The Granda book on Opening Leads .. Q from AQx

 Ireland Open Imps Pairs at 8pm every night on BBO. This is a good training session as well as competition. You won't leave this event without some story. 

Last night I spotted the all conquering Granda showing us what to lead from AQ .. most of us would not bother and instead wait for partner to lead it through. Not so the mighty Granda. 

Granda has been killing the docile Sligo natives all through the COVID...regularly doling out the 64% scores and higher. 

So the Granda is on lead against 3C and he has no shame. No problem at all ... Granda nonchalantly tosses the SPADE QUEEN on the table. Sorry but I have read 1000 bridge books including Robert Ewen ..Opening Leads and Blackwood on Opening Leads but I have no copy of Granda Opening leads. 

I think last night was Intermediate night in Sligo so the Granda headed off to the NIBU to hammer the punters up there. 

https://www.bridgebase.com/myhands/hands.php?username=granda+tom&start_time=1608854400&end_time=1611532800

The above link shows Granda in action from January 1 to January 24 this year. 65.3% until he had a little hiccup around January 25th ..I think he had a bereavement but once thegarve pasted him on Ennis Congress Friday night the monster awoke from his slumber and pasted loads more Sligos and Ennis folk ending up in 3rd place. 

However I love the lead from AQx and the only folk who bid spades were his opponents. Tomorrow I will have a look at how the Tranmer pair are getting on. They were great before Xmas but maybe a new years resolution has happened

Last night I got done by thegarve's lack of computer skills .. He is on computers 22/7 and he cannot work the BBO

 Ireland Open Imps Pairs at 8pm every night on BBO. This is a good training session as well as competition. You won't leave this event without some story. 

Last night I was playing in my own Ireland Imps Pairs when I came up against thegarve and zaczaczac but thegarve failed to alert that he was dumb at using computer or maybe to be more exact dumb at using new BBO version. 

The bidding as above and I don't have much to do anyway but I felt surely 2S was forcing and surely they might get into trouble and surely I might be taking the willow to a higher spade contract but amazingly el garve PASSED.

Later on I asked him either zaczaczac don't know she is playing non forcing 2 bid or something else. 

The lucky bugger managed to misclick a PASS when trying to click on 2NT. He said 2S forcing 1 round. 

Galligan lose 8 imps minus and the plus for doubling 4S so maybe 15 imps on the board. How could it happen that the man who knows everything about everything does not know how to work the new fantastic BBO software and how come the bugger gets lucky enough against me. I did not even hesitate. I had my willow out ready to drive 4S into the stands. 

The Doorbell Coup

 Ireland Open Imps Pairs at 8pm every night on BBO. This is a good training session as well as competition. You won't leave this event without some story. 

On Monday night in Malahide we had Swiss Teams event. 

So I was looking at this hand wondering what is 2D and why is it not alerted. Turned out West answered doorbell and returned ..saw 2C bid and presumed partner opened 2C strong. 

When 2 professionals collide sometimes its a masterclass

 Ireland Open Imps Pairs at 8pm every night on BBO. This is a good training session as well as competition. You won't leave this event without some story. 

This morning in the Peter Pigot Bridge Club the moon and the stars all lined up for one pair. Yes they are the strongest pair in the room but that seldom amounts to much past 65% unless you eat the Devenish porridge for breakfast and tea. Today 2 Peters both professionals at their own games delivered an 83% game in the 

https://www.bridgewebs.com/peterpigotbridge/

The Peter Pigot Bridge Club. Games 11am  Tues and 745pm Thursday currently 

Good game Peters Townsend and Pigot

A man bids 2D overcall in a live auction and is still playing it doubled

  Ireland Open Imps Pairs at 8pm every night on BBO. This is a good training session as well as competition. You won't leave this event without some story. 

Heres a story from NIBU versus England. The Australian Dyke probably thought all his Xmas's here together. The mighty Tranmer is in 2DX and he has the Souths lot opposite his partners opening bid plus reopening double. 

Santa Claus or whatever they call him in Australia has landed. 

One also noted a CBAI trained bridge teacher also stepped in the doggy poo on this hand so I guess that makes Tranmer's bid okay then. 

https://kibitz.realbridge.online/

The above link has the Camrose weekend results and much more information

The above hand was hand 4 of match 1.

