I enjoy playing BBO Instant Tournaments--12 board games with three robots. The IMP games are more relaxing than matchpoints, in my opinion, as I think IMPs are simpler and take less complex analysis and strategy. I am very pleased when I get a score of 50 IMPs, or close to it, in a 12-board game.
The other night everything went my way and I ended up with a monster score of 69 IMPs (with no minuses)! I'll show the results page and then some of the hands.
This was the highest scoring hand with 15.2 IMPs.
Once the North robot showed a 7-loser hand plus 4 trumps with the club splinter, I asked for keycards. Learning that North possessed two plus the trump queen, I figured that maybe I could set up clubs for 13 tricks. That, in fact, was what took place. Two club ruffs brought down the club King and 13 tricks were there for the taking. No one else bid the grand slam.
You can see the bidding that propelled me to the 3NT game. Amazingly, I was the only one who bid it. It can be beaten, but the winning defense of spade lead, heart shift would be unlikely.
After the defenders took the top two spades, one heart honor was cashed and I scored the balance of the tricks. The clubs were friendly and plus 430 was worth 9.5 IMPs.
*Luck: You usually need luck to go your way in high-scoring games, and I got my share when the robots made a discarding error and let me make a vulnerable 4H game for 9.5 IMPs!
Finally, here is another 3NT contract.
Nearly half of the field bid and made 3NT, which makes easily with the SQ lead. It was worth 6.8 IMPs.
Going to switch to matchpoint play for a while as I prepare for the NABC Robot Individual 3-day tournament in a couple of weeks. Played the practice games this weekend for 60% and 62% games. Need to do better in the final, but there are free practice games again next week.
Good luck to us! See you at the table!
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