Thursday 26 April 2012

Wednesday 26 April

Playing E/W with Gerry we managed just above average with 51%.

 We didn't get a good score against Russell & Len on this board. Len opened 3H as South and Russell found a 4H bid to confuse things.  I doubled with the aim of converting 5C to 5D.  Gerry lacking spades and not seeing that a 5 level contract would be right leaves it in.
Double dummy a trump lead will ensure 3 diamond tricks, 2 spades and a club for 500, still not enough to compensate for missing a vulnerable game. However Gerry made the more obvious lead of AS, I discouraged with the inverse attitude 9 (wanting a club through), but he continues with another to my King. I don't want Len discarding a club if I now play a small spade, so I cashed JD and then played JS, however Len let a club go anyway, Gerry discarded a diamond.  I played a 4th spade, Len ruffed high, Gerry discarded his last diamond. Len led a diamond and Gerry forced his KH and ensured a diamond trick (ruff actually) for us.  So 3 spade tricks, a diamond trick and a diamond ruff for 300. Interesting if Russell passes 3H, I double and Gerry bids 4C, should I now bid 4D or 5D? I think I have to bid game.

Against Bob and Ian I managed not to get us a good score but I am sure I was wrong.
Gerry opened 2C as West, I bid 2D, over 2NT I transferred and Gerry jumped to 4H.  So I know he has 23/24 with 4 hearts. However I am missing all 5 keycards and QH. After some thought I chickened out and passed. Gerry is not clairvoyant and after JS lead to Ace played AC, ruff, heart to Ace to find 2 losers, club ruff, back to AD to claim 11 as clubs are all winners.
I really should have bid 5H and Gerry has an easy 6H bid and that is the right contract, bad pass, good score.
 This was our first board of the night against Rhona and Derek and it plagued me for the rest of the evening. Rhona opened 1H, Derek 1S, 2NT, 3NT. I led 6C, dummy went down and I immediately thought Gerry has at least 4 spades. I see though that he probably just has 3 points, but KTxx of spades would be useful.  He also has 4 hearts, maybe 5 and might have 4 points and AH.  Anyway as I am thinking this, Rhona takes KC and puts down a diamond.  Now I hate pausing and still haven't worked out what might be best to play Gerry for, so rather than hesitate I played TD.  Rhona won the Queen in dummy, finessed QH.  I took King, thought more about what I now know and realise Gerry must have K or AS, hope he has the ten and I played QS to Rhona's King.  Too late, Rhona plays out her clubs and Gerry discards aa diamond to keep those spades.  However at the end after playing a diamond and heart winners, Rhona end plays Gerry with a heart to make her JS for 10 tricks and a joint top.  Very well played by Rhona, but poorly defended by me.  When Rhona plays a diamond at trick two, she obviously has the Ace and my diamonds might just as well be Kxx, I can only make 1 trick.  I should go up with the King.  Play Gerry for a spade holding and exit with QS.  When I get in with KH I can play another spade.
 Gerry got a good score back on the next hand.  I opened 1C, Gerry bid 1D, 1H and 1NT finished the auction.
Rhona led a spade to Gerry's Ten, Gerry played a club and Rhona took the King.  Rhona now played KD, what should South do, remember Gerry bid 1D?  Derek ducked, what should North play now? Rhona played JD, Derek ducked.  Now Rhona played JH to Ace, Gerry played clubs until Derek took Ace and AD leaving us with 8 tricks.
Complete bottom on this board against Rene and Maggie.
Gerry opened 1H, I bid 2D, Gerry 3H, 3NT by me and after some thought pass by Gerry.
Rene finds the excellent lead of QS. I don't think a duck is a good idea, I won AS and led a heart to King and Ace. A spade is returned, again I didn't think duck was best worried about opponents finding 3 quick club tricks, I have 9 sure tricks have I not? So I won the Jack with the King, cashed QH, oops. OK I have 7 tricks, its all on diamonds now.  I cashed the winning hearts, played AD, finessed JD and that was me finished, 3 down for a zero.  Only one other pair was in 3NT, they got QS lead.  They made 10 tricks.  That was Adrianne and Christine but I am not even asking how, I don't want to know.
Steve and Marilyn got two good scores against us on 23 and 24.
Gerry opened 1NT and I bid 3NT.  Steve finds a brilliant TS lead.  This runs to the Ace, Gerry plays QH, covered to Ace, back to a heart and a diamond finesse. 8 tricks are now possible, if he can just sneak a club, but a club from dummy goes to Q and A, another spade and 1 off.


On the next board Gerry opens 2H Lucas, I raise to a non-constructive 3H, but Marilyn still finds the double. Steve has no problem bidding 4S.  Although most people are in this game, three managed to go off.
I led KD to Ace, Steve played JH to Q and King and finessed QS to Gerry's King.  A diamond back was ruffed, KH to throw a diamond. Steve drew trumps and I made a club and a diamond for 10 tricks to Declarer.





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