[haka9]

Have You ever had bad trump breaks? I have had two times. The first was the classic bidding squence: 1 !S - pass - 4!H - passout. Three players in the table knew, what 4 !H was, unfortunately my partner didn't. Fortunenately we had no slam, only game, it was however a bit expensive all vulnerable with 5-5 trump break against and IMP counting. This was the worst.

Another time with another partner I had for once in my life nine -I repeat nine- diamonds with AKJ and 9 downto 4, partner had !D10. We (I) reached 7 !D and Q third was on my left. This was the lousiest.

[barmar]

 haka9, on 2019-November-07, 23:07, said:

Have You ever had bad trump breaks? I have had two times. The first was the classic bidding squence: 1♠ - pass - 4♥ - passout. Three players in the table knew, what 4♥ was, unfortunately my partner didn't. Fortunenately we had no slam, only game, it was however a bit expensive all vulnerable with 5-5 trump break against and IMP counting. This was the worst.

I assume the 4♥ bidder intended it as a splinter, but it was taken as a natural preempt (which is the usual agreement). You wouldn't be the first partnership to have this accident.

Quote

Another time with another partner I had for once in my life nine -I repeat nine- diamonds with AKJ and 9 downto 4, partner had ♦10. We (I) reached 7♦ and Q third was on my left. This was the lousiest.

Did they get the same bad break at the other tables?

BTW, to put suit symbols in forum posts, you use [SP|HE|DI|CL], not !S|H|D|C like in the BBO application.

[mikeh]

Two examples, both in diamonds. I once held AKJ10xxxxxx in diamonds, and they broke 3=0=0. With 10 diamonds no coup is ever possible so it mattered not that Qxx was offside.

In a regional, with someone I only ever played with once, she had suggested we play a defence against strong club openers, but we did NOT discuss what to do over a strong 2C bid. Sure enough, LHO opened 2C and partner preempted 4D. I remember being disappointed because I had 2 side Kings and a diamond void, and here we were with me having defence. So I passed, and LHO, a relatively inexperienced player, went into the tank and passed.

Turns out that the opening bidder held AKQJxxxx in diamonds and her partner had the remaining 5 diamonds. They were cold for 7D, while we went down 10 tricks undoubled.

Off topic a little, -10 undoubled is not my personal record, which was voluntarily bidding 6H, down 12. We did have an 11 card spade fit had they doubled (they were cold for 7N, 7H, 7C).