John Strichman is the author of HOW NOT TO LOSE AT SPADES
by JohnGalt Strichman - Valley Publishing - Richmond, Virginia
ENOUGH IS ENOUGH
THE DATE: OCTOBER 31, 19 (MORE YEARS AGO THAN YOU WANT TO ADMIT)
THE PLACE:
DENVER, COLORADO
THE
SITUATION: YOU HAVE JUST RETURNED FROM A FRUITFUL NIGHT OF TRICK-OR-TREATING.
WHAT A HAUL -- BAGS UPON BAGS OF GOODIES!
YOU SIT DOWN ON THE FLOOR, DUMP THE BOUNTY FROM YOUR BAGS INTO A GIANT HEAPING PILE, AND BEGIN YOUR SORTING.
"TIGER, REMEMBER TO SHARE WITH YOUR BABY BROTHER!"
"SURE MOM" (YA RIGHT)
YOU START BY MAKING A PILE FOR YOUR LITTLE BROTHER, HARRY.
YOUR FIRST OFFERING IS THAT ROCK THAT WAS IN THE BOTTOM OF YOUR BAG. (WHERE DID THAT COME FROM? -- ALL YOU KNOW IS THAT WHEN YOU LEFT MAYOR TALE'S HOUSE THE BAG WAS A LOT HEAVIER THAN IT HAD BEEN -- MAYBE HE STILL REMEMBERS THE TIME HE CAUGHT YOU WRITING THAT BAD WORD ON THE SIDEWALK)
NEXT, THE CANDY CANES THAT CAME FROM THAT LADY WHO LIVES AT NUMBER 43 DOWN THE ROAD. (WHY SHE GIVES OUT CANDY CANES - ORANGE AND BLACK ONES YET - EVERY HALLOWEEN YOU'LL NEVER FIGURE OUT -- SHE SURE IS NICE THOUGH)
NEXT, ALL OF THE BLACK CHUCKLES - YUCK! (DOES ANYBODY KNOW WHY THEY MAKE THOSE?)
NEXT, THE CARAMEL APPLE WITH THE FLY STUCK TO IT.
FINALLY, ALL OF THE LOOSE CANDY CORN, JUJUBEES, GOOBERS, MILK DUDS, GOOD & PLENTY, AND CIRCUS PEANUTS, ALONG WITH THE DOTS AND WAX BOTTLES.
THERE! -- THAT SHOULD MAKE MOM HAPPY.
NOW, TIME TO SORT THE KEEPERS.
FIRST, YOU SET ASIDE ALL OF THE KIT KATS. (YOU DON'T KNOW WHY THEY HAVE ALWAYS BEEN YOUR FAVORITE CANDY BAR -- MOST KIDS LIKE OTHER ONES A LOT BETTER, BUT YOU THINK THEY'RE JUST PURRFECT)
YOU LOVE THEM SO MUCH, IN FACT, THAT BEFORE YOU EVEN GET TO SORTING THE OTHER CANDY, YOU START EATING THE KIT KATS LIKE SOME SORT OF RAVENOUS JUNGLE BEAST.
ONE, TWO, THREE, ..... EIGHT, ...........
AS YOU ARE GORGING YOURSELF, YOU VAGUELY HEAR YOUR MOM YELL OUT...
"TIGER, DON'T EAT TOO MUCH CANDY BEFORE BED, YOU'LL GET SICK. ENOUGH IS ENOUGH! .... AND DON'T FORGET TO BRUSH WITH YOUR STRIPE TOOTHPASTE."
WELL, AFTER A FEW MORE KIT KATS, YOU STAGGER TOWARD THE BATHROOM WITH YOUR STOMACH GROWLING, NOT FEELING QUITE SO GOOD .... AND IT'S NOT TOOTH BRUSHING THAT'S ON YOUR MIND.
"UT OH, I WOULD HAVE BEEN HAPPY EATING JUST 2 OR 3 BARS, BUT I HAD TO STUFF MYSELF .... I SHOULD HAVE LISTENED TO MOM." JUST AS YOU SINK TO YOUR KNEES TO THE SOUND OF HARRY LAUGHING IN THE BACKGROUND....
