Hand Visualisation
by Rueful Rabbit on
August 10th, 2009
Dear Bridge Player,
Setting the scene
Some months back, I was playing a teams match in a Dublin league with Ireland’s top player – Tom Hanlon (aka Kinder). We were up at half time and we were coasting through the 2nd set. This was the final hand.
Vul All
4th in hand you hold
♠ AQ
♥ xxx
♦ Kxxx
♣ AQxx
| The Banker | Kinder | The Judge | You |
| 1♥ | Pass | 1♠ | X |
| 2NT | 3♦ | 3♠ | Pass |
| 3NT | Pass | Pass | X |
| Pass | Pass | 4♠ | All Pass |
You might say that I was a fool for doubling 3NT and a coward for not doubling 4♠.
If so, you may be right.
I lead the ♦K and The Banker tabled …
♠ x
♥ AKQxx
♦ Axx
♣ KJxx
Declarer won in Dummy, all followed. Then he lead a spade to the King and Ace.
What Next?
When I say dummy I was not hopefull. My thinking at the time was – declarer has six or seven spades stiff diamond. The Clubs are onside and he has a source of tricks, let’s call it a night.
Lesson
Mental lasiness. Failure to complete the visualising of the hand.
Solution
At this point I ahould bang down the Ace an another club and give him a ruff for the setting trick.
Here is the full hand …
| Board 32
Vul All Dealer West |
♠ xxxx
♥ xx ♦ QJxxx ♣ xx |
|
| ♠ x
♥ AKQJx ♦ Axx ♣ KJxx |
 |
♠ KJT9xx
♥ xxx ♦ x ♣ Txx |
| ♠ AQ
♥ xxx ♦ Kxxx ♣ AQxx |
Kinder is a entertaining guy and he didn’t lose his opportunuty …
“I expected you to get that.”
How cutting 🙂
Reflection
My decision to enter the auction with a double was probably marginal knowing that we were unlikely to win the auction holding the minors. It goaded Tom to risk life and limb bidding 3♦. This in turn gave me a blueprint of the hand and failed twice to go positive.
We played well in general and blasted the opposition into outer space and all I did on the way home was kick myself.
Very Rueful.
Subscribe to our feed
Bridge-related