Monday 16 May

Playing N/S with Adrianne we came second with a good 60% score. Despite a few mistakes we got a few gifts as well.

On this board against Len & Cliff, not surprisingly nobody found the diamond slam. However we got a near top score for 3NT.

I assume at every table West opens 3S. I bid 3NT which was passed out. I was allowed to win the spade lead and East discarded a heart on the run of the diamonds giving me 13 tricks. However most people were in 5D or even 4D. Presumably they doubled the 3S opener. I couldn't see the logic in that. Yes I have 4 hearts, but what if partner doesn't? What can I do over 4C? So I thought 3NT was the only logical bid.

The next two boards were against Sylvia Black & Louise Butler. Unfortunately I feel we dusted them up with two excellent scores.

On this board I opened 1H, Sylvia bid 2C and Adrianne 2D, Louise passed and I bid 2H. After some thought Adrianne passed as well. This turns out very well judged. After KS lead I won Ace and led KH to Sylvia's Ace. QS and two clubs followed then I won a diamond and finessed TH for 9 tricks (though I see only entered 8 in the machine).

Anyway just about everyone was in 4H, though one or two were allowed to make.

On the next board we bid 1C - 1H - 1NT - 4H.

After a spade lead to Ace, a spade back to the King, I cashed AH. The book says when the Jack falls with 4 missing it is more likely to be singleton. So I played a diamond to the King and finessed a heart.

14 pairs are in 4H, only 3 made 11.

Sorry Sylvia and Louise.

We got a great score here against Nat and Charles. Nat opens 1S passed round to Adrianne who doubles. I bid 4H.

Only 5 of us in 4H and only 2 made 11. After a spade lead to King and Ace I laid down AH and played another. Nat tried a small spade but my Jack won and I discarded a club. A diamond to the 10 and Ace and the rest of the tricks are mine.

If Nat finds a diamond exit I've got too many spades to get rid of and have only 10 tricks. However it will be a no brainer to finesse the club. If it loses I make 10 anyway, 11 if it wins.

Against John Larkin & Rob we got a great score here for beating 4S. John opened 1NT as West (bit cheeky) and after a transfer finds himself in 4S. I led a spade won by the King, Queen is cashed and then A & K of diamonds and a diamond ruff. Rob now plays a club and I rise with the Ace. Adrianne plays the Jack. I don't think she would waste that with Jx, but might be J10. Anyway I know she has 4 diamonds, 3 spades (Rob didn't break the transfer) and length in hearts. Is it 5 hearts? Well I decided to go for that, returned a small club and Rob went up with the King, ruffed and an unavoidable further club to lose.

Looks to me as if the only play to make is draw trumps, lead a club to King.

On the next board Rob opens 1H, I double and John bids 4H. After some thought Adrianne bids 5C and is left to play.

Rob makes it as hard as he can by leading a club. Adrianne wins in hand, finesses QS, cashes Ace discarding a diamond, cashes AC, leads 10S and throws her second heart Rob plays AH, ruffed, Adrianne draws trump and leads a diamond, losing 1 diamond and 1 spade (heart). Only two others bid the 5C most are in diamonds and 5D cannot make.

Finally one that most people made but I went down on against Jack & Robert. Our bidding was simply 1H - 2H - 4H and Jack led a club. I won in dummy and led a heart to the Ace. Now with 5 missing hearts are more likely to be 3-2, so this can be doubleton QJ. I certainly can't afford at MPs to throw an overtake away, so I returned a heart to the King. I played a spade now and Jack won the Ace and played two rounds of trumps. I can only make 9 tricks.

Many made 10 and I wonder if they got KD lead? Certainly with 4 trumps I don't like leading a singleton.