1: We began with a hand with a moderate fit only:
?
...............Q107
...............9653
...............873
...............Q86
4.............................K532
74...........................KQJ8
J10954...................Q6
AK543....................J92
...............AJ986
...............A102
...............AK2
...............107
?
After East opened 1C, South might have begun with a double or a 1S overcall; probably 1S followed by a double of a 2C raise from West feels best. West has a nearly invitational hand in clubs and can compete comfortably to 3C. It may have been a difficult hand for Jerik, as they had to open a catchall 1D, but they ended as one of six pairs in 3C, just played by West instead of East. One South threw in a 1NT overcall without a club stopper; one N-S pair competed three-over-three to 3S. One West got too excited and went on to 4Cx E.
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The Law underperforms here largely because E-W have distributional values that do them no substantial good and because there is no entry to the North hand. South in spades might be able to endplay East if West starts with the top clubs but that is all for declaring prospects. Defending clubs South can cash out and eventually North collects a trump trick. Hank (B) began with the E-W top for 3C E =: diamond ace, club to queen, heart to jack and ace and then South led a second club rather than cashing out; this let Hank draw trumps, discard dummy's spade on the third heart and then establish the diamonds. In some cases it would help declarer to play the queen of hearts rather than the jack first in order to avoid the suggestion of holding KQJ, which flags the potential discard of the spade, although here it does not seem to help much with so few honours missing from South's point of view. All other declarers in clubs took eight tricks, with Leighry off to a fast start for defending 4Cx -2.
?
The most interesting contract was the one-off 1NT S. If West leads a low club dummy likely ducks and then E-W get at least -1. If West starts with a top club and then shifts declarer can lose a spade and come to at least seven tricks, while establishing the clubs (or dummy's rising with the queen) leads to a spectacular nine.
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4Cx E -2 vs Leighry
3C E -2 vs Jevin
3C E -1 vs Study, Heve and Shane; 3C W -1 vs Delen
1NT S -1 vs Keianne
3S S -2 vs Glotin
3C E = by Hank (B)
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2: North and West had hands against each other:
?
...............Q2
...............A54
...............K974
...............AK103
K4........................AJ965
Q9........................8732
AQ1083................J2
QJ42.....................75
...............10873
...............KJ106
...............65
...............986
?
West usually opened 1D and North overcalled 1NT. This was left in five times, with one contract of 2NT N. West also declared 2D, 2S and 3D, 2S coming after a 1NT opening bid and transfer.
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3D took eight tricks and 2D six tricks. Five tricks seems about the defensive minimum; avoiding getting too active in clubs might be the key to doing better. 2S seemed almost sure of at least -1 but Erik managed a make. The problem with the no-trumps contracts is that there was not only a two-way finesse in hearts but that the queen dropped doubleton. Rich and Leigh Ann made 1NT N; Lark were E-W top defending 1NT N -2. When one table timed out I left in the average assigned to the 2NT N contract, as the hearts had not been touched and East's HCP had all been played.
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2D W -2 vs Jevin
1NT N = by Leigh Ann and Rich
3D W -1 vs Carthurl
1NT N -1 vs Jernj and Glotin
1NT N -2 vs Lark
2S W = by Erik
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3: E-W had what looked like a flat 4S +1:
?
AQJ653
QJ9
43
A2
?
K74
10
KQ1097
KQ93
?
The only real point of interest in the auction is whether West raises East's 1S response to 2S or rebids 2C and then shows the spades over a likely Fourth Suit Forcing. East has the wrong sort of hand to have good play for 6S opposite a minimum hand: AQJ653 QJ9 A43 2 would offer play opposite various hands with an ace and three kings but the actual hand would seem to need more. Everyone reached 4S E exactly.
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With trumps 2-2 and diamonds 3-3 (ace with North, jack with South) it seemed likely that everyone would take eleven tricks. Study's opponent only took twelve, declarer discarding two hearts on the third and fourth clubs and losing the fourth club when that heart loser could have been trumped.
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4S E = vs Study
4S E +1 by Jerry, Jim, Ken, Gloria, Harold, Mark, Larry and Hank (B)
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4: This had a possible sacrifice or could also have been flat:
?
...............872
...............QJ4
...............J
...............AQ10975
----............................AK109
A653.........................K1072
A65432.....................Q1097
K82...........................3
...............QJ6543
...............98
...............K8
...............J64
?
