The platypus

Note: written this morning - we just got internet. Failed to get HP7, line too long. We'll write about this afternoon later... or never.

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When Argenta graduated from Yale, at her senior bridge club dinner, she was given the special award of “The Platypus.” She earned this dubious designation in recognition of her particular propensity to hold stiff kings offside, most frequently in trump or dummy's running suit.

As her teammate in the match this morning, I was playing in an aggressively bid 4H. Dummy held:

S QTxx
H AQxx
D xx
C AJx

and I held:

S A9x
H Jxxx
D AQxx
C xx

They led a club, and I played low, hoping righty would misplay and give me a finesse on a possible Kxxx in lefty's hand. She obliged, playing the Q, and I played low. She switched to a diamond, and I lost my Q to righty's king, who played a diamond again to my ace. I thought for a moment, remembering Argenta was playing righty's hand in the replay, but I decided to go with the non-superstitious line to make it, and I played a small heart to my Q in dummy, losing to the, you guessed it, stiff king of hearts. Righty leads back a spade, I play low, and righty wins the king for down one, but of course, because the hearts were 4-1 with king, I'm off two, hoping they bid it too (any 3-2 break in H, or the diamond finesse at worst – and vulnerable, I don't want to risk an invite.)

This was before I understood what we were up against – they were in 3NT, off three (even catching the K offside!) so we still won three IMPs on this Platypus hand. The final score was 94-43, and hand after hand they gave us gifts. They also fixed us a fair bit, including one where south opens 1S vulnerable vs. not, I overcall 2D, and north holds AKQxx in spades AND an outside K. He bids 3S, described as invitational, and she passes. When dummy comes down I'm sure we're winning 10 on this, but to my horror not only is 4S down, 3S was only making on my lead. What would you lead from: void Qxx KJ9xxx KT9x? Any club lets it make, for minus 8 IMPS. North's explanation for his bid? “Well, I've learned to be cautious in my old age, I don't bid close games when we're vulnerable.”

Our luckiest board was probably one where I hold:

S AKx
H Q9x
D Qxx
C AJ9x

I fail to open 1NT, missing the fact that I have the Q of diamonds, and Lovey has

Lovey holds:

S xxx
H K10xx
D AKx
C Txx

I open 1C, Lovey responds 1H, and I bid 1NT, all pass. They lead a diamond, and I finesse clubs, they cover with the queen, and when they win the king, they lead hearts, sorting everything out for me: I make 5, but this seems terrible because even without the H switch I have 9 tricks all day long. In the replay, 3NT is down two, because even with the same lead, they switch to a heart, guess it wrong, lose the jack, and Eric leads another diamond. Then they cash the A and K of spades(?), dropping the Q, but then when they try the hearts again Argenta gets in and cashes the 10 and 9, leads another diamond, and they must lose a club to Eric, who cashes a diamond for down two. It's not often you miss a cold vulnerable game your opponents find for +9 IMPs.

Anyway, winning the 9AM special means that Eric will be doing serious overtime tomorrow when he plays in our finals, bless his heart. Good luck Stanford!