Something for everyone

[pilowsky]

I wondered yesterday if it was possible to be dealt a hand so bland that nobody could make any contract.

So I created that most boring hand I could think of, and it still makes 1 of something (except NT).

Here it is:

[hv=lin=st%7C%7Cpn%7Cpilowsky,~~v3fakebot,~~v3fakebot,~~v3fakebot%7Cmd%7C3SAT62HJ73DQ84CK95,SK95HAT62DJ73CQ84,SQ84HK95DAT62CJ73,SJ73HQ84DK95CAT62%7Csv%7Co%7Crh%7C%7Cah%7CBoard%201%7Cmb%7CP%7Cmb%7CP%7Cmb%7CP%7Cmb%7Cp%7C]300|300|

Here's the double-dummy result: http://bit.ly/BlandHand[/hv]

 

So my question is: Is it possible to be dealt a hand that makes no contracts at all?

[smerriman]

Yes; the simplest example is:

 

     AKQJ
     x
     xxxx
     xxxx

xxxx        xxxx
xxxx        xxxx
x           AKQJ
AKQJ        x
   
     x
     AKQJ
     xxxx
     xxxx

where not only do all contracts go down, they actually go down 2.

 

{edited to fix accidentally rotated hands}

[pilowsky]

[hv=lin=st%7C%7Cpn%7Cpilowsky,~~v3fakebot,~~v3fakebot,~~v3fakebot%7Cmd%7C3ST987HT987DAKQJC2,S2HAKQJD6543C6543,SAKQJH2DT987CT987,S6543H6543D2CAKQJ%7Csv%7Co%7Crh%7C%7Cah%7CBoard%201%7Cmb%7CP%7Cmb%7CP%7Cmb%7CP%7Cmb%7Cp%7C]300|300|

 

This example makes 2X for whoever has the AKQJ.

I think it's because your example gives 2 8-card fits to each pair, whereas the original hand only has 7-card fits.

[/hv]

 

 

[hv=lin=st%7C%7Cpn%7Cpilowsky,~~v3fakebot,~~v3fakebot,~~v3fakebot%7Cmd%7C3S2HAKQJDT987C6543,ST987H6543DAKQJC2,SAKQJH2D6543CT987,S6543HT987D2CAKQJ%7Csv%7Co%7Crh%7C%7Cah%7CBoard%201%7Cmb%7CP%7Cmb%7CP%7Cmb%7CP%7Cmb%7Cp%7C]300|300|

I think you meant this hand.

[/hv]

[smerriman]

Oops, yes, messed up the formatting when entering the hands.

[mycroft]

Thomas Andrews has investigated this in (fascinating) detail.