Wicked Deals

The Armidale Bridge Club's Christmas Party was held last Saturday and we had, as usual a big turnout. The attractions were many. Lovely food, club awards, and ... my devilish deals. It is now a club tradition that I select a stack of deals that are, for various reasons, difficult to bid and play. This year was no different, except that this time I got the computer to deal 99 hands from which I selected the 28 most interesting / difficult ones on offer. My selection criteria will remain a secret, but the players generally love the outcome. One example of a difficult deal was a slam hand for E-W. The contract will make 12 tricks against any defence, but interference bidding by their opponents made it difficult to detect that outcome. Only one out of 13 tables managed to get there.

Each year I dress up as the devil - supplemented on this occasion by my Dracula T-shirt. So I directed the event walking around with a red tail, two red horns, and a black cloak. The players found it a hoot and, at the end of the session, I delivered my awards for:

• The most disastrous score
• The contract with the biggest plus
• The wimpiest contract (generally the one with most over-tricks), and
• The player whose attitude at the table most attracted my attention

The last-named went to Olive Tilley, who is well into her 90s. She was the card table equivalent of Usain Bolt in the 100 m event, mostly finishing  her three deals in each round ahead of anyone else! She won a pack of cards I bought in Translyvania. I hadn't opened the pack so I hope they didn't spill blood!

Some pictures of the event:

Each one pictures me as the Devil.

AS