Monday 4 July

Playing N/S with Adrianne we came 5th with 55%

I got us a bad score on this board against Ian & Michelle. The bidding went:

1D - 2C - P - 2S

P - 3S - P - 4S

I led Ace and another diamond which Adrianne ruffed, returning a heart that I had signalled. Michelle was in control now and made her 10 tricks.

AD is a terrible lead, declarer has no chance on any other lead.

However I managed to get it back on the next board.

Without interference Ian & Michelle bid:

1D - 1H - 2C - 2NT - 3H - 3NT.

I led a small spade and Adrianne played the 4 under the Ace. Obviously Michelle has 4 spades to go with her 4 hearts.

Declarer now plays a small diamond from dummy and Adrianne plays the Ten, clearly either doubleton Tx or AT. I took the KD and hoping Michelle's doubleton club wasn't Qx I played KC which was ducked. Small club to Adrianne's Ten and the clubs are cleared. Adrianne wins the next diamond and takes her clubs then gives me my KS for 3 down.

Two interesting boards against Moira & Mary.

I opened 1C and the bidding went:

1C - x - 1D - P

1S - P - 2C - 2H

3C - passed out

Mary led a small heart to the Ace. Moira would have been better to return a spade, but a heart was played back to dummy's King. I played a diamond to Mary's Ace and she played a third heart which I ruffed, I now played Ace and a small club with Mary has to win and she exits with a diamond. I take a third diamond, throwing a spade, play a spade to the 9 and Mary has to give a ruff and discard or lead into my AQ spades.

On the next board I opened 1S raised to 2S by Adrianne. It is a rather non-descript 16 count, but I thought it worth a trial bid of 3C. adrianne took an excellent view and bid 4S.

After an ominous AC lead, luck was on my side with the suit breaking.

When KS takes the TS from West I was in a quandary, but reckoned most people wouldn't be in game and of those who were, most would play for the drop, so I did that and made 11.

Thursday 23 June

Playing with Adrianne we managed exactly 50%. we got off to a fantastic start and were probably 75% at half way, but managed quite a few zeros in the second half.

Playing against Cathy & Helen I opened 1H 3rd in hand, Cathy bid 2C and Adrianne doubled promising 8+ and 4 spades. Cathy bid 3C, I bid 3S and somehow Adrianne found a 4S bid.

After AC, KC ruffed, spade to King and Ace, Helen played a heart, I took with Ace, drew trumps and then KD, TD finessed and 10 tricks made.

Against Phoebe & Robina wew were the only pair to bid slam. Some were in 4S, some in 3NT, we went for our 6-3 fit.

Playing Benji, without interference our bidding went:

2C - 2D - 2S - 3C - 4C - 5C - 6C

At MPs it is often fatal to play in 5C rather than 3NT, but I had no problem bidding 4C, I can see slam is a distinct possibility and I am not signing of in 3NT.

I got a club lead for a lay down 13, but even after a diamond lead I win, cash 2 top spades discarding diamonds, go over to KH to finesse in clubs and make 13 anyway.

Here is how not to play a hand and get a bottom. Against Paul & Bob I opened 1D which was passed out. Paul led 9C, clearly singleton or doubleton. The smart move is to duck Bob's Queen, but singleton is quite likely so I took the Ace.

Big chance: Play 3 rounds of diamonds, guaranteeing 8 tricks. Nope, I play a spade, Paul pounces with his Ace, 2nd club to King and a club ruff.

Stranded from dummy I can only make 7 tricks.

However, I am never getting a good score, others made 10 tricks!?

Now we have 2 bottoms in a row against Charles & Alec.

Alec opens 1S, I pass and Charles raises to 2S passed back to me and I double. Adrianne bids 3D, passed out. This is a great contract, makes 10 tricks but can't beat the people in NT or even in hearts.

I could have stretched to a first round double and Adrianne could then bid 3NT which makes from her side. Adrianne could have stretched to 3NT over my protective double, but it is cruel to get a zero for being in the best contract, especially when 2H (yuck!) scored 140.

On the next hand Charles and Alec bid without interference:

1D - 1S - 2H - 3C - 3D - 4N - 5D - 6D

Adrianne leads AC to my encouraging 9, but no avail, the heart finesse brings 12 tricks home.

Nobody else ventured that high.

We did get one back on them on the next board. Charles opens 1D, passed round to me and I bid 1H. Adrianne bids 2NT, I tried 3S on the way and Adrianne bids 4S.

Nothing in the play. I lose the obvious diamond, club and heart for 10 tricks, some pairs defend 3C and somebody managed to go down in 4S. The only problem I would have is if Charles plays a small club after winning KH, but I had already decided to go up with King, there's no other play. Anyway at match points you can't afford to try that.

Thursday 2nd June

Playing N/S with Adrianne we came 2nd with 55%, some way behind the winners.


