Nidoking (nidoking) wrote,
Nidoking
nidoking

Not the best cat day, but at least it was an adorable cat

Today's Bridge: The bidding in the first hand confused me greatly, but we ended up in a good spot. Dan H. opened 1H to my left, and Dan C. and Jerry both passed. With S A-J H Q-8-x-x D Q-J-10-x-x C K-x, I felt compelled to overcall 2D. Dan C. surprised me by jumping to 3H, which could only be a cue-bid, showing a void or perhaps singleton in hearts as well as a good diamond fit. So I followed by cue-bidding 3S, and he surprised me again with 3NT, perhaps a waiting bid. It couldn't possibly be natural when I've promised nothing in hearts and he's told me he has nothing. So I corrected to 4D, and he raised to game. The opening lead was the queen of clubs into S x-x H A-J-10-x D K-x-x-x C A-J-x. I can see the auction from his side, a bit, but 3NT goes down hard to a spade lead, and with Jerry's 6-6 in the black suits, it's a 50/50 shot that he'll find it. I let the queen of clubs run to my king, then ran a diamond to the king and another back to my queen. Dan H. held up the ace, so I crossed to the ace of clubs and led the jack, tossing my spade loser while Dan H. threw a spade as well. I crossed to my ace of spades and led the queen of hearts, which Dan let run. Likewise, he played low to a second heart, so I threw him in with the ace of diamonds and claimed on the marked heart finesse. I think his better move is to cover the queen - in order to secure a fourth heart, I'd need to cross back to my hand with a spade ruff and lead the eight, covered again, then pitch to the ace of diamonds and finesse a third time on the heart lead. Depending on my little spots, I might not end up with the top heart after all is said and done - if he's left with 7-6-x, his six would take the final heart and I'd be left with just my eleven. The contract can even be defeated on a heart ruff and a spade return - my best option is to try to dump my spade loser on a long club, but Dan ruffs the third club with a little trump and still has the ace. After that, we set a 2H attempt, but they made a game and a partscore, then had a 1S-3S auction in which I held S 7 H K-Q-x D A-10-x-x C K-10-8-6, so I doubled for takeout. Dan C. apparently missed the double (he said afterward that he didn't notice it - I guess using cards doesn't solve all problems) and passed. We might have had a shot at setting 4S, but I had to hold up my ace of diamonds in search of a fifth trick and never got it. I doubt we had a shot at any four-level contract, but I think it would have been a decent sacrifice.

Today's Work: Problems just keep coming, and I have no idea why some things happen on my computer and not on anyone else's. Still, we're dealing with them. I got a chance to look into my own weeks-long problem, briefly, and found a workaround that's likely to be acceptable if it comes down to it. I also have a line on a possible route to fixing the problem more properly, but there are some version incompatibilities I'll need to work out first. I ran out of time to delve into them today.

I saw a flyer with a picture of a lost cat on the mailbox, and then saw a cat that looked a lot like the picture on my way to the dumpster. I had to go back and forth a few times to make sure, then called the owner. She said it wasn't her cat, but agreed that the resemblance was remarkable. Also, by an odd coincidence, she was the same neighbor who's vaguely interested in playing Dominion sometime, but she won't likely have time until summer. Still, it'll be something to do and people to do it with.
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