“He’s making a list and checking it twice
Gonna find out who’s naughty and nice”
Now that Santa has come and gone, I can admit it: I’m naughty! Rectifying past errors will be the main purpose of this column.
On Nov. 11, my column gave two spades non-vulnerable down four doubled 100 (50×2) for under-trick one plus 200 for under-tricks 2 through 4 totaling 700(100+200×3) points.
Though holding a weak hand and expecting to be doubled, a member of a non-vulnerable pair often countered opponent’s grand slam vulnerable bid with a higher suit bid. The scores for grand slams (13 tricks) vulnerable are 2,140 for clubs and diamonds, and 2,210 for hearts and spades made high board if declarer could take two tricks for down 2,100 points.
In 1981, the “Laws Commission and Conventions Committee” formed by the ACBL board of directors to monitor all aspects of competitive bridge recommended that the score for all under-tricks over three be changed to 300 points. Once implemented, down two vulnerable bids over vulnerable grand slam bids (2,900) have become dicey endeavors. My article should’ve read: two spades down four doubled awards 100 points for under-trick one, 200 for two and three, and 300 for the fourth totaling 800 (100+400+300) points.
On Dec. 6, Paul Ronken and I participated in Camano Island’s Community Center duplicate game. Playing declarer against Barbara York and Pat Hoffman, I led low from my hand and, to hasten play, also called for dummy’s nine. Barbara covered with her 10 and took took my Jack with her Queen. Declarer can always put an exposed card back in hand and play another. I’d planned to play dummy’s Jack if Barbara didn’t play her queen. This Barbara absolutely forbade. Realizing any change should’ve been made before Barbara played a card, I agreed.
Last Feb. 21 through 23, Monty Futch, a member of our Carl Gipson duplicate club, was enrolled in the 2018 Oregon Trail Regional Bridge Tournament’s ACBL Club Director Course. On Dec. 11, Paul spoke with Monty about my dummy’s nine play. Monty gave us an exact location in the revised 2017 edition of “Laws of Duplicate Bridge.” After reading page 52 under “Card Played” Law 45 C. 4(b), I must thank Barbara for correcting me. Mistakes make great teachers. Perusing “The Laws of Rubber Bridge 2014,” I now know redoubling raises a contract’s insult points to 100.
Our club’s Christmas potluck was Dec. 11th. Mamta Shaw invited 100-year-old John Marchetti to be her partner. All of us, including John, enjoy playing with Mamta. Thus visiting with our own respected and loved senior citizen became Santa’s gift to us.
(The words: “He’s making a list…” are from Coots and Gillespie’s 1934 song, “Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town.”)
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