1. The par result was 5©* – 2 (300), saving against an unbreakable 4ª but this only happened at one table, ours. The Talbots and Talbots were allowed to pick up their 420, along with three Staffs EWs. Hayes/Price opted to defend 4©* and took only 100 so the ‘A’ team lost 11 IMPs but the ‘B’ team got that back because Bennett/Noble managed to buy a heart contract even lower.

East, dealer at green, has a choice between opening 3© and 4© but I would say that it’s clearly a 3© bid, albeit a lot better than some 3© openings at this vulnerability. Goldsmith took a good (lucky?) view to raise to four. But the Fearnheads’ oppos passed 3© out, as did Noble/Bennett’s oppos. I don’t have many of the other auctions.

With North holding 3-3-4-3, including §K but not ªK, it wasn’t really possible to find a line to go off in 6©. The Duttons got away with the slightly inferior 6§ but the only Oxon pair to stay out of slam were Hayes/Price. They bid 1© - 2§ - 3¨ - 3© - 3NT - 4© - Pass. A little pessimistic on both sides, perhaps? Staffs’ ‘B’ team EWs also missed the slam so the ‘B’ team gained 25 IMPs.

Even a part score may be tricky as South in 2ª found at our table (one off). But the Fearnheads stretched to an iffy 3NT (played by Alex [N]) after West had opened 1§.

The diamond lead was won by West’s Queen and he exited in hearts to dummy’s Queen. After a successful spade finesse, Alex cashed ªK and played a diamond to the Jack and Ace. After cashing three spades, a heart was led off dummy and West was eventually compelled to concede a tenth trick.

McPhee/Lonsdale were one off in 4© after §10 lead while Hayes/Price found they couldn’t beat 3©. The Duttons were unlucky that their oppos bid 3NT but the Lintotts more than got that back after this sequence:

Probably not too hard if you get a clear run at it but that wasn’t likely at this vulnerability. At our table, North opened a strong 1§, I overcalled 3§, South doubled (3¨ would be better) and Goldsmith bid 5§. Too late for NS to recover now: North could only bid 5ª and South had no reason to go on.

Three pairs bid 6¨ and one pair bid 6ª, one for each side in each match.. The Fearnheads only had intervention as far as 2© and got to 6¨ comfortably via Blackwood. Bennett/Noble’s oppos competed up to 4© but Bennett (S) bid one for the road over 4ª and was raised to six. Hayes/Price’s oppos had a clear run after opening 2ª.

McPhee/Lonsdale had a novel way of getting a clear run at it — Lonsdale opened 4¨ showing an Acol two in spades. What could South do but bid 4ª and there they played. Ours is not to reason why, but ... is this going to give you enough space to explore hands effectively?

6. The boot fitting comfortably on the other foot. West has the big hand but North has the WJO in clubs at green. Since East has a 4-2-4-3 three count, West is going to have to make all the running if 4© is to be reached. Goldsmith took a cautious view and stopped in 3© and game was only made at two tables, by the Duttons and against Bennett/Noble.

Hayes/Price had opted to pass out 3© when South reopened with 4§. Since he has a 3-4-3-3 shape, this was not a brilliant move and it duly went for 500.

7. Around nine tricks for EW was standard but the ‘B’ team gained 16 IMPs when the Talbots took 500 from some unspecified contract while Bennett/Noble’s oppos bid freely to 4© and went two off when §Q was wrong. Hayes/Price were one off in 3©.

8. 4ª + 1.

I was in 6© from the North seat on a club lead. Playing on diamonds does not look sensible so I decided to start with ªAK. When ªQ dropped, a safety play in trumps seemed mandatory so I was held to twelve tricks, as were all declarers.

10. Six pluses of between 100 and 130 for Oxon. We were the one EW not to get a plus, our oppos making a very comfortable 3§ + 1. But Hayes/Price and the Duttons did very well to defeat 3§. The Lintotts tried a hopeless 3NT and over-achieved in going only one down.

11. But only two pluses this time. NS have 25 points and a 5-3 heart fit but 4© depends on the position of the Queen of trumps and it was wrong. We bid it and those pairs who stopped short were a bit lucky. The Fearnheads lost 300 in 2§* while Bennett/Noble lost 300 in 2ª* — tight judgment by their oppos.

12. South’s 3§ should go off against competent count-showing defence as they have five top tricks in the red suits. But East led the wrong suit at trick five and Goldsmith squeezed home.

13. A very tight 4© for EW but a kind lie in the black suits meant that 620 or so was scored at all tables.

14. A 20-20 points split. EW’s best fit is 5-4 in hearts while NS have a 6-5 diamond fit. Yet, unusually, neither side can make game. I took the push to 5¨ which should be doubled and two off but it wasn’t axed and I managed to induce a ruff and discard for one down. Lonsdale/McPhee got to play in 4©, against which the defence has two easyish chances to take it off. That was the only 420 for either side. Other 5¨ers were also only one off.

