Spingold Winners

[TimG]

Congratulations to Fred and company and thanks for providing an exciting finish for anyone to watch.

[Mr. Dodgy]

Congrats Fred et al!

[JLOGIC]

Congrats, great match!

[barmar]

It was really exciting in the Vugraph room at the Marriott. The audience was on pins and needles waiting for Brad to double 3♠. We know he's a slow and thoughtful player, but that was ridiculous. It was almost like he was doing it just to make us crap our pants. :)

[JoAnneM]

Congratulations Fred and team. I watched quite a bit of it, but wasn't there for the end. Can someone post that swing hand?

[sohcahtoa]

http://bridgewinners.com/2010-spingold-rep...meltzer-leading

[Phil]

Clutch double by Moss!

 

WD Fred and Co.

[aguahombre]

Congratulations Fred and team. I watched quite a bit of it, but wasn't there for the end. Can someone post that swing hand?

Sonty would rather you didn't see it :) . I, too, watched nearly all of the match. I chose the table of Rose and Kyle, then of Berk/Sont. This naturally resulted in seeing a lot of Gitelmoss.

 

IMHO, Moss gets MVP ---in all relevent categories that can be judged from not being there. Table presence, active ethics, and brilliance included.

[kfay]

yayayaya!! Congrats!

[barmar]

I think this was the hand (edited to fix the ♣ honors, but I'm still not sure about the 10 and 9 positions).

[hv=d=s&v=n&n=sxxhxxdqjxcqtxxxx&w=sktxxhkxxdkxxcj9x&e=sqxhxxxdxxxcakxxx&s=saj9xxhaqjtxdaxxc]399|300|Scoring: IMP[/hv]The first time it was played, East balanced with 2♣, and South rebid 2♥, North took preference to ♠ and 2♠ made.

 

On the replay, East (Fred) balanced with 1NT, and South jumped to 3♥. North again took preference, and West (Brad Moss) went into the tank for at least 5 minutes before finally whacking it. Then we had to wait some more for the lead. The best opening lead for the defense is a ♣, but Brad led a ♦.

 

If declarer had simply played for down 1 (possible with that lead), he would have won the Spingold, as they had a 12 IMP lead going into this board, and the last board was unlikely to generate a swing. Had he gone down 2, they'd have been tied, and the likely 1 IMP swing on the last board would have decided the match (in the first room, they played in a weak 1NT, making exactly because declarer didn't want to risk the contract for an overtrick, but Gitelman would find their 4-4 heart fit and make 2♥).

 

But he was apparently trying desperately to make it, and ended up going down 3 instead, sending 14 IMPs and the championship to the Diamond team.

Edited August 1, 2010 by barmar

[fred]

It was really exciting in the Vugraph room at the Marriott.  The audience was on pins and needles waiting for Brad to double 3♠.  We know he's a slow and thoughtful player, but that was ridiculous.  It was almost like he was doing it just to make us crap our pants. :)

Your pants! Try to imagine what was going through my pants!!!

 

First, I basically psych a 1NT balance because I think we need a swing (and playing "state of the match" is something I strongly tend not to do when Hampson and Greco are at the other table).

 

Second, the tray comes back instantly and I see that Sontag has jumped to 3H. For all I know the opponents might be about to bid a laydown vulnerable grand slam. Nice balance Fred!

 

Third, the next time the tray comes back it takes forever. I don't know who is thinking, but whoever it is it can only be bad news from my point of view.

 

Fourth, when the tray does come back it is obvious that my partner was the one who was thinking. Brad probably DBLs for penalties more aggressively than any other top player so it is a very bad sign that apparently he was not DBLing confidently.

 

Fifth, Brad leads away from the King of diamonds.

 

Sixth, the spot card Brad leads makes it clear that Sontag had a club void - my only possible defensive assets, the AK of clubs, appeared to be worthless.

 

I think I must have aged at least a year during that hand :)

 

Thanks all for the congrats!

 

Fred Gitelman

Bridge Base Inc.

www.bridgebase.com

[pooltuna]

It was really exciting in the Vugraph room at the Marriott.  The audience was on pins and needles waiting for Brad to double 3♠.  We know he's a slow and thoughtful player, but that was ridiculous.  It was almost like he was doing it just to make us crap our pants. :)

Your pants! Try to imagine what was going through my pants!!!

 

First, I basically psych a 1NT balance because I think we need a swing (and playing "state of the match" is something I strongly tend not to do when Hampson and Greco are at the other table).

 

Second, the tray comes back instantly and I see that Sontag has jumped to 3H. For all I know the opponents might be about to bid a laydown vulnerable grand slam. Nice balance Fred!

 

Third, the next time the tray comes back it takes forever. I don't know who is thinking, but whoever it is it can only be bad news from my point of view.

 

Fourth, when the tray does come back it is obvious that my partner was the one who was thinking. Brad probably DBLs for penalties more aggressively than any other top player so it is a very bad sign that apparently he was not DBLing confidently.

 

Fifth, Brad leads away from the King of diamonds.

 

Sixth, the spot card Brad leads makes it clear that Sontag had a club void - my only possible defensive assets, the AK of clubs, appeared to be worthless.

 

I think I must have aged at least a year during that hand :)

 

Thanks all for the congrats!

