This slam and the results at X-Clubs tells me that our present day players are somewhat lacking in their communication skills. It also tells me that bidding slams is not necessary for a good result, just being in the best denomination at game level and being able to execute the declarer play will get you over 75%, at least it did for the two pairs who played in 4H and made six. Bidding is about talking to partner and being aware of what both partners need to know, not just set rules about bidding suits and 4-4 fits. Let’s take a look at Board 11 and the NS thought processes.

Board 11 from Friday 9/05/2025
Dealer S Nil Vul

	K2 AQJ9 QJ743 A8
983 8742 T5 K652		T76 65 K9862 QJ7
	AQJ54 KT3 A T943

This deal should have led to a slam, but when it did, it led to the wrong slam. And a lot of the time, it was not even close to a slam, which does make me wonder about how much understanding there is between most partnerships. Let’s see what could, or should, happen in the real world. Take a look at the West hand. Can you imagine not being in a slam after East a) opens a weak two, or b) East opens a legitimate ‘rule of 20’ 1S?
Board 13 from 1/05/2025
Dealer N All Vul

	QJ42 T972 652 K3
AKQ864 A AQT974		AK8765 5 QJ97 65
	T93 J3 KT843 J82

Some well thought out opening leads can have unintended consequences. This could have been one such time, but unfortunately not a single EW pair were in what I would have thought would be the best contract if bid properly, so the opening lead was not as potentially productive as it might have been. But let’s see how things might have turned out if EW had reached what I consider the best contract, and South also made what I would rate the best opening lead, despite my constant admonitions to never lead an unsupported ace. Let’s look at the deal from X-Clubs on Tuesday 15/04/2025.

Board 13. Dealer N All Vul

	Q7 J KT2 KJ97543
KJ43 Q963 93 AT2		AT62 AK742 Q75 6
	985 T85 AJ864 Q8

Another deal from X-Clubs that gave both sides the chance to score well or badly. The opening lead against the final contract was not what the results hinged on, but the subsequent declarer play and defence did make a huge difference. Let’s see what happened at X-Clubs.

Board 6 from Tuesday 8/04/2025
Dealer E EW Vul

	82 K632 J6432 T3
Q QJT8 AT97 KJ87		J53 A954 K5 A654
	AKT9764 7 Q8 Q92

This one caused a lot of controversy when I put it to my panel of club players. The deal occurred at X-Clubs on 1-April. It was a quite competitive deal, where good and bad scores were evident across the board, and where the choice of opening lead made a big difference.

Board 9 from X-Clubs 1-04-2025
Dealer N EW Vul

	A63 4 AJ75432 K7
KT5 J8765 K AJ85		Q82 AT92 T86 QT2
	J974 KQ3 Q9 9643