Team BJ won the Camrose at the weekend. 

Bridgebase online competitive all tournaments and search for eamongall. 2 BBO dollars gets you 28 boards of good hands and usually some very capable opponents. The Swiss format means most folk play against their peers. 

A man goes down in 6NT when he might have done better. Losing 4 imps plus the gain for making

 Ireland Open Imps Pairs at 8pm every night on BBO. This is a good training session as well as competition. You won't leave this event without some story. 

The man arrived in 6NT declared by South.

Spade 10 lead and no opposition bidding. Despite the 33 hcp 12 tricks don't appear straight away. So our man wins Spade Ace and plays off Heart Ace and East shows out. 

Any ideas about making or is it time to surrender.

Meanwhile the Camrose was in full flight and Ireland were going strong after dispatching Scotland and England. Next up little Northern Ireland. Despite the presence of 120 times capped Rex Anderson and ironman David Greenwood there was no doubt another victory was guaranteed. At half time 42 imps behind it was no problem. Not even the appearance of the most form player of the last 9 months mattered. Tranmer and Sommerville maintained the lead for the tiring Greenwood Anderson and NIBU remained 40 odd imps ahead. 

Meanwhile it gradually came to light that Scotland only had a 4 man team. Some pairs internet was kaput and the rules indicated no subs allowed. A mention was made of the 4 handed CBAI team of 2007 decimated by bereavement which reduced to 3 players when one of their number got very sick. However in that instance CBAI were 26 ahead with the final match only worth 25 so the captains when polled agreed it was okay for the sick player to go to bed where he remained for about 17 hours.

Nobody bothered to tell David Jackson the NPC that he was going into battle until 5 minutes before game time. 

So it was new partnership Tommy Garvey and David Jackson who took on Scotland. 

............

Anyone making the 6NT contract above. 

Bridgebase online competitive all tournaments and search for eamongall. 2 BBO dollars gets you 28 boards of good hands and usually some very capable opponents. The Swiss format means most folk play against their peers. 

Some hands from Northern Ireland v Ireland Camrose Match 3

  Ireland Open Imps Pairs at 8pm every night on BBO. This is a good training session as well as competition. You won't leave this event without some story. 

Bridgebase online competitive all tournaments and search for eamongall. 2 BBO dollars gets you 28 boards of good hands and usually some very capable opponents. The Swiss format means most folk play against their peers. 

Yesterday Saturday January 8th we had CBAI v NIBU in Camrose normally a comfortable win for CBAI but in these strange times the regular squad got beaten in the trials for the event. So it was a confident NIBU squad who went into battle as they knew they were playing equals as opposed to the famous Thomas "No medals " Hanlon and his sidekick Hugh McGann. NIBU also has "The Beast" on board. For some reason Paul Tranmer has found a massive run of form in the last 9 months or so and given he is sitting in the same chair and sleeping in the same bed there was hope for NIBU. 

 Board 2 and North makes a bid showing both minors. I think it is the dreaded Ghesthem or something similar. Anyway somehow BJ O'Brien left this bid pass him by ..must have been a misclick as everything points to a diamond contract. 

1. He has 6 card support for his partner

2. He has 4 Hearts indicating shortage in partners hand

3. So he got 11 card fit and singleton and void to use those trumps on so its totally bizarre not to be motoring. 

4. In my world BJ has an opening hand and his vulnerable partner is bidding. So thats opening opposite opening so something went wrong. 

5. Just in case the 3C bid was alerted as "minors" 

.........

Board 15 seems unlucky for CBAI but unfortunately I have no idea what 2D overcall means but it meant something and steered NIBU into a hard to beat 3NT contract but declarer may have telegraphed the defence.

Maybe I am wrong but after Greenwood trick 2 diamond to King is the defence not in charge. A little bit of minding the entries and the defensive communication. 

However the CBAI contract of 4H had no hope after 3 slaps of the club suit. Another 11 imps gone. 

....

Board 16 saw more misery

3NT has no play at all ... Lindsay already told about his clubs so its bizarre to play in 3NT when you got a 53 heart fit. Another 12 imps in the bin. 

Something has gone wrong with these grandmaster players who put the fear of God into all opponents when playing in the CBAI events. 

