sarant@village.uunet.lu
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I recently bought GIB and I have to say that my expectations were not
exactly fulfilled. Probably I had heard too much about it so I expected
a lot. But since I'm a buff for real-life deals I instantly loved its
extensive deal library and the ability to replay hands from recent
high-level events. Not only is it fascinating, but it also is a substitute for the "Match" feature
that figures in nearly all commercial bridge programs but is absent
from GIB.
I replayed several matches this way and I saw that GIB is, well, unpredictable both as a partner and as opponent. What puzzled me more was his inclination to depart from system -the occasional "Jacoby" transfer over 1NT to a 4-card major was a striking case. Moreover, I felt his bidding was not adequately worked out. But, and here was the surprise, GIB also made frequent blunders in the play. Perhaps my machine is inadequate (a Celeron laptop, M466 with 64MB memory though) or the thinking time of the program ("60", the default value; if I set it much higher my patience is taxed too much, for even at a speed of 60 GIB is not fast like lightning).
I did not keep notes from these matches (and I was not able to save the match records in readable form, assuming there is a way to do this) but when the other day GIB did something particularly bizarre I decided to play a whole 16-board segment against it and record manually the calls. I randomly chose the 1998 Spingold Final -it was a lucky choice, for I had the hand records plus commentary from the ACBL site.
GIB didn't shine in this match; I am not particularly worried about atrocities induced by my playful bidding, like Board 12, but its defence left much to be desired in that match, also its competitive bidding which was very passive, almost somnolent at times. I can only give you my word that I never cheated during the play -I admit I took some lucky views- and that GIB's play and bidding was as recorded. Normally, this second reassurance would be superfluous, but GIB's actions are not reproducible with certainty; that is, if a call is marginal it may choose another in the replay. This I know from experience. But I also know from previous experience that many of its worst blunders are reproduced, so I guess that anyone who would care to replay these deals would reproduce many of the bizarre calls/plays below.
On the other hand, non-reproducibility is certainly a charming feature that sets GIB apart from other bridge programs (at least those that I know of; I haven't seen some of the allegedly better exhibits). Also his way of playing is definitely non-electronic; I mean for instance that it tosses low cards randomly (sometimes too randomly for its own good), its line of play is not straightforward and stolid as that of earlier programs, etc.
All in all, GIB is fun to play with/against. If anything, it can invent chucks far beyond the reach of humbler bridge-playing programs (like Simon's Futile Willie compared to the plain palookas). I don't doubt that it may play better than the competition (after all it has proved it twice) but I seriously doubt that it is possible for GIB to win a human championship in 2003.
But probably I am unduly harsh against GIB; after all this account is not meant to provide an authoritative evaluation of GIB's prowess, merely to give a honest account of a match I played and to entertain the reader; GIB's developers may also want to try and see why some of these glitches were produced. So, have fun with the records of my clash against GIB!
Nikos Sarantakos, 4 June 2000.
1998 SPINGOLD FINAL
Nickell vs Baze
Segment 1 : Boards 1-16
Board 1 - Dealer North - None vul.
S K
H A Q J 5 3
D Q 8 6 5
C K J 9
S 7 6 5 3 S Q 10 8 2
H K 10 8 4 2 H 6
D 3 D A 10 7 4 2
C A 7 3 C 8 4 2
S A J 9 4
H 9 7
D K J 9
C Q 10 6 5
Open Room
WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH
Meckstroth Baze Rodwell Whitman
1H Pass 1S
Pass 2D Pass 2NT
Pass 3NT Pass Pass
Pass
GIB and me had the same auction as in the open room, but
I play the hand one trick less well than Whitman, so
I only make nine. One IMP away -the GIBian side opened
first blood, as I believe reporters are wont to say.
=====================================================================
Board 2 - Dealer East - NS vul.
