Thursday 8 February

Playing in a Howell with Gerry we won with a good score of 66%.

 Against David and Katie we had just had a bottom being left to play in 2C with our 16 points between us going off.  Whereas other E/W had competed in the wrong suit and gone down.
Anyway Davis opened 1C, Gerry overcalled 2S and Katie doubled and David bid 2N raised to 3 by Katie.
Gerry led 2D, low from Dummy and I inserted the 10 which forced the Ace. David led over to AC and tabled JH.  Now Gerry only needs QJ10xxx QH and QD for his bid, that could give David 9 tricks if I let this go to his King.  So, not wanting to let my partner's good lead go to waste, I jumped up with AH, led back a diamond to the Q and we had 4 diamonds and a heart for one off.  Maybe if I'd played low we would have put it two off but even at Match Points if partner has found a good lead make sure you don't squander it.

Against Steve and Kirsten I opened North 1C, Steve bid 2S and Gerry just went straight to 4N.  I've got a 5S reply so ended in 6C.
Steve led his club and I drew two rounds. Obviously the diamond finesse makes or breaks it.  I thought about playing a heart first, if Steve has the Ace then I'll know the KD is offside.  Maybe I can run all my clubs but no, that won't produce anything, I need diamond tricks for the contract.  So I just took an immediate finesse by leading JD and I was home.

Ever since we've had the print out of the hands I have noticed that when partner opens 2N and you have 10 points and a 5 card suit then the slam makes.
Against Avril and Len Gerry opened West 2D multi, I bid 2H and he rebid 2N.  Now I got it into my head that was 23/24 (that's a 2C opener), it is in fact 19/20. Anyway with easy slam in mind, I transferred, maybe partner can break and we can find 7S. Gerry completed the transfer. What now? 4C is Gerber, 4N  quantitative, I'm not sure what 4D is, but should probably be another suit. I just bid 6N.
Avril led JH, Gerry won, played Ace and another diamond unfortunately Len had the King.  Heart back to the K, AC, spade back, KC, run spades claim if diamonds break which they do, phew!
Now, if I had remembered correctly that Gerry had 19/20 what would I have done after 3?.  Well going by opening remark I think I should bid 4N quantitative. Gerry will probably bid 6S which is where most others were.

We missed a game on the next one.  Gerry opened 1D and Avril overcalled 1H.  I doubled, Len bid 2H, Gerry 2S, Avril 3H. Now I bid 3S and that was passed out.
Now 3S is wrong I feel. I don't have much more than I need for a competitive 3S but it is that singleton QD.  Singletons in partner's suit are usually a negative but when we have our fit, a singleton honour is a two way bet. Either partner has a good suit and your honour will complete it or a poor suit and the singleton is working.
So I feel I should have doubled Avril's 3H to show a good 3S bid.  Anyway to make things worse Gerry made 11 tricks compared to 10 for those in 4S as After two hearts, 2nd one ruffed, diamond to Ace, Avril made the very reasonable club switch instead of a third heart which Gerry would have to allow to hold to prevent him being cut off from hand.

Got a bit lucky against Michele and Ian.  Gerry opened 1S and I bid 2N.  Gerry rebid 4S, minimum, i.e. up to 14 max.
Still, I know there is a 9 card spade fit and odds are Gerry is 5-2-4-2 (he is likely to open 1N with a balanced 5-3-3-2). I decided to try 4N anyway as surely 5S is safe.  Gerry replied two with.  If he has two red Aces and QS, he can still have KC or QH.  If he has KQ spades and a red Ace again KC is likely and at worst we are on finding AH onside (this of course is hoping he doesn't have the three missing Jacks). I bid 6S not knowing my partner only has 11 points!
Michele didn't find the club lead (although with hearts 3-3 you can still get home.  As it was Michele led a trump, Gerry immediately played three rounds of hearts, ruffing high, drew trumps and had 12 tricks