Just a little outside …
Just a little outside …
Do you remember that line from the movie Major League? Bob Uecker played a broadcaster who was calling a pitch that was about 30 feet outside. Just a little, uh, understated was the call.
Well, that movie line has nothing on my defense on this hand. My defense was, shall we say, just a little underwhelming.
I held ♠T, ♥976, ♦KJT, ♣AQJ652 and heard partner open the bidding with 1♦. RHO, at unfavorable vulnerability, overcalled 1NT. I doubled, and that might have been the only call made at the table that was reasonable. Everyone passed and it is my hand on lead.
I chose the ♣A, which is our agreed power lead against notrump, meaning that partner unblocks an honor if he has one, and shows count if he doesn’t. Dummy showed up, remarkably, with 4=6=0=3 distribution and 2 HCP, in the form of the major suit jacks. Partner played the four and declarer the 9. I continued the ♣Q and partner played the three and declarer won the king. Declarer played the ♥A , dummy and I followed suit and partner paused. Yep declarer had one of the two death heart holdings AKQx; even AKQ tight would not be a problem, only AKQx or AKx would allow him to run six heart tricks.
Here’s the whole hand:
We scored up -380, when no less than +1700 was available to us, had I just led partner’s suit! I underdefended five tricks at Trick 1, and then another two tricks at Trick 2. I think – and certainly hope – that is a personal record.
Interestingly, look at the parlay of auction choices that had to occur in order to allow my defense to take place. Partner opened 1♦ on a hand that many would choose 1♠. Declarer overcalled 1NT without a diamond stopper. And, most extremely, advancer passed 1NTX with an undisclosed six card major! I guess the opponents have seen me defend before. Then partner passed with an undisclosed five card major.
Just to add fuel to the fire, not only did my partner have to suffer through my seven trick misdefense this hand, but he also suffered through North having spilled partner’s cup of soup. And then, when the hand was over, and I departed to avoid giggling, partner was left to argue with the opponents over whether they had taken eight or nine tricks!
Yep, just a little outside …
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Two added thoughts: there is a third death heart holding of declarer: AQx (dropping pard’s stiff K); and, depending upon how I discard on partner’s run of diamonds, I could succeed, had I led a diamond on this hand, with not only setting the 1NTX contract six tricks, but also arranging that the Trick 13 winner is in dummy, thus resulting in the hand that overcalled 1NT taking NO tricks. (If I discard my spade and two hearts on partner’s long diamonds, declarer will come down to the SA in hand and the HJ in dummy; if my remaining card is a heart, dummy will win Trick 13.)
I have an issue with everyone at the table. I agree with the 1D opening bid. It is feasible to now bid spades twice to show 5-6 (or more) but not extra points when the 2nd spade bid is the cheapest possible level.
Now for the real bad stuff: 1N by S is my 3rd choice. I would X or bid 1H before lying about my diamond stopper. I would have a bit more sympathy bidding 1N over a 1C opener without a sure club stopper.
X by your hand is OK as it at least shows HCP’s, but it is scary with 2 open suits. However, no alternative comes to my mind unless you have an agreement like 3C is invitational.
P by North is (expletive deleted). It is either made by an inexperienced player or someone who has a wire. A transfer to hearts is mandatory with this hand.
P by opener is also heinous. With 2 suits wide open and a decent 5-6 hand bidding 2S has to be the best. It may not take much for slam on this hand.
Now for the opening lead: Tough, but I choose diamonds, figuring I am in danger of giving declarer a trick he may not deserve either way. However, since partner opened the suit I hope he has a card there that will make my lead less harmful for the defense. Now the trick will be not to block the suit.
So I ask who made the worst bid or play? Everyone is a contender!
Oh, I think I win the Worst Bid or Play award on the hand, in a landslide. Not the least defensible award; that has to go to North’s pass over 1NTx, with an honorable mention to East’s pass over that same contract. But since no other action lost 2080 points, who can really contend with my claim for the dubious honor?
I generally agree with each of your comments, Steve. The one I might contest not in choice but in automaticity (I hope that is a real word) is partner’s choice of opening bid. With such a weak opening bid and such extreme distribution, the chances that he will be able to leisurely introduce his nice spade suit at a safe level later in the auction is compromised; the opponents can easily muck that plan. (I am not saying that I criticize the 1D opening bid, but only that the choice of opening 1S has much going for it, too.)
Btw, at matchpoints, I am not too troubled by partner possibly blocking the diamond suit by overtaking the second round of diamonds. Even if we get only three diamond tricks, when added to our six club tricks to come we still score down three for +800. Even with 6 of a minor making, I don’t expect anyone to be there on matching 11 counts in our hands.