Wednesday 23 May

Came second playing N/S though with a not very high 56%.  However as we had less than 25% after the first 6 boards, that wasn't bad.

All sorts of things could and did occur on this board.  Against Jennifer and John Glen.  I opened a multi 2D, Gerry bid 2H and John came in with 2S.  This was passed round to Gerry who bid 3C.  Jennifer really has a 3S bid now -- but that would have been a big top for us down 2 doubled.  She did well to pass.
Anyway KS lead ruffed in dummy.  AH to throw the diamond loser, diamond to Ace, spade ruff , KH to throw a spade. Gerry now ruffs a diamond and plays a high club.  When John gets in with the queen however he exits with QS giving Gerry AT and 11 tricks just losing 2 clubs.

 A joint top with Michelle and Mike Alexander on this board against Helen and Colin.  Four pairs bid the granny but we were the only two in 7NT.
Our bidding went unopposed:
1H - 2C - 2H - 4N - 5H - 5N
Now if Gerry thinks we can make 7 I certainly have a better hand than I've shown.  I have the 6th heart and no worries about breaks, I have club support and a void.  However the 5N asks me to bid 6C or 6D if I have that King, but I don't want to sign off in 6H, so I ventured 6D.  Gerry now bids 7NT.  I cringed, wished I'd bid 7C over the 5N but no matter, there are 14 top tricks.  I didn't ask Gerry what he would have done if I'd bid 6H.  Should probably have gone with first inkling and bid 7C.

Another slam, 5 pairs bid it, but two went off. Against Ronnie and Elizabeth I opened 1S, doesn't cross my mind that this could be a weak 2.  This is a solid 6 loser opener. Anyway Gerry bid 2C, I bid 2H and Gerry 3D. Should I bid 3S or confirm the diamond guard? My hand says 3S but partner asked a question, so I answered 3NT.  Gerry now bid 6S
Ronnie led Ace and another diamond  -- often the right thing to do when nobody has used Blackwood, but I am likely to have KD now. Winning KD I played club to Ace, ruffed a club, QS, AS then KC throwing a heart.  Queen didn't fall so I have to play QH, Elizabeth covers.  Winning Ace, I cross to Jack, ruff a club, over to KS and long club takes care of last heart.
Now if Ronnie leads say a trump I will have a very difficult choice of line to take. Certainly I'll decide to throw 2 diamonds on the clubs, but that still leave me with two potential heart losers unless they are 3-3.  To get the heart discard as well as two diamonds I 'll have to decide to try for QC falling in 3 round or a finesse.  I'm sure I'll play to drop the Queen because that leaves me with the chance in hearts.  I might even pressure someone to discard a heart.  So I would have gone down on that lead.

 On the very next board I avoided bidding a slam due to a mix up.
Our bidding went:
1D - 1H - 1S - 2C - 2N, long pause 3N.

Now I play the 4th suit here as just forcing to 2NT, i.e. I might just have an 11 count.  Gerry though plays it as game forcing. So, I thought his 2N was minimum, with 14 he should bid game. Gerry thinks this is a game forcing situation so 2N is stronger than 3N.
Well luckily for us the slam has no play. Although there are 11 tricks, in practice 10 is normal which is what Gerry made.  Elizabeth found a great heart lead from her singleton. Now obviously a small club gives 11 top tricks, but Gerry made the much more obvious play of crossing to AS and leading a diamond. When Ronnie wins the King he returns a heart, Gerry ducks a diamond but no luck there and makes 4 spades, 4 hearts and 2 Aces.

Finally against Victor and Brian we finished as we started with disastrous misjudgement!
Victor passes not playing Lucas and Gerry opens 1C.  Brian overcalls a spade and I bid 2H.  Victor makes the excellent bid now of 4S.  Gerry decides to double rather than bid 5C round to me and I don't know what to do.
What is Gerry doubling on?  Certainly no spade trick, no top diamonds.  Must have AK clubs, also surely has KH for opener, but I'm sure won't have 3 hearts, or am I?  I decide it will be 6H or leave the double in.  I also decide Gerry won't have 3 hearts and the suit won't break so a heart and spadde to lose.  I passed the double.  After two tricks I could count Brian's 10 tricks. I led a club, ruffed, diamond to 10 and my Ace. I cashed AH and another heart.  Setting up the Jack makes it easier to make 11 tricks, but a cross ruff and a long diamond was on for the rest of the tricks anyway.  Of course the best bid was the one I discounted, 5H, though Brian could still find a 5S bid, he might not.  Complete bottom for us.