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And this is the Wessex League 2023-24 Division 2 table

FINAL SCORE (in our final match of the season)

Blewbury beat Wallingford A
IMPs: 100 to 71
VPs: 14.34 to 5.66

SCORES OF THE SIX TEAMS IN WESSEX LEAGUE DIVISION 2

1st = Banbury A, 69.64
2nd = Blewbury, 69.50 with five wins out of six matches
3rd = Wallingford A, 54.01
4th = Summertown A, 32.17 with one match still to play, but they can't even catch up with Wallingford, let alone us
5th = Abbey Smith A, 30.52 with one match still to play
6th = Oxford D, 24.16

CROSS-IMPs

Finn Clark & Stuart Forsyth (Blewbury) +1.57
Malcolm Cochrane & Shirley Moore (Blewbury) +0.96
Paula Hopkinson & Angela Adams (Wallingford) +0.94
Peter Malpass & Trevor Dawe (Wallingford) +0.44
Diane Bell & Hilary Strang (Blewbury) +0.29
Ian Van Maanen & Matt Wright (Blewbury) -0.32
Brenda Edwards & John Edwards (Wallingford) -1.69
Colin Jones & Gaye Kyle (Wallingford) -2.19

Board 1 = +11 IMPs

Flat in 3NT+2 at all tables, except when defeated by Malcolm and Shirley for 3NT-1.  (Declarer ducked at trick 1, which wasn't his best play.)

Board 2 = +4 IMPs

A quiet heart part-score for West (2♥, 2♥+1, 2♥+1)...  except for Diane and Hilary, who took +300 from 4♣-3 vulnerable.  (The trumps broke 5-1 and N-S had overbid anyway.)

Board 3 = +1 IMP

Two tables made 3NT by North, while two tables played 2♣ by South.  It's an interesting hand.  N-S have only 22 points between the two hands, but South's 13-count can count seven tricks off the top (certainly when North supports clubs).  All auctions begin 1♣ 1♥ 1♠, after which North has to decide how many clubs to bid with J1075 of clubs, a nine-count and a couple of tens.

I think it's a 3♣ bid, personally.  The reason is that North might be forced to bid 2♣ on any old load of rubbish.  Partner can't assume you're showing anything more than a dredged-up false preference, so 3♣ is only a slight stretch and gives partner a much better idea of what you've got for them.  (The bid is "intermediate", i.e. promising ten points or so.)

Board 4 = +15 IMPs

Blewbury bid and made 3NT twice, while Wallingford bid 3♣+2 and 5♣-1.  East has a monster hand and can almost underwrite nine tricks solo, especially if you've managed to squeak a diamond bid from partner (which covers your singleton).

Board 5 = flat but exciting

Two tables bid slam, two bid game.  Everyone made twelve tricks.

Board 6 = -2 IMPs

A very miscellaneous set of results.  2♥ and 4♥-2 by N, as against 3NT-1 and 1NT+3 by E.  I don't think anyone did anything silly.

Board 7 = +6 IMPs

West made 1NT-1, 1NT+2, 3♥-1 and 4♥-1.  Hearts is certainly a better contract than no-trumps, but Stuart was helped by our South leading a generous heart queen at trick five (after the defence had taken four rounds of clubs).  It might have been a misclick.  Best defence takes the first seven tricks, as was achieved by Malcolm and Shirley.

Board 8 = +3 IMPs

I couldn't work out why this wasn't flat.  In fact, it's because Blewbury took +110 (East 3♦) and +100 (East 5♦-2) while only giving away -50 (East 4♦-1) and -50 (South 3♠-1).

Board 9 = +5 IMPs

This one was funny.  Three of the results are normal: 2NT-2 by West, 2♥ by North and 1NT by East.  The fourth table was passed out, after West typed in "12-14 balanced" and then accidentally clicked "pass".  This ended the auction since he was in fourth seat, simply by virtue of how the RealBridge software works, but our hero called the director (me) anyway a couple of hands later because he was unhappy about not being allowed an undo in the auction unlike other people.

Even his partner told him he was talking nonsense.  (Although not in so many words.)

Board 10 = +12 IMPs

As on Board 8, Blewbury collected two +300 scores (East 4♠-3 and South 2♥-3) while the other two tables were quiet 3♣ contracts by E-W, making exactly.

In fairness, though, the 300 scores were given to us by Wallingford's two most successful pairs on the cross-IMPs.  They were bidding aggressively, which is winning pairs tactics.  (But less so when, as here, you're vulnerable and only have a 4-3 trump fit.)

Board 11 = -7 IMPs

Stuart and I played in 3NT-4, amazingly undoubled.  (Who overbid?  Personally, I think my 3♦ bid would have been wrong had North not stuck in a bid, but I think it's okay after the intervention because it's now no longer forcing.)

