Monday 9 April

Playing N/S came 3rd with a Butler score of 26.

The way all the cards lie this is a great slam and never a bad one to be in. Even if the black Kings are reversed there is also the option of diamonds providing a club discard.  Anyway against Barry & Lester our bidding went:
1H - 2D - 2H - 3C - 3NT - 4H

After 1H - 2H by partner I am happy to be in 4H, my 3C on the way was just to show I am too strong for a direct 4H.  Adrianne despite being maximum didn't take the bait.  It is always difficult to risk the 5 level and go 1 down.
Willie & David, Len & Clifford managed to be in six, Charles & Vi were in 4H +3 like us.  I'll accept that company.

These next two hands were slams which depend on which side you play them from.
Against Bobby & Ian their bidding went:
1S - 2C - 2H - 3D

Adrianne doubled this and Ian bid 6NT rather than 6S with a diamond lead.
Adrianne didn't lead AD so there are 13 tricks off the top.

Two West's went off in the slam, another few Wests made it on a non-diamond lead.  Half the field managed to play it in NT by East.

Now our turn against Joe & Sheila Fell. I showed a strong NT and Adrianne put me in 6N.
Playing it as North I got a club lead, ran the diamonds, got 2 heart discards from West and made 13.
Now, they do say aggressive leads are best at slams at this scoring, so if a spade lead is found: duck to the Queen and win return in dummy, West should have no problem discarding 2 spades on the diamonds. The third discard will crucially have to be a club or declarer will possibly find the winning play in hearts.
Anyway if you play 6D (or 6N) by South, a spade lead is no problem as it actually promotes a spade as the 12th trick.
Only 1 pair played it by South (6D) and that was Charles & Vi, though most Norths did make it (even a few on a spadde lead).

Every East / West played this in spades from 2S - 4S and 140 was the modal score. Except at our table against Ian & Ivor.
1S - 2H - 4S - 5D - 5S
It seems we were the only pair to be in the making game after Adrianne's brave 2H vulnerable overcall.
Unfortunately we failed to capitalise by doubling.
Adrianne led diamond to the Ace and I returned a club. Nothing declarer can do about losing 2 diamonds, a heart and a club for -2.

Another slam hand against Fudge & Alec.  Since printed hands have become common I have noticed how often a 10 count with some length in a minor opposite a 2NT opener makes 12 tricks.
So I opened 2NT, Adrianne went through Puppet Stayman and then bid 4C which we play as Gerber, obviously going to bid slam when I show 3 Aces.  Except I don't. Tumshie here employs RKC and bids 4H (0 or 3), partner sees this as 1 Ace, bids 4S forcing my 4NT which is where we play.
Three pairs found 6C which comfortably makes 13.

 Our next board is another slam hand except it isn't.
Adrianne opened 1S, Alec overcalled 2D and I bid 3D (too strong for a NT raise to 4S).  However Adrianne didn't think much of her hand and we played in 4S, just like everyone else.
Now a heart lead keeps this to 11, but only Zia would forego KD lead from the West hand and 12 tricks are stiff. Which is what happened to nearly everyone. Well done to Bernard Solomons who led 7H.

Yet another slam, this time for E/W, but how do you bid it and how do you defend a heart contract?
Against David & Katie Adrianne opened 1S, David bid 3C presumably Intermediate, I am not going to compete vulnerable and Katie bid 4H ending the auction.  Arianne led AS and made the 'natural' switch to a trump.  KAtie can now claim 12 tricks.
Vi was defending 6H and led AS and then made the only play to defeat the contract, the KS. Declarer must now lose a trump to QH.  Hard lines Norman & Bill, you would have made it against most people.
I have no idea how you get to 6C which is unbeatable. All Souths should open 1S and most Wests will overcall 2C.  Whether North bids or not, East will bid hearts.  If west bids more clubs, East can certainly bid 5C.  It is then down to West who has the singleton spade to find the slam.