Men's Pairs 17 August

Playing N/S with Russell we came 3rd with 54%.




Had a good score against Jim Mcmenemy and Ian Mcintyre.
After 2 passes and 1H by Ian I decided to bid 4S directly. What is Jim to do? Double looks like the sensible option even with the heart fit, so 4Sx.
jim leads a heart, I ruff. KD, AD, ruff a diamond high (though the 3 is high). Run 9S, ruff heart exit, play QS and claim for +1







Against Nat & Paul, Russell opened 1NT and I am sure 4H is best keeping out the opponents, lots of times you gain a trick by letting North play it, so 2D transfer. this let Paul in and I went to 4H and they went to 4S which Russell doubled. Very reluctantly I passed.
I can't remember the exact sequence but in the end we got 1 spade, 2 hearts (the 4th diamond was inaccessible), 2 clubs and a diamond for down 3.
I think it went AH, JC overtaken, small spade, heart ruff, but no quick way back to hand and Russell gets in to play Ace and another spade. Good defence Russell.


Against Alec & Raymond we were one of the few who found 4H.
Our bidding went unopposed:
1S - 2H - 3H - 4H

The 2H looks like the only sensible bid with my hand. The 4H though was very dubious.
Raymond led KD, I took Ace, AC, club ruff, AK of spades throwing diamonds, spade ruff, club ruff, AH. Now I can just lose 2 hearts and my last club




Still against Alec & Raymond the bidding went:
P - P - 1S - P
1N -2Sa - x - 3H
x - passed out

The spade lead went to the Ace, AD, Ace and anothe heart. Russell now sets up the clubs (for 1 loser) and makes 9 tricks

Monday 15 August

Playing E/W with Adrianne we did not shine with 45%



We got a bottom score here against Michelle & Ian. Adrianne opened 3S, Ian passed and I though briefly about 4S, but thought we might get to play 3S and get a plus score. However Michelle bid 4C, Ian raised to 5C. Stupid me now has to decide what to do here. I'll bet there isn't a spade trick and there is distribution all round, so 5C looks to make, I bid 5S, doubled by Michelle.
Ian led AH, didn't find the small diamond switch, but played Ace and another diamond. Adrianne played a trump and Michelle gave Ian his ruff for down 2.
Most people got playing in 3S or 4S some making.




Did get one great score against Victor and Brian. Adrianne opened 1D, Victor bid 2C (double better).
I bid 4D and Adrianne put us in 6D.
Now I thought 4D showed this hand, Adrianne thought I had a bit more eg 10 points and a singelton.
Anyway, Victor cashed KC and switched to a trump. Adrianne played TD extracting the Jack from Brian. SO only 6D missing, the cross ruff looks good and so it was. AK hearts and AS just kleft a cross ruff of clubs and the majors for 12 tricks.




On this board against Rhoda & Maurice we also managed 12 tricks. The bidding E/W was 1D - 1H - 1S - 4S. Adrianne is quite good for her bid, but splintering in partner's suit usually causes confusion!
Anyway Maurice led a club, I took Ace and played a diamond to my Ace, Maurice drops the Queen. I played a small diamond ruffed in dummy and with the Jack coming down I have a diamond loser still.
I now played a spade to the Ace, Maurice tried a heart, won in dummy, I cashed a trump and led 8D. Maurice didn't have a spade to I ruffed, ruffed a heart, drew the last trump and claimed.



Our final two boards were against Jim Forsyth & Jim McMahon and were typical of our night.
Adrianne opened 1NT, I bid 2C and passed her 2H. JimMcMahon now find a 3D bid. This comes to me and I bid 3H, round to Jim Forsyth who bids 4D. I doubled, but Adrianne having most of her cards in my majors decided to bid 4H.
This went the obvious 1 off, with the opponents duplication there is no way they can avoid 2 off.
Bottom score.




Finally Jim opened the North hand 1NT, passed out and I led KH. Adrianne played the 3 to show me an odd number. Jim took the Ace and cashed 5D. Adrianne's first discard showed clubs. I then took the view (euphemism for made a stupid mistake) that Adrianne was probably 3 hearts and could hold AQxx of clubs as Jim has 4 - 4 in the reds.
I discarded my 2H, JS and a small club. OOPs
After the diamonds Jim exits with KC to Adrianne's Ace, a heart though now means I have to give Jim 2 clubs.
Pathetic really.

Monday 8 August

Playing with Adrianne, came 7th with 55% in the Festival Pairs. The usual couple of errors which cost dearly.
Managed to bid two Grand Slams, unfortunately in one of them which I bid we are missing a cashing Ace.

However against Cathie and Bob we were one of the few to bid this one.
Jump shifts are unusual these days and some people use them now for weak hands. Like most though, we still use 16+ with a very good 6 card suit. If that is the case when Adrianne South opens 1D, 2S by North, 4NT by South leads to an easy bid of 7NT as only a holding of a singleton AD and AQ of hearts would create a problem.
However, it is never that simple, Bob isn't going to be quiet with a 7 card suit. Our bidding went:
1D - 3H - 3S - P
4S - P - 4N - P
Adrianne showed 2 Aces and 1 King and I am happy to bid 7S. Adrianne might have bid 4H as she is too strong for just 4S, then I might have gone for 7N, but any grand slam usually scores well, which this one did.