All declarers went off, though.  There was also a 4♥-3 by West, a 4♠-1 by North and a 5♠x-2 by South.

Board 12 = +3 IMPs

Unremarkable part-score deal.  West played 2♠ everywhere except at our table, where North-South decided it would be more fun to give away 200 in 3♥-2 vulnerable.

Board 13 = -1 IMP

Diamond part-scores by South.

Board 14 = -5 IMPs

3NT by North everywhere except after the auction that went 1♠ 1NT 2♠.  (With eighteen points and AKQ864 of spades, a jump rebid looks normal.)

Board 15 = +12 IMPs

Ian and Matt made 4♥+1, whereas everyone else in that contract went off.  (Stuart and I stopped in 2♠ and we agreed afterwards that I'd underbid my hand.)

Board 16 = +14 IMPs

North is 6-5 in the minors, South has a 7-card heart suit and East-West have an 11-card spade fit.  Wow.  Both Wallingford Norths played in 6♦, going off when the defence cash two aces.  Diana and Hilary stopped in 5♦ (making), while Malcolm and Shirley stopped in 5♥ (also making).

The auction at our table was interesting.  Stuart correctly didn't open 2♠ on the West hand, because it also contained four of the other major.  (A876 of hearts.  And a void.  Personally, I'd almost call 1♠ a better bid than 2♠.)  North quietly opened 1♦, I overcalled 1♠ and Stuart just about managed not to fall off his chair.  South doubled to show four hearts (which seems like a mis-description when holding KQJ9542 of them), North showed her second suit at the five level (as you do), South rebid hearts (having discovered on recounting that seven is greater than four) and Stuart started doubling.

5♥ fails against best defence.  The defence can take two aces and a diamond ruff.

Board 17 = -9 IMPs

We conceded -800 (non-vulnerable) from 4♥x-4.  One defender held AJ8654 of trumps.

Board 18 = +4 IMPs

The Blewbury North-Souths peacefully made 170 and 140 in spades, while the Blewbury East-Wests conceded -50 and -100 by competing in the minors.  That's the kind of result that wins matches.  Games and slams are important too, obviously, but these little part-score hands add up.

Board 19 = -9 IMPs

This time, we were on the wrong side of the part-score battle...  but I don't think we did anything silly.  Every table played in a different denomination.  3♣-1 by East, 2♥-1 by West, 2NT by West and 3♦-1 by South (yes).

Board 20 = -12 IMPs

Again, various miscellaneous-looking results.  Unfortunately, one of them was 1NT-3 vulnerable.

Board 21 = +10 IMPs

Wallingford played in 4♠-1 and 4♥-2, while Blewbury played in 2♥ and 2♥+2.  Game looks attractive despite the sub-par point count (14 opposite 9) because you've got a double fit in the majors and a singleton in North's diamonds...  but it's actually trickier than it looks.  Hearts plays better than spades even though it's a worse suit, because the diamond singleton's better placed to help declarer keep control.

Board 22 = -14 IMPs

Wallingford made 4♠ twice, while Blewbury went off in 4♠-1 and 3♠-1.  Personally, I think it's quite a tricky hand.

Board 23 = -6 IMPs

A part-score hand on three tables, but 4♠-3 at the fourth.  (In fairness, that's another difficult hand for declarer.  Even 2♠ failed at our table, making exactly the same seven tricks.)

The 4♠-3 auction saw South opening a wildly off-centre 2♥, presumably looking for a swing given the terrible scoreline for Wallingford going into the final session.  (South had a ten-count with only jack to five hearts.)  West overcalled 2♠ and East's raise to 4♠ looks normal given that, but a good general principle is "overcall weak bids with good hands and good bids with weak hands".  If the opponents open an Acol Strong Two, you can make a nuisance of yourself with tram tickets and a bit of shape.  If the opponents open a Weak Two, though, it's good tactics to expect a good hand for an overcall because it's such a common situation and your partner will often (as here) need to judge whether or not to bid game.

Board 24 = -6 IMPs

Three spade part-scores, one 4♠-1.  I don't mind the 4♠ contract, actually.  It's a bit thin, but we've all bid thinner and it would have been triumphant had it made.

And that's the end of the 2023-24 Wessex League season!  We finished second, only a hair behind first place and well ahead of the rest of the pack.  This will probably put us in Division 1 next year, which will be a laugh.  (Nothing to worry about.  It's only a game of bridge.  Has Blewbury ever reached Division 1 before?)  Many thanks to everyone who participated this year, achieving a result that's probably better than anyone would have predicted!

We also achieved this while giving a game to as many people as possible, which I'd announced as a goal at the beginning.  No pair played in all five matches.  Nine different pairs played...  and I'm sure we'll play even more next year.  Mix it up.  Try different partners.  The more the merrier!

Thanks again to everyone!