As I sat there last night, after perhaps the worst session myself and Ian have ever played, I remembered the following quote from a dim, distant past.

” I AM NOT AN EARLY BIRD OR A NIGHT OWL.
I AM SOME SORT OF PERMANENTLY EXHAUSTED PIGEON”

I wanted to just laugh at some of the antics the two of us got up to during our struggles and exasperation last night, especially after winning last week, which makes one’s mistakes harder to just forget. But the lesson that this game of ours teaches you, day after day, week after week, is one of humility. You start off every session knowing that you are now looking at a hand which you have never looked at before, opposite your partner, who also has a hand which is unique to him or her and that you never, ever, assume that you are better than the opposition, that your contract is a lay-down or that tonight is your night! Just when you you are over confident, the game bites you from behind!
Oh, yes!

Consider hand number 20 last night. Please indulge me in taking you through the bidding of yours truly and Ian. Our opponents were Marianne and Caroline. These were the hands;

Ok, so we’re in 6H, having gone through a bidding process that showed a total of 11 controls out of 12, meaning we were only missing a K, this still at a level of 3H. The rest of the bidding was normal RKCB, then settled in 6H. I received a small Spade lead to my K and I lead the K of hearts confidently, seeing that there were 12 tricks off the top. Then, East showed a void and with the assistance of a little bit of panic, the contract went down, but could have been made by simply ruffing the last spade. But then, the “permanently exhausted pigeon” had a senior moment and there’s the story of the night! One other pair bid and made it and another pair made 12 tricks.

Ah well, Bridie and Paul obviously didn’t have any of those moments and sailed on to victory by a clear margin, followed by Judy and Heather, then Barbara and Di. Congratulations Bridie and Paul. (Paul and Bridie?)

We move on to Thursday.

Roy

Results

Hand Records