Thursday 9 february

Managed to come first N/S with 59% however, did not get get off to an auspicious start against Jim & Nigel.

Adrianne put herself into 6S after I had opened 1NT and broken the spade transfer. This looks not a bad contract, just find one of the two black kings. Nigel led a heart to J, Q and ruff, Adrianne crossed to AD and took the losing spade finesse. Another heart would have killed the contract, but Nigel switched to JD taken by King and Adrianne cleared the trumps. She now played a third diamond and with everyone following, this gives her a second choice rather than a club finesse. She discards a club on 4th diamond, cashes AC and notes Nigel's Ten.  However, having been very slow to bid and explain and also slow in play, feeling under pressure she followed with QC.  Jim had done well to discard hearts rather than two clubs and so won the last trick with the 9C.

Got a good score back though on the 3rd board. Nigel opened 1S, I bid 2D, Adrianne bids 4D and this is passed out. Jim led a heart which I ran to the Queen, cashed 2 rounds of diamonds. So I lose 2 spades and 1 club for a plus score when 4H makes E/W (you can't get a club ruff AND 2 diamond tricks). Would we have bid 5D over 4H, of course we would.

This was a tricky 4S against Sandy and Ralph made easier for me after a diamond lead. I opened the North hand preferring 5431 shape to 4441 and we are soon in 4S with Ralph leading a small diamond to Q, K and Ace. All I have to do now is lose 3 spades without losing a heart. So at trick 2 I led a small spade which Ralph takes perforce and he plays a club.  Another spae from dummy to Jack which I duck.  Sandy plays another club and I lead another spade taken by Sandy with the King. Another club won in hand, I draw last trump and claim with two hearts going on the diamonds. Everyone makes 10 but can't be easy on say a club lead.

Played this in 4H against Sheila and Elizabeth.  Half made it, half didn't. We got there after 1NT and Stayman. Sheila led JD to K and A but Elizabeth returned a small diamond won by my 6. I led QH, not covered, so went up with the Ace and led a heart back to 10 and King. Sheila now led 9S to J, Q and K. I drew last trump, finessed 8S, gave up a diamond and threw a club from dummy on 10D. So I made 3 spades, 3 hearts and a club ruff, 2 diamonds and AC. What happens after AQ diamonds and a ruff? Sheila will exit with a spade and like most of us will always play the 9, so I will make the rest of the tricks via a forced heart finesse and the same finesse of the 8S. The defence in this hand would spell out the difference between good players and we lesser mortals.  Any exit except 9S, including a small club, defeats the contract, why not exit with a heart?, you know your King's dead, but we never do.

Adrianne got a great score in 3NT against Bob and Ian, everyone else is in 4S one off.  I opened 1S, Ian bid 3C and Adrianne bid 3NT passed out. Bob righly eschewed the club lead and tried a small diamond which Adrianne ran to the 10 and played a second diamond to the Queen. The heart finesse follows and Bob returns a heart to dummy. Now comes the 5 spades, a heart to hand, a 10C to Ian and AQ clubs for the last two tricks and 660.