Monday 16 April

Playing aggregate came 4th N/S out of 9, however scores were very close and we were only 1 vulnerable game away from winning.  What is galling is I made a ridiculous bid which was suitably punished, I didn't play it as well as I should and lost 800 on a part score hand.  If I had just passed we would have come top.

 Against Alec and Fudge I declared 3NT as North and Charles led 2H to the King which I ducked and then won the 10 with the Ace. I immediately played AK and another diamond getting a club discard from Alec.  Charles continued a heart to my Queen ( I discard 10D from dummy) and I exited with a heart, Alec and dummy letting go a spade. Charles can now safely exit QS and I played 3 rounds, A, K and another putting Charles back on lead when everyone just has 2 clubs left, however he didn't have to lead away from the King, so I went 1 down.  I thought I had given it every chance to get a club endplay and was annoyed to see that the sheet says 3NT makes.  I just can't find the play.  If I hadn't discarded a spade, Charles can still safely exit with a club.

 Nobody played in 6S here which I find amazing. We really should be in these slams.  We narrowly avoided it. Our bidding went (uncontested):
1S - 3D - 3H - 3S - 4S

Adrianne my 3S is even more slam interest.  Adrianne hesitated before bidding 4S, obviously wanting to cue 4C, but looking at just a 9 count decided not.  After the hesitation I can't fairly bid on, my partner must cue here and she didn't, therefore she is missing both Aces.  If she hadn't hesitated I would have gone 4NT, but presumably I would only get 1 in reply.  Only two people in 5S. We all got away with it this time, but next time 12 tricks will roll in.

Bad luck for Mike and Joyce on this board who at least got to game with their 25 points.  Our bidding went:
1H - 2C - 2H - P - 4H - passed out.

I could have doubled but we probably only have1 club trick, Adrianne having 6 and I might just lose a trump trick on a 5 - 3 fit if I double.
Anyway, Mike had no chance. Adrianne led AC but miscounted and switched to a trump to the 3, 9 and Q.Mike tried a second trump to the King, oops. Now ran TS, Adrianne cashed KC and exited with a diamond, but we get 2 spades, 2 clubs and 2 hearts for 3 off. 

 Mike got back with this one though.  Playing three weak twos he opened 2D green against red.  This came round to me as North, what can I do?
Assuming 11 diamonds between us, Adrianne has some sort of shortage and couldn't come in.  I really can't double.  What do I say over 3C? Nothing, just sheepishly put down my dummy to my partner's consternation.  Joyce can easily have a decent hand here with no diamonds and even if I felt brave, 2NT is not available to me as we play that as conventional.  So I passed, it went 4 off for 200, but we missed our vulnerable 3NT. Good bid of 2D.

Finally what should be a flat board, but annoying. Marilyn played it in 3NT against us after her partner Steve had shown long, strong diamonds. Nothing we can do, I cashed our 4 tricks, partner failed to hold a Queen in either hearts or clubs.
What if East plays it though?  The lead(s) that beat the contract is a Jack, in fact you take the first 7 tricks with careful play.

Wednesday 11 April

Playing E/W with Gerry came 5th with 56%. There were certainly a number of interesting hands.

 Against Ian & Jim, Gerry opened 1D and Ian made the most practical bid of 4S. Now we are vulnerable and 5D will probably be -500.  However I pause for a while, the problem is 4S could be all sorts of bids, 8 spades very likely.  Partner could be 5-5 in the minors. After thinking for a while I hate passing, so 5D it was, Jim bids 5S and Gerry doubles.
Now a spade lead or diamond lead and spade switch would leave declarer with only 2 club ruffs.  However, as usual, I find an alternative lead to let the contract make.  I led KH, AH and a cross ruff in hearts and clubs gave Ian 11 tricks.
Still, we weren't doubled in 5D, if they get all their ruffs that will cost 800.

Against Louis & Harold their bidding went:
1C - 1D - 2D - 3NT - 4D - 5D

Now as we can see there is a spade and unlucky for declarer, 2 diamonds to lose. 3NT will probably make, heart lead, set up a spade trick and you have 9 tricks.  A spade lead would defeat 3NT whether declarer puts in the 9 or the Queen.

