This year they are hugely improved players, barely recognisable from 12 months ago. Last year we were discussing Stayman, this year it's Jacoby 2NT. However, learning new conventions has probably done as much harm as good, the real improvement has been in judgement and defence.
Although they have got better the competition has also improved, and this year there were 22 teams. That included a combined High School of Glasgow and Kings College team, featuring my top pair from S2 (aged about 14).
The format was four rounds of five-boards, then the top-four into the semi-final and final. Due to the seeding we had a touch match against Eton in the first round, a team we have had two close matches with already in the Interschools League.
On the first board East-West had 12 tricks in Diamonds and Hearts, but had to contend with every Junior's favourite weapon, the weak opening.
When the Eton North opened 3♠ our East (Harry Stuart) bid 4♦, and although South bid 4♠ our West (Alexander Duncan) bid 5♦ and played there. 
On a Spade lead this took the maximum twelve tricks for 5♦+1.
On the other table our North (Kevin Ren) was allowed to play in 4♠.
The defence took two Hearts and played Diamonds, leaving declarer a Heart loser and the Club suit to deal with. Rather than ruff a Heart with trumps still out, declarer chose to draw trumps first, then ruff a Heart, which found him stuck in dummy. However, leading a low Club from the South hand made life difficult for West, who put in the Ace leading to just one down.
Across the 22 tables the most common result was 5♦+1, with a couple of pairs finding the slam and one getting away with 7♦=.
After a few more swings we won this match narrowly to start with 14/20 VPs.
Next up was St Pauls C, who were the only team fielding a substitute adult - overall it's impressive that with 90 children playing there was only one didn't make it to the start line. The Glasgow team won this match too with a series of small swings, most notably when St Pauls played 2♠ in both rooms!
Across the 22 tables the most common result was 5♦+1, with a couple of pairs finding the slam and one getting away with 7♦=.
After a few more swings we won this match narrowly to start with 14/20 VPs.
Next up was St Pauls C, who were the only team fielding a substitute adult - overall it's impressive that with 90 children playing there was only one didn't make it to the start line. The Glasgow team won this match too with a series of small swings, most notably when St Pauls played 2♠ in both rooms!
When East was declarer he must have been rather disappointed with the 7-0 trump split, but you must also say well done to our South (Michael Kennedy) for not doubling 2♠.
Across the field the most common result was South going down in Spades, Diamonds or NT.
After this we were up to 28/40 VPs. With things looking good we next had the Raffy Sinclair team.
First off we lost 6 IMPs on this one playing in the wrong game:
4♠ looks good until you notice all the Spades in the South hand. You can nearly make it, but can't quite ruff a Club in dummy, and get the Queen of Diamonds. We lost 6 IMPs playing 4♠-2 in one room and conceding 2NT+1 in the other.
The most common result was East-West making eight tricks in Spades or nine in no trumps.
We followed this board by a 3NTx-4 where no one did anything particularly wrong, but it cost a lot, leading to our third match adding just 1 VP to the total. This put us on 29/60 VPs and unlikely to qualify.
In the final round we had St Pauls C team. Our pair who were just chastened in 3NT showed no fear and did it again, this time reaching an impressive 5♣x-6. Luckily they were non-vulnerable so it only cost 1400 points.
The immediate reason for the disaster was running out of trumps, the real reason perhaps not being on the same wavelength about the strength of an Unusual 2NT.
Playing 5♣ is an interesting exercise in damage limitation. In general, when you have a weak two-suited hand like this, the key is to play the second suit as early as possible, even before drawing trumps. This is because you don't mind if they ruff your second suit, in fact it even helps you keep trump control.
Most tables had East-West making game in NT or Spades.
This mishap proved the catalyst for some excellent play, and the team went on to win this match comfortably. Alexander and Harry finished in style as the only pair to bid 6♣.
The immediate reason for the disaster was running out of trumps, the real reason perhaps not being on the same wavelength about the strength of an Unusual 2NT.
Playing 5♣ is an interesting exercise in damage limitation. In general, when you have a weak two-suited hand like this, the key is to play the second suit as early as possible, even before drawing trumps. This is because you don't mind if they ruff your second suit, in fact it even helps you keep trump control.
Most tables had East-West making game in NT or Spades.
This mishap proved the catalyst for some excellent play, and the team went on to win this match comfortably. Alexander and Harry finished in style as the only pair to bid 6♣.
Not a comfortable contract, but a making one when Harry guessed Spades right. Note that 6♣ is a much better contract than 6♠. In 6♣ your trumps are solid enough to survive a 4-1 split, and you can also delay choosing who to play for the Queen of Spades until later in the hand when you might know more.
The normal result was East-West making game in Clubs or Spades.
With this storming finish we took 19 VPs to finish on 48/80. As the final table shows, this was not quite enough to qualify:
In the plate the team played well, with Michael and Kevin doing especially well, to secure some consolation silverware.
Congratulations also to the junior Junior Pair of Niamh and Rachel, who played nicely throughout and were above average on the Butler rankings.
They would have enjoyed this one:
The overall event was won by Haberdashers A beating Loughborough in the final.
The normal result was East-West making game in Clubs or Spades.
With this storming finish we took 19 VPs to finish on 48/80. As the final table shows, this was not quite enough to qualify:
Given that Lucy Norman, Raffy Sinclair and Nina Mauve are all people and not schools, we were in fact 5th of the eligible teams, just 2 VPs behind a semifinal spot. Oh well.
In the plate the team played well, with Michael and Kevin doing especially well, to secure some consolation silverware.
Congratulations also to the junior Junior Pair of Niamh and Rachel, who played nicely throughout and were above average on the Butler rankings.
They would have enjoyed this one:
It's not a perfect bidding sequence - why didn't East reply 1♠? - but my younger teams have been focusing on play, and it was indeed played nicely.
North led a Spade on which our declarer (Rachel) threw a Diamond. Later when South was on lead he tried a low Heart. Declarer put in her T♥ and lost just three tricks overall (two trumps and a Diamond), making with an overtrick a contract that could have gone down.
North led a Spade on which our declarer (Rachel) threw a Diamond. Later when South was on lead he tried a low Heart. Declarer put in her T♥ and lost just three tricks overall (two trumps and a Diamond), making with an overtrick a contract that could have gone down.
The overall event was won by Haberdashers A beating Loughborough in the final.