S K 8
H K 5 3
D Q 9 5 4 2
C A 7 6
S J 6 4 S 9 7 3 2
H 9 7 4 H A J 10 2
D A J 7 6 D
C Q 9 8 C K 10 5 4 2
S A Q 10 5
H Q 8 6
D K 10 8 3
C J 3
Open Room
WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH
Meckstroth Baze Rodwell Whitman
Pass 1D
Pass 2NT Pass 3NT
Pass Pass Pass
Play
1: E C4 CJ CQ C6
2: W C9 C7 C5 C3
3: W C8 CA C10 H6
4: N D2 H2 DK DA
5: W H4 H3 HA H8
3NT by N, down 2, NS: -200
WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH
GIB-LHO GIB-pard GIB-RHO Nikos
pass 1D
pass 2D (inv.) dbl pass
2S 3D pass 3NT
all pass
My 3NT call may be inconsistent but I was vul. and my illustrious
counterparts rated to be in game. A low heart was led. I win at
hand and play a diamond to the nine. Then a diamond to the king
and ace. Now GIB-West plays a heart, GIB-East cashes hearts
and then unaccountably shifts to the 2 of spades (despite
the fact that I had shed clubs from both hands on the fourth
heart!) Equally unaccountably, GIB-West puts the jack!!
Now I can untangle the spades and make four spades, three diamonds,
one heart, one club for nine tricks and a gain of 13 IMPs,
since both humans went down two.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
No swing, Baze 0 - Nickell 0
Nikos-GIB 13 - GIBx2 1
=====================================================================
Board 3 - Dealer South - EW vul.
S 7
H 4 2
D K Q 7 5
C A K 9 8 5 3
S J 3 2 S Q 10 9 5 4
H A 9 8 6 5 H K Q 3
D 10 8 6 2 D J 9 3
C Q C J 10
S A K 8 6
H J 10 7
D A 4
C 7 6 4 2
Open Room
WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH
Meckstroth Baze Rodwell Whitman
1C
Pass 3S Pass 3NT
Pass Pass Pass
Play
1: W H6 H2 HQ H7
2: E HK H10 H5 H4
3: E H3 HJ HA D5
4: W H9 S7 D9 S6
3NT by S, down 1, NS: -50
Again we copy the auction of the Open Room. (5C anyone?)
However, this seems to prompt GIB-West to lead a spade (!)
and I wind up with 12 tricks (West shed a diamond).
Since both expert declarers went down one, I gain
11 IMPs -some experts!
---------------------------------------------------------------------
No swing, Baze 0 - Nickell 0
Nikos-GIB 24 - GIBx2 1
=====================================================================
Board 4 - Dealer West - Both vul.
S Q 8
H A 8
D A 10 6
C K 10 8 7 6 4
S 5 S K 10 9 6 4 3
H J 10 7 4 2 H Q 3
D K Q J 8 2 D 9 7 4 3
C Q 5 C 9
S A J 7 2
H K 9 6 5
D 5
C A J 3 2
Open Room
WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH
Meckstroth Baze Rodwell Whitman
Pass 1C 1S Dbl
2C 3C 3D 5C
Pass Pass Pass
Play
1: E D4 D5 DJ DA
2: N C4 C9 CA C5
3: S C2 CQ CK S4
5C by N, making 7, NS: 640
WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH
GIB-LH GIB-pard GIB-RHO Nikos
pass 1C pass! 1H
pass 1NT pass 3NT
all pass
I bid 3NT with some misgivings, because of the singleton.
Then again, they'll probably lead a heart, I say.
In any case 6C is excellent but neither us neither the
experts found it (look at the Closed Room, where the Poles
E-W stole the auction with 2H!)
Why GIB-East didn't bid spades I can't tell, but he
led the 10S (if you don't bid'em lead'em?) and I had the
leisure of making 12 tricks. Because of the bad N-S score
in the Closed Room this gains us an undeserved 6 IMPs
-GIB seems to be cross-imping against both pairs and
dividing by 2 the result, although I haven't checked.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Closed Room
WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH
Adam Z Freeman Cezary B Nickell
2H Pass Pass Pass
2H by W, down 2, NS: 200
---------------------------------------------------------------------
10 imps to Baze, Baze 10 - Nickell 0
Nikos-GIB 30 - GIBx2 1
=====================================================================
Board 5 - Dealer North - NS vul.
