Playing aggregate came 4th N/S out of 9, however scores were very close and we were only 1 vulnerable game away from winning. What is galling is I made a ridiculous bid which was suitably punished, I didn't play it as well as I should and lost 800 on a part score hand. If I had just passed we would have come top.
Against Alec and Fudge I declared 3NT as North and Charles led 2H to the King which I ducked and then won the 10 with the Ace. I immediately played AK and another diamond getting a club discard from Alec. Charles continued a heart to my Queen ( I discard 10D from dummy) and I exited with a heart, Alec and dummy letting go a spade. Charles can now safely exit QS and I played 3 rounds, A, K and another putting Charles back on lead when everyone just has 2 clubs left, however he didn't have to lead away from the King, so I went 1 down. I thought I had given it every chance to get a club endplay and was annoyed to see that the sheet says 3NT makes. I just can't find the play. If I hadn't discarded a spade, Charles can still safely exit with a club.
Nobody played in 6S here which I find amazing. We really should be in these slams. We narrowly avoided it. Our bidding went (uncontested):
1S - 3D - 3H - 3S - 4S
Adrianne my 3S is even more slam interest. Adrianne hesitated before bidding 4S, obviously wanting to cue 4C, but looking at just a 9 count decided not. After the hesitation I can't fairly bid on, my partner must cue here and she didn't, therefore she is missing both Aces. If she hadn't hesitated I would have gone 4NT, but presumably I would only get 1 in reply. Only two people in 5S. We all got away with it this time, but next time 12 tricks will roll in.
Bad luck for Mike and Joyce on this board who at least got to game with their 25 points. Our bidding went:
1H - 2C - 2H - P - 4H - passed out.
I could have doubled but we probably only have1 club trick, Adrianne having 6 and I might just lose a trump trick on a 5 - 3 fit if I double.
Anyway, Mike had no chance. Adrianne led AC but miscounted and switched to a trump to the 3, 9 and Q.Mike tried a second trump to the King, oops. Now ran TS, Adrianne cashed KC and exited with a diamond, but we get 2 spades, 2 clubs and 2 hearts for 3 off.
Mike got back with this one though. Playing three weak twos he opened 2D green against red. This came round to me as North, what can I do?
Assuming 11 diamonds between us, Adrianne has some sort of shortage and couldn't come in. I really can't double. What do I say over 3C? Nothing, just sheepishly put down my dummy to my partner's consternation. Joyce can easily have a decent hand here with no diamonds and even if I felt brave, 2NT is not available to me as we play that as conventional. So I passed, it went 4 off for 200, but we missed our vulnerable 3NT. Good bid of 2D.
Finally what should be a flat board, but annoying. Marilyn played it in 3NT against us after her partner Steve had shown long, strong diamonds. Nothing we can do, I cashed our 4 tricks, partner failed to hold a Queen in either hearts or clubs.
What if East plays it though? The lead(s) that beat the contract is a Jack, in fact you take the first 7 tricks with careful play.
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