quartz123: 80 booked for ferghal. 4 booked for Eamon. oh dear
we had 46 pairs last night and 62 the night before ... busy enough for me.
I did not think it was a competition between tourney runners.
Quartz123 could have made it Fearghal 79 and Eamon 5 if he felt sorry for me.
I only do it to help folk out with a game of IMPS bridge and 24 boards is lots starting at 905pm.
Last night around midnight in the Ireland Imp Pairs battle lines were drawn. In the Blue Corner was the Resident Well Liked Champion with countless victories in the Ireland Imp Pairs about to defend his realm against the noisy well read intelligent and very dangerous Challenger. Both were attended by their dummy handlers. After some verbal sparring which shocked most of the kibitzers the first round began.
The Champion was on 67.5 imps
The Challenger was on 57.5 imps
Board 22
Hand 22 was a fairly simple auction to 4H for the challenger.
Making this game will put him in a good position for the overtake. With East as dealer the auction was over before the Champion could ponder his holdings.
However all was not lost ...the Champion unleashed a trump lead won by the challenger who blindly setoff to ruff a slow spade. The Champion won the spade and fired back a 2nd trump. The blinded with anger challenger continued with his seemingly reasonable plan by winning 2nd trump and unblocking the spade king. Now a diamond to the Ace and a spade ruff seemed to leave him swimming down the creek. However the mighty challenger was blinded by the sight of victory and failed to use up one of his free safety lives and pranged his boat off a rock.
Happily for the Challenger the Champions handler was asleep at the wheel and failed to collect the wonderful gift offered by the Challenger and 4H was made.
This was 4.5 imps in the bag or a 9 imp swing in this head to head.
So both sides failed to connect with big punches in the first board.
Hand 23 was quickly bid to slam once the challenger found an opening bid with
solid Heart support opposite. Nothing to the play except the fake finesse in clubs for
annoyance and slam was made. Only 6 pairs bid the slam and 1 languished in 3H up 3.
Davy GarveyDonal swift jumping and connell the butcher along with our challenger bid 6H.
This is a good slam ..no finesses no fancy plays needed. What were the rest doing.
So the Champion can see his throne floating down the river sped on its way with diatribe from the endless challenger.
Hand 23
Board 24 and it again seems to favour the challenger who can make 3NT
However if the Champion could see all the cards he might maneuver into a sacrificial 4S. However the Champion was very perturbed and bothered by the accompanying typing onslaught from the Challenger.
After a pass from West the champions corner person opened an interesting Joe McHale special.
Joe was a fantastic Irish player from the past ...a true legend of Irish bridge ..but they did not have the weak 2s when he started. I used to love trying to beat him as he was a true champion. Eventually I had the privilege of partnering Joe the odd time. So they did not have the weak 2s at the start and Joe used to open all kinds of less than opening things with a weak 2 bid. 65 hands were regular.
I recall adding up in my out column 2D doubled plus 4 or so .. maybe redoubled.
So weak 2S opened with 65 and challenger whips out 3NT and thats the end.
There was little hope of ever beating 3NT and so it ended.
Except it is only beginning as thegarve has been reported to abuse@bridgebase.com so we will see what that brings.
Oh I nearly forgot ... I won a challenge ..sawed off the mighty kelan ...does not happen often but I was distracted by the goings on last night
38 imps to 1... nobody would have a hope against me in Ireland imp pairs
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