Winners of Fall NABC Robot Individual Practice Tournament #1
Last weekend, November 9-10, ACBL BBOers were invited to play in the first NABC ...
Here comes the last board of the Zenith Daylong Reward toonimint, that took place on July 2nd, us needing a top board to contend, as usual. 🙁
With the black Kings marked onside, if needed, I fantasized a 6♠ slam if my partner could cooperate. So I faked a perfectly obvious splinter Q-bid of 4♥!! I didn't realize that "Silly Putty" was soooo clueless as to understand 4♥ as "3-5♠, 3-5♦, 3-4♣, & 12+ "total points". HUH?? But that mis-info also infected WEST, who thought we were insane, and DOUBLED 4♠ for no apparent reason!
I SNICKERED, and consolidated our top board with a booming "REDOUBLE" - (by the way, newly promising 25-31 "total points" - which is hardly an overstatement). But suddenly the robot PULLED 4♠XX to 5♦, showing 5+♦ (not), 4♠ (not) and 5+ total points (not). WHAT an ATROCITY 🙁 Loath to play in our weak 4-1 ♦ fit, I retreated to 5♠X. Opponent lead the ♦K then out a trump. I won the ♠ 10 and found the great play of......♣Q!-K-ruff, and a 2nd trump to dummy.
Now all I had to do was HIT the CLAIM BUTTON for +650. But instead, I drew another phantom trump, and when the ♣s went 6-2 I ended a trick short for -200 and another zorrini! WHAT a fool! 🙁 We truly deserve each other. Someone put us out of our misery, please?
Obviously no control over Robots. But playing last Trump was big blunder, such mistake will not be found at elementary level of players.
Never redouble in pairs: if you make your doubled contract you're going to be ok (even if 1 or 2 are in a slam if that happens to make)
You have to play it again next week. but get a better robot and always hit claim even if you have itchy fingers...
Bang!