Monday 20 February

Playing Butler scoring had a very poor score of -29, just a whole set of small minuses rather than any big mistakes.  We are playing N/S

On this board against Jack and Robert I got away with a zero. After two passes at favourable I opened 1NT which was passed out.  Jack led AS then switched to QH which I ducked followed by small heart to King and Ace. Looks like Jack has 11 points in majors (expect JS) so KD will not be an entry to dummy. To bring home the clubs I need doubleton Queen Ten or doubleton Ten on my right. I decide to pin the 10 nd play AC followed by Jack. 6 tricks for 1 off, very lucky, if there had been Queen on my right I could have lost the rest of the tricks.

Missed a game against Bill and Liz that one person bid and was doubled in.  They might have been pushed into it. I opened 1C, Adrianne bid 1NT (8-10 with clubs), I just bid 2C (should have bid 3C, perhaps even 3S). Anyway that is where I played. I took diamond lead in dummy and led QC covered by King. Bad defence, don't cover until you have to. I won Ace, over to JC, finesse heart, over to 10C, finesse heart. Hearts split and dummy's diamond goes away for 12 tricks.

Played this against David and Catherine. Nearly everyone is in 4H, two E/W are in 5C off 2 (only 1 is doubled). Our bidding went : P - P - 1H - 2C - 3H - 4D - 4H - 5C - P - P - poor Adrianne, doesn't know what to make of the diamond fit bid. Personally I place partner's points in spades and just double, but Adrianne bid 5H.  Good decision. Diamond to Ace, AC cashed, diamond back to the King. Can't quite remember the order but Adrianne takes AH, finesses a spade, KH, ruffs a diamond and has 11 tricks.

Next board Adrianne opens 1H as South. Well, better check for Keycards. Response of 5S shows two with. Now there must be 15 tricks here, but is there a club loser? Well I don't know but 7H it is, unbeatable. One third of us bid it.

This board is a bit of a disaster against Bill and Norman. Without interference our bidding goes 1S - 2S - 2NT - 3H - 4H. 2N is 17/18 with four spades. A bit pushy, but not unreasonable at Butler. Anyway, Norman avoids the obvious QD lead and finds a small club. Bill taks Ace, cashes AK spades followed by a third to be ruffed, now QD exit and AH shows up my predicament. In the end 3 off.  Good one for strong No Trump, they get a 2S overcall!

On the next board we found 6H. I opened 1H, Adrianne prevaricates with 2C, I bid 2D and Adrianne tries 4th suit.  I now bid 3NT. Feeling confident I have Ace or King of spades and 14 points, Adrianne bid 6H. Not wishing to lose a possible second spade trick, Norman led a small club, but that allows me to discard my spade loser and so I make 13 tricks. Nearly half of us found this slam.