Olga, from start to finish

An evening with a bit of everything, except contracts kept: 45 slips at the table and scores from 108 down to 28.

Olga won at a stroll, with 108 points and 23 clear of the rest. In front from the last of the opening eights to the end, and nobody got close enough to worry about. At one stretch, 8 good hands in a row.

Mihai took second with 85 points — a fine evening, but the gods of whist were busy elsewhere. Mihai left the robot at the wheel most of the evening and still came out respectable. Teamwork with the server.

Third, on the podium: Elena, up there with eyes on the top step. 2 hands in a row: the whole table kept its word, only Elena didn't — but insisted, with dignity.

Ana closes out the table, with 28 points. "Last one buys the coffee" — as they say at the table. In the third of the opening eights, Ana bid 2 and took 6 — and Elena went down with it. After the five-card hand on the way up, Ana was 3rd and dreaming of the podium — but the last hands had other plans.

Well played everyone — and especially Olga!