Wednesday 23 April

Playing N/S with Gerry we came 1st with 63%.  There wasn't much in the play of the hands but quite a few bidding problems.

Gerry opened South 2H Lucas. I bid 2N asking and Gerry replied 3C showing 6-8 points hearts and clubs.  Now we are vulnerable and should be 5-5, but being minimum I am confident of 5-5, probably singleton spade. So, I bid 6C.
Amazingly Gerry made 11 tricks and we got an average as people are in all sorts of contracts.
4S of course goes off on a trump lead, 3N is the making contract and not impossible to bid if you discount a slam. However if I give my partner 5 clubs to the Q, singleton spade and doubleton diamond (or other way round), you would want to be in 6C.
If you don't play Lucas I suppose the bidding goes 2C - 2D - 2S - 3H - 4S (though again 3N isn't impossible to find here).

Two bidding problems both followed a 3D pre-empt by me.
Our bidding went:
3D -  P - 3S - 4H - all pass

This goes the obvious one down whereas 4S always makes. I must confess I didn't give any thought to 4S.  Partner will bid 3S with a good hand, five spades and a doubleton diamond -- i.e. can stand 4D. I need three spades to support, if partner is forced in hearts early, and as West obviously has seven hearts and spades likely 2-4 at best, 4S just doesn't seem right despite my maximum diamond suit and singleton club. However partner had 6 spades, c'est la vie.

After West's pass I again open 3D and Gerry takes an age to eventually pass. A number of people bid 3N, this is fundamentally wrong.  On a good day you'll get away with it with a doubleton diamond, ideally you need doubleton honour or 3 small.  A singleton is a definite no-no unless you have the 9 tricks in your own hand.
Gerry was of course thinking of bidding 3H, unfortunately he has only one diamond and didn't like to force me into a 4D contract.
The problem of course is really how good are your pre-empts? I'm green against red and will own up to some very ropey bids in that situation. However 2nd to bid I think you should have a decent suit, it is 50-50 you are pre-empting partner, so even at favourable vulnerability you should agree to always have a decent suit in second seat. That way partner can bid 3H here as 4D shouldn't be bad.  Also you can go for 3N with a small doubleton.

Another big diamond suit and a shot in the dark that I was lucky with.
Gerry opened South 1C and Myra bid 2S, I bid 3D and Gerry 3N.  Round to me.
Well I reckoned everyone and their Granny will be in 6D, I have no way of knowing if Gerry has the correct two Aces for 7D (exclusion Blackwood anyone?).  I did my usual punt and bid 6N.  Myra led a heart, Gerry forewent the club finesse reckoning everyone else is in diamonds and we are getting a top so just took the 12 tricks.
Lucky partner din't just have QJxx in spades.

Our bidding went:
1N - x(a) - 3N - P
 P  - 4H - 4N - all Pass
Double was single suited hand and Ian made it very difficult with his 4H bid. Gerry again had a very difficult decision, eventually settling for 4N rather than double. Gerry reckons he would have led a spade against 4Hx so that would only have been 2 off, so right decision.
Ian led 8D which went to Jack and King, if it's singleton I'll settle for 9 on the heart finesse as I can't give Bob a diamond and let him play a spade through. I tried a second diamond and with them being 2-2 I claimed 12 on the heart finesse.