On this board my RHO opened 1D. we play weak jumps here so my bid is 1H, but I don't like that a) it lets the opponents immediately find what could be a 9 card spade fit and I'll never be sure how high to compete, b) Adrianne could have just the right cards but with a doubleton heart will let it pass out (as here).
Anyway, never the shrinking violet I just bid 4H. A diamond was led, won by the Ace. I forwarded JC from dummy, covered by Queen, 12 tricks made.







Against Bob and Paul, Bob on my right opened 1NT, I bid 2S and Paul went through Lebensohl to 3H where he played making the obvious 9 as he can't see my doubleton QD.
The trouble is at most tables the E/W bidding is
1S - 1NT - 2D - passed out, so -140 was a very bad score for us.

Against Cathy & Helen, Cathy opens 3H (obviously taking advantage of the weak opposition). Helen raises to 4H and Adrianne lays down AD. Disaster, Cathy ruffs, AH, KD, discard a spade and just 2 hearts and a spade to lose.

Complete bottom

This was a tricky 4H to play against Issy & Rhona. Most were in it and most made it. Issy led KD and I took the Ace. There are 4 tricks outside of trumps so you need to find QH and get 2 ruffs for 10 tricks. I decided though to test the spades first, so at trick 2 I ducked a spade to Rhona's Ten. Rhona cashed JD and led her third which I ruffed. I cashed AS and Issy's QS fell. Looks like 3-3 or Issy has 2, so I led a third spade, Issy discarded a club and I ruffed.

I now cashed my club winners, ruffed a club, ruffed a spade, led a diamond and ruffed with the Jack. Issy over-ruffed and I had K & A of hearts for 10 tricks

Wednesday 1st June

Playing E/W with Cathy Ferguson for the first time, we did not shine especially as I got us a few bad scores.

On this board against Nat & Paul, Paul is declaring 6D after 1D - 1S - 3D - 6D. Now Nat will not be looking at two top losers in any non-trump suit, so has AS and probably AQ. I tried leading TS to maybe give declarer a losing option.

Now most declarers would count 7 trumps, 2 hearts and a ruff and AS & AC for 12 tricks, but Paul was too canny to just go up with the Ace, reasoning that other declarers not getting a spade lead will take the finesse, so hoping it was not a singleton he let it run and made the same 13 as everyone else.


Unlucky, would have worked against most.

Paul passed as North and our bidding went 1S - 2C - 2H - 4S.

Cathy obviously thinks I am a talented Declarer, I was about to prove her wrong.

To preserve his heart winners, Nat naturally led a trump. However I cannot ruff hearts as I would end up losing trump tricks. A reverse dummy ruffing diamonds could bring me in 10 tricks, but I need club entries for that, so it is simpler to just set up clubs for my contract.

I won the spade in hand and led TC. Nat rose with the Ace and led another trump. Now if you have AQ of clubs, you always go up with the Ace here. All I have to do is come to hand with a diamond and finesse JC. Why then did I play to ruff out QC?? I cashed KC, ruffed a club but was now up a gum tree and lucky to get away with 1 off.

This was actually our first board of the night against Ileen & Mike. Ileen opens a Lucas 2S which comes round to me. Now double is out of the question so 3H is the obvious bid, but a rush of blood to the head tells me we'll miss game with that wimpish bid, so 4H comes out. Mike had no trouble doubling this.

Ileen led a small club to Jack and Ace. I tried KH, taken by Mike who played a spade to my Ace. I finessed TC, ruffed a diamond, took KC, ruffed a diamond played the winning 9C discarding a spade from dummy, Mike ruffs and plays a heart. I ruff a spade and so get 9 tricks for a bottom.

Four others were in 2H, making 7 or 8 tricks.

This one is against Charles and Vi. Our bidding goes:

1S - 1NT - x - 4Da - x - P - P - 4H - x - P - P

Yes that was a 15-17 NT by Charles.

Cathy led AK of clubs on which I played the 4 and the 2, but unfortunately played a third. However, clever Cathy now makes 2 heart tricks so 3 off is the best we can ever do.

I don't think we would have found 6C.

Against Mike & Raymond, Mike opened 1NT, I doubled and raymond bids 2C (either clubs or the start of a wriggle). Cathy & Mike pass and I think we might get our best score here so also pass.

Cathy leads 7H ducked to the Jack. Raymond plays a spade to the King which I duck, then he leads a club. I take the Ace, then:

AS, spade ruff, heart to Ace, heart ruff, AD, diamond ruff, and I still had two top clubs. Four off for a top.

Our last board and a nice way to finish.

Monday 16 May

Playing N/S with Adrianne we came second with a good 60% score. Despite a few mistakes we got a few gifts as well.

On this board against Len & Cliff, not surprisingly nobody found the diamond slam. However we got a near top score for 3NT.

I assume at every table West opens 3S. I bid 3NT which was passed out. I was allowed to win the spade lead and East discarded a heart on the run of the diamonds giving me 13 tricks. However most people were in 5D or even 4D. Presumably they doubled the 3S opener. I couldn't see the logic in that. Yes I have 4 hearts, but what if partner doesn't? What can I do over 4C? So I thought 3NT was the only logical bid.

