Monday 4th March

Playing aggregate we made some very costly mistakes as you will see.
There were an amazing number of hands you could make slams on, but most not biddable. On board 8 we didn’t reach 6H:
Without interference, our bidding went 1H – 2C – 2NT – 3H – 3S – 3NT – 4H

Adrianne wasn’t sure what I was doing, but she should have cue bid 4C. Even so, after my 4H I think she could try one more at that point.

Anyway I am in 4H and get a JC lead. Probably singleton, but I just cover with the Queen as I don’t need to find QD now, also a singleton club might imply 4 trumps, so just let them ruff. As you see I can only make 10 tricks now with a ruff and a trump to lose.

If I am in 6, this is much more interesting. Win AC, KS, AS, ruff a spade. Heart to Ace – oops. Don’t see how I get home now, can’t give them the JH as I’ll be forced in spades, can’t play 4 rounds of diamonds (guessing the Queen) as I’ll lose two trumps.
Double dummy I would have to win AC and run a heart to the Jack, then I get spade ruff and try to find QD to make 12.

On board 11 we are in an unmakeable slam. With everyone bidding it went:

1C – 1D – x – 3D – 3H – P - 4D – P – 4NT – P - 5C – 5D – 5S – 6H

My double promised at least one 4 card major and enough points for the 1 level. So when replying to 3H I have a fit and 8 points more than I have promised, I had to come up with something better than just 4H, so I tried 4D. My partner expecting AD quite rightly tries RKCB, but my reply is 1 or 4, a simple sign off in 5H is required, not asking for QH.
We didn’t lose the spade ruff, but were 1 off.

My disaster comes on hand 13:

I open 1D, partner bids 1S and West comes in 4H. Now I feel I can bid 6S immediately, but try 5H as a grand slam could be on. Partner bids 6D and now I can’t resist the temptation, I bid 7D. West doubles, I assume spade void, so bid 7S. Of course we must lose a diamond, -100 instead of +1370 (or 1430).

I stupidly went off on this hand (although opponents can always beat me by playing a trump --- but that is difficult for them):

We find 4H after West opens 1C(?): 1C – P – 1S – 2D – P – 2H – 3C – 4H
A club was led to the Ace and a spade returned to the 10 and Ace.

I cash AD, KD throwing a club. I ruff a diamond (West discards a club), ruff a club, ruff a diamond (another West club discard), lead my last club and stupidly ruff with the Ace. A small ruff would have given me 10 tricks -- pathetic. I thought West had no clubs left and that I could cash KH, QH and exit a heart to get Queen of Spades if East had the three hearts. What rubbish!
Well, that was only 2000 aggregate points I gave away on two hands.