Santa Clara Sectional Swiss Teams with Kathy, Roy & Patty Woolsey
Sunday, October 28, 1990
Last round, we had 3 wins, 4 losses.

Bidding:  We're Vulnerable
 W      N(me)  E  S(Kathy)
 P      2C     p    2D
 P      2H     P    3S (Thinking that 2 spades would be the 2nd negative)
 7S     P      P    P

Lead:
9 of Spades
                A  A  A  A
                K  K     K
                x 10     J
                x  8     x
  9  Q  J  Q                 x  x  Q  x
  8  J  x  x                    x 10  x
  7  9     x                    x  x  x
     x                             x
     x                             x
                Q  x  K  x         x
                J     x  x
               10     x  x
                x     x
                x


  Kathy wasn't feeling too well that day and by the last round, she was
barely concentrating at all.  She won the spade lead, pulled trump in 3
rounds ending in her hand, and played a diamond to the Ace.  Then she
played the two top hearts (throwing a club from her hand) and the top
clubs, down to these 5 cards.

                x 10  -  J
                   8     x


  -  Q  J  Q                 x  x  Q  x
     J                          x 10  x
     9                          x  x  x
                                   x
                                   x
               10  -  K            x
                x     x
                      x

  Now she realizes that she's short of tricks (where did all her tricks
go?) and wonders what to do.  She trumped a heart, played the King of
diamonds, throwing the heart 8 from dummy, trumped a diamond, and then
trumped a club, losing a diamond at the end.  Needless to say, there are
different ways to 13 tricks.  Trumping two diamonds in dummy comes to
mind.  More risky, but on this hand also successful, is finessing the
club.  The thirteenth club even sets up.  Even after she comes down to
the above 5 card ending, she can ruff a club, setting up the jack, play
the King of diamonds, throwing a heart from dummy, ruff a diamond, and
play the now good jack of clubs, throwing her last diamond away, and
have a trump left for the last trick.  Aaaarg, how frustrating.  We lost
17 IMPs on that board (the other table only bid 6, making 7) and lost
that round by 22 IMPs.  If Kathy had made it, we would have gained 13
IMPs, winning that round by 8.  That was a swing of 30 IMPs.  30 IMPs
on one board!  The last thing I told Kathy the next morning was, "I want
you to write 100 times, 'Count your tricks.', and I'll write 100 times,
'Don't rub it in.'"