16. 6© is about 65% for NS but very difficult to bid when EW compete so strongly in the minors. These were the NS cards:

Alas, the EW curtain cards have gone walkies but West had a weak NT, I believe. When the Fearnheads opened 1NT, North overcalled 2©, East bid 3§ and South called 4©. It was East who doubled this, so not quite in the striped tailed ape category. Two overtricks was –790. Hayes/Price had to go all the way to 5© before they got doubled. We were pushed up to 5© too but our oppos very unkindly refused to double and we were left with a paltry 480.

Lonsdale/McPhee found another from their arsenal of unexpected 4-level bids. McPhee opened 1NT and North overcalled 2¨ showing spades (!) and another. East bid 3§ and now South doesn’t have a bid. McPhee bid 3NT and North’s call of 4© now deserved to go for a cricket score. Lonsdale made a forcing pass and McPhee was a bit stuck for a bid. 5§ would have run into a 5-0 break but he found the cunning bid of 4NT. This was passed out and –300 proved to be a surprisingly good "save" for the side with 25 points.

The ‘B’ team results were all over the shop. The Duttons made 4©* + 3 for the unusual score of 890 but Bennett/Noble had their one disaster of the day. Bennett opened 1NT and North overcalled 2© showing both majors. 3§ from Noble, 3NT from Bennett and here was another North who was not prepared to give up lightly. His 4© was passed round to Bennett who also opted for 4NT. North doubled this one and neither of our boys felt they needed to run to five of a minor. After ©J lead, it was –1100.

The Lintotts were allowed to play peacefully in 5§ – 2 while the Talbots only got 200 from the board as well. All in all, a bit of a lottery.

Precision? Not! Goldsmith was in the box seat, with a series of relays available to find out exactly what I’d got. By the time I’d bid 3§, showing a minimum opening, he had all the information he needed. There is now no possible hand that East can have which will give any slam better than a 50/50 chance. 3NT is the only sensible call. Go on, pick any 13 cards you like, bearing in mind that you can’t be any better than I actually was. ©A and §AQJxxx? Too good for 3§ and still little sign of 12 tricks.

Certainly, once I’ve denied ¨A, it’s even clearer. After his second slam try, I showed my extra values with a "general try" bid of 4NT. Goldsmith now bid 6NT, trying to protect his ¨K, apparently unaware that ¨A would need to be right if any slam was to have even a 25% chance and it might be necessary to ruff a heart for the 12th trick. North was void in clubs and 6NT was two off.

18. EW have 10 tricks on top in 3NT yet NS have a good save in 4ª despite the vulnerability. We doubled that for 200 but bidding 4NT or 5¨ would have scored more. All our other EWs got 400 or 430 and Oxon gained a few when Lonsdale/McPhee’s oppos and Bennett/Noble’s oppos stopped short of game.

19. 3NT – 1 when the diamond and spade finesses both fail. The Lintotts’ oppos were two off in the inferior 5¨.

I led ª4 against 3NT. declarer may do better to win with the Queen in dummy but he ran it round to the 9 and J. After unblocking the clubs, he played a heart to the 9 and Q. Goldsmith returned ª10 to my King. Declarer now has a tenace position over my 82 but I didn’t read this and when I led a spade back declarer had no further problems.

If I’d found a diamond switch, declarer’s communications are in a parlous state and I think it’s one off. ª6 seems a more sensible shift from the East hand and now we can establish the 4th round of spades but at the cost of a tempo and I don’t think we can now get any joy from the diamonds. Maybe ª10 was an unwitting masterstroke to force me to switch to diamonds, but I doubt it.

Still, we were in good company. 600 was flat in the ‘A’ team and Bennett/Noble even got the overtrick. The Talbots did well to get +100 while the Lintotts squared the board when they were unable to make 3NT. ªQ was put up at trick one, §AK cashed and a heart was finessed but I don’t know what happened at the next crucial bit.

North opened 2¨ (Multi) at red and Goldsmith doubled 2© with the West hand. Stuck for a bid, I tried 2NT (we play that natural, maybe 8-10). Admittedly, I have a point less than I’d like but 2ª was unattractive. Goldsmith has 14 points but I don’t think he has enough to justify another bid. But he tried 3§, which sounded pretty strong, if not forcing, and I retreated reluctantly to 3NT. It was a miracle that South, with 13 points, did not double this one. Four off was –200 but doubled it would have been 800, as the Fearnheads’ oppos discovered to their cost.

Lonsdale/McPhee were less successful by three tricks, 2NT making on the nail against them. The Duttons were two off in 3ª; the Lintotts beat 2ª by one trick.

This seemed a good score but it was hardly even average in the ‘A’ team match. The Fearnheads lost 150 in 3© undoubled. Lonsdale/McPhee found that 2ª* didn’t play too badly, despite only having five trumps (–500) but it was Hayes/Price who did best, taking 800 from 3¨*. South opened a Tartan two of sorts and North asked him to pick his minor. A club lead went to the King and a heart return to Q, K and A. After that the hand just fell apart.

The EWs in the ‘B’ team match were less ruthless and some NSs less inclined to put their necks on the block. The Lintotts were in great shape when West opened 1©, 3rd in hand, thereby dissuading North (Andrew?) from bidding at all. East responded 1ª, West raised to 3ª and then (gulp), North bid 4§. This was explained as a "desperate move to play the odd hand". If so, it worked and East’s double must have hit the table at some speed. 800? No, "opponents defended like lunatics". Nice of them to enter into the spirit of things. Not quite a glorious episode in the history of bridge.