I will just show one bizarre hand from the 2nd half. A result I have not seen since I was learning the game in Swords in 1985. I gleefully got Pat McMahon down 9 in 3NT with my great heart suit. Later I found out it was 0% as vulnerable game beats 9 down non vul. 

Here it is Padraig O'Briain down 9 vulnerable in 3NT losing all 13 defensive tricks to Greenwood Anderson. Now maybe its an okay ploy as one would figure there is slam on for the NIBU lads. However it was minus 900 and 9 imps away. I know the plan was to run to 4D if doubled but it never happened and Padraig is still waiting for the race to start. 

And all except 3NT-9 was before Wayne unleashed the Beast. 

NIBU 85 CBAI 42 or 17-3 in VPS.

Wbridge5 robot sacrifices against Galligan on Bridge Now

 Ireland Open Imps Pairs at 8pm every night on BBO. This is a good training session as well as competition. You won't leave this event without some story. Sean Connor and Thomas Gilligan took the victory last night despite Connor  getting caught in Murphys grippers early on. 

Bridgebase online competitive all tournaments and search for eamongall. 2 BBO dollars gets you 28 boards of good hands and usually some very capable opponents. The Swiss format means most folk play against their peers. 

Just now on Bridge Now website I found a good move

I found a good 6H despite the robot partner telling me 2 aces with NO QUEEN. I decided it would be a very bad 2C opening if he telling me the truth. My Axxx of spades made it look like our hands would mesh well so I bid on to 6H. 

Then robot West decided ..hmmmm he is making 6H so maybe I better sacrifice but it is too late as Eamon did not even know if he was making 6H so happy to take money from 6SX. 

It reminded me of a hand where Mr Murchan thought Martin Garvey was stroking him and acted rashly. 

Minus 1800 later he learned the error of his ways ..

Robot West lost 1700 so that was a good return for Eamon 

Eventhough at a quick glance it appears 7H has play on the finesse I think you run into trouble with the Jxx of trumps and the singleton diamond all combining to end you in the grand down 1. 

A better idea for West Robot was to bid  4S  as soon as possible and let the opponents figure it out now. 

After 2C 2S ...how many pairs will have the very useful here negative double available in their agreements. No ability for South to show 4 card hearts will leave them well busted if West launches the 4S bid ... No great way to find a 6H contract now. 

The moral of the story is launch your interference quickly and don't be hanging around to see what happens ... 4S bid was much easier than the later 6S bid. 

In and out quickly is the way to go. Put them under pressure used to work for Jack Charlton. It also seems to work for that Argentinian guy managing every soccer supporters most hated team .. Leeds United. People seem to be liking the current Leeds United. The 1970s version of Leeds was a serious collection of hard men. Even the legendary Brian Clough only lasted a month there. 

Put them under pressure works in all levels of bridge ... push them up one level out of the comfort zone. 

Loads of folk can play 2H making 9 or 10 ... but push them up into 3H making 9  and the pressure might produce down 1. Stick 3S at them non-vul and sometimes they go to 4H down 1. 

Many ways to bid 55 in the minors opening in Ireland Imps Pairs

  Ireland Open Imps Pairs at 8pm every night. This is a good training session as well as competition. You won't leave this event without some story. John Comyn and Eimer rolled back the years last night or else folk offered presents.  

Bridgebase online competitive all tournaments and search for eamongall. 

Hand 4 from last night was interesting.

After 3 passes South opens 1D and gets a 1H from North.

What next .. Some bid 3C and reached the making 5C. 

Murphyslaw bid 2C and was left there. 

Sean Connor 3rd in hand launched a 1H opener against zaczaczac to no avail. 3zac just bid 2NT showing 55 both minors and thegarve pushed on with 4C and they arrived in 5C. 

More interesting was a few tables choice of opening bid with the South hand. Several tried the 1C opening with a reverse into diamonds following. This does not feel right to me with 55. One pair even tried 1C opening followed by  a 3D reverse but getting left in 4C means the partner was using a different page of notes. 

Go here https://www.bridgewebs.com/cgi-bin/bwoo/bw.cgi?pid=display_rank&event=20210106_1&club=irelandimps

or Google Ireland imps and use the bridgewebs to examine hand 4 or other interesting hands and see what the different players do. 