...... YOU WAKE UP IN A COLD SWEAT!
WOW, WHAT A NIGHTMARE!
SO MANY YEARS AGO AND IT SEEMS LIKE IT WAS ONLY YESTERDAY .... HARRY STILL BRINGS IT UP AT EVERY OPPORTUNITY.
WELL, NO WAY YOU WILL GO BACK TO SLEEP NOW, SO YOU HEAD TO THE ZONE TO TRY TO CALM DOWN BY PLAYING SOME SPADES.
LATE IN YOUR GAME, YOU ARE DEALT THE FOLLOWING HAND AND THE SCORE AND BIDS ARE AS SHOWN:
SCORE
YOUR TEAM: 463
PONES: 385
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North 2
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West 3
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East 4
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South ?
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3 5 10 Q |
6 |
2 10 K |
3 4 7 9 A |
WHAT SHOULD YOU BID?
ALTHOUGH YOU HAVE A LEGITIMATE 4 BID ON THIS HAND, AND MIGHT EVEN BE ABLE TO WIN 5 TRICKS, HOPEFULLY YOUR NIGHTMARE IS STILL FRESH IN YOUR MIND AND YOU WILL BID 2 IN THIS SITUATION. IF YOU BID MORE THAN 2 TRICKS, YOU WILL BE BITING OFF MORE THAN YOU NEED TO CHEW, AND RUNNING THE RISK OF NEEDLESSLY GETTING SET AND LOSING THIS TOTALLY WON GAME.
MISTAKE
WHEN THE OPPONENTS DO NOT HAVE A CHANCE TO WIN THE GAME ON A HAND WHERE YOUR TEAM CAN REACH 500 POINTS, AND BAGGING FOR YOUR TEAM IS NOT A CONCERN, IF YOU BID ANY MORE TRICKS THAN NECESSARY TO WIN THE GAME, YOU ARE NEEDLESSLY ADDING RISK TO YOUR TEAM BID, AND YOU AND YOUR PARD ARE LOSING MORE SPADES GAMES THAN YOU SHOULD.
IN THIS EXAMPLE, YOUR TEAM HAS 463 POINTS AND NEEDS ONLY 40 MORE POINTS TO WIN THE GAME. THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO REASON FOR YOUR TEAM TO BID A TOTAL OF MORE THAN 4 TRICKS ON THIS HAND. IF YOU WERE TO BID ANY MORE THAN 2 TRICKS, YOU WOULD BE INCREASING THE RISK OF YOUR TEAM GETTING SET FOR NO POSSIBLE ADDED REWARD WHATSOEVER. REMEMBER, IT IS NOT HOW YOU WIN, BUT IF YOU WIN.
IT IS SURPRISING HOW FREQUENTLY THIS SEEMINGLY OBVIOUS STRATEGY CONCERNING LAST HAND BIDDING IS VIOLATED, AND HOW FREQUENTLY TEAMS GET SET AS A RESULT. PLAYERS COMPLETELY LOSE FOCUS ON THE OBJECTIVE OF THE GAME, GETTING LOST IN THE DETAILS OF THE CARDS IN THEIR HANDS INSTEAD.
TIME AND AGAIN, A TEAM WITH AN EASY VICTORY WITHIN ITS GRASP WILL
NEEDLESSLY WIND UP PLAYING A 12 BID HAND, GET SET IN THE PROCESS, AND GO ON TO LOSE THE GAME. MORE OFTEN THAN NOT WHEN THIS HAPPENS, THE OFFENDING TEAM WILL NOT EVEN REALIZE WHY THE GAME WAS LOST.
EVEN WHEN YOU ARE SURE THAT YOU ARE GOING TO WIN THE GAME, ALWAYS CHECK THE SCORE BEFORE BIDDING, AND REMEMBER YOUR MOM'S ADVICE ON THAT HALLOWEEN NIGHT OH SO MANY YEARS AGO....
.......ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!
NEXT MONTH......BE A SPADES PRO -- CRASTINATOR!
!
GOOD LUCK AND HAPPY SPADING!
Tiger_Galt
(Please note: JohnGalt will be signing books and meeting friends at the live tourney in Atlanta in September.)
