Wednesday 10 October

Playing N/S with Gerry we came 2nd with 60%.

Cathy had a difficult bid and I sweated over my lead on Board 1.

I opened 1C, Joan passed and Gerry bid 1S. What do you bid with Cathy's hand? A possible spade lead makes it more attractive, but what if North with AK of clubs tries a club first, can you get into Dummy?  Anyway even on a spade lead what about the other spade loser, will you be able to ruff it? Will Joan have any diamonds?

I must say I would like to bid 6D, I'm an optimist but tend to be like the one who jumps from a multi-storey and thinks 'so far so good' before going 1 off and missing game. Anyway Cathy probably did the sensible thing and bid 5D. Now what do I lead? I am a great believer in making an obvious sequence lead like K from KQJ and never mind anything else, but a singleton in partner's suit? I eventually plumped for KC and no matter, there's 13 tricks on any lead.

So far, so good.

Down to Earth with a bump two boards later.  Gerry opened 1H and I didn't actually think of a Jacoby 2N, I'm going to be in slam and just bid 1S.  Gerry bid 2S, I went through 4N and found one Keycard, no Q of trumps. Now I had been thinking of the chances of 7 when Gerry denied that Q and without thinking bid 6S.  I should of course have bid 6H offering Gerry the alternative. So 6S by N it is.

Heart lead (thank you Joan, how about a trump? Oh yes I told you your partner has the Queen!). Cathy ruffs, JC, Joan ruffs, heart ruff, club ruff, 3 down.  I'm not a happy bunny. 

6H by Gerry would have gone 1 off as Cathy will always lead JC and there is a spade to lose.

However Cathy should have doubled (Lightener) for a heart lead and I would bid 6N now.  Joan has to lead a diamond to defeat this, any other lead I just duck a spade for 12 tricks. However what else can she lead? Even if the QD is ducked, I can't see a squeeze for 12 as on the 5th heart and the third club Joan is discarding after me.

A successful slam for once.  Gerry opened 1H reckoning with this distribution the hand won't be passed out. Two suiters like this are difficult to bid after a 2C opening.

So 1H was passed round to Michele who bid 2D, Gerry bid 3S (yes, not 2S) and I certainly got the message.  Mike raised to 4D, I bid 4S and Gerry just went for 6S knowing I'm fairly certain to have heart shortage and hoping he has no major losers.  How right he was.

Diamond to Ace, AK trumps, AK and a heart ruff, club ruff, heart ruff, just a diamond to lose.

He was the only player to bid the slam.