So what's the story? Well Gerry made the natural lead of a heart of course. Two spade discards and 11 tricks made.
Half the field made 3N or 5D, half went off.

Against Flora and Geraldine there were three passes to Gerry who opened 1D, North passed, I bid 1H and Gerry bid 3D leaving me an obvious 3NT to bid.

Geraldine plays AK of clubs and I have 9 tricks. Just luck again, South will never find the defence, but for those who play 3S by me asking for a stop, Gerry would then play it. A club lead and spade return would put paid to that contract.
Only 4 pairs made 3NT, lots of diamond and heart part scores.

 Against Charles and Vi, Charles opens 1S in 3rd seat and I overcalled 1NT.  Vi doubled and when that came round I bid 2D passed out.
KS led and taken by me and I played QD.  Charles wins this and plays QS and another.  Obviously he will be playing a spade again when he gets in, discarding hearts is possible but I think I can get them to open the suit, so I ruff with the 9 and exit with a small diamond to Charles who leads another spade, I ruff again leaving 1 diamond in each of 3 hands. If the heart honours are split, Vi will have to have QC for her double do I finesse the club and cash KC and Charles ruffs the third but must now open up hearts or give a ruff and discard so I made 8.

On the next board Gerry opened a multi, I bid 2H and Vi doubled.  Gerry bid 2S round to Vi who doubled.  Charles bid 3D and Vi bid 3NT.
I doubled this for the diamond lead and Vi converted to 4C.
Gerry led a diamond to my Ace, I returned QS taken by Ace and Vi played KH to Gerry's Ace.  He cashed a spade and exited with a diamond.  Vi runs her clubs and on the last comes down to Jx and a diamond in dummy with Qxx hearts in hand.  I have to discard from 9xx heart and QD, either being fatal, so 10 tricks made.

 Against Stewart and Bobby, what would you think the final contract would be?
OK it was 2D.  Now who played it?
South of course.
As East I opened 1D, Bobby bid 2D and Gerry thought about this and passsed.  Stewart took a view and passed.  I automatically picked up a pass and then realised maybe I should have thought about this, despite the hesitation I can deduce that North has a lot of diamonds and few cards in the majors.  I don't need a hesitation to tell me partner has holdings in hearts and spades, so maybe I could have doubled, but difficult after a hesitation.
Anyway Gerry found the best lead of KD and after three rounds of diamonds Bobby played AK and another heart, ruffed and over-ruffed.  I pulled the last trump and led a small club.  Gerry cashed his heart and returned a club to my Queen. AC and KS and Bobby gets last two tricks for 3 off.  Could have gone 4 off  if I had played KS instead of a club or if Gerry hadn't cashed QH. Anyway it wasn't doubled.  Even if they change to 2 of a major that will surely be 800 as well.

On the next board Bobby opens 1NT and Gerry doubles.  2S by Stewart and I bid 3S, so Gerry takes 3NT.
A spade lead to the Ace and AD catches the Queen and on the lie of the hearts there are 4 tricks there giving 11.  Only two of us were in 3NT, everone else in diamond partials.

What a board this is.  6C is the contract for N/S, nobody is in any number of clubs.
Against Eileen & Alistair Gerry opens 1D, Eileen bids 2H passed round to Gerry who bids 2S (I was passing a double).  Eileen now bids 3H, I double and there we play.
As you can see we have no tricks outside of trumps. I led a diamond ruffed, Eileen crosses to AC, finesses QS, cashes AS and leads a third. I decided to ruff with 10 and exit with a trump.  Eileen plays KC and a third which I ruff and exit with a diamond in the end I get my KH and another heart but at the expense of ruffing my partner's spade winner.  9 tricks made.

Against Willie and Issy I opened 1S and Issy passed as South.  Gerry gave me a limited spade raise via 3C.  Now I have no idea how many tricks I can make it could be anything from 8 to 11, so I just bid 4S.
Issy forewent the JC that would have made it really easy for me and led KD. I pondered what to do about the spades and decided to go up with Ace, no matter the King appeared, so just clubs to negotiate. I led a club to the King and Issy's Jack appears.  They say with a choice defender could play either Q or J so you should play other defender for Q.  Also Issy might be dutifully showing count with Jx.  Anyway I finessed on way back and had 13 tricks.  Like I said, I had no idea how many tricks this would make!

