Friday 15 July 2011

Thursday 14 July

Playing with Adrianne we were exactly middle with 50%
Early on we got two bad scores against Alec and Raymond. Alec put Raymond into a 6NT with a 16 count opposite a 14-16 NT which couldn't be beaten. Then on the next board I let the side down with a bad defence. Our bidding went:
1D - P - 1S - 3H
4C - P - 4S - passed out.
Adrianne led AH. Now she has no idea what the heart position is. With a singleton in dummy we play suit preference. I could have 8 5 and be asking for a diamond, or J 8 and be asking for a club, or a singleton heart. Anyway Adrianne guessed correctly and played KH, Alec ruffed with the 4S and I over-ruffed. Now we play Ace from AK unless we have a singleton when we play the King. So Adrianne has no diamonds. Any idiot can see Ace and another diamond for a possible trump promotion must be the play. Not this idiot, small diamond ruffed by Adrianne, end of defence. I hate bridge.

Redeemed myself somewhat with this boad against Stewart Duguid & Bobby Moore. Stewart showed a 23-24 NT and ended in 4H. Adrianne is a great follower of Andy Robson and in that morning Times he had stated how he hated doubleton leads but showed an example that defeated a contract. This is a case where I think doubletons aren't so bad, when you have a quick trump entry.
Anyway Adrianne chose 8C lead and luckily Stewart gave me a moment to consider and I decided doubleton was more likely. So I ducked, Stewart played JD to KD and finessed a heart. Adrianne cashed AS then another club. I took Ace and gave her the ruff.
Still against Stewart and Bobby only two pairs found the slam here. With no interference, our bidding went :
1S - 2H - 2S - 3C - 5C - 6C (great bid by Adrianne)
Jumping to 5C is a great risk at Pairs, but a) It is the only slam try I can think of! and b) Why didn't Adrianne rebid 3NT or raise spades?
Anyway QD lead, 3 round of clubs ending in dummy, 3 top spades, spade ruff, heart ruff and claim 13.
I got a joint top score here for 10 tricks in 3NT against Elizabeth Maiolani and Victor Goldwater, but I was very annoyed I didn't make more.
Elizabeth led QC, ducked and followed with the Jack. I took Ace, cashed a top heart and noted Elizabeth's 10H. Going by restricted choice, I crossed to QS and finessed a heart, Elizabeth lets a club go. I cashed two more top hearts and Elizabeth let go 8C and 10C. I played another spade to the Ace and Elizabeth had now played 9S and JS. I could only think that Victor has KC and Elizabeth has 4 diamonds and 10S left, so I played KS rather than finesse the 8 for 11 tricks
The last board was against Alan & Myra. Most made 4H but it was quite tricky.
Our bidding without interference was quite simple:
1H - 1S - 2C - 4H
Myra led a club to my Ace and I played a heart to King and Ace. Alan returned a high club, covered and ruffed. A diamond came back to King and Ace, Alan played another club which I ruff in dummy. I have to decide what to do about my losing club. As Myra has a lot more spaces I decide to finesse rather than ruffing finesse. So cash JH, QD, ruff a diamond, draw last trump and finesse QS, cash Ace discarding the losing club.

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