23. EW can make 2ª while NS can get home in 3§ so any plus was good. Not a bad board for Oxon with six pluses round the room, including 670 for the Talbots, presumably 2ª*.

Goldsmith (W) opened 1NT (14-16) and I responded 2ª (Baron). South decided it was a wizard wheeze to double this one for a lead but Goldsmith redoubled to show a decent 4-card suit and willingness to play there. North ran to 3§. I doubled that and South has no excuse for bidding again but 3ª he bid anyway. Goldsmith led ©A and switched to a diamond to my Ace. ©J was covered and West won a third round of the suit. I ruffed the 4th round of hearts with ª7. South could over-ruff but there was no way to avoid losing another four obvious tricks. +800. 2ª** would only have been 590 (or is it 640?)

South was bit unlucky and I’d have been tempted to double 2ª myself but the holdings in the other three suits are a disincentive. Partner may have a spade or two, on a good day, but he won’t have many points. Leading spades once from the North hand will probably not be enough to set up the suit. So all in all not too clever.

3NT is unbeatable as the cards lie and there were a couple of 400s, by Hayes/Price and against the Lintotts. The Duttons took 2ª four off but neglected to double it.

Against the Fearnheads, West opened 1NT, East bid Stayman and Paul wandered in with 2ª. West doubled and Alex redoubled (SOS). Paul bid 2NT, Alex 3§ (Dble) and Paul removed to 3¨ for some reason. This one would have played well but fortunately Alex opted to push on to 3©. Luckily East still had a double left in the locker. On best defence this would appear to be about six off. The defence drew trumps successfully enough but failed to revert to diamonds and compounded the error by taking §A on the first round. A snip at three off.

25. A fiddly 4© if you get there:

The defence can’t lead diamonds without establishing an extra trick in that suit. If so, declarer seems to prevail by drawing all the trumps. There are many possibilities and 4© made three times out of four. Lonsdale was the one declarer to go down but I don’t know the full gory details. The Lintotts were the only pair to make it for Oxon. The other four pairs stopped sensibly short.

26. 4© made on the nail five times while I was glad to get home in 3NT. There is no escape from the losing club finesse and when West comes in, he must find a spade switch through dummy’s ªKJ doubleton. That makes it a 50-50 shot in principle but there are a few pointers to help declarer select the Jack (W has the Q).

Goldsmith (S) opened 1¨, I jump-shifted to 3§ and he raised to 4§. When I now cue-bid ©A, the only question in his mind should have been whether to go for the small or the grand slam. 5ª is probably his most descriptive call at this point, inviting the grand, but he opted for 4ª. With no controls left to show and only 15 points, I opted for 5§ and Goldsmith passed!

My clubs are A1, of course, but I only know of 9 tricks, the diamonds are an unknown quantity and dummy is unlikely to be able to ruff anything opposite my doubletons. With the 1¨ opening showing 2+, I know nothing of the solid diamonds. Still, maybe 4NT is right.

I think pairs need to discuss minimum and average holdings in situations like this. Here I’d suggest §KQ10xxx as minimum and KQJ10xx as average. But is it the same for a jump-shift in a major? Discuss. Unless the understandings are clear you might as well opt for fit-jumps instead.

The Talbots were just as bad. 1¨ - 3§ - 3NT - Pass (I think). 3NT is not a bid I would have thought of, I confess. A shame because they did have the mechanism to bid the hand accurately.

Only the Lintotts’ oppos managed to bid the grand. McPhee/Lonsdale did not go quietly. West found a Michaels overcall of the 1¨ opening and North jumped to 6§. East judged fairly well to save in 6©. South doubled, a real cop-out in my view. How can North be bidding 6§ without solid clubs and ©A? Bid 7§ like a man (if that’s not too sexist!). Would our boys have saved in 7©? 800 as it was.

Noble also found a 2© overcall whereupon North bid a modest 5§. 5© from Bennett, 6§ from South, passed round to Bennett who went on to 6©. This time double was rather more reasonable. 800 again. But 20 IMPs out in all.

28. EW ought to emerge with a modest plus here, beating 2© or making 3§ or 2NT (?). The Lintotts took 400 from an ill-judged 4© (by NS) without even doubling. The Fearnheads overstretched to 3NT the other way and went two off.

29. EW making 4ª.

30. Too much Oxon bidding. Our side was defeated in six contracts although 3© needs everything wrong to go down. At the seventh table, the Talbots conceded 180 so it was left to the Duttons to get the only plus, beating 3©. 13 IMPs out.

32. North’s 1NT goes off on best defence, the hard bit being to switch to spades after cashing the clubs. I was allowed to sneak home, as were Hayes/Price. The Fearnheads conceded 1NT + 1 while Lonsdale/McPhee had no trouble beating 3© (a 4-3 fit). The Lintotts’ oppos made another sporting foray to 4© and 150 would again have been more if they’d found the double. The Duttons were 2¨ - 2.