Wednesday 31 July

Playing N/S with Gerry scored a winning 69% in the Sim Pairs.  Didn't do much wrong, a few things well and got a few gifts.

Got a top against Sheila and Pat. Gerry opened South 1H and Pat overcalled 1S.  My instinct says bid 1N here, you might lose the first 5 spade tricks but would 2H be better if you are in a 4-3 fit and forced to ruff a spade early? However, partner is quite likely to have 5 hearts and I chose 2H.
Well that right sited the contract as Pat led KS to Gerry's Ace.  Gerry immediately played trumps, Pat winning the third round and she opened up clubs to ensure two tricks there. When Gerry played diamonds Sheila failed to cover and just lost a spade, a heart and a club for 10 tricks.

After 1D - 1H - 2N - 3C (checkback) I mistakenly pulled out 3D, by the time I noticed Gerry was putting down 3N but luckily it didn't matter.
Alec led 3S and I won the 8 in dummy. Raymond won the second round of diamonds and as he thought about his switch I decided that as I had 11 tricks there was no point in ducking a club, I would rise with the Ace and run the diamonds.  However he played a heart.  I had to win this in hand (otherwise I am cut off from dummy).  Now I run the diamonds and Alec has to come down to QT7 and KQ of clubs.  I cashed AS and played a heart.  Alec is lost, he can't let a spade go or my KJ win, he comes down to singleton club and my AT of clubs win the last two for 12 tricks.

I'm not keen on opening basic 4441 hands, but decided to open this.  Normally with this shape I open 1D but over partner's expected 1S, 2C would promise 5 diamonds. That's just plain silly with this suit, so I opened 1C. Jennifer overcalled 1S, Gerry 2C and John 2S.  This was passed round to Gerry who bid 3C and John bid 3S (better to do that the first time).  Now I am guilty of playing my opponents here and bid 4C.  Against experienced players that would automatically be doubled but John & Jennifer passed it out.  Still, I had to avoid -200.
Jennifer led KS and another and I ruffed with the 8.  I need to avoid a diamond loser so rather than cross to AD for a likely to lose finesse, I played A and QC. Jennifer now played a diamond to my A and I finessed QH. Now, luckily for me, Jennifer returned 10H which I ducked. I won the third heart, cashed the 4th throwing my diamond and went 1 off, much better than -140 for 3S. Bad bid though, I try not to 'play the opponents', you get into bad habits, I should have lost 200 on this board. (Actually  if another diamond is played I have to play for diamonds breaking and get rid of a heart loser).

We had a great deal of fortune on this board which is a very tricky 4H. First of all Gerry opened 1D instead of 1H, so I got to play it. (Bob would have led a club and Gerry must go down). Ian led JC which I ran to the Queen.  I immediately finessed a diamond, played two rounds of hearts and finessed another diamond, so had my 10 tricks.  I cannot get to hand another twice to try anything with spades, just drew the last trumps and played to KS, so 10 tricks exactly.
Now what if Ian leads say a passive trump.  Deep Finesse says you make 10, I don't see how in normal play.  I would probably have won in hand, finessed a diamond, played A and another club.  Ian exits with a club, ruff, heart to hand, finesse a diamond, what now?  I'll be left playing for AS onside. Two pieces of good fortune, Gerry's 1D opener and Ian's club lead.

Gerry managed to garner 12 tricks on this hand. I didn't open so the bidding went 1D - 1H - 2N - 3C* - 3N.
Margaret led 2S and Gerry won the 10 in dummy.  He then ran 10D, spade to Ace, ran his diamonds, finessed JH, gave up KS for 12 tricks.