 

Fred Gitelman

Bridge Base Inc.

www.bridgebase.com

I thought the latest version of the screens had a Port-a-potty attached :)

[aguahombre]

WTP, Fred. You also had the spade 9 :)

[PassedOut]

I watched to the very end and it was truly a wonderful show. The BBO Vugraph is such a great way to watch high-level bridge!

 

Most of us know that Fred and Brad maintain very high standards of ethics in their partnership. Viewers saw a fine example last night when -- after a very rough start to the third round -- Brad nevertheless let a 5♥ contract make rather than compromise their partnership's ethics.

 

It was also good to see that Fred and Brad could put that rough patch behind them and produce a long series of excellent decisions. With two boards to go and two partscores in the other room, it looked impossible to pick up 12 IMPs. But I was really happy that I stayed up to watch!

 

Congratulations to the Diamond team! And thanks so much, Fred, for providing the BBO Vugraph that brings all the ups and downs of top-flight bridge to our screens at home.

[Phil]

[hv=d=s&v=n&n=sxxhxxdqjxcqtxxxx&w=sktxxhkxxdkxxcj9x&e=sqxhxxxdxxxcakxxx&s=saj9xxhaqjtxdaxxc]399|300|Scoring: IMP[/hv]

By the way, a few commentators were suggesting that Berk pass 3♥.

 

Reaction?

[bluecalm]

Yeah, wonderful show I was rooting for Diamond, so 3♠x made me happy :)

 

I wonder why Sontag played that fast. He must have been aware that this contract may swing the match and he instantly went from +790 to -800 at least it looked that way on vugraph.

Great match overall. It was good to see that Fred-Brad recovered after tough 3rd segment :)

[jdonn]

Congrats!

 

I will spare Fred a place in my profile's "out-of-context quote gallery" but "Try to imagine what was going through my pants!!!" would have been an all time classic.

[Phil]

Yeah, wonderful show I was rooting for Diamond, so 3♠x made me happy :)

 

I wonder why Sontag played that fast. He must have been aware that this contract may swing the match and he instantly went from +790 to -800 at least it looked that way on vugraph.

Great match overall. It was good to see that Fred-Brad recovered after tough 3rd segment :)

Making 3♠ x'd would have been amazing - the solution is very counter-intuitive. Its almost impossible to see the winning line even looking at all four hands at T5. None of the commentators spotted it, except Cohen (I think) who said "GIB thinks that 3♠ can be made at this point" (after Fred played a high club).

 

Holding it to -1 looks very achievable however. Sontag appeared to lose his poise in the middle game - I wonder exactly what he was playing for? 3-3 spades seems impossible, and the hand doesn't seem that tough to reconstruct in spite of Fred's offbeat reopening (which I kind of like).

[aguahombre]

Dealer: South Vul: N/S Scoring: IMP

♠ xx ♥ xx ♦ QJx ♣ QTxxxx ♠ KTxx ♥ Kxx ♦ Kxx ♣ J9x ♠ Qx ♥ xxx ♦ xxx ♣ AKxxx ♠ AJ9xx ♥ AQJTx ♦ Axx ♣ [space]

By the way, a few commentators were suggesting that Berk pass 3♥.

 

Reaction?

they mentioned the tactical reasoning...possibly avoiding a double by pretending he was 2-3. Surely they were not looking at the actual suit qualities, then coming up with the logic.

[andy_h]

Congratulations! Marvelous finish!

[bluecalm]

I think passing 3♥ is terrible as partner is supposed to be 6-5 for his jump to 3♥ playing precision.

I mean what kind of hand jumps to 3♥ if partner passes 1♠ ? Not being 6-5 there seems like judgment blunder to me.

 

This is assuming they open 1♥ with 6♥-5♠ and decent hand.

[Phil]

I think passing 3♥ is terrible as partner is supposed to be 6-5 for his jump to 3♥ playing precision.

I mean what kind of hand jumps to 3♥ if partner passes 1♠ ? Not being 6-5 there seems like judgment blunder to me.

 

This is assuming they open 1♥ with 6♥-5♠ and decent hand.

I think you are missing the point of passing.

 

The argument for passing is that we are quite possibly in hot water, and 3♠ has to get by two opponents, and 3♥ only has to get by one. If 3♥ is x'd, we can run to 3♠. Furthermore, even a mild preference may get boosted to game if partner has some extreme shape, although with a 6-6 or something pard might have bid 4♥, not 3.

 

Partner will be 6-5 a lot, but you really can't call 3♥ with Sontag's 5-5 a misbid. Double and then hearts might be better, to convey a maximum (many would open 1♣, even with a little less). I also think the spade spots are pretty lousy for 3♥, but he was hoping for some hearts, and short spades I'm sure.

[jdonn]

Partner will be 6-5 a lot, but you really can't call 3♥ with Sontag's 5-5 a misbid. Double and then hearts might be better, to convey a maximum (many would open 1♣, even with a little less). I also think the spade spots are pretty lousy for 3♥, but he was hoping for some hearts, and short spades I'm sure.

Agree about 3♥ but you might call 1♠ a misbid!

[cherdanno]

Very nice, congrats!

[Hanoi5]

Congrats to Fred and co. I was watching the second match where Fred made 4♥x, great play by Fred and also great by his teammates not doubling and defeating.

 

I also thought they were gonna win easily, I'll have to watch the come-back of the third quarter.