Tuesday 21 August

Playing N/S with Adrianne in the festival Pairs we came just above average.  Got off to a bad start against Bobby and Michelle who went on to win.  It always pays to get into the bidding and Bobby made things a bit more awkward for us with an off centre double

Adrianne opened 1S, I bid 1N, Bobby doubled and Adrianne redoubled (shows 15+).  Michelle bid 2C and I bid 3N.  I would have liked to bid 2N, but that would deny a maximum and Adrianne with say 17 would have passed.

Bobby led 2D, Michelle cashed KQ and returned TH.  I thought about ducking this to set up 4 heart tricks but that would would have given 5 tricks to the defence.  I took the Ace in dummy. I saw Bobby's hand as probably AQx, Jxxx, Axxx, xx so really they can only get 4 tricks (3 diamonds and a spade), but how do I get 9? Well you cash AC and enter hand with QC (Bobby discards a spade) to lead spade to J then back to hand with KH (don't cash Q) and lead another spade.  Bobby is stuck with bare AQ.  You have 3 spades, 3 clubs, 2 hearts and Bobby has to give you a diamond or a heart.  I failed by cashing QH.  I knew his hand exactly when he discarded a spade but couldn't see I didn't need QH, its only when I see the hands now but then that's what makes a good player.

The next board we went to 3N, 2 off for a bottom, 3S was the par score, 4S one off would have been fine though some people were allowed to make game.

This was an interesting board all round.  At our table against Bob and Cathy Bob opened 1S, Cathy 1N, Bob 2D and Cathy 2S.  Bob thought about chancing more but settled for 2S.  I led KH and Adrianne showed an even number so I continued a small heart to J, Q and ruff. So how do you play this at Pairs? There are two entries to dummy to lead diamonds and with luck you make 10 but on this exact layout only 8. Play two rounds of spades then 10D and 10 tricks is very unlikely 9 tricks quite likely but 8 still possible. Bob took the optimistic line and crossed in trumps, ran 10D and I took Q, cashed A and gave Adrianne a ruff who then exits with a heart and waits for her club.

However what is more interesting is my pass. It doesn't really look like a take out double to me but with nice hearts probably I should.  Now Adrianne is going to go to 3H and force 3S from Bob. How would he have played it now?  Unfortunately I didn't test him but I think the same way.  It is me who should have the doubleton spade so if I have AQ diamonds you can't stop the ruff anyway. So as I said at the beginning it always pays to get into the bidding.

Our last set was board 1 and 2 against David and Katie. The board was rotated so I was West.

We got into a bit of a muddle which resulted in a top. Adrianne opened 1H and I bid 2D. Most people would bid 3C with Adrianne's hand but giving herself a minus for void in my suit she rebid 2H. I tried 3C as what looked to be the best forcing bid and Adrianne could just have said 3N but this hand could now have more so bid 4C. I tried 4H, Adrianne 5C. I thought 5H would score better if we can make at the 5 level but bid 5D first expecting Adrianne to bid hearts, but no, she is more sensible than that and bid 6C.
Katie led AS and switched to a heart, but I can't go wrong and 6C is unbeatable.  Sorry David and Kate, a sensible player would have passed 5C.