Monday 17 January

Playing E/W with Adrianne we finished 4th with 13 Butler points. Didn't really do much wrong.



On this board against Jim Forsyth & Jim McMahon we gained 1 whole point. There were many diamond contracts N/S going off. Many 140s our way. I scored 170 and though we thought at the time a diamond lead keeps it to nine, the hand is stiff for 10.

I opened 1C passed round to Jim F at North who bid 1D. I bid 1S, Jim McM 2D and Adrianne 2S. JF bid 3D and I bid 3S, Adrianne gave this some thought, but passed.

On a diamond lead, win the Ace, play AS, A & KH, lead TH and whether N ruffs or not, throw the diamond.

I got a spade lead, crossed to KH and led a club, JF went up with Ace and played a diamond, I won and threw dummy's diamond on KC.


We had two bad scores against Bob McKinnon & Ian Patrick. They play strong NT and 5 card Stayman, so their bidding obviously was:



P - 1NT - 2C - 2S - 4S



Adrianne led xH to Bob's King. Bob plays on spades, Adrianne taking the second round and plays another heart. I win the Ace and exit with a diamond. Bob clears trumps and plays TC, Adrianne covers with the King and 10 tricks are claimed.

Not many bid game and it is only beatable by a KC lead which is never going to happen. After the heart lead, it won't work if I go up with Ace and switch to a club, declarer can just duck the King to sever communications for a ruff. Anyway I'm just not good enough to do that.

The next board was very similar.

Again with no intervention Bob & Ian bid:



1NT - 2D - 3H - 4H



Again not many were in this game and again it can be defeated.

Adrianne decides on an attacking lead against this good fit and leads a small spade. I take the Ace and return the two. Now we must set up a diamond to defeat this. If I had returned a diamond however declarer can set up a diamond trick for a club discard. So the only hope is when Adrianne is back in with this spade. However having tried one attacking lead, understandably she is going to take the safe exit of a third spade. It is unfortunate she didn't pick the diamond lead initially. That's bridge.



Finally, against Careen and Barry the bidding went:



P - 1D - 1S - 4NT - 5S - x - P - 6D - Passed out



Unbeatable of course. Half bid it, half didn't. We were -7 compared to +10 for those who only had the game bid against them. However, one who bid 6Sx 3 down was +7. We should have been there.

I think my 5S says I've no defence here. However Adrianne has the chance with AQ of hearts and just maybe partner has AS (though I shouldn't). So to get there I think I shouldn't have bid 5S. I should pass, wait to see if 6D is bid (it will be, Careen will assume Barry has AH) and then bid 6S.

Stupid me.