Monday 22 October

Playing N/S with Adrianne came first with a Butler score of 59.  We were certainly lucky which of course you need for a good score.  However we started a little unluckily against Alan and Derek.

Alan chose to open 1H with his 2-5-6 shape, Derek bid 2C and I doubled.  Alan bid 2D and Derek 4H.
Now a diamond lead ducked to the 10 puts this 2 off (AK spades, AH, QD and diamond ruff).  However Adrianne worried that 9D might ruin my holding and opted for 9S.
Well you can still defeat this with a diamond return but I couldn't find it, declarer can't have 6 diamonds. In fact I couldn't quite fathom what declarer had for an opening bid. I thought maybe 3 - 5 - 5. In the end I opted for a KC return to set up 4 tricks, oops, spade discard. However, if I'm not playing partner for singleton diamond I can't defeat this as clubs get set up. Unlucky Alan opened 1H, -9 points

 Not sure if we were lucky or unlucky on this one though came out of it +5.
Maggie forgot their system and opened 2D, Adrianne asked and Sally said it was an Acol 2D, 8 tricks. Adrianne overcalled 3C and Sally bid 3S.  What on Earth's going on? Whatever, my KD didn't look good in clubs and I bid 3N, passed out. A diamond lead gave me 12 tricks.
Were we unlucky? If Maggie passes, Adrianne probably opens 1C. If Sally has a Michael's bid, it probably makes me more likely to bid 6C.  Would she find a singleton diamond lead when she has no trumps? We'll never know.

When you have a suit to defeat NT your partner rarely finds it. Here Adrianne was opener and obviously paused before passing (it turned out she just hadn't noticed she was Declarer).  Anyway I would have liked to put in a 3rd in hand 1S bid but after the hesitation I passed. Jack opened 1N and Robert with 3-4-3-3- shape forewent Stayman and bid 3N.
So a major lead might be right, Adrianne could have led a heart, but she chose the 5S. Bingo!
Nothing Jack could do, needed the diamond finesse which was wrong so 1 down.  Great lead, bit lucky.
Just shows that you should not let hesitations stop you from making your obvious bid as it could disadvantage your opponents.  However 1S by made is not the least obvious.

 Very lucky here against Alistair and Bob.
I opened 1N, Adrianne transferred (Bob doubling 2H) and I bid 3S. Adrianne decided to go 4S (3S was minimum but the duplication in the minors is unlucky).
Alistair led a heart, I ducked, won the continuation and ruffed a heart. 10S to KS and a spade back to 9 and Ace, Bob exits with a spade.
I now played A, K and a third diamond, but Alistair played QH on the third diamond. He corrected to QD but had to play QH and I discarded a club, ruffed in hand and finesse of QC for 10 tricks.
So, so lucky.

Against Jim Forsyth and Jim McMenemy we were lucky they didn't bid game.
I opened 3C, Jim M doubled and Jim F could have given his singleton club and 5th spade some value but decided with just 3 queens to bid 3S. Jim M would certainly like to bid more but with just 3 spades he passes.
After KC, AC was ruffed, Jim played AK spades then switched to diamonds.  Adrianne forced with another club but Jim just continued on the red suits which both broke and Adrianne can only get one spade trick.
Nearly everyone in 4S making though easier if North passes.