West opened 1D; if North overcalled either 2C or 3C East had an easy negative double and then 4H should have been reached. Only one pair did not play 4H W; the auction was 1D-3C-3H. No N-S pair was tempted to try either 5Cx or 4Sx, both just as well avoided.
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Either sacrifice would have produced +800 for E-W, if not more. With hearts 3-2 and diamonds 2-1, 4H should make in comfort, but declarer wants to keep at least one high spade in the East hand in order to be sure of an entry to the dummy. Randi set 4H after a spade lead when declarer took the ace-king and then drew all three rounds of trumps - a third spade forced declarer and killed the diamonds. Heve also set 4H. Five declarers, however, took eleven tricks, likely after the opening lead of the diamond jack.
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4H W -1 vs Heve and Randi
3H E +1 vs Jevin
4H W = vs Shane
4H W +1 by Erik, Diane, Jatin, Lee and Hara
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5: E-W were in trouble on this hand:
?
AKJ8
65
A72
KJ105
?
542
KJ
6542
AQ43
?
A 1NT opening bid and a contract of 3NT looked inevitable. One East did not open 1NT and eventually declared 2S. All the other pairs with their 26 HCP duly arrived in the expected 3NT E.
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Although, looking at only two hands, one would want the West hand to declare to protect the heart holding from the opening lead, 3NT turned out better most of the time when declared by East. South's hearts were Q1094 and North's A8732. Even if South led the ten or nine at trick one, the temptation was great to play the four-spot on the second round and block the suit. Randi and Jevin managed -3 and -2 against 3NT E, likely after a misguess on the opening lead. When East guessed the lead correctly and finessed the jack, then South blocked the suit on the second round, declarer lost the spade finesse but, when South could neither cash nor reach the fifth heart, there was a second chance if South discarded a spade on a long club. Four declarers backed into 3NT = via either a discard or a spade lead from Q973 instead of a heart from Q1094. This left the quiet 2S E = in the middle.
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3NT E -3 vs Randi
3NT E -2 vs Jevin
3NT E -1 vs Delen and Carthurl
2S E = by Hank (B)
3NT E = by Jerry, Ken, Gloria and Harold
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6: This was Ruth's great triumph of the day and against her favourite victims:
?
...............109754
...............1097
...............52
...............K98
K3..........................A86
K642......................8
KJ987....................63
52...........................AQJ10763
...............QJ2
...............AQJ53
...............AQ104
...............4
?
Some Easts opened 1C, some 3C and Jim (I hope) the natural/limited 2C rather than 1D. South overcalled in hearts or perhaps doubled. All the auctions I saw were competitive, eventually reaching at least 3C, which was the final contract thrice. I saw one auction 3C-3H-3NT-P; only for East to lose courage and pull to 4C, which was played four times. Rurry arrived in 3NT and stayed there; the ninth contract was 4Hx N. 3NT would be a good deal more appealing if the diamond king-jack were the ace - not only a fast trick but a first-round stopper to prevent the possibility of a potentially deadly combination of diamond lead with heart switch.
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With the clubs behaving and all the red honours where West could wish, 3NT could not have failed. Ruth needed only nine tricks for the E-W top.
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As occasionally happens in sacrifices, the operation succeeded but the patient died, as 4Hx -3 did better than game but scored worse than all the partials. The seven club contracts took eleven tricks twice, ten six times and only nine once.
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4C E -1 vs Study
3C E +1 vs Carthurl and Shane; 4C E = vs Louebe and Leighry
3C E +2 by Mark; 4C E +1 by Ken
4Hx S -3 vs Lara
3NT W = by Ruth
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7: N-S had what looked like an easy time of it in 4H:
?
7
KJ876
AK3
6543
?
K10862
A105
5
AKQ7
?
South opened 1S and there was a chance of the hearts being shut out of the auction: 1S-1NT; 2C-2NT would likely have led to 3NT, which was the contract thrice, along with 3H N, 4H N four times and one lonely 5C S.
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The play in 4H seemed simple enough - trump a diamond, then lead ace and ten of hearts. There might be a slightly tricky spot if a spade had not been played first, as, in that case, there would have been no quick entry back to declarer's hand to draw trumps. With West holding the doubleton queen in hearts and the clubs splitting 3-2, there was no way to prevent declarer from taking twelve tricks. Leigh Ann and Rich did post +680; one of the other two declarers scored +650 and one only +620. 3NT yielded ten tricks to all three declarers for the middle score.