Lets see what else happened

Here we saw poor Murphyslaw lose near 7 imps for doing nothing wrong. Opponents played in 4H and made 11. 3 pairs bid a going down slam and another pair had a bidding accident or misclick or something and languished in 1D contract. Some days the slam will make but need a 2-2 trumps break and getting said guess right as missing the queen. 

Undos were allowed but sometimes there is no chance for an undo as it goes 1D p p and the next chap passes and the hand is visible so whats the move ..the hand has been seen. 

One just has to be more careful with the mouse or touchpad or whatever. 

Also BBO has setting for needing a double click 

Galligan finds some traction on Bridge Now this afternoon

 Ireland Open Imps Pairs at 8pm every night. This is a good training session as well as competition. You won't leave this event without some story. John Comyn and Eimer rolled back the years last night or else folk offered presents.  

Bridgebase online competitive all tournaments and search for eamongall. 

When you hold the South hand and the opponents want to declare 3S and your partner has indicated extras on an opening bid its time to drop the hammer. With a probable 4-1 trump break and partner with goodo up above its unlikely a robot can make 3S ... so I dropped the hammer and found it 3 off for 500 and a 98% score. 

The Camrose Trophy takes place this weekend. I think its virtual as I got no call to do any vugraph. 

NIBU will have a great chance as they have the best player seen for many a year on board. The COVID era certainly brings out the best in Paul Tranmer as himself and Mrs Tranmer have posted some serious scores in the last 8 months or so. 

However he has not replicated the same form when saddled by Wayne Sommerville. Wayne does not seem to be able to get the best out of him. However maybe Wayne been riding him "hard held" and will unleash the beast this weekend. 

I presume England will gain their customary win but who knows as this COVID era has seen several new players hit the podiums. 

Tom McIntyre and Finola Higgins have been relentless in their pursuit of Sligo victories. However despite numerous victories they failed to catch the eye of the NIBU selectors. 

I think the Camrose takes place on RealBridge platform. 

https://realbridge.online/

Ireland Imp Pairs 8pm every night

Ireland Open Imps Pairs at 8pm every night 

Bridgebase online competitive all tournaments and search for eamongall

 Good evening folks 

Ireland Imps pairs moves back to 8pm each night as it has been affecting my Netflix viewing. The hands will continue to be exciting both for players and kibitzers. Some folk don't like playing or cannot commit to a full 2.5 hours of bridge play so they might maintain a watching brief. 

Some like watching some of our experienced players hitting the Beechers Brook or the other fences that jump up in front of them 

Meanwhile if you want a little practice 

http://www.bridge-now.com/ is a fine FREE website which will give you a score after each board you play. 

also http://bridgez.net:3002/playonthecloud

All results of Ireland Open imps are stored here 

https://www.bridgewebs.com/irelandimps/

There is also the Peter Pigot Bridge Club 

https://www.bridgewebs.com/peterpigotbridge

An interesting hand from Malahide on Thursday night ..Hand 9

 Ireland Imp pairs every night 830pm has some good exciting hands ..We call them Elvis hands ..

All shook up...

Last Friday morning while reviewing the Malahide offering from the night before one spotted hand 9 had many people going down without any fight in 4S on this offering 

the play started generally with a small heart lead to the Heart King and trick 2 was Heart Ace and 

trick 3 was another Heart which you probably ruff. 

How come a string of Inter As and Masters went down quietly in this hand which to me looks like 10 tricks on top. I had a look at the 2 folks who made it. Line number 2 blasted into the running all my 6 spades line and hope the opposition will crumble which they did. It is hopeless for 2 defenders with no signals or idea what to signal or how to go about it to stop 4S. On the run of the spades the defenders threw away some cards and eventually bared down to 2-2 in clubs and the declarer played Ace and another club to establish his 3rd club as the 10th trick. Its very hard for defender East to figure out what to discard but an early club ..keeping one saver on his Club King doomed him. He had some hearts to discard first while he pondered his fate ... 

Meanwhile up on line 1 the defence quickly attempted to cash diamond Ace attracting the declarers interest to the Diamond QJT in dummy and this declarer managed to set up the diamonds and pitch a losing heart before making 11 tricks. The other 7 declarers failed to get near 10 tricks at all. 