Two tricky boards against Maggie and Renee to finish.
Gerry opened 1S and our bidding went:
1S - 2H - 2NT - 3D - 3H - 4D - 4NT - 5H - 6H

Renee led a small club but it doesn't matter where the King is, this is about avoiding two red suit losers. I took the Ace and led QH.  Maggie covered (which costs a heart trick) and Renee show out.  I crossed to AS and ran 7H and finessed another heart and cashed a fourth.  Renee discarded a diamond.  Over to KS (forgot to cash a diamond first -  very poor) and finessed a diamond, cashed last trump and my diamonds are good for 13 tricks.

Here I opened 1D and our bidding went without interference:
1D - 1S - 1NT - 2C - 2H - 4H

Renee found the lead of Ace and JS which I ruffed.  I have to do something with the diamonds so led to the King and Maggie's Ace.  Maggie plays a third spade. If I ruff with the Ace, finesse 10H, finesse 10D, I will have 10 tricks via a club ruff  (6 hearts, 2 diamonds, 2 clubs).  However I didn't see it that way and ruffed with the 8, over-ruffed with the 9.  Renee exits with a club and I played 2 clubs discarding a diamond and ruffing a club, but I have had it now losing two hearts a diamond and a spade. I don't think I had a coherent plan, but Renee's lead really scuppered me. The two who made 4H from my side both got a diamond lead.  I think even I would have made it then.

Monday 9 April

Playing N/S came 3rd with a Butler score of 26.

The way all the cards lie this is a great slam and never a bad one to be in. Even if the black Kings are reversed there is also the option of diamonds providing a club discard.  Anyway against Barry & Lester our bidding went:
1H - 2D - 2H - 3C - 3NT - 4H

After 1H - 2H by partner I am happy to be in 4H, my 3C on the way was just to show I am too strong for a direct 4H.  Adrianne despite being maximum didn't take the bait.  It is always difficult to risk the 5 level and go 1 down.
Willie & David, Len & Clifford managed to be in six, Charles & Vi were in 4H +3 like us.  I'll accept that company.

These next two hands were slams which depend on which side you play them from.
Against Bobby & Ian their bidding went:
1S - 2C - 2H - 3D

Adrianne doubled this and Ian bid 6NT rather than 6S with a diamond lead.
Adrianne didn't lead AD so there are 13 tricks off the top.

Two West's went off in the slam, another few Wests made it on a non-diamond lead.  Half the field managed to play it in NT by East.

Now our turn against Joe & Sheila Fell. I showed a strong NT and Adrianne put me in 6N.
Playing it as North I got a club lead, ran the diamonds, got 2 heart discards from West and made 13.
Now, they do say aggressive leads are best at slams at this scoring, so if a spade lead is found: duck to the Queen and win return in dummy, West should have no problem discarding 2 spades on the diamonds. The third discard will crucially have to be a club or declarer will possibly find the winning play in hearts.
Anyway if you play 6D (or 6N) by South, a spade lead is no problem as it actually promotes a spade as the 12th trick.
Only 1 pair played it by South (6D) and that was Charles & Vi, though most Norths did make it (even a few on a spadde lead).

Every East / West played this in spades from 2S - 4S and 140 was the modal score. Except at our table against Ian & Ivor.
1S - 2H - 4S - 5D - 5S
It seems we were the only pair to be in the making game after Adrianne's brave 2H vulnerable overcall.
Unfortunately we failed to capitalise by doubling.
Adrianne led diamond to the Ace and I returned a club. Nothing declarer can do about losing 2 diamonds, a heart and a club for -2.

Another slam hand against Fudge & Alec.  Since printed hands have become common I have noticed how often a 10 count with some length in a minor opposite a 2NT opener makes 12 tricks.
So I opened 2NT, Adrianne went through Puppet Stayman and then bid 4C which we play as Gerber, obviously going to bid slam when I show 3 Aces.  Except I don't. Tumshie here employs RKC and bids 4H (0 or 3), partner sees this as 1 Ace, bids 4S forcing my 4NT which is where we play.
Three pairs found 6C which comfortably makes 13.

