Bridge Thoughts - Lowest Possible!

 

Hopeless!

Yan Shen Drabek

Yesterday, after a series of mediocre hands, I finally picked up this beauty:

We were white against red. Three passes to me, I opened with 1♥ (some might open 2♣). Partner responded with 1NT. I rebid 2♠ (a reverse showing a big hand), and he raised me to 4♥. With stars in my eyes, I was hoping partner held two keycards. I bid 4NT. After hearing 5♣ indicating one keycard, I bid 5♥ ending the auction.

The 6 of heart was led. Partner laid down:

I told myself I could afford to lose the two aces and make the contract comfortably. There was even a possibility of discarding the singleton diamond on the fourth club to make 6.

I played the 2♥ from the board, and RHO contributed the 4♥. For some odd reason, I clicked the 5♥ from my hand, losing the trick! What?

LHO must have been stunned that his lowly 6♥ had won the trick. A long pause. He finally led another heart. I won in hand and played the King of clubs, hoping that after they won the Ace, they wouldn’t return a diamond. Unfortunately, they did lead a diamond back, and I went down one, a 0% on the board for no reason.

I wished for a hole in the ground to hide in.

At postmortem time, my partner, who is also my mentor, said to me, “Clicking the wrong card? It is a symptom that has plagued you. Sometimes when you play a contract, you can see that you can lose a trick, you start squirming, and squirming, you are thinking and thinking. You try to think everything imaginable, trying not to lose that trick. You then finally lose that trick. This, and clicking on a low heart, when the Ace would be preferable. It is the desire to play the cheapest card possible in every single opportunity whether they are equal or not. It is the same kind of syndrome.” He didn’t use harsh words. But I will say it for him: Hopeless!

I tried to recall what I was thinking. The problem was, I couldn’t remember what I was thinking. In fact, I was not thinking at all! Because, the cards played on the table did not register in my mind. So my hand just mechanically clicked the lowerst card possible. Like my mentor said.

P.S. I am writing these little articles to encourage new comers. Things happen. Mistakes happen to everyone. Don't give up. Tomorrow is another day! :-) To read my previous articles, click here.