Monday 30 november 2009
1
30
/11
/2009
01:41
Some of you might be familiar with the humorous books of Victor Mollo. All players have funny surnames such as Oscar the
Owl, Timothy the Toucan or Peregrine the Penguin. There are others nicknamed according to their personnalities like "the professor" or "the chimp".
If you want a good laugh (and some clever hands of bridge dissected) get Bridge in the Menagerie or Bridge in the Fourth Dimension
I sometimes wish to be able to write in the same way and here is a hand which can provide a good story.
The dealer was K.K (Keen Keith), with his usual bid:
Pass
followed by another pass from L.L (Lucid Lu).
The third player in West was F.F (French Frog) who opens 1 Spade.
Pass by North
2 Diamonds by K.K
Pass by South
2 NT by F.F
"Alert" says K.K, "it means 15 to 18 points"
Pass again by North.
Instead of going the usual 3 Clubs (check back) K.K bids 3 Diamonds, which means I don't care if you have a strong hand, I don't, I have some diamonds and nothing else, we are not going anywhere.
I have no choice but pass and then North intervenes.
North is a player who like to do the police, a bit like inspector Derrick, and he sometimes thinks he is a god from an ancient mythology, a bit like Thor, so let's call him Derrick-Thor
He erupts "You should have alerted 1 Spade, it's a 4 cards suit, it's not what is played here, I could have bid something," and so on, in a tone that I can't describe to avoid censorship.
The diatribe was not adressed to K.K, who was speechless, but to Froggy who did not reply but just displayed his hand on the table:
AKJ106
972
AK
Q93
As you see, there are 5 Spades, and F.F was waiting for a reaction, but Derrick-Thor lost a very good opportunity to apologise.
Here is his hand:
Q9732
A8
72
K1086
He could have bid something? Double to suggest he has got Hearts? NT to show points and a stop in Spades? Cue bid? Change suit? He was only playing with Lucid Lu, not extralucid...
Anyone who plays ACOL knows that even if theoretically we can open with a 4 cards major, it happens about once every one hundred hands. With 4-3-3-3 and 12 to 14 points, it's 1 NT. To open 1 Spade, it has to be between 15 and 20 points AND no other 4 cards in the minors. It's not often, and if it happens, the opposition has very little points left to go to any contract... So what is the fuss about it? it is still a natural call.
If the commitee wants to start ruling about this system (played by a lot of players all around Australia and the world), rulings should be done also about RCO (which is forbidden in certain competitions and which is not understood at the Club by a lot of players)
Anyhow, on that night F.F had his system card on the table, which could be consulted at any time. Derrick-Thor did not have any. It's the old saying; "Do what I say, don't do what I do."
The morality of the story is that now everyone should have a system card, so we all know at a glance, without even asking, if Stayman is standard or extended, if 4NT is Ace asking or RKC, and so on...
To add to the insult, 2 days later, an email was sent to everyone reminding of that special "alert" which is contrary to the rules of the ABF.
Bridge is a game played by gentlemen (and Ladies of course). Being abused by a player of the opposition at the table is totally inacceptable.
It should be noted that an apology was sent to K.K but not to F.F
Until it comes, Good-Bye Nowra Bridge Club. I am going to miss most of you. If you want to play with me, just connect on Stepbridge.
If you want a good laugh (and some clever hands of bridge dissected) get Bridge in the Menagerie or Bridge in the Fourth Dimension
I sometimes wish to be able to write in the same way and here is a hand which can provide a good story.
The dealer was K.K (Keen Keith), with his usual bid:
Pass
followed by another pass from L.L (Lucid Lu).
The third player in West was F.F (French Frog) who opens 1 Spade.
Pass by North
2 Diamonds by K.K
Pass by South
2 NT by F.F
"Alert" says K.K, "it means 15 to 18 points"
Pass again by North.
Instead of going the usual 3 Clubs (check back) K.K bids 3 Diamonds, which means I don't care if you have a strong hand, I don't, I have some diamonds and nothing else, we are not going anywhere.
I have no choice but pass and then North intervenes.
North is a player who like to do the police, a bit like inspector Derrick, and he sometimes thinks he is a god from an ancient mythology, a bit like Thor, so let's call him Derrick-Thor
He erupts "You should have alerted 1 Spade, it's a 4 cards suit, it's not what is played here, I could have bid something," and so on, in a tone that I can't describe to avoid censorship.
The diatribe was not adressed to K.K, who was speechless, but to Froggy who did not reply but just displayed his hand on the table:
AKJ106
972
AK
Q93
As you see, there are 5 Spades, and F.F was waiting for a reaction, but Derrick-Thor lost a very good opportunity to apologise.
Here is his hand:
Q9732
A8
72
K1086
He could have bid something? Double to suggest he has got Hearts? NT to show points and a stop in Spades? Cue bid? Change suit? He was only playing with Lucid Lu, not extralucid...
Anyone who plays ACOL knows that even if theoretically we can open with a 4 cards major, it happens about once every one hundred hands. With 4-3-3-3 and 12 to 14 points, it's 1 NT. To open 1 Spade, it has to be between 15 and 20 points AND no other 4 cards in the minors. It's not often, and if it happens, the opposition has very little points left to go to any contract... So what is the fuss about it? it is still a natural call.
If the commitee wants to start ruling about this system (played by a lot of players all around Australia and the world), rulings should be done also about RCO (which is forbidden in certain competitions and which is not understood at the Club by a lot of players)
Anyhow, on that night F.F had his system card on the table, which could be consulted at any time. Derrick-Thor did not have any. It's the old saying; "Do what I say, don't do what I do."
The morality of the story is that now everyone should have a system card, so we all know at a glance, without even asking, if Stayman is standard or extended, if 4NT is Ace asking or RKC, and so on...
To add to the insult, 2 days later, an email was sent to everyone reminding of that special "alert" which is contrary to the rules of the ABF.
Bridge is a game played by gentlemen (and Ladies of course). Being abused by a player of the opposition at the table is totally inacceptable.
It should be noted that an apology was sent to K.K but not to F.F
Until it comes, Good-Bye Nowra Bridge Club. I am going to miss most of you. If you want to play with me, just connect on Stepbridge.
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