Thursday 6th June

Playing mostly E/W in a Hesitation Mitchell with Adrianne we came first with a super score of 68%.

Rod opened North 1D and I overcalled 3H.  Alex bid 4D and Adrianne 4H.  After some thought Rod decided to double.
Diamond lead to Ace, ruff a diamond. Now what about the trumps?  I reckoned if Rod had been thinking about 5D and he had a singleton heart, he would have bid on.  So the only way to pick up all the trumps is to hope Alex has a singleton Jack.  I led QH, covered, Ace and dropped the Jack.
With the spade finesse right I claimed 11 tricks, a complete top BUT if I had cashed Q and A spades, ruffed a spade and crossed with a small trump, I would have made 13.

Paul opened South 1D and with both majors Adrianne chose double rather than 1N which I would have bid.  Ian has a 3C bid available as North but I have no problem bidding 3H and Adrianne raised to game.  Paul led a small diamond and as I can see that if Ian has KC, Paul will be void in clubs for his 10 point opener.  Anyway I won KD and as I reckon Ian will have at most one heart, I played QH to King and Ace, so Paul must win 2 heart tricks now.  I now played a spade to Q and Ace.  Paul returned a diamond to my Ace, I cashed two spades throwing a club and ruffed a diamond. I now led a small club and Paul's King popped up.  I took Ace, played a heart back to the Ten which was ducked and led QC, Paul could take his two hearts when he wanted., I lost a spade and two hearts.

Ian and Paul were the only pair to bid 7S on this hand, we nearly did.  We were N/S and I opened 1S.  Now Adrianne doesn't bid a 'normal' Jacoby, she could have bid 4H, but opted for 2D.  I rebid 2H and Adrianne bid 4S.
Well I'm not stopping there and bid 4N, Adrianne replied 5S, as I have the Q I know she has five spades to the K and AD.  Seven looked possible now, I tried 5N, 6D showed one outside King (not specific).  I toyed with the idea of 7S but can only be guessing.  Unfortunately Adrianne, knowing we have all the keycards and that I have extra values by going on also wanted to bid 7S, however after my hesitation didn't think it was fully justified and passed. It was the easiest Grand you could ever be in.