Tollemache 2018

Dorset qualified for the Tollemache final in both 2016 and 2017, although our hopes for what Mr Trump's subjects would call a three-peat were lowered by the absence of the three best players from last year's team, two on the injured list and one lost to a rival team in exchange for a seven figure transfer fee (that's 0.000001 p).

Our hopes were even lower after the first two of seven matches, when we had amassed the grand total of 1 VP out of 40. At that stage our ambitions were limited to avoiding the wooden spoon and winning the local derby against Wiltshire. Fortunately our play improved for the rest of the event (it could hardly get any worse) - we were above average for the remaining five matches and both the minor objectives were achieved.

The most interesting hands were in our match against Surrey, which we lost 20-0 and, in the words of the great Bill Shankly, 'were lucky to get nil'. Here are two of my contributions to the debacle.

Ann's 2♠ was a weak jump shift and North's 3♦ was alerted. I asked about it before making the opening lead and was told that it 'ought to show heart support'. Thinking that we might have a heart ruff I started with the ace of hearts and was very pleased to see a 6-card suit in dummy. Surely partner could ruff the next round, after which a club return would lead to at least two down.  So I continued with a second heart whereupon declarer promptly claimed 12 tricks.

North assured me that her 3♦ did promise heart support, and offered to show me their system file on the tablet which was in her handbag. So I had no redress as it was a misbid rather than an incorrect explanation.

My first thought was to feel rather miffed that I had been misled by two internationals in a long-established partnership forgetting their system, but then I realised that without the inference of North's heart support I would almost certainly have led a spade (5♦ made at the other three tables on a spade lead). The misexplanation had actually led me to find a winning lead. I was just too greedy - I should have cashed the ace of clubs at trick two. If nothing happens I can revert to hearts but on the actual hand partner's king would tell me what to do.

This was the very next board

What do you think that I should bid on the first round? Exclusion Blackwood would have been an option except that we do not play it as it comes up so rarely, so I decided to try and bid the hand scientifically by starting with a splinter bid.  This got us to the par contract, although I had allowed South to make a lead-directing double and the heart lead held us to 11 tricks.

We lost heavily on the board as both Surrey pairs made 6♥ (doubled at one table), when North led a club. Maybe the best tactic with the East hand is just to punt 6♥ on the first round without giving anything away. I ran a short simulation of this problem, generating 30 different hands, and 6♥ was the correct spot on more than half of the hands at double dummy.