Played a set with Jeff against Izzy and Linda on Tuesday.  The girls played well but it looked like we were going to eke out a small win, up 13 and change with 3 boards to go.  Unfortunately, the roof caved in and we lost 9+, 10+ and 7+ on the last 3 boards to lose by 13.  Here are a couple of bad boards from this match.

The first board was interesting because I've never seen Eddie Kantar's advice to give count instead of covering with a couple of low spots at trick 1 in 3rd seat to steer me wrong.  Here's the hand:

73 / Q53 / J864 / QT42

 

Izzy opened 2NT on my left.  Float.

 

Jeff led the 2 of Spades (3/5).  Izzy played the 6.

 

96 / K64 / T532 / 9875 Dummy (LHO)

73 / Q53 / J864 / QT42

It felt really wrong to play low (count, udca) but that's what Kantar says to do.  Hope he's right.

The 6 held (Izzy played the 5) and now a Club to the Jack held (great, I gave her a cheap entry to take the Club finesse!)  On the Ace of Clubs, Jeff discarded the 9 of Diamonds (discouraging.)

 

Izzy continued with the King of Clubs (Jeff shed the 4 of Spades) and played the AQ of Spades, Jeff winning the King.  I had a pitch to make on the Queen of Spades:

 

- / K64 / T532 / - Dummy (RHO)

- / Q53 / J864 / Q

I had to keep the Club (Izzy still held a losing Club) so do I pitch a Diamond or a Heart?

Jeff had discouraged Diamonds so I felt like I should keep them and pitch Hearts.  I played the 5.

Now Jeff led the 7 of Hearts to my Queen, which held, and I cashed my good Queen of Clubs, Jeff shedding a losing Spade and Izzy playing a Diamond from Dummy.  What now?

- / K6 / T53 / - Dummy (RHO)

- / 3 / J864 / -

We only have 3 tricks in so need 3 of the last 5 tricks to beat this hand.  Izzy's still got a good Spade in her hand.

I made a no-win play by playing a low Diamond.  I thought Jeff had something like Kx left in Diamonds and wanted to take him off the endplay later.  But even if he has that, when I play the Heart he can win the Ace and lock Izzy in Dummy to play a Diamond off for him.  Besides, if he has Kx of Diamonds, Izzy can't be stopped from scoring the Ace of Diamonds, her good Spade, and the King of Hearts (unless we bamboozle her into ducking the King of Hearts somehow.)  -120 was lose 3.33 IMPs

'I blame Eddie Kantar.  He says not to cover there just to give count.'

'Did Eddie tell you to switch to a Diamond too?'

http://online.bridgebase.com/myhands/fetchlin.php?id=2972074&when_played=1193934498

It was a rather poorly played hand all around.  The double-dummy outcome flip-flopped back and forth at each of the following points:

1. Jeff failed to find the killing lead (either red suit.) Advantage Izzy

2. Izzy failed to fly with the 9 of Spades at trick 1 (so it's not all Eddie's fault.) Advantage les boys

3. I failed to cover the 6 of Spades with the 7. Advantage Izzy

4. Izzy played a 3rd round of Clubs instead of setting up tricks in other suits. Advantage les boys

5. I pitched a Heart instead of a Diamond at trick 6. Advantage Izzy

6. Izzy failed to fly King of Hearts when Jeff switched to a Heart.  Advantage les boys

7. I switched to a Diamond instead of continuing Hearts.  Game, Set and Match to Izzy

Usually when the outcome flip-flops back and forth like this it's because both the defenders and declarer each have a plan and in each case it's the wrong plan.  Here, I think it was just mostly bad bridge.