 Our next board is another slam hand except it isn't.
Adrianne opened 1S, Alec overcalled 2D and I bid 3D (too strong for a NT raise to 4S).  However Adrianne didn't think much of her hand and we played in 4S, just like everyone else.
Now a heart lead keeps this to 11, but only Zia would forego KD lead from the West hand and 12 tricks are stiff. Which is what happened to nearly everyone. Well done to Bernard Solomons who led 7H.

Yet another slam, this time for E/W, but how do you bid it and how do you defend a heart contract?
Against David & Katie Adrianne opened 1S, David bid 3C presumably Intermediate, I am not going to compete vulnerable and Katie bid 4H ending the auction.  Arianne led AS and made the 'natural' switch to a trump.  KAtie can now claim 12 tricks.
Vi was defending 6H and led AS and then made the only play to defeat the contract, the KS. Declarer must now lose a trump to QH.  Hard lines Norman & Bill, you would have made it against most people.
I have no idea how you get to 6C which is unbeatable. All Souths should open 1S and most Wests will overcall 2C.  Whether North bids or not, East will bid hearts.  If west bids more clubs, East can certainly bid 5C.  It is then down to West who has the singleton spade to find the slam.

Monday 2 April

Rubbish score, playing N/S aggregate tournament. Made a few big mistakes to ruin our score. We actually got lucky early on avoiding a slam we should have been in which goes off on a finesse. However I was first to make sure we didn't benefit.

Without interference our bidding went:

1D - 1S - 2H - 3S - 4H - 4NT - 5D - 6S

5D was 3 key cards in hearts. Now my thinking was Adrianne is at least 6-5 in the reds. 6-5-1-1 is perfect, else she could have doubleton KC else the person on lead holds say KJxx of clubs and will never lead it.
Well it is nice to live in Fairyland, but this is bridge.  Victor lead AK of clubs and I'm one off.

These next two boards were against Norman & Bill. Now it is Adrianne's turn for a failing slam, but probably a better shot than mine.
Without interference our bidding simply went:

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

Now I am a minimum 10 points with both missing Aces. All that is needed is QD (preferably Q to 5 diamonds) to make slam an excellent shot. Unfortunately I had to bid 2D with that rubbish suit and the slam had no chance on the lie of the cards.

Now the piece-de-resistance and just to mix my languages t me miserum!
West opened 3H and this went round to Adrianne who doubled.
I was fixated on my 11 points.  Surely enough for game, but how can we make game? Whichever fit we might have, the suit will break badly and 11 tricks will be too much. Eventually I took the only action guaranteed to be a disaster, I passed! Wonderful. Declarer yook pity on me and finessed the JH to avoid the overtrick.
The majority of Easts are in 4H (1 off) as they presumably opened 4H. Norman was more sensible

Wednesday 28 March

Playing N/S with Gerry in the NIBU Sim Pairs scored just above average with 52.5%. They were a difficult set of hands but we had some misfortunes.

On this board against Gloria and Louise our bidding went (without interference):
1S - 3D* - 3NT - passed out.  3D being a raise to 3S.

With my 4333 I thought it sensible to show this on the way and sure enough Gerry with 4333 did the sensible thing and left it in 3NT.
After a heart lead, losing spade finesse I had the obvious 9 tricks exactly.  Unfortunately West can never find a club lead and is unlikely to switch to KC, so 4S can make by the only possible route of elimination and Ace and another club to get a ruff and discard. I prefer 3NT.

Complete bottom here against Nat and Paul.
Gerry opened 3C and I just punted 5C immediately. There will certainly be 11 tricks though if West holds QJ whatever in spades it could just as easily be down on the lead. However Nat bids 5H and it when comes round to me I double.
Gerry leads KC, ruffed, Nat gives me my diamond and a club is returned.  Nat now cross ruffs the minors ending in hand, pulls the missing trumps and leads Ace and another spade. Just like board 9 Gerry is now end played for a ruff and discard and so Nat makes.
Now you would think that a similar contract is played elsewhere and you would be right, however the other 5 pairs in 5H all went 1 off. Just our luck to be against someone who knows what they are doing!

