Once again me and my partner Lena decided to travel to Vilnius, Lithuania - to the strongest Baltic Bridge tournament called “Vilnius Cup”-, to enjoy opportunity of meeting some strongest world bridge players andto play in a very well organized bridge tournament.
The tournament venue was an ice–hockey arena, so I carefully decided to take the Latvian top ice hockey team Riga „Dinamo” shirt with me and hoped to get some extra % because ofwell fitted equipment 
The most exciting part of this festival was the pair tournament. Historically this tournament was not very lucky for me so far, and the first board already indicated that nothing would change this year either...
SUPER STAYMAN
| N | E | S | W |
| p | 1NT (14-16) | p | 2C (STAY) |
| p | 2D | p | 2S |
| p | 3NT | all p |
We are sitting on EW, and sometimes ago we agreed that bidding 1NT-2C-2D-2S promises 5S and 4H and invitational strength (and 1NT-2H-2S-3H is GF), so I happily used this agreement here. I was not very happy after partner jump to 3NT, because my shape is not very good for NT game, better for trumps, but so far still ok.
Confusion started after one of the opponents said that my partner do not understand what is the real meaning of 2S bid, and implied, that it could be 4 spades and some points...(why the hell I would like to bid 2S promising 4 spades after partner’s 2D denied 4 card majour!!!)….(After the tournament I remembered that this was another partner with whom I agreed on this special sequence, of course but that’s another story). The opponent led small club, after misplaying the spades suit, the contract was 2 down and 2% for us 
Next interesting and very crucial board for the total results was in the same session.
DIAMOND RUSH
| N | E | S | W |
| p | |||
| 1H | 1S | DBL | p |
| 2NT | p | 3NT | all p |
So, I was on the lead, but looking in my cards,I did not want to lead at all... A spade lead would have cost a trick 90% sure, hearts are the opponents’ suit, and minor lead also did not look very optimistic for me. I decided to develop partner’s possible suit for defence and chose to lead Queen of diamonds; this time this was lucky, after taking 1st trick with King of diamonds 3NT was -2 and 97% for us.
BORING THEORY
Next deal demonstrated that at least some bridge theories from some smart books sometimes are working 
| N | E | S | W |
| 1H | p | 1NT | p |
| 2D | p | 2H | all p |
As E I was forced again to choose the opening lead again, luckily this time it was little easier according to some popular bridge theories. After trump lead and 2nd trump lead declarer was restricted to +110, and another important 77%.
ONE BOARD - TWO BIDDINGS
This was funny board, because we finished on 2 different contracts, I damned my partner (not at the table of course, but only in my mind) 3 times in this board, but after she found a sweet escape I said “nice, thank You, pd, great play” 
.
We were on EW, 1st W dbl was t/o, 2nd for penalty, no any alerted bid by the table.
| N | E | S | W |
| 1H | 1S | DBL | |
| 3C | 3H | 4C | DBL |
| all p |
I was quite surprised and happy about this auction, because from my hand it is quite clear that 3C is a “fit bid”. With that dbl on 4C I just wanted to inform my partner that I had some § values, but not much values for high level hearts contract and was 90% sure that 4C will be converted to 4S... I even had no clear idea what to do after the opponents would finish in 4S and I would face 2 passes coming to me...but now I felt luck y- I did not need to think about it, even if we could have 4H, quite obvious that 4S is much better defence than 4C!
But my partner had quite opposite view on this board!
After the end of the bidding my partner asked meanings ofthe bidding, and found that opponents had understood biding differently. N explained 3C as fit-bid, but S as natural, NF...
My partner called director and director allowed continue bidding... which ended in 5H!
| N | E | S | W |
| 1H | 1S | DBL | |
| 3C | 3H | 4C | DBL |
| p | 4H | p | p |
| 4S | DBL | p | 5H |
| all p |
Of course 5H seemed to be a little too crazy from my side, but You can understand how confused I was after MY PARTNER did not allowed me to beat 4C... but still we were lucky after nice declarer’s play by my partner – 12 tricks and 88%. It was very good that a break came after this board!
No need to say, that there were not only funny boards.
I would like to encourage all bridgeplayers to come next year to Vilnius, and enjoy a favourite game with world class players, as well as extremely well organized festival atmosphere! And once more - special thanks to organizers for great event and very nice cups! As we won the pairs tournament finally 
