An introduction to the YC knock out
Driving back from the Bournemouth congress with Alison and Brian McGuire the conversation
turned to bridge.
"Have you entered a team in the YC knock out?" asked Brian
"No we haven't really thought about it, what's it about?" A few minutes later and we've
agreed to enter.
A day or so goes by, and I receive an email:
The draw has now been made.
Your first round opponent is: Brian Callaghan
Oh well - is there a plate competition? - it'll be good experience.
A few emails, some deleted or lost in the ether, and we're all there and ready to play. Just
another ordinary match at the YC.
A couple of flattish boards, and we've eased our way into the match - so far so good. Then
the first swing of the evening, and believe me, there were a few!:
	8 3 2		Dealer N
	6 4 3		EW Vul
	9 6 5
	T 6 5 4		Table 1
			W	N	E	S
A 6 5		Q 9 4		P	1C	1H
J T		A K 9	3D	P	3N	P
A Q T 7 3 2		K 4	4N	P	P	P
J 9		A Q 8 3 2
			Table 2
	K J T 7		W	N	E	S
	Q 8 7 5 2			p	1C	p
	J 8		1D	p	2N	p
	K 7		4C	p	4S	p
			5C	p	6C	p
A misunderstanding at Table 1 and 13 imps.			6N
(Editor's note: Alison Gayfer & Mike Davis were NS at table 1 throughout, with Mark Gurney & Tony Harden at Table 2 EW.
David Burn & Brian Callaghan were EW at table 1 in the first half and Rob Cliffe & Ian Payn NS at table 2 in the first half.)
Another slam hand on the next board - 6S bid and made at both tables. Then another swing:
	A Q 9 8 7 3		Dealer S
	6		Non Vul
	9 5
	T 9 8 5		Table 1
			W	N	E	S
4 2		none				p
8 5 3		A K Q 7 4 2	p	2S	dbl	4S
Q 7 2		A K 8 6 4 3	dbl	p	5S	p
A Q J 7 3		6	6C	p	6D	p
			7D
	K J T 6 5
	J T 9		Excellent judgement by the opposition, and
	J T		10 i mps away - only 6H bid at Table 2.
	K 4 2
That's 3 slams on the trot, including a grand - who prepared these hands?
The next 3 boards and only 3 imps change hands, perhaps things have settled down now, but
then a thin game opens a small gap.
	A 6 5		Dealer W
	8 5 3		All Vul
	K J 2
	Q J 4 3		Table 1 after a strong club and response showing
			3 or less points, the bidding dies in 3H
T 4		K 9 8
Q J T 7 6		A K 9 2	Table 2
9 8 7 3		A T
7 2		A T 9 6	W	N	E	S
			p	p	1H	1S
	Q J 7 3 2		2H	3S	dbl	p
	4		4H
	Q 6 5 4
	K 8 5		SA on side and 10 imps
The last board of the session, and the only question is 'How many diamonds are there in this
pack?' as EW play in diamonds at table 1, and NS play in diamonds at table 2.
The answer to the question is .....Not enough, as both contracts go down - curiously, NS (with a
3-2 fit!) made more tricks than EW (4-4 fit!) and that's 8 more imps for a half time score of
38 - 19; not many flat boards in this match.
The YC sandwiches are produced - the yellow and red variety today - and we're off again.
20 imps shared over the first 2 boards (how are our team mates in 6S when they've both got
balanced-ish weak no trump hands?), and then 28 more shared over the next 4, where contracts
of 2S, 2S+, 3S and 2S at table 1 produced a phenomenal amount of variety and imps.
Then to Board 20			Dealer W
	A Q J 9 6 2		All Vul
	A 9 8
	J		Table 1
	J 7 2		W	N	E	S
			1H	1S	3H	3S
7		5	4H	4S	p	p
J 6 5 2		K Q 7 4 3	dbl
A K 8 7 5 4		T 9 2
A K		T 9 5 4
			Table 2
	K T 8 4 3
	T		An extra push to 5H, and 5S+, and
	Q 6 3		that's enough for 14 imps
	Q 8 6 3
Surely we've got enough now! Let's have a few flat, boring boards to finish, please.
Board 21, 6D bid and made at each table - that's flat enough
Board 22, 6 imps out in a part score auction - we don't want those!
Board 23			Dealer S
	T		All Vul
	Q J 8 7
	K Q 8 4 2		Team mates bid 6S, but will they bid
	T 4 3		7? (Is it biddable?)
A K J 9 8		Q 6 5	Table 1
T		A K 6 5 4	W	N	E	S
T 6 3		A				p
A K Q 6		J 9 8 7	1S	p	2H	p
			2C	p	3D	p
	7 4 3 2		3S	p	4D	p
	9 3 2		5D	p	6S
	J 9 7 5
	5 2			Phew, it's flat.
One board to go - doesn't feel like we've lost 20 so far, but who knows its been a roller coaster!
Board 24 - a quiet finish required
	7 5 4		Dealer W
	A 9 8 6 5 4 2		Non Vul
	9 8 5
	none		Team mates bid 6S and make 7.
Q 6 3 2		A K J T 9
none		7	Table 1
A K T 7 6		J	W	N	E	S
K 4 3 2		A Q T 8 7 5	1D	3H	4C	4H
			5H	p	5S	p
	8		5N	p	7C	7H
	K Q J T 3		p	p	dbl	p
	Q 4 3 2		p	p
	J 9 6
What about 7S? .. Would we find the club lead? .. We didn't have to! .. We're okay, aren't we?
Get back to glum faced team mates whose opening comment is 'We've snatched defeat from
the jaws of victory', but no - we've won the second half 41 - 32 for a 28 imp win!
There's turmoil in the bar, no one, including us, can believe it. Jeremy Dhondy walks past,
glances at the score card, and makes the comment that they seem to have enough plus scores
to win several matches, and also muses over whether anyone's told Heather that she won't be
getting a game in the knock out this year.
There were three flat boards in each half, 7 biddable slams, including 3 grands, and a host of
variety in the part scores, where we all made mistakes, some more costly than others. So
much for a quiet evening's bridge.
Still can't quite believe it this morning - must have been a dream, but then 'phone call from
Warwick - were there any boards that I'd like to write about for the YC website?
Only 24 Warwick!
And what are we doing this evening? Playing bridge of course. It's sure to be an anti climax.