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4H N +2 by Leigh Ann and Rich
4H N +1 by Sharon
3NT N +1 by Louise, Hank (V) and Kevin
4H N = vs Rurry; 5C S +1 vs Lara
3H N +3 vs Haorge
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8: This was a trap for N-S:
?
KQ3
K8
10
AKQ7643
?
1087
QJ754
QJ54
8
?
Seeing just the two hands the two tens seem to make it possible for N-S to sneak home with nine tricks in no-trumps. If the diamond honours were divided 3NT N had a good chance of doing rather well. Two Norths tried a 3NT rebid after 1C-1H. One South passed 1C, which was left in. The usual rebid was 3C, which became the contract five times. The last contract was 6Cx N.
?
East held the ace-king of diamonds, West the major aces. This made it seem that 3NT would come in for the N-S top, but the clubs happened to split 4-1, with East holding J1092. Both declarers in 3NT got out for one down because of the kind position of the major cards. Club contracts took eight tricks once, nine tricks five times and ten for Louise to give her the N-S top.
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3C N +1 by Louise
3C N = Helen, Hank (V), Leigh Ann and Rich
1C N +1 vs Lara
3NT N -1 vs Lark and Rurry
6Cx N -3 vs Keianne
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9: Here was a slightly offbeat balancing decision:
?
...............A62
...............964
...............Q93
...............A1082
Q43........................1098
105.........................KQJ873
J1062.....................A5
K975.......................Q4
...............KJ75
...............A2
...............K874
...............J63
?
?East opened 1H and South doubled. West usually bid 1NT, which kept North from getting too excited. The auctions generally crept along. At some point East bid 2H, which was passed around to North. Five Norths passed; two bid 3C and played the hand there; two Norths came in with 2S and played the hand there.
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It looked as if 2H would make on the number. A club lead from South would allow declarer to establish a trick if North played the ten or ace, but even then it was unlikely declarer would be able to cash it. Mark took nine tricks in 2H while Louebe and Heve were allowed a set. Sharon and Rich tied for N-S top by both making 2S, which seems a likely enough outcome, especially if East's doubleton ace of diamonds is led or crashed. 3C took seven or eight tricks for middle results.
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2S N = by Sharon and Rich
2H E -1 vs Louebe and Heve
3C N -1 vs Ritold
3C N -2 vs Rurry
2H E = by Ken and Hank (B)
2H E +1 by Mark
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10: This was also a partial battle:
?
...............A85
...............Q9842
...............105
...............Q95
7..............................KQJ10
AJ753......................K6
KJ4..........................9732
K1043......................876
...............96432
...............10
...............AQ86
...............AJ2
?
Here several Souths finally found their sense of adventure. Some Souths opened 1S on a hand which was desperate not to see a 2H response from North. Fortunately North just raised to 2S, whether West did or did not overcall, and equally fortunately West did not double and give East the opportunity to pass with three certain trump tricks. 2S was also reached after South passed and backed in later at tables where East chose to respond 1NT instead of 1S. One West was left in 1NT (an interesting choice of rebid, though there was no reason not to select 2C and two in 2H. 2S S was the contract four times. Higher contracts were 2NT W and 3Hx W.
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Lee managed to take eight tricks in 2H; the other declarers took seven. Seven looks like doing quite well enough against enterprising defence. 2S had to go down at least one trick; a trump lead was the ticket to a two-trick set by preventing a diamond ruff. Leighry were E-W top defending 2S -2 while N-S top was Jevin's defending 3Hx -1.?
?
3Hx W -2 vs Jevin
2H W -1 vs Randi
2S S -1 by Carl, Phoebe and Steve (G)
2H W = by Lee
1NT W +1 by Ruth
2NT W +1 by George
2S S -2 vs Keianne
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11: E-W had another nasty-looking game:
?
...............A7
...............965
...............J1076
...............Q952
Q32...........................K84
J874..........................AK
542............................KQ98
AK10.........................8643
...............J10965
...............Q1032
...............A3
...............J7
?
It looks as if East will open 1NT and West will get to 3NT as a matter of course (two pairs stopped in 2NT) after Stayman.
