On our table we had 24 boards against cblackeyes and Bbigelow, who played a fast and accurate game. We were on good form, and didn't make many mistakes. But our opponents had the cards so we didn't have much to do. They stretched to bid games and compete in partscores, so Anna and I did a lot of defending.
The first board was typical:
It's not common to overcall a 2NT opening, but I felt like wading in. I could have maybe improvised a 3NT bid (undiscussed, but presumably minors?) but stuck with my best suit and 3♣. South had a think then pulled out 6♥. This is not without risk, as if I have ♣KQ and an outside Ace it's going down. However, this time he hit the jackpot with a very suitable dummy. ♥AKxx isn't bad support.
South could have bid an invitational 5♥ (which here North would have had an easy raise of), but I like the direct 6♥ too.
I thought about doubling 6♥ to try and get a Spade lead, but this has two problems. Firstly, we don't play Lightner doubles. Secondly, even if I do get a Spade ruff the score is just 6♥x= instead of 6♥+1.
Anna led a Club and declarer soon wrapped up 13 tricks. Our team-mates David and Heather also found 6♥ (after East overcalled a conventional 2♦ opening with 2NT). In the other match Bonnyton had an unopposed auction to 7♥ (well done Steve Male and Martin Diamond), and on the last table East came in with 4NT so North-South stopped in 5♥. So definitely a good hand for interfering in the auction.
If I do show both minors perhaps Anna would have sacrificed in 7♦. This has four top losers (-800), with maybe a fifth if the defence get their ♦Q (-1100). So not a great sacrifice.
Overall this was a good board for Bonnyton, and their extra 1000 points turned out to be roughly the final difference, and they ran out 11-5 winners. As we are minnows in Division 1 we accepted that as not a bad result.
Over the evening Anna and I only made two games, but we did collect +500 for this defence:
I made a 3♣ overcall, which I thought would probably be fairly ineffective, and South bid a prompt 3NT. The ♣Qxx stopper doesn't look like much, but even if Anna has ♣Axx and I have ♣Kxxxxxx it's going to be enough. But not this time.
Anna led a low Club, and I won the King and returned a Club. There's a high danger of us blocking the suit, but luckily I returned the ♣8, and when Anna had cleared the suit she played the ♣9 to my ♣T. On the run of Clubs declarer is in trouble, and after I cleared the Spades Anna took the last two, for a splendid 3NT-5.
Anna did very well not to double, as the opponents then have an easy escape to 5♦ (+1).
On the other table Bonnyton were East-West and played 5♣-4, for a total of 9 undertricks on the board. In the other match is was 3NT= and 3NT-1, so a good one for Team Rowan.
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