Wednesday 2 January

Playing E/W with Gerry we came 1st with 58%.  Most of the hands were for N/S, we defended reasonably well but you are dependent on your opponents in these situations and our fortunes seemed to average out with some lucky ones, some not so lucky.

Nobody found the slam on this hand.  Len opened South 1N, I bid 4H and Russell bid 4S.  Gerry bid 5H and there I played.
Russell led 7S which I took in dummy.  I have three trump entries so I played on clubs cashing AK, over to a heart, ruffed a club high and hey presto 13 tricks.
A diamond lead can only keep it to 12 which most North's found (presumably after a 1D opening), so a top for us.

 Joyce opened a weak 2S as South and I doubled.  Catherine raised to 3S passed round to me.
Easy just to pass but with four likely tricks I ventured a '2 way' second double and Gerry with no sensible bid left it in.
After AC and a discouraging 8 from partner I was tempted to try a small diamond but I cashed my four tricks and Gerry made his trump trick for 200 and another top.

 Joyce made up for that on the next hand.  The bidding went:

1C -  P   - 1H - 2D
3C - 3D - 3H -  P
3S -  P   -  4S

I led KD, followed with 10D to Ace and Gerry exited with 9C to Joyce's Ace.  Joyce finessed 10S to Gerry's Q, again Gerry has to exit with club to Q, K and ruff.  Now AS, another spade to my K and Joyce was 1 off for a joint top with the pair who were 1 off in 3C.

 Very nearly in a slam here and a bit unlucky for those who were.
Against Christine and Adrianne Gerry opens 1C and I bid 1H.  Gerry rebids 4H and I get excited.  4N gets a disappointing 5C (1 or 4). Still I fancy my chances but bid 5D asking for the Queen.  Gerry denies with 5H. I trust my partner and pass.
Christine leads an attacking spade and as dummy goes down I understand Gerry's denial of the QH with his 10 count, however I still fancy my chances.
I win AS, play AH, over to QH then try AK of clubs but Adrianne ruffs and cashes AD to keep me to 11 tricks.