So why did so many fail to make 10 tricks legitimately .. 

Ireland Imps Pairs every night 830pm Monday to Sunday.

 Thinking of new Ireland Early imps at 7pm every night. 6 minutes a board. 16-18 boards. 

Good evening folks 

Last night in the Ireland imp pairs Katie and Bobbie had an eventful night. 

Somehow they managed to allow Emer home in 4DX from a 7 trick start. 

Then on Board 23 there was some misunderstanding somewhere

as katie got to declare in a BJ special 1SXX for 1520 points. 

Vinmar and Robbie did a car crash .. 

.......

Every night YOU can do same or suffer same as the Ireland imps 

brings many surprises and few 4333 hands. 

I deal 32 and throw out 4 flatties leaving the rest. 

A hand from 1990 training session. The Damian Lynch team. The Ireland Imps tourney.

 Every night eamongall runs the Ireland Imps Pairs. Maybe its too long at 28 boards but nobody told me 

that yet. Maybe I should change to 2 times 15 board sessions and combine the 2 events for those that want the long event. Who knows as nobody tells me anything. 

eamongalligan62@gmail.com 

https://www.bridgewebs.com/irelandimps/

Amazingly back in 1990 I was part of an  Intermediate A bridge team. Noel Mitchel Damian Lynch David Dunne and Eamon Galligan. We also had a subs bench which included Sean Mitchel Pat Cassidy and James Danaher and maybe even brainiac Kevin Mitchel. 

I found this hand on an old computer and am amazed how much trouble it is causing some Area Masters Inter As and Inter Bs. 

Make 6S ... 

Answers to eamongalligan62@gmail.com

The folk of today don't seem to understand the mental pursuit of working the opponents hard. 

Back in the day one of our team produced a set of 32 bridge boards. They were divided up between us and each player got 8. The plan was that on one Sat or Sun we would meet at a designated venue and each of us would bring 8 hands were we were meant to be the dummy. Then we would play them out under dummies direction. 

Thus we actually had training sessions for our bridge team. 

As intermediates we did not fear the "Masters and Seniors " 

One time we won the Regional Teams out in Malahide and could not understand why we were handed Best Inter A prize and a qualification for Inter A All Ireland Final ... 

Meanwhile a team of Masters from behind us went off to play in the Kelbourne Cup. 

This was in a time like in the Bible BC... but for us bridge players it is BF 

Before Fred ... or arguably BC before Clegg. Matthew Clegg was the okbridge founder. 

Fred Gitelman developed what became Bridgebase Online 

Irish Team win English Gold Cup 2020

 The Gold Cup of the English Bridge Union is arguably the toughest event in English bridge to win. 

Yesterday evening the team of Adam Mesbur Nick Fitzgibbon John Carroll Mark Moran Tommy Garvey and Swedish assistant Fredric Nystrom won the Gold Cup

Good videos with good commentary can be found here 

https://www.twitch.tv/eopenbridge

More later 

The Ireland Imp Pairs the best and most run event of the lockdown .. A 4H contract 830pm EVERY NIGHT

 The below hand is published to emphasize that entries are the lifeblood of bridge ...the South player just happened to be on site.  

Last night in the Ireland Imp Pairs we spotted the very decent player Martin Garvey being slapped into 4H by his robot who has seen his skills before. 

South received the opening lead of the S6 and rose S9 and won Queen with Ace 

A quick heart to queen followed by HA for a 2nd round of trumps. Galligan watched incredulously as thegarve squandered his possible trump entry with Heart 8. Declarer should have had a fair idea spades were 4-2 from lead but the extra entry was gobbled up. 

Now garve is very good and quick to offer free advice to lesser players after the hand. Unfortunately most players instead of taking this FREE advice would rather verbally square up to the giver. Me personally I scoop up everything he says about bridge. 

Some nights I learn new ways of putting  people down  but its generally harmless banter or generally directed at those players who have much improved in the COVID era of bridge. 

We have a few folk trampling the online Ireland games who have skills that could win the Bermuda Bowl.....................

Anyway the garve continued to draw a 3rd round of trumps and is now an entry short. 

He needs to reach dummy twice but has only 1 entry .. if only he had have taken that extra chance in the hearts one might think. 

