Dubious Logic

Suffolk v Cambs and Hunts

Suffolk versus Cambridge and Huntingdonshire in the Eastern Counties League was quieter than usual. A new competition for the winners of the various regional leagues meant that the Cambs and Hunts' third team was absent; the creation of this event being so recent as to post date the arrangement of our match. The missing 'C' team upheld the status of the ECL by finishing second in their pool. Northamptonshire provided the other two teams, coming second and third in the 'A' and 'B' divisions respectively (five regions in each division).

So, the ECL is clearly a tough competition so with that build-up, I'm delighted to say that Suffolk had a very good match against Cambs and Hunts; the 'A' team won 18-2 in victory points and the 'B' team, 20-0. The 'B' team pulled away from their opponents inexorably but the 'A' match was, despite the eventual score-line, a very close affair. The first quarter was a tie and Suffolk led by only five IMPs at the half. That lead was down to just two before the final quarter but Suffolk kept their collective heads while the opponents lost theirs. The first set was flat only because of this comedy of errors:

There's a school of practice that holds that you can be too strong for a simple overcall. At what exact level this comes into effect is a matter for agreement; in club bridge it is disconcertingly low but, even farther along the line of expertise, there is clearly room for confusion. The trouble with making a double then hoping to later cancel the message of support for the unbid suits, is that there may never be a convenient later. Here North thought, despite East's natural game-try of three diamonds, that his partner was still promising that suit.

For guidance, the South hand is nowhere near strong enough for this course of action: the opponents have the top suit, the bidding behind you depreciates your ace-queen holdings (even though West's one club could have been a doubleton in a balanced hand) and the heart suit is without the tens and nines that would ensure against disaster. A simple two heart call is perfectly sufficient.

Well, so far just laughs for Suffolk but, sadly, I have to report that my partner and I let them off the hook. One trick went away when, forgivably, I failed to lead a trump, another when we neither engineered our club ruff nor stopped declarer ruffing a spade. Crashing king and queen of trumps then not scoring the nine of diamonds was yet another. That meant just +500 and less than the value of our game. At least it feels good to come clean about it.

Suffolk v Cambs and Hunts
'A' Team won 18-2 VPs (+61 IMPs)
P. Gemmell (Capt.) / P. Sutcliffe
C. Chambers / J. Gobert
E. Newman / M. Sherer
B. Davies / D. Gudka

'B' Team won 20-0 VPs (+91 IMPs)
A. Moore / J. Moore
M. Allnutt / D. Sutcliffe
B. Barker / A. Day
C. Bamberger / R. Green

Published Saturday 28.Jul.2007