Monday 6 January

Playing N/S with Adrianne came first with 51 Butler points. Luckily got to slam on one hand and unluckily missed slam on another. Neither were bid well!

Against old (?!) Stewart and young Stewart we fumbled our way to 6S

I don't like any of our bids.  It went:

1S - 2H - 3C - 3S - 3N - 5S - 6S

I don't like 2H, 4C is better, then I cue 4D, Adrianne 4H and I find a keycard missing and end in 6S.
I don't like my 3C, 3N is better.  Nor do I like my eventual 3N, Adrianne's 3S is strong in this sequence so I should have tried something else.
Anyway Adrianne now realised that I have something good in diamonds, probably singleton heart and recovered it all with her 5S.  Nothing to the play, heart lead, win Ace, take trump finesse and romp home.

We could / should have done better against Bob and Peter.
Here the bidding went:
2N - 3H - 3S - 5S - pass.

Adrianne could have bid 4C (keycard) over the 3S and I bid 4H to show 3, then 4N we play for number of outside Kings  and 5H to show two.  I don't think we can have two club losers off the top so Adrianne can bid 6S now.  OR
I should consider the hands more after 5S.  I just thought minimum, doubleton spade, just pass.  However I know Adrianne has six spades headed either by QJ or A empty, surely the AD for the slam try, at worst slam will be on a club or diamond finesse and if she has QD rather than QH it will be a great contract. Again nothing to the play, heart lead, knock out AS, win heart continuation, draw trumps and the club loser goes on the 4th diamond.