Report by John Auld

An away match with Worcestershire is always a geography lesson and on Sunday 4th October we discovered the village of Cutnall Green. Nice venue, nice hospitality and nice opponents. Only the results were less than nice being three losses 9-11,1-19 and 4-16.

The teams with Butler imps scores:

Dawes:     John Rolph & Sandy Fulton           - 6

                 Frank Ball & Steve Raine                20

                 Gordon Fullerton & Graham Lee    -35

                 Irene & John Auld                            8

Porter:     Pravin Tailor & Bill Whalley              12

                 Ian Dovey & Shirley Ashtari           -56

                 Wendy Walker & Nick Clark            -21

                 Bernard Moore & Mary Cook          - 58

Markham: Bernard Scanlon & Tim Anderson     1

                 Keith Rodgers & Jackie Parsons        0

                 Clare Batten & Michael Bleaney      -14

                 Dorothy & Chris Close                    -33

Congratulations to Frank and Steve and Pravin and Bill who made a positive contribution.

The Dawes was close at just 10 cross-imps. I lost the match several times over on board 21..

I really did not like 2NT but if I bid 2D and the opponents leap to game then our partnership may not be able judge. Besides we were at favourable vulnerability and everyone would do it. Maybe so but only I went for 1100 with game not bid. However before I get any unexpected sympathy consider what Frank Ball did when doubled in 2NT. He bid 3D- not because it was sure to be better but it sounded like a 6 card suit ,had better intermediaries and was less likely to be doubled. And it was not doubled. I dont know why I did not try 3D after 3C was hit but on this slower sequence North would probably double.

I had a bad day with two suiters. Board 15:

I considered the merits of bidding 2S for the lead but settled for double to show majors. Now South showed long diamonds and they manouvered their way into 3NT. Partner led a heart of course and declarer made 9 tricks of course. With clubs blocked this always makes but a spade to the K and small back may work. I should have bid 2S (no question) or copied Frank again and bid 2NT which takes the space away.

Having admitted to two errors I need to show board 5 where I made the right play albeit without gaining anything:

I led a spade to the Ace and declarer won the continuation. Now he crossed to a diamond and played a club to the King. Having seen all the high cards I was not taxed to duck smoothly. Declarer naturally played his diamonds (while I kept heart and clubs) before losing a club trick. Ace and another heart now secured one off. If I take the Ace at trick 3 then on the run of the diamonds I have problems. Nonetheless this defence was beating 3NT in practise.

Finally board 25 was a  curiousity. How many tricks can you make as declarer holding the weakest hand you have ever seen? 

The answer is 11. Partner scored a handy 600.