacking in the first round, which should have given us easier opponents. It did in the second round, but that turned out to be our single moment of glory.

Our only other chance of winning came in the final round, when Selina and I bid a makeable slam and didn’t make it, while our opponents stopped at game and took all 13 tricks. We wound up next to last among something like 24 A/X teams, ahead of the people we beat in the second round.

It didn’t look like a good day for the other Buffalo players, either. The team of Saleh Fetouh, Bud Seidenberg, David Hemmer and Chris Urbanek got only 99 victory points, well out of the running. Ken Meier and John Kirsits, who Selina and I might have hooked up with, played in the B/C/D game, needed victories in five rounds to scratch and only got four. The only happy face I saw belonged to Sushil Amlami, who managed to squeeze into the 299er game and finished second.

One consolation about playing in the A/X game is that winning an individual round is more rewarding. Win a round in the 299ers and it was worth something like .14 of a point. Win in the B/C/D and you got .21 or .22. An A/X win was good for .32. My total for the tournament – 1.52.