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“It’s better to underbid and overplay than to overbid and overplay” has been a favourite adage of mine, but in fact it is best to bid accurately and play accurately, especially when it comes to slams. This board, from X-Clubs on Thursday 10/7/25 gave contestants every chance to bid, and make, an excellent 6H slam, but few did. I’m pleased to say that at our club, the only pair that bid 6H also made 6H, whereas those who conservatively underbid to 4H failed to make more than eleven tricks. I understand why they did if they were only in game, but there should be no excuse for failing to make the slam if you have bid well to get to it, which should not be difficult once North opens the bidding and South locates the heart fit.

Board 20. Dealer W All Vul

	QJ75 K9652 A43 K
K32 J3 KQ72 J865		T9864 T84 JT5 73
	A AQ7 986 AQT942

Rules. What rules? This deal comes from play at X-Clubs on Tuesday 1/7/25

Board 2. Dealer E NS Vul

	98 93 KT987532 3
5 AK65 QJ64 K864		KJT6 J742 A QJT5
	AQ7432 QT8 A972

Good defence requires good players and a good communication system.

This second board at X-Clubs is even more basic than the first, yet few Wests, as declarers in 4S, managed to arrive at eleven tricks. This should have been a near universal 4S contract for EW, and competent declarer play should have resulted in eleven tricks. But no, even when North made the very favourable opening lead of the diamond seven.

Board 5 from Tuesday 3/06/2025
Dealer N NS Vul

	92 T76532 72 T75
AQ643 9 AQ543 K4		K85 KQ 86 QJ9632
	JT7 AJ84 KJT9 A8

How difficult should it be to count to thirteen tricks? That is what all the Norths who responded with a quiet 1H when South opened the bidding with 1D had to do when South’s next bid was 4H, or even a conservative 3H. Or maybe some Souths might open 1H, a legitimate enough Acol opener. Take a look at Board 2 from Tuesday 20/05/2025 at X-Clubs.

Board 2 Dealer E NS Vul

	K4 QJ985432 K AJ
JT32 7 QT5 98743		Q876 J9862 QT62
	A95 AKT6 A743 K5