In our final, Team Toddy built on their 13 IMP carryover
to lead the first half by (33 + 13) 46 to 10. Team Elvee tried
to mount another amazing comeback but winning the second half
by 21-18 left them short of their goal. The final score:
Toddy's Troops 64 IMPs 16 VPs
Elvee's Elves 31 IMPs 4 VPs
This leaves the final standings at:
Toddy's Troops
Elvee's Elves
HelenT's Horde
Moogal's Marauders
Marlyse's Minions
Fredw3's Foursome
Congratulations go out to Team Toddy (Toddy, JudyDee,
MBar and Gaus271), who will now face the winner of the FIT
League (to be determined in the morning) this Sunday at
11:00 A.M. PST. Our felicitations extend to Team Elvee
(Elvee, Tara, JBot, JKH and SWinters) for their impressive
second place finish. Well done, one and all!
================================================================
IMPs north IMP Board 4
Dlr: West toddy
Vul: Both S AQ53 west north east south
H K4 jkh toddy swinters judydee
D AQT86
C KQ pass 2NT pass 3C
west east pass 3S pass 4NT
jkh swinters pass 5S pass 6NT
S 92 S T874 (all pass)
H AT853 H 76
D K54 D J93 Opening Lead: C2
C 864 C J932 Result: -2
south Score: -200
judydee IMPs: -8.00
S KJ6
H QJ92 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
D 72 W 8 A-D4 3 4 9 6 5 2 5 H8
C AT75 N K-H4 Q-HK-CQ-S3 D6 D8 5 T SQ
E C2 6 3 7 3 4 9 D9 7 J-CJ-S8
S 5 Q 2 2 7 J-CA-HJ-SK-D7 T
This was a strange one. N-S mismoused their way into
ONE Spade at the other table, so JudyDee-Toddy can pick up
a swing if they can stop in game. 2NT is NOT my choice
with the North hand. I much prefer guaranteeing a plus
with 1D. Opposite 1D, South bids 1H, North rebids 1S and
the pair finds 3NT in short order.
After 2NT, South counts her points: 11 HCPs and
*maybe* a point for her doubleton Diamond *if* we find
a fit. After 2NT:2C:3S, though, there can be no major
suit fit. Since finding a Club fit is too great a
gamble now, we should stop in 3NT.
2NT:4NT is quantitative. North has 19 HCPs and a
Long Suit Point for the 5th Diamond. North should pass
4NT. If we WERE going to accept the invitation, though,
we might rebid 5H to show 2 Aces en route to 6NT. That
way, if Responder had NO Ace, we might stop in 5S or 5NT.
================================================================
IMPs north IMP Board 4
Dlr: West toddy
Vul: Both S 984 west north east south
H Q74 jkh toddy swinters judydee
D AQ
C QJ943 1S pass 1NT! pass
west east 2D pass 3S pass
jkh swinters 4S (all pass)
S KQJ53 S T72
H T5 H AK962 Opening Lead: CQ
D KJ65 D 98 Result: -2
C AT C K65 Score: 200
south IMPs: 3.00
judydee
S A6 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
H J83 W A-S3 T J-H5 J S5-HT K Q-D6 5 SK
D T7432 N CQ 4 J 9 7 Q-C9 4 A-S8 C3 C4 Q
C 872 E 5 T K-S7 A-D8 6 K-D9 2 H2 H6 9
S 2 A-C8 6 3 2 7 8 3 D4 7-DT-HJ
Ahem. It looks like we need to go over that fancy
"attack your length" stuff again. :)
As declarer in 4S, we need to drive out trumps with
our S-KQ so as to preserve entries to our other length,
Dummy's Hearts. Having done so, we play H-AK and another
Heart. Then we re-enter dummy with the C-King or S-10
and run those 2 good Hearts. Eventually, we will lose
two Diamonds and a Spade. So remember: the three basics
of play are:
1. Attack your length (preserving entries to it).
2. Play small towards big (long towards short first).
3. Keep winners, pitch losers.
================================================================
IMPs north IMP Board 11
Dlr: South toddy
Vul: None S J8 west north east south
H 853 jkh toddy swinters judydee
D K542
C 9432 1D
west east 1S pass 2H 3C
jkh swinters 3H 5D X (all pass)
S K6542 S T3
H T976 H AKQ42 Opening Lead: HT
D 83 D J97 Result: -3
C AT C KQ8 Score: -500
south IMPs: -8.00
judydee
S AQ97 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
H J W HT K-S2 3 8 H6 4 6 T-H9 A-S5 H7
D AQT6 N 3 8 J-D2 K-D4 C2 H5 3 8 4 D5-C9
C J765 E Q-ST 3 7 9 J H2 H4 8 K Q HA K
S J 7 9 A-D6 Q-SA-SQ-C5 DT-C6 C7 J
This hand illustrates a number of points about pre-empts
and sacrifices. 1D showed 3+ Diamonds, so if we are going
to raise them we'll need 5+ to ensure an 8+ card fit. When
sacrificing or pre-empting, though, we want LOTS of trumps.
Hence, North should have AT LEAST 6 Diamonds for 5D at ANY
juncture here.
If North DID have a bundle of Diamonds, there would be
TWO times to bid 5D. We might bid it IMMEDIATELY, as a
pre-empt, or AFTER they HAVE found 4H, as a sacrifice.
Who knows? Maybe they won't find 4H? After all, E-W didn't
find it at the other table.
Another point about sacrifices is that we tend not to
make them at IMPs unless we are down NO MORE than 300. In
addition to the possibility that our team mates might not
find their game there is also a chance that their game might
not make. At Matchpoints, on the other hand, -500 is fine
whenever the opponents are a favourite to make 600 or 620
their way. We only have to be right HALF the time at MPs.
At IMPs, the +3 IMPs we gain when we spit up 500 versus 620
is poor compensation for the 6, 8, 10 or 12 IMPs that we
might lose when our decision is wrong.
================================================================
Again, we congratulate the winners, Team Toddy: Toddy,
JudyDee, MBar and Gaus271. Very well done! Good luck in
the Superbowl on Sunday against the FIT winners.
We'll see you all on Sunday...and in the Summer League!
Colin
P.S. Check out our sign-up site for the Summer League at:
http://www.firesides.net/signmeup.htm
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Fireside IMPs League Site
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Take our SAYC Test
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The Fireside Chat
CLICK HERE to check out some of the back issues of the Fireside Chat newsletter. |
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The Brains Behind Kaltica's Firesides
CLICK HERE to go to discover the sordid
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OKBridge Web Site
CLICK HERE to go to the OKBridge
Web site for information on downloading and using OKBridge. |
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Pictures from the 1999 Boston Fall
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Firesiders at the 1999
Fall Nationals in Boston. |
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The Fifth Chair Mentoring
Program This fine organization, run by Marcia "tarsh" West, arranges mentors for
those who can't afford professional tutoring. |
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Colin Ward's Bridge Page This
bridge web page's technical and humour articles will appeal to the
intermediate and experienced player. |
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Reports From Vancouver
Colin's reports from the 1999 Spring Nationals in
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Links to Other
Bridge PagesThe Canadian Bridge Federation has
one of the internet's most interesting and comprehensive lists of bridge
links. |
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Baron Barclay's Bridge Supplies
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HERE if you'd like to order bridge books or supplies from Baron Barclay's, the largest
source on the internet. |
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Sid and Abby's Bridge
Site Click HERE to
go to the Sid
and Abby's Site to see their "Hand of the Week" in "bridge movie"
format. |
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Space Cadets' Home
PageHere you can spend weeks reading the
hand records and instructive comments intended for the bridge neophyte.
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SAYC Simplified by Waynef and
AnaThis site by Anna "Ana" Marsh and Wayne "waynef" Flourney is a good source
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Colin's Personal
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(heresy, yes, but it happens) you may wish to switch to Acquire,
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