S 2
H K 10 2
D A K 9 4 2
C J 9 4 3
S K J 9 8 7 4 S Q 5 3
H J 9 H A Q 8 7 6 3
D D Q J
C Q 10 7 6 5 C A 2
S A 10 6
H 5 4
D 10 8 7 6 5 3
C K 8
Open Room
WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH
Meckstroth Baze Rodwell Whitman
1D 1H 2H
3S 4D 4S Pass
Pass Pass
Play
1: N DK DJ D3 S7
2: W SJ S2 S3 SA
3: S CK C5 C4 CA
4: E S5 S6 SK D2
5: W HJ HK HA H4
6: E DQ D5 S4 D4
7: W H9 H2 H3 H5
4S by W, making 6, NS: -480
WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH
GIB-LHO GIB-pard GIB-RHO Nikos
1D 1H 3D
pass pass pass
According to GIB's system 3D would show more points,
but I like the bid. It had the effect of shutting out
E-W and so after the ace of clubs lead I made easily
10 tricks for 130, which gains 11,5 IMPs against the
easy 4S reached at both all-human tables (why NS didn't
go to 5D?)
---------------------------------------------------------------------
2 imps to Nickell, Baze 10 - Nickell 2
Nikos-GIB 41,5 - GIBx2 1
=====================================================================
Board 6 - Dealer East - EW vul.
S K 5 4
H K 7 6 5
D Q 7 5 4 2
C 5
S 10 6 S A Q 7 3
H Q 8 4 H A 10 9
D A K 8 D J 9
C A Q 9 8 4 C J 10 7 6
S J 9 8 2
H J 3 2
D 10 6 3
C K 3 2
Open Room
WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH
Meckstroth Baze Rodwell Whitman
1D Pass
2C Pass 2H Pass
2S Pass 2NT Pass
3NT Pass Pass Pass
Play
1: S S2 S6 SK SA
2: E CJ CK CA C5
3: W C4 D7 C7 C3
4: E C6 C2 C8 D2
5: W CQ S5 C10 D3
6: W H4 H5 H10 HJ
7: S SJ S10 S4 S3
8: S S8 HQ H6 SQ
9: E D9 D6 DK D4
10: W C9 HK H9
3NT by E, making 5, NS: -660
WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH
GIB-LH GIB-pard GIB-RHO Nikos
1C pass
2C (inv.) pass 2H pass
5C all pass
I don't care too much for West's rebid but in any case
5C is almost as good as 3NT. However, GIB played the
hand peculiarly: he won the diamond lead in dummy,
eliminated diamonds, then ran the 6 of trumps, then
advanced the jack of trumps and when I didn't cover
he overtook with ace (!) and then exited with a third
trump. (Perhaps his simulation indicated that this
was the winning line??)
In other words, GIB performed an excellent throw-in
but in so doing sacrificed a trick. I played a spade,
so GIB lost in the end a heart trick and made his
contract exactly. Minus 600 was worth 2,5 IMPs to us
against the higher-scoring notrumps of the humans.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
1 imp to Baze, Baze 11 - Nickell 2
Nikos-GIB 44 - GIBx2 1
=====================================================================
Board 7 - Dealer South - Both vul.