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Looking at just the two hands, where does declarer go for tricks? The best hope is in diamonds, but East is unlikely to finesse the nine or eight on the first round and even then three diamond tricks are unlikely to be quite enough. No third trick will come from clubs and one should not come from hearts either. The spade break is most fortuitous. South likely leads the jack of spades and declarer must hope that for the actual position, that North holds ace doubleton (or singleton). This is much easier now that so many pairs lead the ten or nine to show zero or two higher cards in a suit; the jack will never be from AJ109x. In the olden days declarer would win the jack with the king and hope the lead came from AJ10 - now doubtless Bill has a story to tell of how he once held AJ109x and tricked declarer with Kxx opposite Qxx by leading the jack first pretending it was from J109xx, then following with the ten later in the hand and inducing declarer to duck. Randi and Jevin both posted -3, presumably after declarer rising on a spade lead in dummy. Two other pairs posted -2. Jim went plus in 2NT =; only Mark made 3NT after a correct read on the spades and a switch that turned out to be helpful. Spade jack to king, club to ten and queen, diamond jack to king and ace, spade ten to ace and Mark had his contract by finessing North for the diamond ten. He even made an overtrick when North discarded a club on the third spade.
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3NT E -3 vs Randi and Jevin
3NT E -2 vs Carthurl and Shane
2NT E -1 by Hank (B); 3NT E -1 vs Harold and Linda
2NT E = by Jim
3NT E +1 by Mark
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12: Some E-w pairs went looking for slam:
?
...............4
...............J642
...............92
...............Q109732
AK62.........................9875
95..............................AQ8
KQ.............................A10653
AK865.......................4
...............QJ103
...............K1073
...............J874
...............J
?
This was a tough one for 1S responders, at least in theory. Nobody moved over 1C-1S; 4S, although opposite AKxx Kx KQ Axxxx or AKxx xx KQx AKxx one would rather be in slam than not. But the weak trumps ruled and here it was just as well. By a 5-4 margin East responded 1D instead of 1S. One West rebid 2NT and declared 3NT. The other Wests rebid spades and only half the time settled for game, stopping in 4S twice, 5S and 6S. From West's point of view slam is quite likely - Qxxx Ax A10xxx xx is a favourite to make 6S. The 5S auction was interesting; Erik knew Jim already held the two aces because Jim showed controls in response to 1C but Erik used 4NT to ask about the spade queen and stopped when it was missing - just as well. South missed the opportunity to double 5H; a heart lead more or less guarantees the set, but it is not at all clear South wants a heart lead with West holding the bulk of the E-W power.
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The only saving grace about the hand was that South held the spade length and not North, but a heart lead is actually devastating. Heart to ace, diamond king, diamond queen, club ace, maybe one or two rounds of trumps and then a club ruff looks all right, but South overruffs and even 4S could be in danger. Similarly 3NT was just completely out of sorts with none of the suits behaving and Jevin set the contract with no difficulty. Louebe were N-S top defeating 6Sx; in 4S declarer took eleven tricks three times. 5S did not receive a heart lead and the hand timed out with declarer able to force eleven tricks but unlikely to do so; I let the assigned result of average stand as the successful line was a guess.
?
6Sx W -1 vs Louebe
3NT W -1 vs Jevin; 4S W -1 vs Carthurl
4S E = by Mark; 4S W = by Hara
4S E +1 by Jerry, Ken and Harold
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13: Here was another possible sacrifice:
?
...............K4
...............K8764
...............KJ73
...............72
AJ9872................Q106
----.......................Q93
Q986....................1054
1084.....................AQ93
...............53
...............AJ1052
...............A2
...............KJ65
?
Looking at either pair of hands game seems likely for N-S and unlikely but not impossible for E-W. E-W need three of four finesses, N-S one of two with the hearts behaving. The auction seems likely to begin P-P-1H-2S and then either 3S or 4H from North; will East carry on at equal vulnerability? One auction ended in 3H S; 4H S was played six times. Two E-W pairs competed over 4H, with 4Sx once and 5H once.
?
Assuming South has the sense to play West for the potential spade void after the weak jump overcall declarer wraps up eleven tricks in hearts with ease, although Lark set 5H and Lara even set 4H. 4Sx had terrible luck with all four finesses failing. West's only hope would have been had the clubs been played last of all after some heart ruffs for an elimination and endplay but it was not to be and Randi wrapped up the N-S top defending 4Sx -3. Had just one finesse gone the other way it would have been a fine score for E-W.
?