......

However West spoiled my story by pitching a club and thegarve prevailed and made 4H. This is a 16 imp swing for thegarve and enabled him to enlever la batte. Apparently in a London team game of the 1970s a young garve and others were allowed announce "Raising the Bat " to indicate 50 imps in the plus column. Probably totally Unauthorised information but that was the game of those days. 

I think Englishmen in their version of hurling are allowed "Raise the bat " after scoring 50 points.

I have been corrected as above or is it below by one of the non-GAA Malahide folk

(For good order on your blog, the Englishmen “Raise the bat” after scoring 50 runs, not points, when cracking the leather upon the willow).....😜😜

Something like Joe Canning or some of those Limerick lads reaching 2-10 in the hurling. 

If you got this far you will find a very decent game of SWISS IMPS at 

https://www.bridgewebs.com/irelandimps/

All results of previous games and the hands are published above. 

Two humans kicked over the robots last night in Ireland Imp pairs

 Last night in the Ireland Imp Pairs we had a nice little game going with some decent players togging out. 

The top 4 places included Waterford champion William McKay,regular visitor to Ireland Congresses

pre Covid and during Covid Martin Garvey. Well known Galway duo Enda Glynn and Paul Scannell 

as well as Dave Ryan and Mary Roche in 4th place. 

However the main action took place in a different area of the event where 2 humans took annoyance 

with the human robot combinations and the 2 robots who acted as sitout replacements. 

Trick 1 Heart king won with Ace 

Trick 2 finesses club 8 losing to 9 

Trick 3 Diamond comes back Ace 

Trick 4 Cashes a high diamond 

Trick 5 Cashes Ace of Club

Trick 6 Sticks Eddie Macken  in with Club King 

At this stage Eddie and Harvey  started to make noises ...just small noises but they continued to play 

They finished off the next 3 boards with pinder1234 and the robot and next were drawn against

the pair of sitout replacement robots. 

This did not improve their mental states and their horses were feeling their angst. 

By the time they reached board 16 they had been skinned for almost 50 imps but for some 

reason it was Eamon and the robots that were taking the hit for this. These two are multiple Irish champions but feeling angst for getting endplayed by a robot is a little much. 

Boards 17-20 were against 2 humans so that was okay but unfortunately on board 21 a robot human 

partnership dared to approach their table. 

Our 2 chaps downed tools and refused to play 

Even my offer to partner one of them was turned down 

After 7 minutes I asked could I put in 2 subs... 

I probably irked them more by replacing them with 2 robots ..

Happily maitennis turned up and replaced one of the robots despite the massive red score.

All because a human could not bear to be endplayed by a robot. The humans claimed the robot pair

CHEETAHED ...

Funny thing is if a  human visualised and placed this endplay on another human he would be cheered 

from on high .. 

Its not unlike the great play that Carolann Cummins produced declaring 6Hs a couple of blogs ago. 

Actually playing against a robot that night ... The robot just clapped her. 

Reminds me of a time back in 1990s when Joe McHale partnering me in Kilkenny put an 

intra-finesse on Michael McDonagh and Eddie Fitzgerald and the 2 lads stopped in the middle of 

the play and clapped him ... 4H+1 .. Their team mate scored up 2H+1 

However the sportsmanship was present 

Camrose Trophy 2021 Ireland representatives are probably Team BJ.

 Team BJ won the recent Camrose trials but I don't know if the selection committee have ratified the winners to represent CBAI in the Camrose series both weekends yet. Have to wait and see. 

Team BJ .. O'Brien O'Briainsx2 Walsh O'Gorman and Milne won a 2 rounds round robin held on Real Bridge platform. A strangely struggling Moran team failed to raise any steam at all. Could be the missing "look them in the eyes " at the table caused a different feeling or maybe Team BJ have been following a new training regime that I don't know about. 

Boards and information can be found at https://kibitz.realbridge.online/   and you might have 

to page down a little to find something about CBAI Camrose Trials. 

No point in having a selection committee if you going to try to win the Camrose without the legendary Thomas Hanlon. I think it normally says in the Conditions of Contest something about selection committee having the final word. 

Meanwhile presuming Team BJ are ratified for at least the first weekend I offered them some training. 