S K 10 2
H A Q J 6
D 6 4
C J 10 9 7
S 8 3 S Q J 7 6 5
H K 7 2 H 10 9
D A K Q 9 5 3 D 10 7
C 5 4 C A Q 3 2
S A 9 4
H 8 5 4 3
D J 8 2
C K 8 6
Open Room
WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH
Meckstroth Baze Rodwell Whitman
Pass
1D Dbl 1H Dbl
2D Pass Pass Pass
Play
1: N CJ CQ CK C4
2: S D2 DK D4 D7
3: W S8 S2 SQ SA
4: S C8 C5 C9 CA
5: E C2 C6 D3 C10
6: W DA D6 D10 D8
7: W DQ C7 S5 DJ
8: W S3 SK S6 S4
2D by W, making 2, NS: -90
WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH
GIB-LH GIB-pard GIB-RHO Nikos
pass
1D 1H! 1S 3H
dbl all pass
GIB's system explains my 3H bid as "the Law: 9 trumps
-> 3 level" or something similar. This is as it
should be, provided overcaller respects the Law in
the first place. I admit I cursed when I saw North's
hand (I had to play it -actually dummy was South)
but the lead was a most welcome one: the queen of spades!
The play went smoothly:
I win at North, and play a spade to the nine. Then
a heart to the queen holds. There are various ruff threats
around, so I risk the ace of hearts and I see both
opponents furnishing. Now I play jack of clubs. East
goes up ace, plays diamond, and when the queen of
clubs turns up with East I have made my contract.
730 or so is worth 12,5 against the low scores of
the boring real match.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
5 imps to Nickell, Baze 11 - Nickell 7
Nikos-GIB 56,5 - GIBx2 1
(but this can't go on, can it?)
=====================================================================
Board 8 - Dealer West - None vul.
S K 9 7
H 2
D Q 9 6 5 3
C A K J 6
S Q 8 2 S A J 6
H A Q J 5 4 3 H 7 6
D A D J 8 7 4
C Q 7 5 C 9 8 3 2
S 10 5 4 3
H K 10 9 8
D K 10 2
C 10 4
Open Room
WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH
Meckstroth Baze Rodwell Whitman
1C Pass 1D Pass
1H Pass 2C Pass
2H Pass Pass Pass
Play
1: N CK C3 C4 C5
2: N CA C2 C10 C7
3: N C6 C8 H8 CQ
4: S S3 S8 SK SA
5: E H6 H9 HQ H2
6: W S2 S7 SJ S4
7: E H7 H10 HJ
2H by W, making 4, NS: -170
WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH
GIB-LHÏ GIB-pard GIB-RHO Nikos
1H dbl 1NT (?!) pass
3H pass pass dbl (!)
pass 4D (?!) all pass
Thinking they are misfitted, I made a horrible double,
intended for penalties (isn't it penalty after that
auction?) Now, I had miscalculated obviously but
partner came to my rescue and took out my double.
Two wrongs do make a right sometimes, you see,
and when we weren't doubled (perhaps GIB only doubles
the contracts that may make?) we weren't in too bad shape.
A heart was led and then West played a spade to
East's jack. A heart back to the queen and ruffed,
and I play a diamond to the 10 which fetches the ace.
West plays the ace of hearts, ruffed with the 9 and
over-ruffed with the jack. East cashes the spade
ace which is the setting trick but now I can cash
out for down one. Minus 100 even gains 2 undeserved
IMPs against the -170s at the other tables.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
No swing, Baze 11 - Nickell 7
Nikos-GIB 58,5 - GIBx2 1
(Are we playing the same boards?)
=====================================================================
Board 9 - Dealer North - EW vul.
S 10
H J 5 4
D Q 7 5 4
C K J 7 5 4
S K Q 8 6 3 S J 9
H A 10 7 H K Q 9 6 3
D 9 2 D K 10 8
C A 8 6 C 9 3 2
S A 7 5 4 2
H 8 2
D A J 6 3
C Q 10
Open Room
WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH
Meckstroth Baze Rodwell Whitman
Pass Pass 1S
1NT Pass Pass Pass
1NT by W, making 2, NS: -120
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Closed Room
WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH
Adam Z Freeman Cezary B Nickell
Pass Pass 1S
Pass 1NT Pass 2D
Pass Pass Pass
Play
1: W D2 D4 D10 DJ
2: S CQ CA C4 C9
3: W C8 CK C2 C10
2D by S, making 3, NS: 110
Now we copied the auction of the Closed Room. Why Easts (both
human and GIBian) didn't reopen with 2H? Seeing all cards, it
seems quite a good spot, even if the defence takes a spade
ruff.
