Wednesday 19 January

Playing with Bob McKinnon we came joint third with 57% behind 58% and 60%. Blew it on two boards, one where I took a dreadful punt at 6H (after 1H - 2D and you hold AQJ of diamonds you sort of hope for 5 diamond tricks -- partner had 4 to the 8), the other one Bob could have bid 4S (which makes 12) but stopped at 3.


Anyway, Bob is the only one to bid 3NT on this after I opened a weak NT.

No chance on a heart lead, but East decided to lead their suit rather than their partner's. So I won with JS, crossed to AC and led a diamond to King and Ace. A heart swicth can't beat me now as long as I duck, but West led back a spade, now I just give her the other diamond and claim 10 tricks.





Bob left me for the last round and I played this board with Robert. The bidding went:

P - P - 1D - 1S - 2D - 2S - 3C - 3S -

Now we're vul vs non-vul. It feels that probably 3S and 3D make, but then we've got a 10 card fit and opponents probably 9, so the Law says we might make 4D. Robert is then 1 - 3 - 5 - 4 with a good hand for the 3C bid. I don't think either opponent will see a double if I bid 4D, so I chanced 4D, no double and lo and behold Robert makes it with just a spade and two hearts to lose for a top.


Back with Bob, against Katie & David who won the tournament, the bidding goes:

P - P - 1D - x - 1H - x - 3D - x - P - 3S - P - P -

Well I hope Bob plays 3D rebid to show 7 tricks, he must have 6 diamonds to AKQ and maybe AC, maybe 7 running diamonds. Anyway I tried 3N, David doubled and Bob bid 4D (I would almost certainly pull it as well.
David was planning to lead a club, so 3N was 1 off.




This wasn't a good board due to not playing with each other. Bob opened 1H, I raised to 2H and Bob bid 2NT. Now I always play bid 3H if you have 4, but thinking that Bob is flat and we have duplicate 4333 I decided that 8 tricks might even be a struggle.
So I passed.
Oops.
1 off for a 2nd bottom. Hearts makes without a problem, 10 tricks is even possible.
Although double dummy you can probably make 2NT, QC to Ace, win 2nd club. TH to KH, finesse 9D! Easy. When you give up a heart (keep 6 in hand to get into 7 in dummy to finesse again diamonds and throw 3 spades on the clubs (2 spades from dummy).


We got a bottom on this hand. Some were in 5D, others in 3NT were 1 off. I don't understand how you can ever be 1 off.
Bob played 3NT and got the club lead winning in dummy. He leads 10D, JD, Ace, small. Now a small diamond to the King, play third diamond and all the clubs put you 2 down.
How do you go 1 down? If you abandon diamonds you actually make 9!!!
When KD wins and East shows out, cash Ace and Jack of hearts, AK of spades and K and 10 of hearts for 9 tricks.


This board was a success, even if we missed game.

The bidding is:

1D - P - 1S(?) - x - 3S - 4C passed out

Bob has no problem making 11, losing only 2 hearts.
Mostly it was part scores making E/W or some 1 off, nobody else found the clubs.






Just an average on this hand as many E/W went too high. Bob was in 1NT but played it extremely well. I can't remember the exact run of the cards, but he did get all these tricks, 2 spades, 2 hearts, 1 diamond and 2 clubs.

QS was led and West overtook. So Bob takes King and sees that the pips give him a second spade. He returns 2S at trick 2, East cashes the other spade and exits with a heart to Bob's Queen. He cashes the 4th spade. However West has thrown a heart at one point and when Bob exits with KH, he sets up dummy's 10 for his 4th trick. East exits with the heart, Bob leads a diamond from dummy, West takes the Ace and plays another, Bob plays KD and another and West has to lead from KC for 7 tricks.