Unfortunately they turned me down indicating most of the team would not get any value out of my nightly imp pairs. 

Not one to give up I made a 2nd offer of some bidding practice without my involvement. I am still waiting for the response on this offer. Having been involved with more than 2  Bermuda Bowl teams training sessions I thought I would have something to offer in the 5 weeks remaining before the Camrose Trophy. 

I also offered them my services as Non Playing captain. 

Ireland Imps Pairs tonight 830pm and every night. We want the best pair in Ireland. Come Granda Tom

 Recently I have been following Fearghals Sligo events with interest. I gradually noted that Granda Tom and his regular partner higheg nearly always win. Now I understand that pretty much all the Sligo and friends are weaker bridge players than myself but so are most of the Ireland grandmasters so its not an insult. 

However I have never come across The Granda or Higheg in about 35 years playing CBAI Bridge. As most of my bridge was beyond intermediate level I have probably missed many players. 

Finally this morning I figured it out ... There is no Granda Tom or Higheg ... Fearghal just puts Granda Tom and Higheg in place of the 1st place finishers in the Sligo events same as he places John Wayne and Julia Roberts in the last place.

So I had a look last night at the November record of Granda Tom and Higheg.

15 matchpoints events in Sligo and some other SWBA place and 15 first places. 

This is like the Dubs at the GAA except the Dubs will probably keep going after COVID(whereas the granda will disappear)  unless Mayo lift the curse. Maybe Thomas Galligan will take them down. He plays GAA like the granda tom. 

Now I am an avid student of bridge so I want to learn more about the tactics of granda tom and higheg.

I noticed in passing that when shorn of the granda tom ...the higheg has more normal 55% or 52% scores but that could be a weaker partner. 

Now I need to learn some good tactics to teach some students I have so if the granda tom and higheg might play more often in the Ireland Imps Pairs then I could study their skills a little more. 

Also some of my players are of a more iron will than granda's normal fodder. They are not so generous. 

I have noted the granda is reluctant to alert most of his bids and this is very unethical and I hope

he will make a better effort to share what the granda and higheg know about their bids. 

Its okay for Declan the Donplayer in the local club DON game to keep secrets as he openly admits his objective is not to win but to pull a stroke. 

Strangely enough I taught Declan the Donplayer how to play bridge and he loves it. Declan plays on 

Bridge Now      http://www.bridge-now.com/

We play for a pint a week but Declan managed to negotiate a 10% handicap on me but as he regularly breaks 55% for the week I am now on a loser. However I explained to him that he gets 10% of his 

score added not a full 10% so I am still able to win most weeks. 

I am going to ask Declan the Donplayer for an opinion on Granda Tom and Higheg as Declan is a good numbers man ..seldom leaves much in the bookies. 

Imagine a blue Dub putting a 10er on Cavan to take down Donegal and another 5er on Cavan to take Donegal by 4-6 points ....... He figured it would be easier for Dublin to beat Cavan. 

When I heard he backed Trump I was slagging him ... turned out it was some snooker player not POTUS.

..........

However when I asked Fearghal he claims he only changes the last place so the Granda is real but I think the Granda and Higheg are two GIB robots. 

Ye can look yourselves 

https://www.bridgebase.com/myhands/index.php?&from_login=0

Northern Ireland Camrose Trials 2020

 Meanwhile the NIBU Camrose Trials are taking place to find out who will take on BJ and Ranald in the annual Corn Something for the match between NIBU and CBAI. 

The pre tournament favourites Tranmer and Sommerville are struggling to nail down the 3rd place position with the experienced Coffey and Lavery chasing them all the way. 

Tranmer has been the best player by far in the COVID online bridge around Ireland with loads of massive scores albeit against weak players from the clubs. I have not counted how many 70% plus scores he was managed but as he indicated himself he has a 33 year bridge partnership so an enormous advantage on other pickup partnerships. 

For some reason the Tranmer Sommerville partnership does not deliver anything like the Tranmer Tranmer results so maybe Wayne needs to work on his game. 

Maybe its the weaker bidding system in use in the Camrose Trials or most likely its far stronger opposition playing this weekend. 

Early Camrose NIBU     link to pdf of scores 

Cross imps     link to cross imps