Now, the auction allegedly calls for a trump by West
(to protect his spade tricks) but in all due respect
to Zmudzinski I am not sure this holds equally
true when there is no long hand. In any case, GIB
leads a heart and I ruff the third round then play
on clubs and then I am forced (?) to forego the
finesse and play ace-jack of trumps. In any case
I make nine tricks, which is worth 6 IMPs.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
6 imps to Nickell, Baze 11 - Nickell 13
(Nikos-GIB 64,5 - GIBx2 1)
=====================================================================
Board 10 - Dealer East - Both vul.
S 7 4
H A K 4
D K J 9 5 2
C K 6 3
S K Q 10 6 S J 9 8
H Q 9 7 6 3 H J 10 8 2
D 8 6 D Q 10 3
C Q 8 C J 9 2
S A 5 3 2
H 5
D A 7 4
C A 10 7 5 4
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Closed Room
WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH
Adam Z Freeman Cezary B Nickell
Pass 1C
Pass 1D Pass 1S
Pass 2H Pass 3D
Pass 3NT Pass Pass
Pass
Play
1: E HJ H5 H3 HK
2: N D5 D3 DA D6
3: S D4 D8 DJ DQ
4: E H2 D7 H9 HA
5: N DK D10 C4 S10
6: N D9 H8 S2 S6
7: N D2 H10 S3 H7
8: N CK C2 C5 C8
9: N C3 C9 CA CQ
10: S C7 SQ C6 CJ
3NT by N, making 4, NS: 630
Again we copy the Closed Room auction.
A spade would be awkward, a heart as well but for some
reason GIB leads a club, ducked in dummy. East puts the
eight. In any case I clear clubs and concede a diamond
late in the day for 11 tricks. This is worth 1,5 IMP
which eliminates the annoying decimal.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
1 imp to Nickell, Baze 11 - Nickell 14
Nikosx2 66 - GIB 1
=====================================================================
Board 11 - Dealer South - None vul.
S 10 9 8 7 4 3 2
H J 3
D 9 2
C A 5
S K 6 S A 5
H 9 8 7 2 H A K 10 6
D 10 8 7 D A 5 3
C 10 8 7 6 C K Q 4 3
S Q J
H Q 5 4
D K Q J 6 4
C J 9 2
Open Room
WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH
Meckstroth Baze Rodwell Whitman
Pass
Pass 2S Dbl 3S
Pass Pass Dbl Pass
4H Pass Pass Pass
4H by W, down 1, NS: 50
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Closed Room
WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH
Adam Z Freeman Cezary B Nickell
1D
Pass 1S Dbl Pass
2H 2S 3D Pass
3H 3S Pass Pass
Pass
Play
1: E HA H4 H2 H3
2: E CK C2 C6 CA
3: N C5
3S by N, down 2, NS: -100
WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH
GIB-LHÏ GIB-pard GIB-RHO Nikos
1D
pass 1S dbl 2D
2H 2S 3H 3S
all pass
I am not proud about my bids here, but at least they
didn't double us. The defence cashes all their top tricks,
down 2, -100, which means a loss of 2 IMPs.
I told you this could not go on!
---------------------------------------------------------------------
4 imps to Baze, Baze 15 - Nickell 14
Nikos-GIB 66 - GIBx2 3
(despite the GIB rally, we are holding on)
=====================================================================
Board 12 - Dealer West - NS vul.
S J 6 5 2
H Q 6
D A K 7
C A 10 9 6
S S A K 10 9 7
H J 8 5 3 H K 9
D 10 8 5 3 D 9 4 2
C Q J 7 5 3 C K 8 2
S Q 8 4 3
H A 10 7 4 2
D Q J 6
C 4
Open Room
WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH
Meckstroth Baze Rodwell Whitman
Pass 1C 1S Dbl
Pass 1NT Pass Pass
Pass
Play
1: E SA S3 D8 S5
2: E C2 C4 CJ CA
3: N S6 S9 SQ D3
4: S H2 H3 HQ HK
5: E H9 H10 HJ H6
6: W C3 C9 CK H4
7: E SK S4 C5 S2
1NT by N, making 1, NS: 90
Freeman scores 7 tricks also for a push.
