Wednesday 29 August

Playing N/S with Gerry scored a poor 49%. Started badly, failed to recover.
Board 1 was a difficult decision for me, turned out wrong but mainly due to excellent defence.

 Gerry opened South 1D, what is my best bid? 2D will normally invoke some bidding from opponents.  However if partner is strong 1H will get 2N from partner. Probably 2D pays off in this situation, but I did what I always do and bid 1H.  Gerry bid the inevitable 2N and there he played.
Paul led KC and switched to 9H to Nat's Queen.  Nat returned JC to Q and Ace.  Paul led a small heart.  Gerry didn't want to be duped here and tried the King.  Nat took the Ace, played a club and that was 4 clubs and 3 hearts to the defence. Those in 2D scored a joint top though E/W should compete even to 3H forcing 4D down 1 by South.

 One of our few bright spots against Mary and Moira.  Mary opened 1C, Moira 1S, Mary reversed with 2D, 2N - 3N.  I led 9H.  Moira took the Ace. That seems a decent line to me, unblock the Ace now, set up clubs and hope they come back hearts.  Moira now led a small club to the Jack and I took the Queen. I continued a heart to the King, but Gerry can see the lie of that suit and now switches to a small spade.  We cash 3 spades for 1 down.

 On the next board I missed bidding game, though just as well. Mary opened 1C, round to me and I doubled.  Mary bids 1S and Gerry 2H.  I thought about this but with waht looked like 15 plus a singleton I decided I have to give my partner some latitude and passed the 2H.  That was wrong though, I should have bid 3H. Anyway Moira correctly led the spade to Mary's Queen and Gerry dropped the Jack.  Mary led back a club to Dummy's King.  Gerry cashed AK of trumps and led a diamond to Mary's Ace. Mary exits with another club.  Gerry cashes QH and plays diamonds getting rid of his two spades as Moira trumps the 5th.  A club to lose for 9 tricks. Much better than 4H down 2 which probably happens if I bid 3H.

There were a lot of slams going about on the evening, this wasn't one of them, though one pair got away with it.
Gerry opened his monster 1D, Moira overcalled 1H and I bid 1S.  Mary bid 2H and Gerry 4NT.  I showed one keycard and Gerry assuming its colour was black bid 6S.
Moira with 2 Aces doubled.  Mary led ..... KC unfortunately, 1 down.
Margaret McCallum playing with Ann McLeod was in 6D doubled.  Now it doesn't matter which Ace is led, in fact surely anything but a heart defeats this.  What was led? The diamond 4, 6D wins in dummy, AH throw the club, get the spade right 6Dx made.

I thought I made a big mistake in defending 4H against Vi.  Nobody made this contract though it is unbeatable, just play on clubs.
Anyway I led JS ducked all round.  I can see continuing spades gives away 10 tricks as spades will get set up and declarer just loses a club, a diamond and a spade.  So I switch to a trump. Vi wins in hand and returns a diamond, I take Ace and play a second trump. Vi cashes KD and plays a club to K and my Ace (playing a third trump and cashing JD to throw a club is no good as there are 2 more spades to lose).  Anyway I unthinkingly returned a club, Vi wins, ruffs a club, back to third heart and club winners to throw the spades. I thought that was a stupid return of a club, if I just play a spade now to Gerry's Queen if Vi ruffs she can cash a diamond and a club but must lose two spades. However she doesn't. Ruff the QS, cash KC, ruff a club, draw last trump and exit with a spade to Gerry's Ace.  Gerry is endplayed with only two small diamonds in his hand to give Vi the contract.

Missed a game here though only two pairs managed to bid it.
Against Issy and Willie I opened 1NT 3rd in hand, Gerry bid 2C and raised my 2H to 3H.  Well I can't see even 3H being straightforward and passed.
Issy led KD and switched to a trump to King and Ace.  I ruffed a diamond, finessed a club, ruffed a diamond, finessed a club.  11 tricks, very straightforward.  Why didn't I see that?