Blue Monday

January 21st, 2012  ~  Mike Yuen  ~  No Comments 

Everybody knows about Black Monday-The day world stock markets crashed on Monday 19th October 1987.

In Canada we have Blue Monday-Most Mondays are challenging for most people, seems the third Monday in January is the worse of the year.

Playing Matchpoints with Josee (Toronto), we had our Blue Monday against Helene and Ray Grace (Edmonton).

2♠ -4th suit game force. 4 ♦ -key card ask in diamond. 4NT-2 key cards.

Full marks to Helene-North and Ray-South for getting to the slam. Made 12 tricks for 920.

We got 9.31% ouch!

Snowing here, time to get out of town.

Divorce Court

January 17th, 2012  ~  Mike Yuen  ~  4 Comments 

Divorce Court is the longest running television court program since 1957. Where couples come before a presiding judge to air their dirty laundry, either to sought a reconciliation or divorce.

Mr. West-the plaintiff and Mrs. East-the defendant came to Divorce Court because of the following deal.

Board 9, Matchpoints. Dealer North. E-W vulnerable.

Mr. West was first to make an opening statement.

“You Honour, after three passes to me, I bid one spade, LHO bid two spades-Hearts and a minor. My partner bid three spades, in our agreement-less then a limit raise in spades. RHO bid four clubs-pass or correct. I bid a vulnerable game four spades! LHO pass and so did my partner. RHO bid five clubs. I made what I thought was a Forcing Pass! LHO pass and to my disappointment my partner also passed!?”

“Five club went down two for +100, we got 23%. Five spade made six would have given us 74%.”

“Please tell me do I have grounds for divorce?”

Now it is Mrs West’s turn to address the court.

“Your Honour, I have been busy working in my gerden when Mr. West asked me to play bridge. As I love my partner very much, I obliged and dropped everything. When this hand in question came up, I checked our notes and found no agreement as to what constituted a forcing pass. Looked up the latest Encyclopedia of Bridge, the 7th edition and found not much help either. As I already shown my hand, I thought best to pass.”

The Judge asked to see their notes and found no agreements.

“After deliberation, I found Mrs. East could have doubled five clubs. Bridge logic tells you, partnership bid vulnerable game and the opponents were pass hands. Mr. West could have saved the day if he had bid four hearts instead of four spades over four clubs. You don’t need a divorce, what you need is some rules.” Said the Judge.

Forcing Pass: a pass which forces partner to take action. 

Here are some rules for Forcing Pass suggested by Daniel Korbel that may help.

“Do you feel lucky?”

January 16th, 2012  ~  Mike Yuen  ~  2 Comments 

In the 1971 film Dirty Harry. Clint Eastwood plays the role of Inspector Harry Callahan of the San Francisco Police.

At a bank robbery, Callahan points his .44 Magnum at one of the robber who was lying near a loaded shotgun.

“I know what you’re thinking: “Did he fire six shots, or only five?” Well, to tell you the truth, in all this excitement, I’ve kinda lost track myself. But being this is a .44 Magnum, the most powerful handgun in the world, and would blow your head clean off, you’ve got to ask yourself one question: “Do I feel lucky?” Well do ya, punk?”

The robber surrenders.

Wrong! Callahan’s gun was empty.

Later in the film, Harry Callahan confronted the sadistic killer Scorpio and made his “Do you feel lucky, punk?” speech. This time Scorpio went for his gun.

Wrong! Callahan shot him in the chest, propelling Scorpio into a pool of water.

Playing IMPs; Dealer North. Both sides vulnerable. 

I picked up this hand.  ♠ AQ83 ♥ A76 ♦ 7 ♣ AQJ92

This was the auction.

3♣* was alerted as a nice heart raise.

I thought to myself. Partner has to have long spades and short hearts. North opened the bidding, If we need a black suit finesse it rates to be onside. So I bid six spades.

Wrong! They led ace of diamond and the king of club was offside.

“Do you feel lucky, punk?” rings in my head.

That is Bridge!

December 29th, 2011  ~  Mike Yuen  ~  4 Comments 

In Poker, when one loses a bad beat (holding strong cards nevertheless loses), one says “That is Poker!”

At the Seattle NABC my good friends Keith Dowdall and Cary Salmi told me their hard luck story.

Their team: Brian Fraser, George Retek, Dowdall and Salmi. Played their KO match against Berg, Lair, Bertens, Bakkeren, Muller and De Wijs, a team consisted of Dutch world champions.

Keith picked up ♠ AQ1098753 ♥ 8 ♦ 7 ♣ AQ10

Spots approximate.