Instead of reaching the pedestrian 1NT our auction was remarkable:
WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH
GIB-LHÏ GIB-pard GIB-RHO Nikos
pass 1C 1S dbl
pass 2S dbl redbl!
pass 3S! dbl redbl!!
pass pass!!! pass
I hate GIB's 2S cuebid (what's wrong with 1NT?) and
when West doubles I decide that two can play that
game, so I pass the buck to pard by redoubling.
The comedy continues when GIB makes a second cue, East
a second double and I can't resist a second redouble.
Now pard passes -and we play 3S redbled!! Ok, what is
1000 or so points for a bit of fun?
But when the silly thing in East leads a diamond (who
was the captain who excluded players from his team
for failing to lead a trump when they held five?)
I see that pard had spades and now if East
holds three diamonds I must make
the contract! Win queen of diamonds, ace of clubs, club
ruff, diamond to North, club ruff, diamond to North,
club ruff -East discards. Now I have seven tricks and
I exit with the queen of spades and make one trump
plus a heart in the end. (In fact, it seems that after
a non-trump lead there is no defence, and even a low
trump lead is no good).
So, I learned how much scores 3Sxx: it is 960
which is worth 13 IMPs when compared with the pedestrian
90s of the experts.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
No swing, Baze 15 - Nickell 14
Nikos-GIB 79 - GIBx2 3
(I seem to have opened some daylight)
=====================================================================
Board 13 - Dealer North - Both vul.
S K J 9 2
H Q 7 5
D K J 8 7
C 10 8
S A 4 S 7
H K J 4 2 H A 10 9 6
D Q 6 5 D 10 9 3 2
C J 9 5 4 C A K 6 2
S Q 10 8 6 5 3
H 8 3
D A 4
C Q 7 3
Open Room
WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH
Meckstroth Baze Rodwell Whitman
Pass 1D 2S
Dbl 4S Dbl Pass
Pass Pass
4SX by S, down 2, NS: -500
WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH
GIB-LHO GIB-pard GIB-RHO Nikos
pass 1D 2S
dbl 3S 4H pass
pass 4S (?!) pass pass
dbl all pass
Ok, so my 2S was not a thing of beauty vulnerable, but while
I agree with GIB's 3S (as opposed to a direct 4S that would
probably have attracted a double) I was furious at his
later 4S -after all, he had some defence. So, I am headed
for 500 against nothing. However, West leads a club and
when East wins returns a diamond. Now, I don't believe that
East has the queen, so I go up ace, then finesse in
diamonds, so I am able to shed a heart and limit the damage
at 200, losing a mere 1 IMP.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Closed Room
WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH
Adam Z Freeman Cezary B Nickell
Pass 1D 1S
Dbl xx 2H Pass
4H Pass Pass Pass
4H by E, down 2, NS: 200
---------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------
12 imps to Nickell, Baze 15 - Nickell 26
Nikos-GIB 79 - GIBx2 4
=====================================================================
Board 14 - Dealer East - None vul.
S A J 8 5
H A
D A K 10 9 4
C K J 3
S Q 3 S K 10 9 6 4 2
H J 8 5 4 3 H Q 10 6 2
D Q 8 6 5 3 D 2
C 2 C 8 5
S 7
H K 9 7
D J 7
C A Q 10 9 7 6 4
Open Room
WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH
Meckstroth Baze Rodwell Whitman
2D 4C
Pass 7C Pass Pass
Pass
Play
1: W SQ SA S2 S7
2: N CK C5 C4 C2
7C by S, making 7, NS: 1440
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Closed Room
WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH
Adam Z Freeman Cezary B Nickell
2D 3C
Pass 4NT Pass 5C
Pass 7C Pass Pass
Pass
Play
1: W SQ SA S2 S7
2: N C3 C5 CQ C2
7C by S, making 7, NS: 1440
WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH
GIB-LHÏ GIB-pard GIB-RHO Nikos
pass 1C
pass 1D pass 2C
pass 2S pass 3C
pass 4NT pass 5D (1 A)
pass 6C all pass
GIB was overdue for a big swing and he got it here; he certainly
worked hard for it. First of all, East passed so we had a free run.
