2008 was a very good year for me personally and professionally. I got married, improved my bridge play, took on some new students, and met a lot of fun, talented people all over the ACBL. I played in six Sectionals, ten Regionals, and two NABCs (sorry, Detroit-- I decided that I only wanted to do one frigid-weather Nationals this year). A lot of work has gone into planning our own Regional. My proudest accomplishment is, over the last 18 months, bringing a bright beginner well along her road to experthood.
Here's the places I went for bridge tournaments this year, and how I did at them:
January:
Salem, OR Sectional: 13
Bermuda Regional: 59
February:
Las Vegas Regional: 63
March:
Toronto Regional: 23
April:
Washington, DC Sectional: 8
Gatlinburg, TN Regional: 78
May:
Medford, OR Regional: 17
Portland, OR Sectional: 10
Raleigh, NC Regional: 29
June:
Grants Pass, OR Sectional: 9
Reston, VA (Washington, DC) Regional: 38
July:
Las Vegas NABC: 22
August:
Charlottesville, VA Sectional: 26
Hunt Valley (Baltimore), MD Regional: 26
September-October:
Seaside, OR Regional: 22
November:
Virginia Beach, VA Regional: 57
Boston NABC: 19
December:
Charlottesville, VA Sectional: 25
Looking back, this year marks the fewest Sectionals I've played in many years. I didn't quite make it to either of my annual goals for colored points-- 100 Silver and 10 Platinum (98 and 6, resspectively). Hopefully my 600ish will put me somewhere reasonable on the Top 500 list. I'm hoping to make it in the top 300.
So here's to as fun of a 2009, starting with the Charlottesville Regional!
Showing posts with label masterpoints. Show all posts
Showing posts with label masterpoints. Show all posts
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Friday, August 8, 2008
Two Hands from BBO
I played on Bridge Base Online this evening with my friend Anne. Anne was the winningest female player in the ACBL last year. She ended up the year with 1,419.97 masterpoints-- just ahead of Melanie Tucker with 1,419.86! Check out the tight race here. We held two hands that illustrate the importance of accuracy with high-level competition.
Anne and I play a system that allows light openings with good playing strength and the spade suit. The South hand certainly has both, so I had an easy 1S opening. Lefty bid 2H, pard bounded to 4S, and righty bid 5H. Now, 4S by us is sort of a 'two-way' bid. It shows either a minimum game-force in high cards and a fit, or a preemptive raise to 4S. So my pass to 5H wasn't forcing. When pard doubled 5H, by agreement this said "I was bidding 4S to make", so with my undisclosed playing strength, I bid to 5S. LHO made the good decision to continue on to 6H (would you bid one more after being doubled in 5?), and partner's double ("Please don't bid any more, pard") ended the auction. On most lies of the cards, we would be on for 5S but not 6, and the opponents would be -500. With both minor-suit finesses on for our side, though, 6S was on, and 6H went -800. This was a well-judged hand for both sides, bidding to the single-dummy right spot. We figured out what was going on by good partnership and good understandings. West did it from a good (educated) guess.
On the very next board, we picked up
My RHO opened 1S in third chair, and I had an automatic takeout double. My lefty made a limit raise in spades, and pard (bless her-- great bid!) was in there with 4H. Righty bid 4S, and it was my guess. At IMPs, it tends to be percentage to bid one more, so I pulled out 5H. This would've gone for 300, but righty had heard of the 'bid one more' principle also, and bid to the doomed 5S. I didn't want my partner to worry about re-saving in 6H, so I doubled. We collected our two clubs and a diamond for +200.
These were both big pick-ups. Sure, there are hands consistent with the auctions that would have worked out poorly for our actions, but I think all of our bids were 'right'. Thanks again, Anne, for playing! (And nice 4H call!)
|
| 1♠(2♥)4♠(5♥) P (P) X (P) 5♠ (6♥) X (All Pass) |
Anne and I play a system that allows light openings with good playing strength and the spade suit. The South hand certainly has both, so I had an easy 1S opening. Lefty bid 2H, pard bounded to 4S, and righty bid 5H. Now, 4S by us is sort of a 'two-way' bid. It shows either a minimum game-force in high cards and a fit, or a preemptive raise to 4S. So my pass to 5H wasn't forcing. When pard doubled 5H, by agreement this said "I was bidding 4S to make", so with my undisclosed playing strength, I bid to 5S. LHO made the good decision to continue on to 6H (would you bid one more after being doubled in 5?), and partner's double ("Please don't bid any more, pard") ended the auction. On most lies of the cards, we would be on for 5S but not 6, and the opponents would be -500. With both minor-suit finesses on for our side, though, 6S was on, and 6H went -800. This was a well-judged hand for both sides, bidding to the single-dummy right spot. We figured out what was going on by good partnership and good understandings. West did it from a good (educated) guess.
On the very next board, we picked up
|
| (P) P (1♠) X (3♠) 4♥ (4♠) 5♥ (P) P (5♠) X (All Pass) |
My RHO opened 1S in third chair, and I had an automatic takeout double. My lefty made a limit raise in spades, and pard (bless her-- great bid!) was in there with 4H. Righty bid 4S, and it was my guess. At IMPs, it tends to be percentage to bid one more, so I pulled out 5H. This would've gone for 300, but righty had heard of the 'bid one more' principle also, and bid to the doomed 5S. I didn't want my partner to worry about re-saving in 6H, so I doubled. We collected our two clubs and a diamond for +200.
These were both big pick-ups. Sure, there are hands consistent with the auctions that would have worked out poorly for our actions, but I think all of our bids were 'right'. Thanks again, Anne, for playing! (And nice 4H call!)
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