Thursday 23 February

Playing with Gerry came 3rd with 56% in a Howell.  Had the usual ups and downs.

Had a bit of luck for a top here, but at least we were in the game, I'm West

 After two passes I opened 1H and Joyce overcalled 2C, Gerry bid 2H and Bobby doubled (club support).
I bid 4H, I like my hand, if Gerry just an honour in each red suit I have play for game.  Even so, if I made a game try, Gerry with his max points would have bid 4H anyway.
Joyce tabled AC and Gerry's dummy was a pleasant surprise, looks like just 3 losers though club forces might be a problem.
I played small from dummy and Bobby dropped the KC.  He was just indicating where the top clubs were but Joyce interpreted it as asking for a spade.
So, luckily for me Joyce switched to QS, I won with AS, a heart to Ace and back to Q and K (there is no finesse unless South has exactly 10 9 doubleton).  Joyce continued with a spade to Bobby's supposed King and a ruff to follow.  However I captured JS with my King, drew final trump and claimed 11 tricks for a top.





We followed that with another top.  Joyce opened 1D, Bobby 1H, Joyce 2C and Bobby 2S.  Joyce now bid 3NT


Gerry could lazily have led a middle spade as I would probably have done, but thinking on the bidding Joyce must be short of hearts, he then found 7H lead.
I won the King and switched to a small spade.  Joyce now makes her obvious 10 tricks, as we get our two black Aces.
However everyone else makes 11 on the spade lead.  You can see why, AS taken by West and a spade back, knock out AC and you have 2 spades, 5 diamonds, 3 clubs and AH

Peter opened 1S and I overcalled 1NT as North.  Steve passed and Gerry transferred with 2D.  Peter bid 2S and I doubled.
Gerry didn't fancy that would get a good score and bid 3C.  Feeling done out of my 500 penalty, I bid 4H.
Steve led Ace and another heart which I took in hand with the 10.
I now led KS, discarding a diamond, Peter won and played KD which I took with Ace and discarded  the last diamond from dummy on QS.
I now cashed the last heart ad played on clubs, disappointed to find I was losing one but that was 10 tricks.
Most defended 2S, only one doubled it for 500, but 620 got the top,

Lucas Twos can be useful but can also be very difficult for responder to judge when they have a good hand.
Gerry opened East 2H, I used 2NT asking bid and Gerry's 2S showed a maximum with diamonds.  Well Gerry is inventive with the second suit, probably four to the 8!  But where are these 8-10 points? If mostly hearts, do I bis 3NT? What are his spades?  Is he 5-5?  I decided in the end that 5D is safer.
Bob led KH to dummy's Ace, I played two rounds of diamonds, then KQ of clubs and led a spade.  Robert rose with the Ace and led another heart which I ruffed.  I then tried AC, ruffed, diamond back and I had 11 tricks.
Wrong bid, 3NT with 11 tricks available (duck one heart), though 10 being more  likely.  So wrong choice, however maybe I should have bid 6D, then if 5D is the wrong choice over 3NT, at least I have a chance of a top score.
Double dummy you make 12 after crossing to a club, ruff a heart, removing South's exit card, not a play I would have found, but if left with a guess between 5D and 3NT, perhaps 6D is the answer!

Monday 20 February 2017

Having been very neglectful, this being the first post of the year, thought I should try to make an effort. Unfortunately playing N/S with Adrianne we had a poor score of -19 Butler points.  However I can honestly say we didn't really put a foot wrong, just at the mercy of opponents at our table and what was done at other tables.

For example

Willie opened 1C, I passed, Victor bid 1D, Adrianne bid 1S, Willie 2S, I bid 4S and Victor 5C.

1D??, 2S????, me neither.

Willie made his 11 tricks

Out of 12 tables only one other was in 5C (not surprising) but they couldn't manage to ruff a diamond and set up the 10 and went 1 down.

That was -12 points on one board.





We lost -6 on a number of boards, this was typical:

I opened a Benji 2C, Adrianne bid the inevitable 2D, I bid 2H and partner raised to 4H.
This contract is completely unmakeable, except 4 tables made it.
Everyone got a spade or club lead, I got 6D lead but no difference.

Walter's 6D went to 9 and Ace, I laid down AH and got the bad news, reasonable chances of an end play if they had split 2-1.  I drew two rounds of hearts, cashed AC and exited with a spade.  However Lydia can cash AK of spades and exit with the third trump, I had to lose two more diamonds.






One bright spot was bidding a granny, why we were the only ones I have no idea.

East passed and our bidding went:

1H - 3D - 3H - 3S - 4S - 4N - 5S - 7S

The jump shift is very rare but was advantageous on this hand, Adrianne cannot have 3 small diamonds or she would have supported diamonds immediately especially as I would never jump shift if I had any interest in hearts.
KQ of spades and the ability to ruff a diamond were all I needed.

I won Fudge's club lead in hand and cashed AD, I followed with a low diamond and ruffed with KS.  If diamonds are 4-1 I'll come back to hand with a club and ruff high again and then finesse 8S.
However David followed with JD.  I just need to be careful now, I came back to hand with AS, played 8S to Q, Fudge showing out and finessed a trump on the way back to draw the last and cash all my diamonds.
At least we got 14 points for that.