Mrs. Guggenheim at BBO

[guggie]

Mrs. Guggenheim discovers BBO

 

All of you who don’t know Mrs. Guggenheim should read S.J. Simons’ Why you lose at bridge. Mrs. Guggenheim, one of the protagonists of this classic, revived in Amsterdam, and recently made her debut at BBO. At first Mrs. Guggenheim visited BBO to watch the Dutch team on Vuegraph, then daringly seated herself at a table in the main bridge club. A nice Dutch gentleman helped her to play in a tournament and - she was hooked. On Ascension Day Mirjam_3 organised a tournament for the Dutchies. Her regular partner, the poor Mr. Smug, wasn’t there. She looked in the partnershipdesk, and thought the profile of RamJam rather cute. An invitation was sent and accepted, and off they went…

 

On Board 1 she gets:

 

 

♠ AH976

♥B5

♦AV3

♣T53

 

 

RamJam opens 1♥, opps pass, Mrs. G. responds (easy does it) 1♠, RamJam 3♥. Good old Blackwood reveals 2 aces. Well, matchpoints, and she rather fancies a diamond lead upto her hand. Mrs. Guggenheim bids 6SA. Jan Willem leads ♣9.

Hm.

 

[hv=d=w&v=n&n=st2hakq82d842caq4&s=sak976hj5daq3ct53]133|200|Scoring: IMP[/hv]

 

 

A bit of a disappointment: only 5 hearts and 15 HCP is also less than expected. And that ♣9 has a very nasty look. The Jack had better be onside and totally demoralized she ducks in dummy. East however produces the 7 and Mrs. G. utters a little cry of joy. Rearranging her numerous necklaces, she plays a small spade to the 10. Jojanneke (East) takes her Q and returns ♦7. How far are we? 3 ♣-tricks, 5 ♥-tricks and 1 ♦-trick makes 9, if you add 3 ♠-tricks 12, enough. Mrs. G. puts resolutely the Ace, and plays on hearts. Interestingly, West shows up with four. His lead from KJ must give him 5 clubs. Moreover, East has enough spades to let go one on the hearts. Well well. Feeling very dashing she leads a small spade to her 8, west discarding a club.

6NTC yields 11,4 IMPs. IMPS? Oh dear, it wasn’t matchpoints after all. She should have said 6♥.

 

Complete hand:

 

[hv=d=w&v=n&n=st2hakq82d842caq4&w=s5ht943d965ckj982&e=sqj843h76dkjt7c76&s=sak976hj5daq3ct53]399|300|Scoring: IMP

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A basic ♦-finesse would also have done the trick, but this is so much better for morale. They settle for table 1. The next boards nothing happens, they defend a 1NT for C in stead of –1, and slip down to table 2. But on board 7 they score:

 

[hv=d=w&v=n&n=st2hakq82d842caq4&w=s5ht943d965ckj982&e=sqj843h76dkjt7c76&s=sak976hj5daq3ct53]399|300|Scoring: IMP

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After 2 x pass Rita (West) opens 1♣. RamJam overcalls 1♠, Joke (East) pass and Mrs. G. announces her near-opening values with 2♣. RamJam has just confided to Mrs. G. that he plays bridge only for 15 months. Would he understand? He answers 3♣, and Mrs. G. seeks refuge in the 3NT panacea. After a ♠-lead even Mrs. G. can fulfil her contract. As 2 of 6 tables didn’t reach game, and one pair failed in 3NT, our couple won 5,6 IMPs.

 

The second board on that table wasn’t boring either. Mrs. G.’s hand:

 

[hv=d=n&v=n&s=sk543hqtd85ckq763]133|100|Scoring: IMP[/hv]

 

After 2 passes RamJam opens 3NT. Would that sweet boy have mastered the gambling 3NT? It has all the looks of it. She passes, and Joke leads ♥5. Mrs. G. looks at:

 

[hv=d=w&v=n&n=st2hakq82d842caq4&w=s5ht943d965ckj982&e=sqj843h76dkjt7c76&s=sak976hj5daq3ct53]399|300|Scoring: IMP

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She swallows. A new kind of gambling 3NT. Slam is there. Well, at least he cannot go wrong on the lead. After ♥Q he plays ♣A and ♣KQ, clubs splitting 3-3. What clubs… a tempo he plays a small ♠ to the Q. North sees no reason to play her A on air and ducks. RamJam cashes cool as a cucumber ♥A (Mrs. G. is fanning herself) and plays the diamonds top down. 13 tricks.

Mrs. G. pleads: “Ronald, please consider my nerves and keep your coverage in spades and hearts until you know the diamonds are good.” The score is plus: +2.8! The one pair to bid 6NT was the only pair not to make 12 or 13 tricks. The lead was in the other hand after a weak jump overcall in ♥, and the leader played well to take the ♦-finesse for –5.

The penultimate round they are NS on table 1. They win 3 IMPS, and encounter the same opps in the final round. Board 11:

 

[hv=d=n&v=n&s=sk543hqtd85ckq763]133|100|Scoring: IMP[/hv]

 

Mecha opens 1♣, Chrisje responds 1♠, Blackwood reveals one ace for Chrisje and 6♠ is reached. RamJam leads ♦5. Mrs. G. views:

 

Dealer: East Vul: None Scoring: IMP

♠ AQJ3 ♥ KQ5 ♦ 2 ♣ AKJ98 ♠ 5 ♥ JT9876 ♦ J764 ♣ T4

 

 

Her J is for the Q of Chrisje, who happily runs trumps until all trumps are gone (RamJam has 4). Then she starts on clubs, but oh dear she got stuck in dummy. Obviously RamJam has ♥A next to his ♦K. Please please let him keep a small heart….

 

And YEZZZZ on the last club he let go ♦10, and Mrs. G scores the decisive last trick with the ♥J.

 

[hv=d=w&v=n&n=st2hakq82d842caq4&w=s5ht943d965ckj982&e=sqj843h76dkjt7c76&s=sak976hj5daq3ct53]399|300|Scoring: IMP

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RamJam and Mrs. G. win the Ascension Day Tournament with an excess of IMPS. Ramjam chats: “Thanks, it was fun, especially that penultimate board” He so reminds her of her grandson. Mollified she returns: “Thanks. You did wonderful.”