Against Charles and Nigel we defend 3C.
Our bidding went:
P - 1S - x - P
2H - 3C - Passed out
I led a club to the 9 and Ten, Charles passed TD to Adrianne who reurned a heart, ruffed. Diamond to Queen and spade finesse. I gave Adrianne a diamond ruff and Charles makes the rest, ruffing out the spade.
When 4S, 3NT, 5C all make (albeit double dummy) you might expect a good score when Charles makes 10 in a minor, but no, below average. Lots of people off in spades, even 2S?!

Thursday 21 July

Playing with Adrianne we came 2nd N/S with 56%.

Two of our good boards were played by Adrianne as South.

Here against Sandra & Gloria our bidding went:

1C - 1S - x - 2S

x - P - 3H - 3S

4H - passed out.

Sandra did well to get the 1S bid in, Gloria could have made life more difficult for us with a 3 or even 4S bid. My double showed 15+ points.

A small spade was led, taken by Ace. QC covered by King and Ace followed, then Adrianne led JH, covered by Queen and Ace, followed by 10H to King. Gloria exited with a spade ruffed , last trump drawn. Now with a small spade led implying an honour and KQ hearts all in Gloria's hand, Sandra surely held QD and so Adrianne picked up the suit for 12 tricks.

On this board against Victor and Willie Hart we were the only pair in 4H. The bidding went:

P - 1D - 1S - 2C

2D - 3C - 3H - 4C

4H - passed out

Victor led his singleton spade won by the 8 and Adrianne lay down her AH. She then cashed JH and QH and played KS, ruffed. Victor exits with QD to King and Ace and that was the last for the defence.

Thursday 14 July

Playing with Adrianne we were exactly middle with 50%

Early on we got two bad scores against Alec and Raymond. Alec put Raymond into a 6NT with a 16 count opposite a 14-16 NT which couldn't be beaten. Then on the next board I let the side down with a bad defence. Our bidding went:

1D - P - 1S - 3H

4C - P - 4S - passed out.

Adrianne led AH. Now she has no idea what the heart position is. With a singleton in dummy we play suit preference. I could have 8 5 and be asking for a diamond, or J 8 and be asking for a club, or a singleton heart. Anyway Adrianne guessed correctly and played KH, Alec ruffed with the 4S and I over-ruffed. Now we play Ace from AK unless we have a singleton when we play the King. So Adrianne has no diamonds. Any idiot can see Ace and another diamond for a possible trump promotion must be the play. Not this idiot, small diamond ruffed by Adrianne, end of defence. I hate bridge.

Redeemed myself somewhat with this boad against Stewart Duguid & Bobby Moore. Stewart showed a 23-24 NT and ended in 4H. Adrianne is a great follower of Andy Robson and in that morning Times he had stated how he hated doubleton leads but showed an example that defeated a contract. This is a case where I think doubletons aren't so bad, when you have a quick trump entry.

Anyway Adrianne chose 8C lead and luckily Stewart gave me a moment to consider and I decided doubleton was more likely. So I ducked, Stewart played JD to KD and finessed a heart. Adrianne cashed AS then another club. I took Ace and gave her the ruff.

Still against Stewart and Bobby only two pairs found the slam here. With no interference, our bidding went :

1S - 2H - 2S - 3C - 5C - 6C (great bid by Adrianne)

Jumping to 5C is a great risk at Pairs, but a) It is the only slam try I can think of! and b) Why didn't Adrianne rebid 3NT or raise spades?

Anyway QD lead, 3 round of clubs ending in dummy, 3 top spades, spade ruff, heart ruff and claim 13.

I got a joint top score here for 10 tricks in 3NT against Elizabeth Maiolani and Victor Goldwater, but I was very annoyed I didn't make more.

Elizabeth led QC, ducked and followed with the Jack. I took Ace, cashed a top heart and noted Elizabeth's 10H. Going by restricted choice, I crossed to QS and finessed a heart, Elizabeth lets a club go. I cashed two more top hearts and Elizabeth let go 8C and 10C. I played another spade to the Ace and Elizabeth had now played 9S and JS. I could only think that Victor has KC and Elizabeth has 4 diamonds and 10S left, so I played KS rather than finesse the 8 for 11 tricks

The last board was against Alan & Myra. Most made 4H but it was quite tricky.

Our bidding without interference was quite simple:

1H - 1S - 2C - 4H

Myra led a club to my Ace and I played a heart to King and Ace. Alan returned a high club, covered and ruffed. A diamond came back to King and Ace, Alan played another club which I ruff in dummy. I have to decide what to do about my losing club. As Myra has a lot more spaces I decide to finesse rather than ruffing finesse. So cash JH, QD, ruff a diamond, draw last trump and finesse QS, cash Ace discarding the losing club.