Cary opened 2NT. Keith transferred to spades, cue bid clubs and found out they were off the first round diamond control. Settled into the small slam. Lost only the ace of diamond, made 12 tricks.

At the other table. The auction was 2NT-7 ♠ . You guessed it, the person on lead didn’t have the ace of diamond. Led a heart and they lost the match by the slam swing. Ouch!

When asked, the Dutch player thought they were behind and needed a swing He was right! 

All I could say was sorry guys, that is Bridge!

                                                                Keith Dowdall-Cary Calmi     

                                                   Christina, Judith-the birthday girl and Sandra.

                                    Kiz, Mavis and George. Making plans to workout in the morning.

Mila Antonova- Bridgeunion.com Her mission is to teach bridge to the youth of New York.  Check out her site, there are many interesting videos.

" Hey can you help me out?"

                                                                                          Peter said to Kiz.

Another Toy.

November 29th, 2011  ~  Mike Yuen  ~  5 Comments 

We are having a beautiful sunny day at The 84th North American Bridge Championships.

This afternoon, Maurice and I played in the final of the BAM with Jim Aitken, Pat Dunn, Ray Loftis and Ken Christiansen, all from Seatlle area.

Board 16. Dealer West. E-W Vul.

I as East, held ♠ AJ9 ♥  AJ10962 ♦ 7 ♣ K42

We had this auction. 

2NT-Jacoby 2NT, strong heart raise. 3♠-short spades. 4♠-RKC for hearts. Pass-0/3 key cards. 6♣ -ask for third round control in clubs.

Maurice claimed 7 after the spade lead.

At the other table. 

They didn’t have this toy and could not be sure if they had a club loser. Stopped in the small slam, made seven. 

This was the deal. 

Dealer: West Vul: E-W	North ♠ Q652  ♥ 5  ♦ KQ853  ♣ 863
West ♠ 4   ♥ KQ743  ♦ A1064 ♣ AQ10		East ♠ AJ9  ♥ AJ10962  ♦ 7 ♣ K42
	South ♠ K10873 ♥ 8  ♦ J92  ♣ J975

 We won the board.

The Kids have cojones.

October 28th, 2011  ~  Mike Yuen  ~  1 Comment 

This deal said it all about the Israel Juniors.

Transnational Teams. Israel Juniors vs OZ Open.  Final 1/3.

Board 11. Dealer South. None Vul.

In the Open room. Lotan Fisher in the pass out seat, found the brilliant bid of 3NT with a spade void! Even after his LHO made a Michaels cue bid showing both majors. He must have reasoned Schwartz had spades because nobody else bid them.

In the other room.

Dror Padon was in 4♠ X. With trump 5-0, played double dummy to go down only one!

The lead was ♦ king, two, South overtaken with the ace, eight. Played another diamond. Trick 2, Padon ruffed. Trick 3, crossed to dummy with the ♣ king to lead ♥ 3, 10, king, four. (A heart through the opening bidder who rated to hold the ♥ ace).

Trick 5, unblocked ♣ ace, four, two nine (for timing and good idea in case North could pitch a club, holding only two in the later play). Trick  6, ducked a heart to South’s now bare ace. Trick 7, South played another diamond, Padon discarded a heart, North ruffed with the ♠ 10, Dummy ♣ two.

Trick 8, ♥ jack, queen, diamond three, seven. Trick 9, Padon ruffed a club and North had to follow.

Padon never touched trumps and in the fullness of time. Trick 10. exited a heart and North was end played in spades.

The Juniors won 8 Imps on this board.

After 16 boards led 50-28. With c/o 55-28.

The kids had a 5 imps carry over, result of their head to head encounter in the Swiss Round 10, where the kids beat OZ Open 19-11.

The final result : Juniors vs OZ Open 132-105.

Well done kids, you get to stay out past mid-night this weekend.

The Unlucky Expert!

October 28th, 2011  ~  Mike Yuen  ~  4 Comments 

I like to share an interesting deal with you, before I leave these Championships on a Jet plane.

Once in a while you play a hand well but is all for naught.

Trasnational Teams. RR 11. Board 11. Dealer South. None Vul.

As South you held ♠ KJ108 ♥ K972 ♦ 8 ♣ A1043 

 1♦ -very slow bid.

I give you North-South hands and see how you would play 6NT.

The lead was ♥ 5 

North ♠ Q72   ♥ AQ8  ♦ AQJ5 ♣ KQ6

South ♠ KJ108  ♥ K972  ♦ 8 ♣ A1043

Here is how P. Wijen of The Netherlands played it.

Click on next to see the play of this deal.

Wijen played for the squeeze. Reason that East-rated to hold long hearts and the diamond king.

I said “Well played and you have my sympathy.”

