Monday 3rd February

Playing N/S with Adrianne came in the middle with a Butler score of 4.  I could have beaten a game by playing my singleton, other than that we did well enough.  Unfortunately our opponents usually seemed to get things right.

We got off to a good start when Alan opened East 1S passed round to me and I bid 2D.  Ten points is very minimal to try 2N over an overcall however there are two good reasons here.  One, you have what looks like two sure spade tricks and two, partner with no spade stop and lacking four hearts can bid 2D with some very good hands.
Anyway Adrianne did bid 2N and I raised to game.
A club lead or quick switch will defeat this contract but Myra led QS  and Alan ducked to Adrianne's King.  A diamond finesse and game was made.  In fact as Alan continued spades, Adrianne made overtricks.

Another good score that can fail on a club lead or immediate switch.
I opened 1N and Adrianne raised to 2N via Stayman.  Now I have 12 points and theoretically an automatic pass. However I have good intermediates (I think of it as density) and this is a better hand than many 13 pointers.  SO at this scoring I raised to 3N.  Interestingly Adrianne's hand also has density, as you can see all the suits are nicely packed.
A club lead would have defeated me but Jack led AD. He should now try the club, but perhaps thought Robert had five diamonds and continued with King and another. That was it, finesse the heart, Robert tried KC, I took Ace, over to AQ hearts, JC ducked and nine tricks.  Lucky but even so a spade lead might have been more normal but useful to me, heart finesse, KC and I'd be home eventually that way.

Maurice opened 1S, I overcalled 2H and Phil bid 2C.  2S by Maurice and an excellent bid of 6S by Phil.  This has to be a great call but only one other pair found it (and they went down).
I led a trump, Maurice won in hand and finessed QC, AC, drew trumps, ruffed a club and AD entry for the clubs.  Well done.
A diamond lead would have been best but still unbeatable.  Either you place KC with North after the overcall and just win AD, spade to Ace, finesse club, AC, ruff club and draw trumps ending in Dummy.  Or win AD, AC, ruff club, QS to King, ruff club AS and 4S to the 6 to take all the clubs.

Another great slam, one that nobody should miss.  Adrianne opened South 1S, what should I bid?  2H or 4D the most obvious choices but what are you going to rebid?  Are you going to find 7S if it is there? I decided to just bid 6S this has the advantage that a diamond is the most likely lead (a club lead might defeat the contract and a diamond lead is welcome).
Anyway Li had a more natural club lead than a diamond which went to Bills's Ace.  There was no way to avoid a spade loser on the three love break  with QTx over the KJ and the great slam went down.

Did finish well with a game nobody else found, though we shouldn't have either!  Adrianne opened 1S and I bid 2D.  Adrianne rebid 2S and I decided if we are playing this in a part score, better in diamonds.  So I bid 3D, however Adrianne now ventured 3N and I bid 4S. Strange way to get there (should probably pass 2S, or should I have bid 3S?), but there it was.

JH lead to Ace, heart ruff, small diamond ruff, heart ruff. Adrianne had 7 spade tricks plus three Aces and her ten tricks