Thursday 14 February

Came first playing N/S with Gerry with 67%.  Managed to avoid any real errors and got some gifts from our opponents.

In fact the only board we could really have done better was this one against Rod and Bill. Our opponents got to 5H instead of 5S which must always make 11. I had a moment's thought of leading AC as their might be a big double fit in the majors but decided it was a bit risky and led JH. Rod played three rounds of trumps and Gerry returned JC.  I took the Ace.  Now I know Rod has six hearts and a good hand, does he have AK spades, maybe QD, KS and AQ diamonds.  Why didn't he play a spade before leading out trumps? I decided to play a diamond. Rod wins in hand, AS and has two entries to set up and enjoy his spades. If I continue a club (or had led A and another club) he might even have gone down.

This was a strange hand. Kirsten played in 3N and I led 4C which was taken by the 9. That gives seven tricks outside hearts and 3-2 hearts or a heart finesse gives 9 tricks. So Kirsten played a heart to the Q and my K and I returned a club to the Q.  Kirsten played a and another heart and I exited with another club. Kirsten played 10D and ducked Gerry's Q, I led go 2S and Gerry led a spade to Kirsten's Ace.  She cashed AD, I discarded a club and played 10S but I has QJ and dummy K9 so I got a spade trick for one down.  I commented that at least you avoided 4H but that can't be beaten. I am end played if on lead, presumably I'll lead a club.  Declarer just has to deal with the two spade losers and give up three heart tricks, tricky but doable.  If Gerry is on lead KD, AD and a ruff by me is at the expense of a natural heart trick.  Not ruffing just lets Declarer lead diamonds from dummy to be ruffed or ruffed by me with natural tricks.

Two boards later Gerry executed a bidding coup by arriving at 3N. I opened a Lucas 2H, Steve doubled, Gerry inquired with 2N and I showed a max with diamonds (Steve doubling my artificial 3S).  Gerry bid 3N, received the spade lead and rattled off 10 tricks.
A victory for Lucas as most people are in 3C.  Presumably the bidding goes P - P - 1D - 2C - P - 2H - P - 3C - passed out, though North could (should?) try 4C.  If East shows spades North can even bid 5C which makes.

This was actually our first board against Nat and Issy.  I opened 1N, Gerry transfers to hearts, Issy bids 2S.  I bid 3H, Issy 3S, passed out. I led 3H to Gerry's Ace and he returned 9D.  Issy took the Ace and played AS and 9S to Gerry's Q.  Gerry played 9C to my Ace.  I cashed KD adn returned a club.  Issy played 10S to my King and I returned a diamond, won perforce in Dummy.  Stuck in dummy with only minors and me being void in minors, I had to win 8S. Should have unblocked QD Issy! So one down