Did manage to get this hand right, against Cathy and Joan who had just bid and made a slam missing a cashing Ace/King where Gerry has to find the lead from KJx.
With no interference our bidding went:
1D - 1S - 2C - 3S - 3NT - 4C - 4S
After the two minors by Gerry I didn't think NT was a good idea, but still he might be AQx in hearts with a singleton spade.  However I still thought 5C would be better as he is just as likely Axx in hearts. Luckily he has a doubleton spade.  Cathy and Joan still made it difficult for me, Joan leading 9D. To make this I need to set up diamonds early so I ignore possibility of singleon and play the Queen.  Cathy wins but unfortunately return a diamond. This sets up the whole suit but takes away my entry to dummy.  I draw trump and am stuck with what to discard on the 4th spade. I eventually came down to KT of clubs, lead a club to the ten and was home. Still, very lucky.

Got a poor score on this board, mainly because of the opening bid.  Against Victor and Willie, West opens 1C, round to Gerry who doubles.  I bid 2S and Gerry bids 3NT.  And why not. No need for 5 spades in my hand and expecting about 9 points where are they? Surely some in hearts.
Anyway Willie led a diamond and Gerry quickly cashed 9 tricks. Of cours other pairs have no problems finding 4S.
Why can't defenders find their 10 card fits?

Made a bad mistake here, not sure whose fault it is.  Against Ileen and Christine, Ileen opens 1D and the bidding goes:
1D  -  x  -  2D  -  2S
3C  - 3S - 4D - passed out.
OOps!
We have our obvious 3 tricks and Ileen manages to ruff her clubs high for contarct made.  You do have to finesse a trump to make 4S, but even 1 down is better.
Only one N/S found 4S and made it, but at least the rest (bar one) managed a plus score.
Still not sure if even anyone is to blame?

FInally against Jim and Jim a simple enough hand, but couldn't possibly find our way to game.
Jim McMahon opens 1NT and playing Astro I bid 2D, Gerry bids 2H and I pass.
Gerry sets up spades to make 11 tricks.
Half the field played in 4H.  I don't think we can do any better with Astro.  Playing 2C for both majors would probably get 3H from Gerry and so we can be in game.  If West plays strong NT, 1D is opened, do you double or bid 1S as North? Experience tells me 1S is better but here it is likely to be passed out and only a take out double offers the chance of 4H.

Monday 26 Maarch

Managed to come first N/S in our section with a small negative score when the hands were against us.

This was a difficult one to bid.  West opened 1D so I bid 2D, Adrianne bid 2H, I bid 3D and Adrianne bid 4H.
Surely we'll be safe at the 5 level now, should I bid 4NT?  I finally decided not, Adrianne could have cue bid and 5H isn't 100% certain.
Anyway QD lead taken by Ace and obviously from the bidding Adrianne knows where AS and KC are.  In fact she sets about the ruffing finesse in clubs first.  However there's no avoiding a trump and spade loser.
That would have been unlucky if I had bid on and ended in 6H.  Across the field, one person was in 6H, but two people were in 6S, not a great contract.

Not a big hand, but out of 16 tables Adrianne was the only person to make 1NT (a few N/S got to defend 2S which had no chance).
Adrianne received 7S lead and the KC was returned which Adrianne took. AD, JD ducked, followed by 2 clubs and 2 hearts for the defence, leaving Adrianne with 7 tricks.

A few N/S weren't in 1NT, but that is strange bidding.  Playing a strong NT you open 1H, West might or might not bid 1S, North can now bid 1NT or double or pass.  If the latter two, South rebids 1NT, unless East has in which case pass.

This was a great score for us because of Adrianne's lead.  In our section everyone led a club against 3NT.  It was a bit more mixed in the other section but only one heart lead.  Adrianne had no problem leading 5H and we cashed the first 5 tricks. I should have mentioned East bid spades!
However even after 1NT and eventually 3NT a club lead isn't that attractive, a major lead often works out better and struck gold here.

