SBU Bronze League Division 2 - vs Pentland Panthers

Phil and I did a bit better tonight. My main regret was when I had a trump suit of

♠AQxxx 

 ♠T9xx.

I could afford one loser. The right play as I well know, and advised Anna of the other day, is to play the Ace. This gains when there is a singleton honour offside, and doesn't cost anything. The only time you might lose out is if there is ♠KJx(x) onside, when you could have made an overtrick. But seeing as I was in a contract that started with four top losers, I would have been very happy just to make it.

Here is the full deal.

A weird auction as I didn't know what Phil's 3♣ bid meant. I guessed it was a splinter (as I had good Clubs myself), but we ended in 4♠ which isn't a bad spot.

When it came to playing the trumps I led the ♠T, which looked fine when I picked up the Jack, but later a suprise ruff in Clubs cost me. Laying down the ♠A would have have let me clear trumps with just one loser.

4♠-1 was a small gain against 4♠-2 but it could have been more.

Here is a hand that Phil played really nicely. We have once again overbid, and 5♠ looks doomed with three top losers.

The only hope is to find the Ace of Hearts onside, and for the defence to not take their tricks. Phil gave himself the best chance by playing Hearts immediately, before drawing trumps. Then when the Ace won, West crossed over to East's Ace of Diamonds. Because Phil had left trumps out, East didn't know if he should be giving his partner a Club ruff, or if he should try and cash a Diamonds. There are clues out there, but the defence got it wrong and we survived in 5♠

The other table played 4♠+1 on the ♥A lead so the board was flat.

On the other table Harry and Michael had a good game and we won by 32 IMPs.