Wednesday 6 July

Playing with Bob we came first N/S with 68%.

Early on Bob got a top against Morag & Susan. Bob opened 1C and I have a choice between 1D, 1NT, 2C and 3C. 2C is the only real genuine bid, so that's what I chose. Bob ventures 3NT and Morag leads a heart to the Queen and King.

Bob finesses a club and Susan plays another heart. Now Bob runs the clubs and Morag has to come down to 5 cards. She has to keep JH while the Ten is in dummy, as most people do she keeps a doubleton KS, so her diamonds are reduced to QJ giving Bob 4 diamonds and 12 tricks.

A good score here against Alan Brodie & Charles Fogleman. Bob passed, Alan opened 1S and I am a bit stuck, deciding to just bid 2H, Charles passed and Bob finds a great 3H bid, so I bid 4H.

Charles leads a small spade to the King and Ace. After 3 rounds of hearts I played Ace and another club, inserting the Ten from dummy. Alan switches to a diamond but with clubs breaking I have 11 tricks.

We got two joint top scores against Russell & Len.

I open 1S, Russell doubles, Bob bids 2S which I raised to 4S.

Russell leads a top diamond and obviously switches to a trump to the Ten and Ace. I ruffed a diamond, finessed the JS and when QH falls in 2 rounds I have 12 tricks.

On the next I opened 1H, Bob bids 1NT and after some thought, I passed. I would bid 2NT at teams, but would prefer TH to bid 1 more at MPs.

Anyway, Len found an excellent small spade lead and Bob won the third round, he then played a small heart to the Ten and Len's King. Len exits with a club, Bob decides to play another club, cross to a diamond and a third round of clubs.

Len of course can play a heart now to give Russell 2 tricks, but fortunately it a diamond that comes back.

However any plus score is good for us as many are in 3NT.

This one was difficult for Christine. we bid an obvious 1D - 1S - 1NT - 3NT.

Christine led a small club, Adrianne decided as playing the Queen will give me 2 club tricks anyway, to play small.

I now play 5 round of diamonds and CHristine has to find three discards with any heart fatal. Too difficult to let spades go, difficult to let any club go while she thinks I have Queen. SO actually hearts are first to go and I have 12 tricks.

This one was lucky against Katie and Toby.

Bob opens 1C, I bid 1D. Toby now tries 1H and Bob takes a rosy view and bids 3C. I bid 3NT and Toby leads a heart.

Crossing my fingers that Katie doesn't have 4 clubs, I cashed the othe heart, crossed to QC for the 3rd heart and the clubs run.

Difficult for defenders to take their top 5 tricks.

This was astrange one against Jim McMenemy and Ian McIntyre.

Bob opens 1C and Jim bids 3D. Now if Bob is weak(ish) I don't want to just bid 4C and give Ian a chance to bid 4 of a major which he could easily do if he can stand 5D. If Bob is strong(ish), we can make game. Anyway I bid 5C.

Jim led a spade to dummy's King, Bob cashed both red aces, ruffs a heart and diamond, then plays a spade which Jim ruffs. AK of clubs now crash, game made.

On the next board however I let the side down. Jim opens 1NT. I could bid 4S now, but this can easily fail and if Ian has some points a double could be left in for a certain 500. So I double, unfortunately Bob bids 2D, back to me. Knowing I now face rubbish and anything in diamonds won't be any use, I chicken out of 4S and bid 3S, passed out.

Ian leads a spade, I exit with a diamond, Jim plays another spade and I clear trump and try Ace and another club. Ian takes the King, but now I have 11 tricks via the heart finesse. Most people bid game.

Nearing the end now we got 1 very good and 1 very bad score against Joan & Cathy.

Bob opened 1S, I bid 2H and Bob's 2S finishes the bidding. Cathy leads a spade to the J and K, Bob cashes KH and gets to dummy to discard a club, losing just 1 club, 1 diamond and 1 spade.

However I bring us down to Earth on the next board. The bidding went:

P - P - 1H - x

1S - 2C - 2D - 3C

3D - P - P - 4C

p - P - 4D - passed out.

I led AC and switched to ---- a small spade.

Trying to be too cleveer by half. All Cathy can lose now is a heart, a diamong and a club for a top score.

Finally against Moira and Mary I made some amends.

Moira opened 1NT 3rd in hand and I doubled. Mary bid 2D (diamonds + 1 higher) and everyone passed it out.

Bob led a trump to Dummy's Ten and my Queen and I switched to QS, taken by King in dummy. May played a club to Queen and Ace and Bob played another spade to the Ace.

Mary now leads another trump, the Jack, I take my Ace and although I see I could give Bob a trump promotion, Mary will just discard a heart. We can get 2 heart winners if a) Bob has the King or b) the Queen and Mary misguesses, so I tried a small heart and sure enough Bob's Queen wins, back to my Ace and now the fourth spade for Bob's trump to win. 7 tricks, 2D -2.

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.