Nothing much to report on in the last week at the Club, but there will be in the next couple of columns as we have a few events coming up.

Tonight is the Curry and Quiz Night at the Club, next week sees the Mixed Pairs on Wednesday and Friday (the last Friday game until further notice) and as a reminder there is a Cue Bid Workshop on Wednesday, April 9.

Looking further ahead is the ACBL AGM on April 27. This hand caught many declarers, and some defenders, out in a recent pairs game.

Board 7. Game All. Dealer South.

You are in 3NT as West and North leads a heart on which south plays the queen — over to you.

Well, it is a standard hold up play, with a twist! You must refuse to win the first heart — South now continues with the 9 of hearts … and you must also refuse to cover that!

The full hand:

The defence is now dead. South plays a third heart with a sinking feeling and East wins and tries a sneaky diamond. You win the queen, cross to the Ace of Spades and take the club finesse.

This loses, but you now have a lot of tricks and chalk up plus 600 — aren’t you a clever little bunny!

Notice that if you make the mistake of playing an honour at trick two when South plays the heart 9 the defence have to stay awake and North must duck in order to retain communications — once he does that, the contract is dead. If he wins, the defence is now dead — nice hand!