[Gerben42]

European Junior Teams some years ago in Prague. Poland was running away with it (20+ VP ahead) and we got offered a crate of beer if we beat them by the 2nd place team In a 20-board match, we were up 45 after 13 boards... and lost

Board 14 started with them opening 2♣ precision, my partner bidding a normal 2NT, -800. Then I had 7♣ 4♠ and passed followed by preempting in ♣. Partner didn't recognize this against 5♥x and let it through. Two more disasters at the other table sealed our fate.

[Lord Molyb]

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I was south, in no trump, and needed at least two more tricks at match points. I knew west had the good heart and the long spade so I decided to attempt to squeeze him for an extra overtrick. I played a diamond from hand and west discarded a spade. I was surprised, and, in the heat of the moment, thought I needed to win in hand so I could have a later entry to dummy, so I ducked!!

[helene_t]

In Riccione (Women's Bridge Festival) I revoked while defending a vulnerable 7NT. My partner had an unavoidable trick which unfortunately came later than the revoke. At that time I didn't know if it was IMPs are MP. Asked the TD when he passed by shortly afterwards.

Next day the TD came to me and said "Today it's MP's again so revokes are still cheap!"

[Cyberyeti]

An agonising one was in the final of the plate competition of a national KO.

We knew the match was very close and in fact we were dead level coming to the last board which we passed out.

At the other table, opps had an unopposed auction along the lines of 1♠-1N(nonforcing)-2♦-2♠ and our team have to lead from something like xxx, QJx, Kx, KJxxx

They did what I would have done and led a trump, unfortunately this was not a success, declarer had KQJ10x and one entry to hand with the A♣. Dummy had ♥AK10x and the tempo given to declarer by establishing the spade entry to hand allowed him to lead up to the heart twice and make a 25% contract which would have been down on a club lead provided partner took the first spade, partner had ♣Qx and they were 3-3.

One that was agonising for the opps was a match where we agreed a margin of 1 IMP and hit the bar. At this point I noticed both teams appeared to be celebrating. One of the opps had scored -1 vul as -50 instead of -100 and thus both teams thought they'd won by 1 IMP.

Probably the worst for the opps was another 1 IMP win. Play was excruciatingly slow, and at 0130 we scored up, then realising we'd played 3 boards with our team NS in both rooms. We were 16 IMPs up at that stage, and proceeded to lose 15 of them on the 3 replacement boards, leaving one of the opps (somebody I've been playing against since schools bridge 30+ years ago) a 130 mile drive back to London at 2am having lost a match he'd have expected to win by 1 IMP.

[Fluffy]

Perhaps not my all time favourite since there was really nothing at stake but I lied it very much.

Playing with a student on a local tourney, I was a very young pro, this was my only client (and was for many years), I have to face my father on the last round.

First board is a total average.

Second one they get to 4♥ vulnerable, but we bid 4♠ over it, my dad goes on the tank and bids 5♥.

I had something like ♠AK10xx ♥xxx ♦A ♣Qxxx. So I double based on leading my stiff ace, underlead ♠AK and get my ruff. And that´s the only defence to beat it

+200 was an uncontested top, but best of all is I comfort my father: Don't worry, I think you scored better than the rest of opponents on average... yup, we did 75.24% that season

[Lord Molyb]

Fluffy, on 2014-March-28, 14:28, said:

Perhaps not my all time favourite since there was really nothing at stake but I lied it very much.

Playing with a student on a local tourney, I was a very young pro, this was my only client (and was for many years), I have to face my father on the last round.

First board is a total average.

Second one they get to 4♥ vulnerable, but we bid 4♠ over it, my dad goes on the tank and bids 5♥.

I had something like ♠AK10xx ♥xxx ♦A ♣Qxxx. So I double based on leading my stiff ace, underlead ♠AK and get my ruff. And that´s the only defence to beat it

+200 was an uncontested top, but best of all is I comfort my father: Don't worry, I think you scored better than the rest of opponents on average... yup, we did 75.24% that season

This is your favorite loss?

[Antrax]

Presumably his dad threw him out of the house afterwards.

[ggwhiz]

I played in a Regional Swiss at the NABC's in Orlando just down the road from the Magic Kingdom.

Arrived for the first match to find a midget with a super bright lamp and hearing aids who asked if we would mind making the boards as she had arthritis. No problem.

Game time and her partner arrives, a dwarf with a hunchback. First to bid he touches the bidding box (the kind that hang over the edge of the table) and it explodes out the bottom like dropping a boulder in a pool.

I've never felt so doomed and we lost the 7 board match 80 something to zip.

[mycroft]

I tried to keep my loss in the vanderbilt a couple of years ago to 2IMPS/board; I failed. Still, I made 2Sx and 1NTx.

The #7 seed we lost to on day 1 went on to lose day 2. I assume because we pushed them so hard. </yaright>

[Mbodell]

My favorite loss was from one of the earlier nationals I'd been at (Vegas last time it was there). We were cleaning up in bottom bracket KO, playing 3 or 4 sessions a day, but got bounced from a zip KO with a fun story (I'm the dubious actor below, from the bulletin):

Quote

Alan Malloy of Santa Clara CA and Laura
Rassbach of Boulder CO, two caddies (sic, they weren't caddies), played in a Midnight Zip Knockout and found an unusual way to be sent to bed after the second round.

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There would be no story if West had led a trump, but the defense started with a low spade (perhaps West took the double as calling for a spade). Malloy took full advantage. He ended up pitching three clubs from hand on top spades while ruffing two clubs in dummy. The defenders got only the trump ace and Malloy scored up plus 1090, which must have felt like a big swing.

Not.

At the other table, East opened 1♠. South bid 2NT for the minors, and West made the dubious decision to raise to 3♠. North knew what to do with that ,and the result was minus 1100 for 3♠ doubled.

For IMP purposes, at least, it was a push (1090 vs. 1100), but the 10-point difference was
huge later on.

When the teammates compared, they had four pushes, including the doubled slam and minus 1100, to go along with a 1-IMP gain and a 1-IMP loss. It was a tie.

One team had to be eliminated, however, so the comparisons were done as in board-a-match.
(editted to add losing that board on BAM left it...) Still tied.

The only thing left was to compare the total scores, and the 10-point difference allowed the other team to advance, while Malloy, Rassbach and teammates got the rest of the night off.

I'm playing with the same partner in about 8 hours but I promise I've learned what the vulnerability means and am unlikely to make the same bid again.