Then, the silly thing opposite didn't bid the grand. However,
according to GIB's system after my 3C bid I had shown seven
clubs, less than three diamonds and 11 HCP -all of which makes
the grand a moral certainty.
Anyway, 11 IMPs away.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
No swing, Baze 15 - Nickell 26
Nikos-GIB 79 - GIBx2 15
=====================================================================
Board 15 - Dealer South - NS vul.
S 6 5 3 2
H 10 5
D 8 3
C A Q 9 5 3
S K 9 S A
H A K J 9 6 4 H 8 7 3 2
D A 6 5 D 10 9 7 4 2
C K 8 C 7 6 2
S Q J 10 8 7 4
H Q
D K Q J
C J 10 4
Open Room
WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH
Meckstroth Baze Rodwell Whitman
1S
Dbl 3S Pass Pass
4H Pass Pass Pass
4H by W, down 1, NS: 50
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Closed Room
WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH
Adam Z Freeman Cezary B Nickell
1S
Dbl 2NT 3H 4S
5H Dbl Pass Pass
Pass
5HX by E, down 2, NS: 300
---------------------------------------------------------------------
WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH
GIB-LHÏ GIB-pard GIB-RHO Nikos
1S
dbl 2S(!) 3D 3S
4H 4S pass pass
dbl all pass
I resisted the temptation to open with a weak 2S, as
I might do sometimes at the table. And I would
bid 3S in GIB's place and certainly not 4S over
4H. But perhaps it was my 3S bid that was wrong?
In any case 4H is not sure and we are headed for 200.
GIB leads hearts, I ruff the second and I advance
the queen of spades -and then it happens: West covers
and with a horrible crash the two trump honours fall
together! Now it is only fair that the club finesse
is on and I make the contract for a gain of 11 IMPs.
After all, I got my own back from the previous board.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
6 imps to Nickell, Baze 15 - Nickell 32
Nikosx2 90 - GIB 15
=====================================================================
Board 16 - Dealer West - EW vul.
S Q 10 9 3
H Q 9 6 2
D A 8 6 2
C J
S 7 5 S J 8 6 4 2
H A J 8 7 5 H 4 3
D K 7 5 D J 10
C K 10 7 C A 9 6 5
S A K
H K 10
D Q 9 4 3
C Q 8 4 3 2
Open Room
WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH
Meckstroth Baze Rodwell Whitman
1H Pass 1S Pass
1NT Pass 2D Pass
2H Pass Pass Pass
2H down 2
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Closed Room
WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH
Adam Z Freeman Cezary B Nickell
1H Pass 1S Dbl
Pass 3D Pass Pass
Pass
3D by N, making 3, NS: 110
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WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH
GIB-LHÏ GIB-pard GIB-RHO Nikos
1H pass 1S pass (?)
1NT pass 2S dbl (!?)
all pass
Would you pass as South over 1H-1S? With so many values in
their suits I did. Then, over 2S I thought this was the
last board so I may as well have some fun and I doubled
with the premonition that pard would leave it in -which
he did, bless him. I led the ace of spades to have a look
at dummy and what I saw made me cash the king (to protect
pard's putative queen-to-three) and then the 10 of hearts.
I skip the gory details but GIB went down 2 so it was 500
for the good guy and 8 IMPs to end the set in a high note.
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3 imps to Baze, Baze 18 - Nickell 32
=====================================================================
Final score: Nikos-GIB 98 - GIBx2 15
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© 2000 Nikos Sarantakos
sarant@village.uunet.lu
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