West District Pairs

Playing E/W (with a few arrow switches) in the semi at the Buchanan, Gerry and I came top.

Helped considerably by two tops against Les & Shirish.

After two passes Les opened 2H, I bid 3C and Shirish 4H.  As usual Gerry, happy to play in 5C, finds an excellent bid of 4S.  Les bids 5H and I pause. I certainly don't like bidding 5 over 5 with just 3 card support and Gerry can't have 6 (he didn't show a weak two). Gerry must have clubs however, 4S is too daring otherwise.  So I bid 5S.  Good decision.
Gerry played it perfectly winning the KD lead with the Ace, AS, finesse 9S, draw trumps, run the clubs.
Everyone else defended hearts, either 4H making or 5Hx -1.  Doesn't compete with 680.

On the next board Gerry opened 1S, I bid 2H and Gerry found a 3D bid.  I bid 4S.
Les led a trump, seems reasonable as we both seem to have some distribution. Gerry draws trumps, gets the hearts right, loses a club and makes 11.
Everyone else is in 4H.  They get a club lead to Ace and I assume South now finds the only hope, the diamond switch (easy when you see Dummy).  If you let that go to the King, a diamond back ensures one off.  If you go up with the Ace you can make, even if North drops the King because South has AH.
Everyone went two down, did they all play heart to Q?

Monday 9 February

Playing N/S with Adrianne came third with a Butler score of 19.
A tale of 3 slams really, the first a triumph, the other two less so!

Against Robert & Frances I opened 1C, Adrianne bid 1S, I reversed with 2D and Adrianne bid 3D.
I know Adrianne has 5 spades and 4 diamonds, so probably 1, 2 or 3 clubs.  In all cases I have decent chances with the suit, just give Adrianne KS and KD and I can make slam. I bid 6D.
Adrianne's hand was perfect.  Frances led a small heart to my 10, though that gift was irrelevant, just bring the clubs in. I played AC, ruffed a club small noting Robert's 10. I came back to hand with AH and led another club intending to ruff with King if Frances follows, but she put in 10D, I over-ruffed, drew trumps and surrendered a club for 12 tricks.
Nobody else found 6D, 3N by North being popular.

Against Mervyn & Lewis I opened 1H, Adrianne bid 1S and I bid 2C and Adrianne bid 4S. I love my controls but worry about the singleton spade, are Adrianne's that good?  I passed; with the QS falling and clubs running there were 13 easy tricks.
As I had put Dummy down I remarked I would have liked to have bid on but was deficient in spades.  However I realised that Adrianne and I have an understanding that if I bid 5S I am simply asking her to bid 6 on the quality of her trumps. With my hand I could have afforded the 5 level and should have done that, Adrianne would then bid 6S.

Against Alan & Myra I opened 1H, Alan bid 2D and Adrianne 3D (too strong just to bid 4H).  However being weakish I just bid 4H. However Adrianne with AK of trumps can't see how how a slam might be on and counting her KD as the Ace, bid 6H.
Alan made no mistake, led a trump, I took two rounds and when I played a diamond up, Alan took the Ace and exited with QD.  At the end I remarked if I had had a diamond in my hand I make it on a squeeze. If Alan had ducked the diamond (not a good idea) or not continued a diamond, I would have a diamond in hand. When I run all the hearts, my last 3 cards will be 9D, A7C, Alan has to keep K9C, QD, Dummy can come to K7D and QC, so I make 2 diamonds and AC. Or if Alan comes down to QJD KC, I'll keep Q10C in Dummy and KD, so will make A & QC and KD.
Good defence.