Thursday 15 November

Playing with Gerry came 1st in a 5 table Howell.  Mostly we just played steadily and picked up scores from opponents' mistakes.

I didn't do so well on this hand.  Piotr passed as North and I opened 1S, Cezary bid 3C, Gerry asked and then felt obliged to double (I would have re-opened with a double anyway).  I tried 4C but we stopped abruptly in 4H.
Cezary led KC then switched to a diamond. I can come to 9 tricks easily enough, just lead a trump from hand, but I need 10. I tried AS, spade ruff, the Jack from North might be good news. I played a diamond back, uh oh.  Ruff, spade return. If I had just put in the 9 I could scrape 9 tricks, but I ruffed low, diamond back for the bare Queen to ruff, I scramble 8 tricks for a bottom.

Against Elizabeth & Steve, Steve opened 1N passed to me as North, I doubled and it was passed out.  Gerry led 6H which I found difficult to read.  I won KH and played 10C, Steve won the Jack and played on diamonds, Gerry taking the second diamond and exiting with a diamond. I unfortunately let a spade go. Steve now played on spades and I had to win the second one. So we have 7 tricks (AS, AKQH, A10D and AC, but I played A and another club! Seven tricks to Steve and a bottom. Playing 10C put me off, I should have played a small one. Gerry is more likely to lead one back after winning the diamond and if he doesn't I can then stop and think when in with AS.  Terrible defence, I could also have beaten it if I hadn't thrown a spade and held up to the 3rd round.

How often do you hold a 7-6 hand and not enter the bidding? I don't think I could have been quiet. Brian opened 1D and I overcalled 1S, Paul doubled, Gerry passed. Brian rebid 2N which Paul raised to game and Gerry passed.
Now what do I lead? A heart is out, not a diamond my spades are terrible, probably concede an extra trick by leading a spade.  Only one thing to do, JC, 3NT down 4.

How often do you hold an unbid 7 card suit and your partner leads it against NT?

 Pre-empts obviously cause bidding problems.
David opened 3H and I am a bit stuck, partner passes with lots of hands we can make game on. I should really have some more obvious trick sources in the minors but bid 3N.  Katie calmly passed and Gerry crossed his fingers that I had a lot of clubs or diamonds to run!
Katie led a small diamond to 10 and Q, I played on clubs but Katie isn't taking that until the third round. A high diamond back.  I played on hearts and David held off until the third round and they took the rest for 3 off and a good score for us. Two Norths are doubled in NT, one South is in 6C five off? Nobody found the obvious E/W spade game or even 4H which makes.

We scored above average on this board against Russell and Len but it was a problem for me.  I opened North 1N and Gerry with 4333 twelve count and good intermediaries bid a starightforward 3N.
Russell led a small heart which I won with the 7 and played two rounds of spades with the Ace still to come. I am in hand and although 9 tricks are assured I then think that people will be in 4S.  If they avoid the club lead, they have to get a second diamond. Should I try to sneak a diamond now?  The problem is how.  Ace and another, could make me look very silly and go down in a stiff contract.  Small then, but the 10 or the Q from dummy?  Then it loses and Len switches to clubs and I go down.  I just continued a spade and made my 9 tricks. Only one pair was in 4S making 10 for a top.