[Bska] pictures, etc., from September Rising Sun event

[Nick Wedd]

Some pictures from the September Rising Sun event
http://www.weddslist.com/skat/results/rs17/pictures.html
and an Excel spreadsheet detailing all the deals and contracts
http://www.weddslist.com/skat/results/rs17/hands.xls
are now available on the British Skat Association web site.  Both were
created to Patrick Phair, whom I would like to thank for his work.

Looking over the hands, I am convinced that our overall standard of play
has improved.  Something that is easy to check for, is declarers who
choose the wrong trump suit, and fail in their contract as a result.
This used to be frequent, but I can find only one example from this
tournament.

When choosing trumps, from among suits that are worth enough to meet
your bid, your first criterion should be a long suit, your second, a
suit lacking the ace.  In session 3 deal 2, middlehand won the bidding
with a bid of 22 at three of the tables.  After picking up the skat, he
held:
  Unders    H D
  Clubs     A K 9
  Spades
  Hearts    A Q 8
  Diamonds  K Q 9 7
Two declarers chose as trumps the four-card suit lacking the ace:  both
made the contract.  One chose a three-card suit with the ace, and
deservedly failed.

But this kind of decision is now much rarer, indicating a generally
higher standard of play.

Nick
-- 
Nick Wedd    nick at maproom.co.uk