[daveharty]

I was kibitzing some friends last night and the following wild hand came up:

---

West was dealer. At the table I was watching, the auction went:

3H (p) p (4D)
p (5D) 5H* (dbl)
all pass

*There was, shall we say, some discussion about this call

Surely one of the strangest dives ever. The defense started well: cK led and taken by the ace; another club ruffed by North; two diamonds ending in the South hand; sK...and now South fell from grace, and led another club rather than cashing the other spade first. Declarer pitched her other spade loser and the defense had collapsed two tricks, turning an epic 1100 into a pedestrian 500.

I was surprised that 5D made several times, but a second look revealed the defense isn't completely trivial; at one sample table it started hA, low heart for partner to ruff...and still waiting.

Oddly enough, as Tate pointed out (he played the hand at a different table), the only game that may be on double-dummy is 4S by EW.

[HighLow21]

Oh crap, I didn't know that the RESPONDER to the preempt dove in 5H. Hahahaha! Wow.

[HighLow21]

Does anyone know the odds of being dealt a double void are? My intuition tells me about 100,000 to 1.

[wank]

4♦: not a very good bid, not that anyone asked

[Phil]

HighLow21, on 2012-March-08, 13:22, said:

Does anyone know the odds of being dealt a double void are? My intuition tells me about 100,000 to 1.

I had eight double voids in 2009, so I think your intuition might be a skosh off.

In other news, I saw the biggest hand I have ever seen on BBO last night in a JEC match. Michael Seamon picked up AKx AQx AKJx AKQ.

[HighLow21]

Phil, on 2012-March-08, 13:37, said:

I had eight double voids in 2009, so I think your intuition might be a skosh off.

In other news, I saw the biggest hand I have ever seen on BBO last night in a JEC match. Michael Seamon picked up AKx AQx AKJx AKQ.

I would calculate the odds if I had my MS Excel reinstalled (after a complete hard drive failure on my laptop). :-/

That is a monster. 30 HCP. Was there a slam?

[HighLow21]

I was off an order of magnitude... it's almost exactly 10,000 to 1, not 100,000. 13 black cards is 40,000 to 1.

[ArtK78]

wank, on 2012-March-08, 13:25, said:

4♦: not a very good bid, not that anyone asked

What would you recommend?

[wank]

3nt. i'd much rather pass than bid 4♦

this hand's really quite crap. if i'm going to stick my neck out, i should at least do so with the hope of bagging a game bonus.

[Phil]

HighLow21, on 2012-March-08, 13:47, said:

I would calculate the odds if I had my MS Excel reinstalled (after a complete hard drive failure on my laptop). :-/

That is a monster. 30 HCP. Was there a slam?

Yes, 7N was cold. Partner had ♥KJTxx.

[neilkaz]

ROFL at East's 5♥ bid. I remain shocked that people supposedly with a brain can bid like this. I've always felt that many players bid 5 over 5 too often, but this really is rediculous. If East feels that he must get active, just bid 4♥
right away.

If I am West I leave after this hand, announcing that I have to go walk my ferret.

.. neilkaz ..

[ArtK78]

wank, on 2012-March-08, 14:04, said:

3nt. i'd much rather pass than bid 4♦

this hand's really quite crap. if i'm going to stick my neck out, i should at least do so with the hope of bagging a game bonus.

Well, your judgment is certainly spot on here. If the defense gets the maximum, you are down 5. Of course, if they screw up (a low heart lead, for example), you might actually make.

[wank]

ArtK78, on 2012-March-08, 15:54, said:

Well, your judgment is certainly spot on here.

lol that sounds like sarcasm, but if so it's rather misplaced - 4♦ bought 5 card support and a singleton in the right suit and game was still hopeless. if you try to think what you need from partner to make 5♦ you'll realise quite how bad 4♦ is.

the only hands where 4♦ is the right contract, such as this, you'll end up playing 5♦-1

[ArtK78]

wank, on 2012-March-09, 00:31, said:

lol that sounds like sarcasm, but if so it's rather misplaced - 4♦ bought 5 card support and a singleton in the right suit and game was still hopeless. if you try to think what you need from partner to make 5♦ you'll realise quite how bad 4♦ is.

the only hands where 4♦ is the right contract, such as this, you'll end up playing 5♦-1

Yes, it was sarcasm, and it is not misplaced. I strongly disagree with the 3NT call.

Now, if you had a card in clubs you might risk it. But with only a partial stop in the suit preempted and another suit with no stop (besides the fact that there is no assurance that your long suit will run), 3NT is too big of a position to take.

[Cyberyeti]

daveharty, on 2012-March-08, 09:22, said:

Oddly enough, as Tate pointed out (he played the hand at a different table), the only game that may be on double-dummy is 4S by EW.

Isn't 5♦(N) cold ? the man with the A♥ doesn't get in till you've pitched one on the J♠.

[ahydra]

I saw a 30-count on vugraph once. It was a world-class pair playing but they messed up, getting to the wrong grand slam (4-2 fit IIRC)

ahydra

[daveharty]

Cyberyeti, on 2012-March-09, 08:36, said:

Isn't 5♦(N) cold ? the man with the A♥ doesn't get in till you've pitched one on the J♠.

Yep looks like you're right, although it's probably a theoretical possibility only.

[han]

HighLow21, on 2012-March-08, 13:51, said:

I was off an order of magnitude... it's almost exactly 10,000 to 1, not 100,000. 13 black cards is 40,000 to 1.