Monday 29 June

Playing N/S with Adrianne came first with a big Butler score of 61.

We were the only pair to bid slam on this hand.  Adrianne opened South 1C, I bid 1D and Davina came in 2S.  Adrianne now bid 4D. Well there goes 3N I thought, second thought why jump to 4 of a minor? She must be 6-4, maybe 6-5 in the minors.  All her points in the minors as well.  I decided not a big 6-5 as 4D is passable so something like x   xx  AKQx  AKxxxx.  Well that's what I hoped so I bid 6D.

Davina led AS and Dummy was a little disappointing as I had to find QD and KC.
Davina switched to a heart, I took the Q and cashed AD finding the Queen.  Over to AH and led QC, Davina with an air of resignation covered with the King.  I won the Ace and with an air of relief drew the trumps and claimed.

Another big score when Adrianne opened 1D and Ernestine overcalled a strong 2H.  I bid 4S passed round to Ernestine who bid 5H (luckily not 5C as then Moreen would go to 6C, an excellent sacrifice).  Adrianne bid 5S and Ernestine doubled.
Moreen led a heart, Ernestine tried to cash a second and I ruffed. AK of trumps, win all the diamonds and 12 tricks made.

Took a big chance here, both vulnerable, but got away with it.

Adrianne opened 1D, Willie overcalled a spade and I passed (?). David raised to 4S and this was passed to me.  I bid 5H (?) and this was passed out! Phew, not doubled.

David amazingly found the only lead to defeat this, the 2C.  I went up with the Ace and Willie ruffed.  Oh well at least 4S was surely making.  Anyway instead of an immediate spade back for another ruff, Willie tried to cash AD. Yes!  I ruffed, laid down AH, oh yes!, drew the trump, back to hand with a diamond ruff, run 9C, finesse another club, get rid of a spade on the long club and made 11 tricks.

Need to buy a lottery ticket this week.

Men's Pairs

Playing with Gerry came a close second in the club's Men's Pairs with 61%.  Well done to the winners Alec and Raymond.

We were E/W and I opened 1D, Gerry bid 1S and I improvised with a 2H reverse as I can't splinter with an Ace.  Gerry bid 3C 4th suit and I bid 3S, Gerry bid 4S.
So I know we have a 9 card spade fit and I always upgrade my hand, especially with a singleton. I know partner isn't minimum after the 3C bid, though will have something in clubs.  I couldn't resist 4N and with two keycards I bid 6S, though thinking that a diamond finesse might be necessary.
Club lead, AD dropping the Q, diamond ruff dropping the King.  Gerry drew trumps and dumped 3 hearts on the diamonds making 13.
Fortune favours the reckless.

Ian opened 1H and I am stuck, so I just overcall 2D.  This was passed out.
Bob led JH, ducked to my Q.  I took AKQ of diamonds then my 4 club tricks, discarding my spade and Bob ruffed.
Spade back, ruff, give up AH and claim 11 tricks.
Martin Diamond made 3N against Michael and Derek on the JD lead.  Can see 8 tricks there but don't know how defence went wrong.
Difficult to know what is best to bid with the South hand.  However I think I could have doubled, partner can't have the values to bid more than 2S, then I can just bid 3N.  Over 1S I can bid 2N.

This is a straightforward slam to bid and everyone is in 6S.  However Alec opened 2N with the East cards, part of their tartan twos showing a weak 5-5 or better in the minors, though this is ultra weak.
However it gives me a great problem.  I decided on the simple 3S bid.  Gerry bid 4C, I bid 4D.  Now Raymond bids 5C (double dummy 8 off, probably 7 off). However Gerry saw a grand slam and bid 5NT.  Now I do have two of the top three honours but I don't have AD as he expects.  I just bid 6S ans so in our round about way we played in the par contract.

I played this in the standard 3N as South but got some help from Charles to make an overtrick.
Alan led 3H to Charles' Ace and Charles switched to a club.  Alan took the Queen and switched to 10S, covered by J, Q and Ace.
Playing a heart is the obvious card now for 9 tricks but doesn't get you tops in Match Points.  I ducked a diamond to Charles who returned a spade which I won with the 9.
I now cashed four clubs and Charles discarded a heart and a spade and another heart.  Now I played KH, keeping AKx of diamonds in dummy and 2 spades and Jx diamonds in my hand.  Charles has to discard from K spades and QTx of diamonds.  Either was fatal and I had 10 tricks.
Lucky.