Monday 26 May

Playing N/S with Adrianne came 1st with a Butler score of 44.  Had a poor start but picked up points later on starting with this 4S

Against Raymond & Charles our bidding went:
 P -  P  -   P - 1D
 P - 1S - 1N - 3S
and Fudge raised to 4S, passed out.
Adrianne's 1N is a handy bid we play showing distribution in the other two suits but weak.
Charles was very annoyed about going down in this easy game but it shows how easy it is to be careless in the play.
Adrianne led a small heart to my Jack and I returned 2C to Dummy's King. At this point Charles plays QS from Dummy.  It doesn't look as if it matters as he has the other top three spades minus the Ace, but that was him defeated.
Adrianne won AS and carefully led QH to pin Charles' 10, note how a small heart is wrong  as Charles can duck the King again. Also how Adrianne knows the exact layout of the suit. a) I must have Ace, b) I cannot have the 10 or I would have played it at trick one c) I'm not doubleton or I would have cashed Ace before playing back a club, hoping for a ruff.
So Adrianne's Q goes to K, A and 10. I return a third heart and Charles' mistake is now clear, he has to ruff with a high spade and my 9S is promoted for 1 down.
Good play by Adrianne, careless play by Charles, he can either lead a small spade at trick two (best), or play a diamond to his Q to cash AC, throwing a heart and lead a spade from hand , though he could lose a diamond ruff that way if Adrianne is singleton.

Got a great score here, maybe lucky, maybe good judgement?
Adrianne opened 1H, I raised to 2H and Adrianne bid 2N. Her hand is a perfect example of this bid, though she expects me to revert to hearts whenever I have four. However seeing the possibility of exact duplication and how badly such hands play, even with my maximum I was loathe to bid 4H, however everyone else will be in game, so I chose 3N.
Kate decided to lead a diamond, Adrianne went up with the Jack and cashed 9 tricks. Lucky lead, but as I suspected 4H is a hopeless contract and 2 off is the normal score.
On a club or heart lead you would never expect to make and might just cash your 8 tricks, however, I think West will always be end played to lead a diamond if you avoid cashing the AK, i.e. QC lead, cash four hearts, another club and exit with a club.