4Sx W -3 vs Randi
4H S +1 by Judy, Dee, Phoebe, Steve (G) and Jeff
3H S +2 vs Jernj
4H S -1 vs Lara; 5H S -1 vs Lark
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14: It would have been entertaining to see North as dealer on this:
?
...............J
...............J10
...............AKQJ1053
...............J75
AK1082......................53
K8..............................AQ542
942.............................87
Q102..........................A863
...............Q9764
...............9763
...............6
...............K94
?
North as dealer might have opened with the Gambling 3NT. South would probably have run to 4C, which North would have corrected to 4D. It seems unclear that either East or West would have been able to find a double.?4D and 3NT both look like being -2, although the defence can do better against 3NT and 4D is certainly much safer. Usually West?opened 1S with North overcalling and repeating diamonds, playing 3D five times, East likely being put off by West's having opened in third position. One North played a surprising 2NT, one west competed to 3S and played it there, and one North took a late push to 4D. Jerik?derived benefit from their system in its allowing light opening bids due to the limited upper end. Their auction was 1H-P-1S-4D; P-P-X. North reasonably wanted to make E-W guess at a high level, but with East's opening the bidding West could bring down the axe with some confidence.?
?
The diamond contracts all yielded eight tricks to declarer except for a bit of an escape for Hank, who took nine so that his 4D -1 would match the 3D -1 at most other tables. 2NT was unfortunately two tricks down against Keianne and Jerik were E-W top defending 4Dx -2. Shane were able to set 3S W for the only N-S plus - good on them for letting E-W take the bid.
?
3S W -1 vs Shane
3D N -1 by Steve (R), Helen, Chiss, Louise and Leigh Ann; 4D N -1 by Hank (V)
2NT N -2 vs Keianne
4Dx N -2 vs Jerik
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15: With West calling before North, this hand often fell flat:
?
...............Q1098
...............AQ65
...............AKQJ
...............J
AK42.................J63
9........................KJ1084
94......................862
KQ10874...........92
...............75
...............732
...............10753
...............A653
?
This might have been an interesting hand had North been dealer, as those Souths who respond with an ace might come in and then North could be off to the races. The Blue Club auction would have been 2D-2H; 2NT-3D. But with North not dealing West opened 1C and North doubled. This still looked promising enough, but P-1C-X-1H; P-1S often took most of the starch out of the North hand. 1S W was played thrice, as was 3C W. One North played 2D and one South 3D; our most intrepid N-S pair found their way to 3NT S.
?
3NT was doomed; declarer could at best have cashed out for -3 for the same bottom as the -5 that was posted against Keianne. North had points but not quite enough fast tricks: Qxxx AQ AKQJxx x would have at least provided an even shot at the contract. 3C was -1 so long as North resisted the temptation to lead a spade and avoided the endplay. Beginning with three rounds of diamonds allowed a possible make; declarer could play on trumps and then South would have to avoid the natural line of winning the second or third trump and then leading the fourth diamond. North does not want West to lead a first round of hearts when North cannot win the ace and get out with the last diamond to avoid a major continuation and the spoiling of the spade trick. NJ managed to make 3C to tie Lee and Ruth in 1S +1 for 6/8. Diamond contracts could have been dodgy against club attacks but West's starting with a high spade was just what Dee needed to make 3D S for the N-S top.?
?
3D S = by Dee
2D N = by Chiss
3C W -1 vs Study and Shane
1S W = by Linda
1S W +1 by Lee and Ruth; 3C W = by NJ
3NT S -5 vs Jerik
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16: This became a question of coping with competition:
?
...............Q106432
...............J74
...............A9
...............92
KJ97.........................A5
9...............................K1052
K42...........................J8
QJ1073.....................AK654
...............8
...............AQ863
...............Q107653
...............8
?
As South sat there in hopes of seeing East open the bidding 1C or 1S, North opened 2S and then it was up to seeing how E-W coped. 2S was left in twice. East usually overcalled 3C and then it was a question of how West chose to encourage. We ended in 3NT E twice, 3NT W twice and 4C E twice. One East doubled, resulting in a contract of 5C W.
