Wednesday 19 December

Playing N/S with Gerry came second with 56%.  Let ourselves down on a few boards.

Had an interesting set against Martin and Alec.
It is good practice to double a conventional bid to get a good lead from partner.  In fact Andrew Robson devoted a Times article to it just recently.
So, Alec opened a strong NT, Martin bid 2C and I doubled. Alec bid 2D and Martin went to 3N.
Gerry duly led 6C to 9, J and K. Alec crossed in spades, finessed JD which Gerry took with K and he played his second club and I took my three club tricks but Alec had the rest for his contract.
However if I don't double 2C, Gerry leads a small heart and we make four hearts, KD and AC for two down!

On this one Martin opened 3C third in hand (a good tactic with this sort of hand after two passes, something I do myself with up to 12 points). I rather brazenly bid 3H and Gerry bid 3N.
Martin found the diamond lead to Alec's King and he returned a club to the Ace. Martin cashed 2 more diamonds and exited with a heart.
Gerry won Ace in dummy, cashed 10D discarding a spade and played KS. The double finesse was then available to pick up all the spades and contract made.
Of course we would never have bid 3N if Martin had opened 1C, so the 'good tactic', like doubling the 2C backfired again but this time in our favour.

Here, after two passes I opened a multi 2D and Alec doubled. Martin bid 2S over Gerry's 2H and Alec bid 4S.
I don't have an attractive lead, but there is surely a very good hand on my left. I decided AH couldn't be the worst lead and landed lucky.  I followed with 3H (indicating a club) and Gerry duly took KH and returned 10C to J, K and Ace.  Martin couldn't avoid a spade loser and club loser. (actually there is a play eliminating diamonds and clubs and end playing Gerry with KS, but very difficult to find).
Of course if I don't lead AH, a heart loser goes on a diamond.

I opened a multi, Issy inquired and passed.  Gerry bid 2S, round to Issy who inquired again, told it showed interest in going higher in hearts, and he doubled.  Gerry bid 3S, Willy 4C and Issy took a flier at 5C.
I think I would normally lead QD but felt that Gerry might have a useful holding over Issy's hearts and I certainly didn't want to leave him end played later.  So I led 10H.  Willy played well now. Took the Ace, two rounds of trumps and a heart taken by Gerry.  Spade cashed and a diamond exit but too late, spade ruff, heart ruff, spade ruff for two diamond discards on the hearts. We both had to play a diamond at first opportunity.
I'm still wondering what Issy would have done if his partner had bid 4D? Then what over 4Hx? Fortune favours the brave.

This was actually board 21 and we were the only ones who found 6D.
Gerry opened 2N (21/22) and 10 points and a six card suit are usually good enough for a slam. However punting 6N didn't look quite so attractive BUT we have a gadget for minors, we use 3S as Stayman for the minors -- 3N no four card minor. So I couldn't resist thinking 6C could be a good contract.  Anyway Gerry astonishes me by bidding 4D.  No option now, 6D it has to be!
Of course it is possible to be missing AC/H and AD but for that to happen partner would be AKQ and probably J of spades, a less likely scenario.
If my partner had bid 3N I would probably have passed and reckoned that would be average.