The next two boards were against Sylvia Black & Louise Butler. Unfortunately I feel we dusted them up with two excellent scores.

On this board I opened 1H, Sylvia bid 2C and Adrianne 2D, Louise passed and I bid 2H. After some thought Adrianne passed as well. This turns out very well judged. After KS lead I won Ace and led KH to Sylvia's Ace. QS and two clubs followed then I won a diamond and finessed TH for 9 tricks (though I see only entered 8 in the machine).

Anyway just about everyone was in 4H, though one or two were allowed to make.

On the next board we bid 1C - 1H - 1NT - 4H.

After a spade lead to Ace, a spade back to the King, I cashed AH. The book says when the Jack falls with 4 missing it is more likely to be singleton. So I played a diamond to the King and finessed a heart.

14 pairs are in 4H, only 3 made 11.

Sorry Sylvia and Louise.

We got a great score here against Nat and Charles. Nat opens 1S passed round to Adrianne who doubles. I bid 4H.

Only 5 of us in 4H and only 2 made 11. After a spade lead to King and Ace I laid down AH and played another. Nat tried a small spade but my Jack won and I discarded a club. A diamond to the 10 and Ace and the rest of the tricks are mine.

If Nat finds a diamond exit I've got too many spades to get rid of and have only 10 tricks. However it will be a no brainer to finesse the club. If it loses I make 10 anyway, 11 if it wins.

Against John Larkin & Rob we got a great score here for beating 4S. John opened 1NT as West (bit cheeky) and after a transfer finds himself in 4S. I led a spade won by the King, Queen is cashed and then A & K of diamonds and a diamond ruff. Rob now plays a club and I rise with the Ace. Adrianne plays the Jack. I don't think she would waste that with Jx, but might be J10. Anyway I know she has 4 diamonds, 3 spades (Rob didn't break the transfer) and length in hearts. Is it 5 hearts? Well I decided to go for that, returned a small club and Rob went up with the King, ruffed and an unavoidable further club to lose.

Looks to me as if the only play to make is draw trumps, lead a club to King.

On the next board Rob opens 1H, I double and John bids 4H. After some thought Adrianne bids 5C and is left to play.

Rob makes it as hard as he can by leading a club. Adrianne wins in hand, finesses QS, cashes Ace discarding a diamond, cashes AC, leads 10S and throws her second heart Rob plays AH, ruffed, Adrianne draws trump and leads a diamond, losing 1 diamond and 1 spade (heart). Only two others bid the 5C most are in diamonds and 5D cannot make.

Finally one that most people made but I went down on against Jack & Robert. Our bidding was simply 1H - 2H - 4H and Jack led a club. I won in dummy and led a heart to the Ace. Now with 5 missing hearts are more likely to be 3-2, so this can be doubleton QJ. I certainly can't afford at MPs to throw an overtake away, so I returned a heart to the King. I played a spade now and Jack won the Ace and played two rounds of trumps. I can only make 9 tricks.

Many made 10 and I wonder if they got KD lead? Certainly with 4 trumps I don't like leading a singleton.

Thursday 12 May

Playing E/W with Adrianne we came third with 55.5%. We didn't do anything wrong really but got three poor scores against Cathy and Simon who had a brilliant 65%.



For instance here Cathy open 1C as South, Simon 1H, 1S form Cathy raised to 2S by Simon. Long think from Cathy and a pass.
Adrianne is never going to find a small diamond lead to keep the contract to 8 tricks, so Cathy makes 9.
However everyone else is is 4S.

Wednesday 11 May

Playing N/S with Joan in the Club Championship we didn't shine, scoring about 52%.

We started well against Phoebe & Robina. Our bidding went

P - P - 1NT - 2Ca
2S - P - P - 3D
P - 3H - passed out

Joan led KS and I decided to overtake and return a diamond. Phoebe took her Queen and led a club, Joan wins the Ace and plays a diamond which I ruff.
I played a spade back, ruffed in dummy. Declarer leads another diamond which I ruff and I play a high spade. I am given another ruff, put the lead back in dummy







Against Alec & Raymond I opened 1S as North (we don't play check back), Joan bid 2S and I bid 3NT.
Alec led 8C and I ducked Raymond's 10. Raymond continued JC which I took. I led a small spade and Alec rose with the King and exited with his 3rd club which I took, discarding a diamond. I now go over to QS and lead a heart to my Queen.
I now cash two spades, again discarding a diamond. Alec lets two diamonds go. Now the distribution was becoming clear and having noted Raymond's 9H earlier I can see it is likely to be a doubleton Ace, so I exit with a small heart. Sure enough Raymond wins the Ace and cashes QC, but Alec thinks he is sqeezed and lets JD go hoping his partner has QD and I make the last three tricks. I couldn't have got a long heart as there was no further entry to dummy.