Monday 4th February

Playing N/S with Adrianne came above average with a Butler score of 10.  However I lost us 20 points by entering a game we made as played by East!  In fact if I had entered that correctly and we hadn't had such a bad start on boards 3, 4 and 5 where David and David bid and made two straightforward games that most East/Wests couldn't find and then we let Alan make a game after a mix up with our signals (you'd think we'd know by now!), we would have had a big score.

Anyway, the second board against Alan and Derek was typical of many on the night with a difficult distribution. Alan passed and Adrianne opened 1H.  You won't get many people passing as West, but Derek did which left me with an obvious 1S.  Adrianne bid 2C, so what do I say? I'm just short of anything encouraging, can't bid 4th suit, 2N is surely not a good bid (actually 3N is certain on the heart finesse).  2H is possible but I decided 2S to play was best.  Couldn't have been worse. I managed to lose 6 spade tricks and went one off.  Well done to those who found 5D.

This was the game I gave to East/West.  Maggie opened 1S, Adrianne overcalled 2D, Sally bid 2S and I doubled.  Maggie went to 4S and I bid 5D.
Sally led JS, Adrianne won Ace, ruffed a spade and finessed QD. Sally just has to play a heart now but led a club.  Adrianne let that run to Maggie's Ace and she was end played to give Adrianne the rest of the tricks. in practice she played a spade allowing a heart discard and ruff in dummy.  Adrianne drew last trump, finessed 10C, crossed to AH and KC to discard last heart.
Should have been +8 but was -12 when I entered 5D by East.

People use Michaels/Unusual NT too readily with any 5-5.  I don't think their partners trust them.  That's the only reason I can think that so many E/W played this in 4S.
Anyway Katie opened 1S and I bid 2N, being vulnerable you surely need a hand similar to this at this scoring where -500 is available if partner has something in one of the minors.
David bid 4S and Adrianne had no problem bidding 5D.  Katie bid 5H and I don't think she can consider defending.  David bid 5S and there they played. I led KC which is surely the best source of any tricks for the defence and Katie couldn't avoid losing a club a spade and a heart.

A very difficult hand to finish.  Clifford opens 1N and Adrianne doubles.  Len bids 2D transfer and I double.  Clifford completes the transfer and Adrianne doubles, back to me.  I didn't know what to do.  They're vul, could easily be two off for 500, but I decided against that and bid 3N.  That would not have been a success, heart lead, I knock out AD but Len would signal for a club and I'm 3 or 4 off.
However, Len can't pass that hand and bids 4C.  I bid 4D and Adrianne bids 5D.
Clifford leads a heart, I win and play a club to guarantee my ruff and three spade losers go on the top hearts.