Here we are in beautiful downtown Vancouver.  
This is arguably the prettiest city in the world:  
cherry blossoms framed against a background of snowy 
mountain peaks and sky-coloured water.

	Thursday evening, March 18th, was a 
Stratified Charity Open Pairs.  "Stratified" means that you 
play against everyone, but your final scores are 
matched against those of your own skill level.  In this 
way, the Novice with the best score wins the Novice 
section, but you get the chance to play a couple of hands 
against some of the best players in the game.  You may 
never get to dance with Barishnykov, but you CAN plunk 
down your entry fee and play against a World Championship 
bridge pair.  This is the lure of every Open event.
  
	I played with the ever-charming and gracious 
Edwin Zubert (bridgepa@escape.ca).  Ed is a fellow 
Winnipegger, but this was our first time playing as a pair.  
After the expected jokes about travelling 2,000 miles 
to play together, we got to business.

           Pard     RHO     You     LHO

            1H       P      1S       P
            3S       P      4S     All Pass

  Pard's Hand:  S- KQ62   H- K6542  D- K    C- A94
  My Hand:      S- AJ953  H- 73     D- A63  C- 865

	I became aware that Partner counts his losers
different than the rest of his when, while laying down
his hand as Dummy, he remarks:

	"3S might have been a slight stretch, but I 
only have four losers..."

	I resisted the temptation to blurt out:  
"...in Hearts, you mean?"

	As Declarer, I won the C-Queen lead with the
C-Ace, cashed the D-King, came to my hand with 
the S-Jack and pitched a Club on the D-Ace.  So far, 
so good.  Then, though, I played a Heart to the 
King, gobbled up by the H-Ace.  A trump return from RHO,
and another trump return when in with a second Heart,
prevented me from ruffing BOTH my minor suit losers.

	After the hand was over, I noticed both opponents
staring irreverently at my temples--no doubt checking
for lobotomy scars.  This was my first clue that I may
have misplayed this one.

                Partner
                S- KQ62   
                H- K6542  
                D- K    
    LHO         C- A94            RHO
   S- 8                         S- 1074
   H- Q87                       H- AJ10
   D- J10984                    D- Q752
   C- QJ102        Me           C- K73
                S- AJ953  
                H- 73     
                D- A63  
                C- 865

	Sure enough, I had bozoed another one!  After
pitching the Club on the D-Ace I should ruff a Diamond
and exit a Club.  Only AFTER ruffing my 3rd Diamond and
third club can I draw trump and make 620.

	"Play small towards big" and "attack your length"
are the two reasons why I played my Heart.  I forgot
an even more fundamental rule of the game...  

	Make your contract. :)

	Vancouver 1999 Spring Nationals, Day Two CLICK HERE to proceed to Colin's report from Day Two.
	The Bridge Tutors Web Page To return to Colin's Bridge Tutors site, please CLICK HERE.