Thursday 28th February

Another poor evening, it was a Howell. It all started very well on board 1 where I am East:

I opened a spade, not playing a normal Jacoby 2NT partner has to bid 2C, I bid 2H and partner gets it exactly right by bidding 4H.

I considered this for a while, but there were too many negative possibilities to risk the 5 level and I would always be guessing if we are missing a keycard whether we have two top losers, so 4H it was. However everyone else is in spades of course and I make 12 to their 11 with a club discard on the 5th spade.

I made a bit of an error on this board to get us an above average (we are E/W):

North opens a Lucas 2S which promised 5-5.

I led the 8H won in dummy, the 7S runs to my 9 and it doesn’t occur to me to cash AD and give partner a ruff. I know Lucas is usually only a 4 card minor, but we were told it was 5 and it was obviously not clubs. I just continued with JH. This was taken in dummy and a diamond led, partner produces the King, whew! It’s a silly game that turns basic errors into plusses. The contract was 1 down as partner exits with a heart, ruffed and declarer plays another diamond. We made 2 diamonds, 2 spades a club and a ruff.

However we got a zero on the next board:

Adrianne opened 1S as West and I bid 2NT which is a balanced spade raise with 16+ points. Adrianne used RKCB and bid 6S. This not an impossible contract after say a heart lead, discard a club on a second heart and eventually lead a club to the 10 in dummy. However we got AC lead and continuation, Adrianne goes up with the King, ruff and another club to lose, 2 off, 0 match points. Only one other pair bid 6S and they made it.

We got a good score on board 11, again E/W

The N/S bidding goes: 1S – 2H – 2S – 3NT. I led QC, partner played the 2, but we play normal attitude on a Queen at NT. I guess partner will have spades, so try KS, this is ducked, but partner plays the 3, so I go back to JC. Declarer plays 3 rounds of spades and partner clears the clubs. Subsequently declarer mis-guesses diamonds, but expects me to have the clubs anyway. No luck, partner cashes 2 clubs and 2 down (2 spades, 3 clubs and a diamond).

I got a zero on this board, again I am East.

The bidding, starting with North is 1S – x – P – 2H – P – 2NT – 3D – P – P – 4C

I get the obvious spade lead and play a club to the 10 and Ace, so I now have an obvious 8 tricks. However at the end I manage to exit with a diamond and get a heart lead for 9. I’m the only one up at 4C, but 3NT is actually a great contract here and someone found that. Only a diamond lead ducked and continued followed by excellent defence by North can stop 9 tricks.

We got a joint bottom on board 21:

I opened a weak 2H (not really advisable), South doubled, her partner bid 3S and they eventually reach 6S. Only one other pair bid this. In fact without my opening it is easy to see why. What do you open with the South hand? If 1H, what do you rebid over 1S? Most people will have 4C as a splinter. A 2NT opening and a 4C cue after partner's spade transfermight be the best way to get there.

We did get one top before the end on board 22:

After Pass, Pass, Adrianne opens 1H, North overcalls 2D, passed round to Adrianne who doubles, I bid 2H, South bids 3D. I don’t think I would have passed this with Adrianne’s hand, but she did. This is probably right though, I am as likely to be maybe 3-2-4-4 as anything else and she doesn’t want to be forced in diamonds.

So 3D came round to me and I doubled. I wouldn’t automatically do this at Pairs, but I know North overcalls light even at the two level.
After a heart lead, Adrianne plays the AKQ forcing dummy to ruff, this ensures two trump tricks for me giving us 2 hearts, 2 diamonds a club and a spade for 2 off.