Unusual vs. Unusual Unusual vs. Michaels

Here is another post on Unusual vs. Unusual. I have found this to be an excellent gadget, logical and easy to remember, you can even safely spring it on partners undiscussed :-) I first played 1M (2N*) with Richard, we may have played it with the responses reversed. This is the only "catch" and you must discuss this part with your partner. Is 1M (2N*) 3♣ gf in hearts or spades? It does not matter which you chose as long as you chose one! Peter & I have chosen to bid ‘up the line’ so clubs is for hearts and diamonds for spades. Keep it simple and easy to remember. We have also extended this to include unusual over Michael’s and, as I discovered the other day, it applies over 1N (2N)

UNUSUAL vs. UNUSUAL
1M (2N*) *clubs and diamonds

3♣ = limit+ with ♥'s
3♦ = limit+ with ♠'s
Contrast these with 1♠ (2N) 3♠ or 1♠ (2N) 3♥ which are competitive only (i.e. to play, showing no extra values)

UNUSUAL vs. MICHAELS

1m (2m*) *hearts and spades
2♥ = limit+ in ♣
2♠ = limit+ in ♦
Contrast these with 1♣ (2♣) 3♣ or 1♣(2♣) 2♦ which are competitive only (i.e.to play)

1♠(2♠*) *hearts and a minor
3♥ limit+ in ♠
3♣/♦ natural gf

1♥(2♥*) *spades and a minor
2♠ limit+ in Hearts
3♣/♦ natural gf
If you do not have the values to force to game, or if you have both minors, it is necessary to negative double.

Unusual vs. Unusual also applies over 1N (2N*) *minors, I have included the comments from our bidding notes on this:

Do you play anything over 1N (2N) ? If 2N is showing the minors, 3♣ could show hearts, 3♦ could show spades each with invitational values, while 3♥ or 3♠ would be to play. This is Unusual v Unusual, same responses that would apply if the auction had gone 1♥ -(2N) - .
However, unlike 1M (2N) 3m, 1N (2N) 3m must be M5+ since partner could have as few as 2M

Bouncing back

Life is back to normal :) I played with Peter in the North Shore game today, had a good solid game and finished with 53% and another fraction of a Monster Point to add to my gradually growing number. lol When will I have enough to fly to San Diego?
I'd love to go to the nationals, it won't be this time but I will get there one day.

Wayne headed off this morning on his way to San Diego. I wish I had managed to spend more time with him and tap into his expertise. However, 8am - 11pm days at the regional didn't leave much time for anything else.

I think the most valuable yet simple lesson I took away after playing with Wayne and Peter last week was to slow down and think during the auction and the play. Think, plan, review, replan - easy to say, harder to do. Playing online tends to be done at breakneck speed, if you stop to think you are either bombarded with ????????'s or simply booted from the table.

I did some of this today - it is ok to slow down and think when you have something to think about!

Caffeine; I stopped drinking caffeine drinks (tea, coffee) on Saturday and by Sunday morning I had the worst splitting headache you can imagine. Jennifer was singing with the choir, so on our way to Church I had to stop at a coffee shop for a large Latte, 20mins later I was feeling a lot better. I need to stop drinking the damn stuff but I obviously need to plan a little better, a few quiet days at home with some ibuprofen handy might do the trick. I best check the bottle to make sure the pain killers don't contain caffeine. This is what withdrawing from drugs is like!

tap declarer

Here is another fun hand from the Regional, board23 Friday evening pairs. I should say, fun board if you weren't trying to play this in 2♣.

If learning this game isn't difficult enough there is also the specific bridge language you need to learn - 'tap' for me, coming from New Zealand, was where we got the water. I suppose I am saying faucet now. Tap dance, tap shoes, now how about 'tap declarer'. Peter has been showing me hands as they come up, where it is right to tap declarer, hopefully this is one of them.

'Tapping' means leading a suit where you know declarer is void, forcing him to ruff, thus shortening his trump and losing control of the hand.

When this hand came up, I passed 2♣ smoothly and, unable to lead partners suit, I led the second obvious choice ♥3 hitting the jackpot. Partner played heart AK and I ruffed 3rd round of ♥, I'm not sure how the play continued but each time I won the lead, I continued with ♦ to make declarer ruff.

Result 2♣-2 for 300

crazy 12 card deal

Here's a crazy hand from the Regional, board18 Friday afternoon pairs.
I'm south here and couldn't believe the bidding until I saw dummy - thanks partner!

West led Heart Ace, East playing the 10 (encouraging), West continued Hearts at trick 2 and I was expecting a ruff and ready to claim -1.
East turned up with a stiff heart and the spade void!
Claim 6 +1660 thank you!

Crash and Burn

Yesterday was my last day at the Regional and today I have crashed to an unbelievable low. My game was not good in the morning and I made some careless mistakes,then later in the afternoon games, my (afternoon) partner started being critical of my play. I think I held it together well and finished the day without going on a tilt or fighting back but today I am feeling extremely bad.

So what happened? I started the week with a win and an amazing high, for the rest of the week I was playing 3 games a day with alternating highs and lows.
I was not sleeping, eating or exercising properly. I started to let little things get to me, such as when a player I admired from the club made a crack about my win on Monday, I let that eat away at me. I take things very personally and I hate letting my partners down by making careless mistakes. Nevertheless, Peter doesn’t react to my mistakes and I’m sure he isn’t expecting me to play like a pro so its mostly all the crap I’m piling on myself. I’m going to make mistakes, I guess at times even the best do. Keep calm and focused!

Today I am giving up caffeine :)

I have a lot of good and interesting things I want to blog about so when I've picked myself up, I'll do that. Its funny, despite this drama I would still rather be out there today, playing, than anything else.

Day5

Well it's Friday, my last day at the Regional. I'm sleeping less, thinking more and having an amazing time. I think my game has improved a lot this week, as you'd hope it would after playing morning, noon and night. I am so tired, I'm getting less sleep, 5 hours on average, less last night, my brain wont shut down. Despite being sleep deprived I'm making much smarter calls and plays, my game with Peter is really coming together and I'm SO much more relaxed and confident at the table.

I have a lot I want to blog about, an epiphany on 2/1 auctions, my first attempt at exclusion keycard, lebensohl nightmares, some humorous hands, some spectacular hands, table manners and lots more. What a week, I wish it wouldn't end, I have played so much good bridge and of course, I have been lucky enough to have the best partners.

5:30am; I'll see if I can snatch another hours sleep. One parting comment, it should be noted that so far in this tournament, Waynes best result has been with me. ;-)

Vancouver Regional Monday Charity Pairs winners:

We won!!! 65%
Thanks Wayne!

Now I need to sleep, I have another 4 days of this.