Not so lucky here but this was one of those strange hands that you just cannot make.
Only 3 pairs bid game and one actually made it on a 7S lead, though I still don't see how.
Still with a combined 26 count, with 5 quick tricks in the South hand, 13 pairs can't find game.  Lucky them.
Against us East opened 1D, Adrianne doubled and over my 1H bid 1NT which I raised to 3N.
A diamond was duly led, Adrianne took the third round and managed to set up a long heart by giving up 2 for 1 off.
Can't do any better.

Wednesday 21 March

Playing N/S with Len we managed to come first our way with 58%

Got off to a good start against Alan & Myra. On the third board I opened 1NT 3rd in hand and this was passed out.  Alan led a heart to the Jack and King. I immediately played JD taken by the Ace.  Myra returned a small spade on which I played small and it was won by Alan's King.  Alan returned a spade to Ten and Jack. I now finessed 9H and led a club to Ten and King.  Alan can only make another club now to give me 9 tricks and a top.

Commiserations to those who open 1NT on the North hand, QC lead and heart switch after 5 club tricks will guarantee 2 down. Against Colin & Helen I open 1S and soon end up in 4S.
Colin leads QC, now it is clear I can make this contract if I can set up diamonds before AH is knocked out.  If I cover QC, after AC and back to the Jack, Colin will never play a diamond if he has the King.  He might play a trump or even a third club, but could easily find a heart.  If I don't cover the QC, now Helen wins the 2nd club, if she has KH I don't think she will ever play a heart, hopefully she doesn't have KQ. Anyway, I duck the club, Helen wins the second club and in fact plays a diamond.  So now my diamonds are set up for heart discard. Two defenders defeated 4S so well done for finding the heart.

Against Bobby and Ian I opened my hand 2NT counting my heart suit as worth another point.
Len tries 5 card Stayman so we can find 4H or if I have 5 spaddes, bid a more confiddent 3NT.  However my 3D disappoints and Len decides on 5D.
I got a trump lead, drew the second trump and obviously finessed the heart. Bobby won the King and returneed a club which I took with the Ace.  I then cashed out the hearts, throwing QS from dummy, crossed with a spadde ruff and finessed JC for 12 tricks and a poor score.  Many in 3NT.  On a spade lead you can cash 10 tricks to beat 5D. On eis in 4H which is a good contract.  One is in 6NT and has the cheek to make it. They got a small spadde lead. How they reckoned a club finesse (which needs 3 -3 clubs to give 12 tricks) is better than heart finesse which is a simple 50-50, only they will know.

On the next board Bobby opened 1S as West and I doubled.  Ian bid 3S and Len doubled round to me.  We have no agreement and mostly doubles are just 'values'.  OK he will have 4 spades, but can I offer defence here?  My hand says bid diamonds, so 4D it was.  Len actually meant it as penalty.
Ian lead a spade to J, K and ruff.  heart ruffs are unlikely, so I crossed to AD and finessed JH to the Queen.  Ian has a difficcult play now.  Are my hearts KJ, if so he needn't return a diamond now.  Anyway a dimaond must help me, so he plays another spade to reduce my trumps.  I ruff, cash AH and heart ruff, go over to AC and ruff another spade, so my losing heart actually gets ruffed.  I lost a heart, 2 clubs and a diamond for 1 off. Not nearly as good as the 300 we would have got if I had passed.

Felt sorry for Mary & Moura on this hand.  Mary opens 1NT, Len doubles and it is left in. I worried about passing red against green, difficcult to get 800 when you are making 600, but there is nothing sensible for me to do.  ANyway, little did I know.
Len led TH, ducked, small heart to J then AH.  I now played TS to K and A.  Len cashed 4th heart and returned JS, I cashed out the spades and everyone has 4 cards left. Len his 3 diamonds and singleton AC, Mary AQ diamonds and K10 clubs. I played JD to Q and K, Len returns diamond to Ace and Mary has to then play a club to give Len last two tricks. 6 down for 1400. Next time Mary bid 2D!