At last there is something good to report: our second win, also 20-10, but this time against Cyprus. As far as wins are concerned we are on target. What I had not anticipated was how bad our losses would be. A pattern is developing. We are generally OK for the first half but then we start to lose points and when we have started there is no stopping us. Down and down and down we go. The time has come for a serious pep talk.

It is easy to find something good to say in a match where we scored a lot of IMPs. Look at this deal:

Dealer West. Love All ª — © A 9 2 ¨ Q 6 4 2 § Q J 7 5 3 2 ª A J 7 4 ª Q 9 8 6 2 © Q J © K 10 ¨ A 8 ¨ J 10 9 7 5 § A K 10 8 4 § 6 ª K 10 5 3 © 8 7 6 5 4 3 ¨ K 3 § 9 West North East South Clare Stankiewicz 1§ Pass 1ª Pass 2NT Pass 3¨ Pass 4ª All Pass

The defence against 4ª started with a heart to the ace and a heart return. Declarer won in hand and played the ª6 to dummy's jack. He now played the §A and ruffed a club with the ª9. South declined to overruff so declarer played ace and another diamond. South won with the king and was endplayed. In the event he chose to give a ruff and discard. Declarer ruffed in hand with the ª8 and ruffed a diamond with dummy's ª4. He now ruffed his last small club with his ªQ. This was the position with South yet to play:

ª — © — ¨ Q § Q J ª A 7 ª 2 © — © — ¨ — ¨ J 10 § K § — ª K 10 5 © 8 ¨ — § —

First, suppose he overruffs. If he continues with a heart, declarer can ruff in hand and make the last two trumps in dummy for his ninth and tenth trick. If he plays a spade, declarer can win in dummy, draw the last trump and cash dummy's king of clubs. Note the carefully preserved low trump in hand.

If declarer discards a heart instead of overruffing, declarer plays a diamond. If South ruffs low, declarer overruffs and claims; if he ruffs high declarer pitches the winning §K and must make the last two trump tricks with the A7 poised over South's 105.