The Butcher Shop

[daveharty]

Here's a place to post your stories of hands you've played really badly. I'll start:

 

[hv=pc=n&w=sj643hqjt983d86cj&e=sk5hak4dakj72cak7&d=s&v=e&b=3&a=pp1sdp2hp2sp4hp4np5d(0/3)p6hppp]266|200[/hv]

 

North led the ♠8.

 

I stared at that lead for a good two minutes, trying to decide if North had out-and-out psyched, or was trying to put his partner in for a diamond ruff. Finally, catering to the slim possibility that he had underled from AT9872 (fourth best, right?), I put up the king. Wrong! North had opened on QT872 -- Q95 Q6542.

 

I was handling this with equanimity until he spread his hand after play was over and said, "Eh, third seat."

 

I cocked an eyebrow at him.

 

"Come on," he said. "Tell me you wouldn't open that in third seat."

 

"I wouldn't open that in third seat."

 

He shrugged, and pushed his cards back in the board. "Gotta be aggressive."

 

Sigh.

[billw55]

Amusing, but what does it have to do with playing hands badly?

[daveharty]

Amusing, but what does it have to do with playing hands badly?

I'm gratified that you don't share my opinion that I played it badly. :)

[billw55]

I'm gratified that you don't share my opinion that I played it badly. :)

You are faced with two possibilities:

 

1. north underled an ace against a slam contract

2. north opened the bidding with at most three queens

 

Guessing between two irrational alternatives is tough, what reason could there be to go either way? Unless you know the perpetrator, there isn't one.

 

There is some chance his comments are just to cover up the psyche. Did you report it?

[Fluffy]

I ducked my queen on 4th position with AJx in dummy opposite my Qxx after RHO tanked 2 minutes and played the 10, I don't think badly is a proper adjective for that play.

[daveharty]

There is some chance his comments are just to cover up the psyche. Did you report it?

No. I have probably played 500 boards against this guy over many years, and this is the first time I can recall him psyching against me. He certainly doesn't make a habit of it.

[wyman]

I like the idea of this thread. If I played more, it would be my blog...

[wyman]

[hv=pc=n&s=saqt642hkt5d6c643&n=s75ha82da854ckj75&d=e&v=b&b=10&a=1d2s(intermediate)p4sppdppp]266|200[/hv]

 

Butchered this one recently in a number of ways. First, playing intermediate jump overcalls vulnerable, I had a misunderstanding about the definition of intermediate, so we ended up a bit too high and LHO pounced.

 

The play went (at teams (KO) against relatively poor opps, but still in the 2k MP pp range) :

 

T1: diamond led, I won the ace. [i decided here I was playing for LHO to have KJxx of spades, mostly because I thought I was in a lot of trouble if he had 5]

T2: spade to the ace, RHO shows up with the 9, confirming things.

T3: club up, and LHO pops the A. [What?]

T4: diamond back, I ruff.

T5: club to the J and Q [Here is my mistake. I played LHO for AQx(x) since what other holdings would really pop? But he has a pretty clear 2N with ♣AQx(x) and ♠KJxx.]

T6: diamond ruffed in hand

T7: club to the K and RHO shows out, which means that LHO is 4=(23? I hope)=4, so I can:

T8: ruff a club

T9-10-11: A-K-x of hearts, LHO ruffing perforce leading to

T12-13: We each get a spade.

 

I thought I did well to get out for down 1 until I realized I should make the damn thing dropping RHO's doubleton CQ. This is a really nice hand anyway, though IMO.

 

edit: held AQ10xxx not AK10xxx