Elephant in the room

You see, in order to overtake us, #4 pair needed to outscore us by nearly 60 VPs. And while that, in isolation is possible, if you combine with the requirement that #2 and 3 also need to outscore us, and they have yet to play each other, the outcome just wasn’t possible. And our position strengthened in next 2 rounds. Last two rounds became even more irrelevant for us.

I submit that we were not concentrating as intensely as upto round 17, as our selection was a foregone conclusion. Must’ve done something right till that point.

Case in point is bd #14 against Raju and Ajay in the prior round. They were in 3N which I could and should easily have defeated, but let slip. Was I trying to throw the match to them? No, I was simply careless. I wonder why no objections were raised on that particular hand. 

Similarly, in the first match of the day against Ashok and Vinay I went down in 4♥ (bd 6) that I should’ve made. I gave credit to vinay for a false card, when he actually had not done so. Why – you’d ask – is that relevant. Its a bridge judgement issue, you’d say. Well, you’ll see.

The match in question

Our agreement is 3/5 leads in partner’s suit – and yet I led ♠ 2. Why, I still don’t know. Anyway, declarer won the lead and ran his clubs. I discarded two hearts and two spades while Jaggy, having followed to first 3 clubs, discarded a spade, and then the DQ. Contract now made when declarer played a diamond, as we didn’t have enough tricks to cash. 

My partner now procedeed to fire me, because to his mind I hold 5 spades, and so if I hold on to spades, we have enough tricks to beat. Also, if I have 5 spades, his ♥ Jxx is probably crucial. A misdefence that should not have happened. That he should’ve worked out. But he did not, because it was firmly stuck with him that partner had 5 cards.

Deliberate underperformance ? – your decision.

Next:

Lets look at this hand single dummy:

Having reached the normal contract of 4♠ , the line chosen by Jaggy was – ♥ A and ♥ . This will result in 11 tricks most of the time – whenever ♥ K is with East or ♥ are 4-3. You’ll be able to discard a club on the winner H and ruff a club and a heart. Its a good line for 11 tricks. Problem is, it’s not the best line for 10 tricks, especially after west wins the ♥ K and returns a trump.

Now you can simply ruff the ♥ loser, overtake trump queen, draw trumps and concede a club.

Is it a difficult line? No, almost everyone will get it. But Jaggy stuck to his original plan. Most of the time it won’t matter – if hearts are 4-3 he will get his 11 tricks. Not today, hearts turned out to be 5-2, rho ruffed the winner and returned a trump – and suddenly there were only 9 tricks.

Was this a deliberate attempt to throw? Certainly not – it requires a very specific lie of cards for opponents to benefit. It would be much simpler to drive to slam and go down – and who can fault that. Or commit a revoke – whatever. 

When the committee asked the question – it was left to me to point out that a 100% line was available, and everyone could see – visibly see – that the line had not occured to Jaggy – he had blanked out, his mind had stopped working after original plan. He did not reevaluate. But did he throw? This hardly seems the way to do it.

Last hand:

You get a spade lead against 3N and they proceed to continue spades and knockout your dummy’s Ace. It seems like lho started with 4, rho 3.

You cross  to ♥ A and run the ♦ J. It holds.

What now? The million dollar question is – did East duck ? Its quite a common and attractive monouver. And Tewari as your RHO is certainly capable of doing it and doing it smoothly.

People have commented that if someone doesn’t repeat the finesse, questions should be raised.

I only want to say that if you are not even considering that opponent might have ducked, you have some way to go as a player. If after that you decide to repeat the finesse that’s up to you.

But, please do not tell me it’s obvious.

Another hand was added to the growing stories, from a match that was absolutely irrelevant. The result of which could not effect anything. But, it certainly would work against the interest of our round 20 opponents.

All said and done, in my very personal and very humble opinion, some people went too far based on too little.

I can only ask for your support and hope that we can leave this episode behind and put our best foot forward in the future events. I can assure you that in each and every partnership and each and every team I and my partners and my teammates will always strive to play the best bridge we can and the most clean bridge we can. Rest assured we will do our best to ensure that no fingers are raised, no infamy comes to our game, our people or our nation due to any action of ours.

Thanks.

Sandeep