Thursday 28 August 2014

Wednesday 27 August

Playing N/S with Gerry came 1st with 62%.

Had a bit of luck early on.  There is a lot to say for opening 1S on the North hand, you are liable to find yourself in a spade contract with a 5-2 fit when partner has 3 hearts but it might be the only way to get the suit in play.  However I've found having a 6 card major is a good thing and opened 1H. I've struck lucky when partner bids 2N, game force in hearts.  I bid 3D (singleton) and partner 3H (strong).  I now bid 3S and Gerry bid 4N, I showed 1 or 4, Gerry bid 5H and I crossed my fingers and bid 6H. Lewis as East quite rightly doubled and Alan led a diamond to King, Ace and ruff.  two rounds of hearts and I conceded the AS.


Only a few of us found 3N on this board, the others went down on what is really a stiff contract.
After two passes I opened 1H and Martin doubled, Gerry bid 2D and I bid my automatic 2N which Gerry raised to 3.
Martin led 6C round to my Q, I played JD, Martin tried KC (best chance of killing the diamonds if I am doubleton club).  I won the Ace and played another diamond, spade now which I can win in Dummy and clear the diamonds for 10 tricks.
There just isn't any defence to stop this, heart or spade leads can only keep me to 9. Some West's will have opened 3H.  I would certainly have liked to bid 3N with the North hand, but would probably have passed.

Paul opened 1H as West (?) and I bid 2H.  Nat raised to 4H and Gerry bid 4N which I converted to 5C.  This was passed out.
Nothing in the play, AH, heart ruffed, AK of trumps, A, K, ruff a spade and claim 12 tricks.
Only three of us are in clubs, everyone else defending a heart part score. I presume Paul and Nat are strong NT here and don't play checkback, so has to open 1H.
Strong NT with checkback will open West 1D, others a weak 1NT.  In either case what would I bid now? Over 1D I would pass, hoping it goes 1D - 1H - 2H and I can bid 2N to show this distributional hand. Over a weak 1N I feel really stuck. Not surprised everyone was defending heart part scores. Shows how much luck there is in bridge, I was against a system that let me describe my hand right away.

Against Mary and Moira our bidding went:

 P - 1S - 2D - 2S
3D- 3S - 4C - P
4D - P - 5D - passed out.
Wish I'd bid 4H over the 4C, but 5D it was.
Gerry received a spade lead and ruffed.
Assuming 5 heart tricks, if club finesse wins then negotiate trumps for 1 loser.  If West has KC, you need a club ruff and just one diamond loser (at least you'll know now where KD almost certainly is).
Gerry crossed to AH, finessed QC and Moira continued a spade. Gerry ruffed, crossed to KH, led QD to K and Ace. Now played AC, ruffed, heart ruffed, two down. Crossing to Dummy to lead QD probably led to an extra one down but could have gained from a defensive error.
The only other two pairs in diamonds made 11 and the hands' sheet says you make 11. I can't see it, so I put it into Bridgify.
Spade lead, ruff, 8D (must be 8), play low from Dummy whether covered or not. Say it is not covered and runs to King. Club back, win Ace, play another club.  A club can now be ruffed by the 10, draw trumps and make your 5 hearts.
If 8D is covered by the 9, you must play small to make sure you get that club ruff. Wonder how those other two tables made 11???

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