Festival Pairs

Playing N/S with Gerry came second with 65.7%, just pipped by Cathy and Ian  with 66.2% (2 match points more).

 A top score in 4H. Robina led 9D to Q and K.  I played AK of hearts, so Robina is singleton, lead is more likely to be from 109x(x) than doubleton.  First of all I eliminated clubs then played JD then 2D but Robina showed out, so AD and diamond ruf leaving 3 spades and 2 trumps in each hand. I led small and Robina correctly put in the 9 (else I will duck to Phoebe guaranteeing 11 tricks).  I put up the King which held, led back a spade and Phoebe is end played to give away a ruff and discard, so actually made 12.
If Robina rises with AS, she has to return a spade and give me a guess for who has the Queen.  Luckily I wasn't tested.

 A big swingy hand on the next.  Our bidding went:
1D - 1S - 2C - 3S
4H - 4S -  x  -  P
5D -  P  - 5H - P
 P  -  P -   P  -  x -   passed out.
Gerry went for the 'higher scoring' hearts, though I make 12 in diamonds! 5H can go off on a diamond lead, but who would lead their singleton into Declarer's main suit and with only a singleton trump? So 5Hx made for the loss of a heart and a diamond.  5Sx would be a good save, in fact with a small club to the 10, just 1 off.

We played 13, 14 and 15 against Ian and Cathy who beat us by 2 MPs and these three boards were our undoing.
On 13 I am in 4S like most people. I got 6D lead from Ian, I took Ace and played AS then QJ of spades. I then played AH and another. After some thought Ian ruffed, cashed KD and played another.  I ruffed, led a club, Ian took Ace and I made 10. Quite lucky I thought, however below average as many got a singleton heart lead. Knowing it was singleton this would make them place Ace and another spade, now they must make 11 tricks.

On the next board we got a joint bottom due to my timidity.  Ian opened 1D, Cathy bid 1S and I passed.  Ian bid 2D, passed to me and I bid 2H, passed to Cathy who bid 3D, passed out.
Can'y expect Gerry to 'punish me' for protecting and bid 3H, however if I had bid 2H over Cathy's 1S, Gerry will certainly go to 3H and at least get us an average if they go to 4D or a joint top if we are left in 3H.

Nothing we could do about this and I don't really understand how we got a bottom.
After two passes like me, everyone and their granny will open 3D. Surely, even your granny's mother would double with Ian's hand, surely your Granny's great grandmother would bid 4H with Cathy's hand.  At least that is what happened at our table.
Well East can see that just AQxx  in hearts makes a slam possible.  Ian bid 4N, Cathy's 5H promised the two red Aces, though missing QH and Ian bid 6H.  Why didn't everyone else?  Just a trump to lose, straightforward 12 tricks.

Gerry got a nice top here.  After two passes he opened 1S and Bob bid 2H.  I chose 2N rather than 3C and Paul passed.  Gerry bid 3D and I converted to 3S.
Bob led KH to Ace and Gerry ducked a diamond to Paul. Paul thought now, obviously wondering if A and another trump was right or is a force better? He decided on the latter and played a heart, Gerry ruffed, AD, ruffed a diamond, ruffed a heart, ruffed a diamond with QS. He led the fourth heart and Paul ruffed, Gerry overruffed. Gerry now gave Paul his spades but he had to lead 8C at the end and Gerry red it correctly putting in the 10 and made two clubs tricks for +140.