Monday Aggregate 22nd January

On board 8 the hands were:
.......................ME
....................♠ J 9 5 4
....................♥ 6
....................♦ K 7 5 2
....................♣ A K J 9

♠ Q 6..........................♠ K 8 3
♥ K Q J 10 8...................♥ A 7 5 4 3
♦ 8 4..........................♦ J 10 6 3
♣ Q 8 5 4......................♣ 10

.....................Adrianne
....................♠ A 10 7 2
....................♥ 9 2
....................♦ A Q 9
....................♣ 7 6 3 2

After a pass on my right, I passed. Weak 4-4-4-1 hands don't appeal to me especially 1st or 2nd in hand and more especially with only 1 major. So the hand was passed out with 4S stiff and half the field bidding the game! If I had opened, our bidding would have gone 1D - 1S - 2S - 3S - pass. HOWEVER, it is East that would drive people to game, if they come in 1H. Now we have all 4 players bidding: 1D - 1H - x - 3H - 3S - pass - 4S. The West hand might bid 2D rather than double and that might stop 4S being bid. Another way of getting to game is if west opens a Lucas 2H. Anyway, I was the ONLY player to find a pass. O me miserum.

Anyway. on board 9 the hands were:

......................ME
...................♠ 7 3
...................♥ 8
...................♦ A 10 9 8 6 4
...................♣ A K 6 4

♠ J 10 9 8 6.........................♠ K Q 5 4
♥ J 9 5 3 2..........................♥ Q 10
♦ 3..................................♦ K J 7 2
♣ 9 5................................♣ J 3 2
................... Adrianne
...................♠ A 2
...................♥ A K 7 6 4
...................♦ Q 5
...................♣ Q 10 8 7

I opened 1D and bidding went 1D - (x) - 1H - (1S) - pass - (2S) - 3C - (pass) - 5C

Adrianne played the contract very well to make 12 tricks. We're the only ones in 5C, the rest of the field are in 3NT which had no chance on a spade lead. Without the interference we would have been in 3NT as well.

Another good score was obtained when my partner opened 3D and I held:

♠ A 10 7 4 ♥ 9 8 3 ♦ A 10 2 ♣ A 9 8

I bid 3NT with fingers crossed. Anyway the hearts were 4-4, but it was a spade lead I got. However, Adrianne did not have quite what I hoped for (do partner's ever?). She had doubleton KS and 7 diamonnds to QJ. I won the lead in dummy and finessed the diamond for 10 tricks.