Thursday 25th April

Playing in a Howell with Gerry, came second with 58%.

 I had a bidding problem on this board against Victor and Phil.  Victor opened East 1N and Gerry as South doubled.
I can't remember what Phil bid but back to Gerry who bid 4S. Phil bid I think 5H? though 5D seems more likely but anyway what do I bid now? A pointless 4333 at the 5 level equal vulnerability.  Well I chose 5S because a) Phil figures to be void after Victor's NT opening and Gerry's 4S. b) To beat their contract Gerry has to have 3 sure tricks and avoid an end play. If he has 3 sure tricks can we not make 5S?
Well I was lucky they just go one off but Gerry ruffed the AD lead high, crossed to 8S and finessed QH, crossed to 9S and led a club.  Just two club losers and 5S made.  Most people in 4S making 11 so no advantage as no double.

 A good illustration of why you shouldn't cover until you have to.
Against Alex and Alistair, Alex opened East 1N and Alistair through heart transfer and spade bid got preference for hearts and bid 4H.
Gerry led KD won by Ace, Gerry won second heart and exited with a heart to clear Alex of trumps.  From Dummy Alex led JS and I played low, this ran to Gerry's King. A club to my King, diamond exit and Alex had to lose another spade to me.
Note if you cover JS with Q, Declarer will take Ace and drop partner's King losing just one spade.

There is nothing to this hand, just an illustration of the vagaries of bridge scoring and the luck that is inevitably involved.
The bidding is simply 2N by East, 6N by West.  The play simply involves finding the Queen of diamonds.  There is nothing you can reasonably do to improve 50-50.  If you play 3 rounds of clubs and find more spaces for the Queen in the South hand you improve the odds a little but can go more off than the rest when it is wrong as in this case.  So pure luck in making 12 or 11, half the field should get a good score, half a bad score.  Nothing is as simple as that though!
In our case I open 2D, Gerry responded 2N so played in 6N.  He got a club lead, finessed the right way and made 12 for a middling the score.  Played by East a spade lead gave two pairs 13 a non spade lead gave two pairs 11.  Then you get a pair who didn't bid it, got a spade lead, didn't go up with Q and finessed wrong (not their best hand!).  But they got a middling score. Such is Bridge.