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3NT turned out to fail more often than not. Against 3NT E, Phoebe channeled the late Bill Dyckes, declined to lead partner's suit holding a singleton and led a heart, -1. Kevin, sitting North against 3NT W, led ace and another diamond, also -1. Harold received a spade lead against 3NT E, established a third trick in spades early and eventually had to be given a red-suit trick; he actually managed to make an overtrick. Randi were N-S top defending 3NT W -3 when declarer decided to try leading a diamond to the king, not unreasonably playing South for the ace, but the courage shown was not rewarded. Ruth made 5C on a much quieter line. Declarer has a cute play?in 5C. Best defence is a heart lead so that South does not get endplayed into leading a red card later but even after a heart lead and trump switch declarer has a resource - run the spade jack through North. Jack, queen, ace and the eight drops, giving West a ruffing finesse against the ten. What a lucky seven-spot! One could not try that play against Marge, though, as she would likely have opened 2S on ten-high.
?
3NT W -3 vs Randi
3NT E -1 vs Louebe and Jevin
2S N -1 by Judy and Dee
4C E +1 by Hank (B) and Linda
5C W = by Ruth
3NT E +1 by Harold
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17: Here was a slam if the right choice were made:
?
...............872
...............3
...............AK9642
...............952
A9........................KQJ543
AKQ1098.............4
Q105.....................3
AQ........................KJ843
...............106
...............J7652
...............J87
...............1076
?
E-W might try any of four different slams and?slams in three denominations were bid at a total of five tables. If North had not held a 2D opening bid the number would likely have been higher. East would presumably have opened 1S and then it would have been all systems go for West. N-S get a little lucky here if they play Flannery as then North has to open 3D and either East passes or a 3S overcall does not leave West room for a forcing bid. After a 2D opening bid the auction might reasonably be something like 2D-2S-P-3H; P-3S-P-5NT if E-W play that as asking partner to pick a slam. One West got left in 3H on such an auction and I shall guess another auction went 3D-3S-P-4H. One East finished in 4S and one West in 4NT; the other E-W pairs all got to slams: 6Hx W, 6 E twice, 6NT?W and 6NTx W. Sharon prudently avoided doubling 6NT, the only contract she knew for certain she could set. Had East held a diamond void instead of a singleton, it would have been dreadful to see a pull from 6NTx to 7S =. Phoebe got away with a double of 6H; East might well have pulled to 6S. (I am reminded of the STaC game in which the Baushers played together?- the evening Gerri Frankel and Ilona showed up at different clubs after I had given them the first sitout. There was a cold grand slam in?7C or 7NT but 7S would be down because one opponent held J1092 in the suit. 7S was unwisely doubled. Phyllis did not pull to 7NT but Larry made 7Sx by tricking doubler into ruffing low.)
?
Nobody did anything strange against 6NT, which went -1, and Phoebe's fifth heart meant that 6H could not quite make. Declarer would have needed to be able to lead from dummy at will. Spade contracts took twelve tricks after a diamond lead and all thirteen otherwise. Club contracts would have done the same.
?
6Hx W -1 vs Louebe; 6NTx W -1 vs Heve
6NT W -1 vs Shane
3H W +2 vs Delen
4H W = by NJ
4NT W +1 by George
4S E +3 by Gloria
6S E +1 by Jim and Linda
?
18: This looked like a calm 3NT:
?
...............KJ
...............KJ65
...............KJ5
...............K965
43...............................Q952
Q942..........................1073
A642...........................1087
AJ2.............................1083
...............A10876
...............A8
...............Q93
...............Q74
?
Here we had two textbook examples of a classic auction. At most tables South opened 1S and N-S reached 3NT, four times by South and thrice by North. Two Wests began with a light takeout double, only to be roundly punished by Randi and Jevin. At both tables North redoubled. This was not pleasant for East, who had no length in an unbid suit. South passed the redouble, appropriately. One West ran to 2H and the other to 2D. Over 2H North brought down the hammer at once, doubling for penalties. North might have done the same over 2D or could perhaps have passed, forcing South to do something and then South had no reason to suggest an alternative to defending 2Dx.
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Five down might have been possible against either 2Dx or 2Hx, but the difference between -4 and -5 was basically nil while the difference between -3 and -4 was everything given the vulnerability. Both Randi and Jevin played carefully and secured their +800 scores. In 3NT there just weren't enough likely losers to make five, although nor are there enough winners to make ten. Keianne posted a set when declarer missed that the club nine would be the ninth trick, overtook the spade king with the ace and then had to lose to both the queen and nine of spades.
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2Dx W -4 vs Jevin; 2Hx W -4 vs Randi
3NT S = vs Jerik, Glotin, Lark and Haorge; 3NT N = vs Ritold and Lark
3NT N -1 vs Keianne
