Stirling Match 9 March

Playing N/S at table 2 with Gerry for St Mungo against Stirling (Bob McPaul & Tony Wilkinson) we had a good first half, our opponents had a great second half.  Overall we lost 10-6.

Nothing we could have done about the second half, they were the only ones to bid an unbeatable 4S and they avoided bidding an unmakeable slam.

A good board for us in the first half was this 5C.

After two passes I opened North 1D and the bidding went:

  P  -  P  -  1D  -  1H
  x  -  P  -  2C  -  2H
3C -  P  -  3S   -   P
5C  -  AP

The key bid was 3S, showing a decent hand and bidding out my shape.  This greatly improving Gerry's hand, so he can now make a well reasoned 5C bid.  Tables 3 & 4 stopped short, Sam Punch & Stephen Peterkin also bid to 5C and Robert Clow switched to 10S after AH.
Now because of our bidding, I would have certainly suspected that to be a singleton, good opponents wouldn't be opening up our secondary fit.  Also, being the 10, you are now guaranteed 3 spade tricks, heart ruff, two diamonds and 5 clubs if you find the Lady.
Anyway Sam let the 10 run and quickly suffered a ruff for one down.
I had an easier ride, AH, KH, ruffed, AC, draw trumps ending in hand, lead a small spade,10 appears, cover with Jack, lose to King and claim.

Russell and Alan had a poor first half score because Harry & Ronan bid a 6NT with AK of diamonds cashing for the defence.  Unfortunately Alan wasn't for leading away from KD into a 2NT hand and they got away with it.
However they made up for it in the second half with an excellent score helped by being the only pair to bid this slam.

At our table Gerry opened 1C, I bid 1H and Gerry raised to 2H. I bid 3NT, a good description of my hand and caters for Gerry raising on 3 card support.  Gerry obviously just bids 4H.
Bob led a trump and when Dummy went down I thought about how I would be playing 6H.  I won in Dummy, took a second round and when Alex showed out decided not to take any chances with clubs and just drew trumps and a losing spade finesse for 11 tricks.
6H is always there, win opening lead in hand, lead a club, you don't have to put in the 10.  Win the King, back with a trump, club to Ace, win trump return, ruff a club, over to QD, draw last trump and claim.

At Russell and Alan's table I do not know the exact bidding, I think 1NT by South, 2C Stayman and a double by East (there was a club double at some point).  Anyway it ended 6NT by South and although a spade lead defeats this, West has to lead a club which goes to the  to the Ace and Russell finessed against JC the next time to set up 12 tricks without touching spades.