Sally & Jeff Meckstroth

Steve Weinstein-Bridgewinners.com & Lew Stansby

Subhash Gupta

Team Brazil

Tiramisu-Sweet ending

The Dutch run a great tournament. Many thanks and it had been fun, till next time. Ciao.

Is now or never.

October 26th, 2011  ~  Mike Yuen  ~  1 Comment 

The song “Is now or never” was recorded by the King in 1960  sum up the state of our team’s standing. We needed to pull up our socks and make a run if we are to have any chance of reaching the KO stage. 

It was just announced that because of the large number of teams entered, there will be 16 teams in the KO. 

Maria Lara & Manuel Cupucho

Transnational Team. Round 8. Board 12. Dealer West. N-S Vul.

As South I held ♠ KQ54 ♥ J98 ♦ A4 ♣ KQ95

3♦ on my left, partner pass, 3♥ on my right, I pass.

3♠ on my left-alerted (cue bid in support of hearts), partner pass, 4♦ on my right. 4♠ I said. All pass.

I reasoned that since they have the reds then partner must have the blacks.

The lead was ♦ Q.

This was the deal.

Dealer: West Vul: N-S	North ♠ 98632  ♥ 3  ♦ 765  ♣ AJ106
West ♠ AJ  ♥ 1065  ♦ QJ10932  ♣ 74		East ♠ 107  ♥ AKQ742  ♦ K8  ♣ 832
	South ♠ KQ54  ♥ J98 ♦ A4  ♣ KQ95

The play went. Diamond queen, five, king, won  with the ace. Club queen, four, ace, two. Spade two, seven, King, ace. Club seven, jack, three and five. Spade three, ten, queen, jack.

My LHO missed the chance to beat me as he could have played for a trump promotion by leading another diamond when in with the ace of spade.

I made 10 tricks for +620 .

At the other table. After two pass, East open one heart, south made a takeout double. North bid spades and south bid game.

On a hart kng lead they also made 10 tricks for a push.

Joeg Fritsche, Michael Gromoeller, Martin Rehder & Roland Rohowski

Alexander Smirnov

Claudio Nunes, Fulvio Fantoni, Francesco Angelina & Boye Brogeland

Even Zia has to eat!

Giant killers- Loo Choon Chou, Kelvin Ng, Poon Hua & Lam Cheng Yen-Singapore

Just bring money!

October 25th, 2011  ~  Mike Yuen  ~  No Comments 

It is a new day and optimism filled the air, as more players had arrived for The Transnational Teams. 

Even with the entry fee at 1,200 Euro a pop.  A record turn out of 154 teams. Shanghai had 149 teams four years ago. For your money, you get to play 15 rounds of Swiss matches with 10 boards. Top 8 teams gets to play in the KO.

Many Canadians are playing in this event, Amoils, Fergani and Rayner.

I am on the German Green Team. Playing with Jodef Harsanyi-Germany. our system is simple 2/1, stong No-trump, 2/4 leads, carding UDCA.

This moring woke up to play the Angelini Team with Eric Rodwell & Jeff Meckstroth at our table. Nunes & Fantoni at the other. We held our own till this deal.

Round 3. Board 29. Dealer North. All Vul.2

I was South. ♠ KJ84 ♥ QJ63 ♦ 72 ♣ 986

Our auction.

Jeff led ♠ 2 and led spade each time he got in. Contract was down two for -200.

Auction at the other table.

1NT-weak. 2 ♥ -hearts and a minor.

This was the deal.

Dealer:North Vul:All	North ♠ AQ107  ♥ 95  ♦ AJ8  ♣ J1053
West ♠ 3  ♥ A10872  ♦ K9653   ♣ 42		East♠ 9652   ♥ K4  ♦ Q104  ♣ AKQ7
	South ♠ KJ84  ♥ QJ63  ♦ 72  ♣ 986

As you can see, 3NT had no chance. Our East went down three for -300. They won 11imps, with it the match.

Bionic Women!

October 24th, 2011  ~  Mike Yuen  ~  No Comments 

Histroy was made to-day. It is the first time the Indonesia Women VC Team had advanced to the Semi Finals of the Venice Cup. They defected USA-2 238-205 in the Quarter Finals.

Lusje Bojoh and Joice Tueje played all the boards in the RR and the Quarter Finals, except the 16 they sat out. That added up to 416 boards, just amazing!

Bert Toar Poli (npc), Riantini, Fera Damayanti, Lusje Bojoh, Suci Amita Dewi, Joice Tueje, Kristina Wahyu Murniati & Hari Susanto.

To-morrow the match ups will be Indonesia vs England. Netherlands vs France.

Good luck everybody.