Tranmers return to podium with Bishop in hot pursuit

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Last night saw the return of the Tranmers to the podium. However they only managed 2nd place as the new powerhouses on the block the Cairnes put a few dents in them.

Sean Connor went to bed after 23 boards  so the robot took his medal.

Here is a hand where Tommy Banks and his trusty robot dented the Tranmers against the odds

Here we saw the Tranmers roar into a pushy 4S contract but Tonny Bamks was unperturbed by the massive reputation of the Tranmers. He readily observed that he has the weaker Tranmer in his sights. Its like when you play against Terry Walsh or BJ O'Brien you want either of them  tending the dummy. So robot strikes out with Diamond king lead and Tranmer wins and runs the spade Queen.
Robot grabs that and unblocks Club Ace and finds the double dummy play of the small diamond.
Magic says Tonny winning his Diamond Jack ...Now why did that robot foolishly cash his Club Ace.
Rolling back through the years Tonny remembers a Dublin Don player and trout fisherman  who said .. Always play your off suit second time as if partner gets on lead he can get you a trumper.  So maybe this robot plays like Declan the Donplayer ...so Tonny plays a reluctant club back and Robby Robot dances on it with glee ... as he shows the Tranmer his trump ..

Meanwhile back at the Diarmuid Reddan Invitational Teams the Moran Team were disconsolately packing away their cricket equipment as Donal MacAonghusa roared into the final. However suddenly Kinder twisted a wisp of hair as his bat was packed away. Accidentally caught Donal on the nose and the distracted Donal ruffed with the Heart 10 protecting against a 9-1 break in diamonds.
I have never seen any declarer play book where you protect against a 9-1 instead of a 4-0.

Suddenly Donal playing for a 3-1 trumps despite the 3NT opening and the later pause about whether to bid 7D was gone down and despite a hopeful claim of the rest of tricks quickly and politely refused by Lazarus Hanlon.
As I watched this event I wondered why I was feeling so good about my declarer play ... I had seen and played some of these hands before. So much for 6000 billion different hands in bridge.
Anyway MacAonghusa had not seen this one but Galligan had ...should have subbed me in for last board and WON.

However one wonders a little more and can not really believe Donal MacAonghusa went down in this 6H as he is a very intelligent bridge player. One smells a small rodent.
Did MacAonghusa take one for the wives and kids.

There is no way Donal MacAonghusa a cards man all his life and a man who knows the odds backed a 9-1 split instead of a 4-0 split. He took one for the team. Thats my theory.