October update

I have been playing more club bridge with Peter and playing much less online. I am beginning to prefer studying or working on my play than playing online which must be better for my game. I have a few great partners on BBO and I’m rarely playing pickup games now.

October has been busy kicking off with a day of play/lesson at the club hosted by Mike Lawrence. I enjoyed it, came away with a few tips and 2 more of his CD’s – Counting#1 and Private Bridge Lessons#1. I heard of a 2-day workshop Mike held over the weekend that sounded intense but excellent. I wish I had been able to attend but it was by invitation only, "nobodies" didn’t get an invite. Oh well.

One interesting point Mike Lawrence made was to play (4S) X as takeout, (4S) 4N as 2 suited. I have been playing takeout through 4H, 4S X as penalty. When was the last time anyone made a penalty double of a preemptive 4S?

My brother Ian, Fuxia and Angus flew in from New Zeand for a great 3 week visit. Ian and Fuxia played one Friday night at the VBC and came in a respectable 2nd, another night I managed a teams game with them . Ian and Fuxia played together while I had a nice game with a pickup partner. My game is improving. At IMPS I need to be more competitive, I’ve been learning to be less aggressive in MP’s and haven’t yet sorted it all out so I can adjust my game to the scoring method. Yet another part of the game I need to work on.

Two weeks until the sectional, I have one game arranged with Peter and hoping for more, if not I will find a partner from the partnership desk. Better to play in C (0-50) than not at all - I think! Honestly, I'd much rather play in A or open and come last having played some good bridge than play in 0-xxx any day.

I have been doing a lot of work on our CC. I am gradually filling it up and working through all the sequences, signaling, leads etc and Peter is doing a fabulous job of explaining the reasoning behind it all and keeping me on track. It is developing into a very useful document for me, one day I hope to share it.

I'm enjoying a lot of good bridge lately but Im also looking forward to the first snow fall, we could be making a trip to Sun Peaks next month for the first skiing of the season.

Back to counting..