I have just returned from the Can-At Regional in Halifax where Allan Graves and I were invited to do a couple of Panel Shows, along the lines of the ones we run in Bermuda.

The tournament was a delight with a great venue, the Lord Nelson Hotel, a super hard-working Committee and Director team led by Maureen Donovan, Linda Tuff, Gerry Callaghan and Karl Hicks, great hospitality, friendly people and a superb standard of play in the higher strata which I believe was mirrored in the other divisions.

The phrase I heard a lot during the week was “following the Bermuda model” and it certainly seemed to work. As most of you know we have a huge and ever-growing group of Haligonians (trust me — people from Halifax!) coming down to the Bermuda Regional and they certainly took the influence back home. They have become a big part of our annual event and are our biggest cheerleaders so I am happy to reciprocate as it is well earned.

The next Can-At in Halifax is in 2016 and I would highly recommend putting it in your diary now! On top of all the good stuff at the tournament Halifax is a delightful city with great people, nice parks, a great waterfront and lots of good restaurants, so it is well worth a visit to this event.

This week’s hand is a marvel in its simplicity but I guarantee that most declarers will fail in the play! I saw it in Steve Becker’s excellent column in The Globe and Mail and had to bring it to you.

South Dealer, Both Vulnerable

? J7

?J743

• A10972

? 94

? 843 ? 962

? 2 ?10985

• K54 • QJ63

? QJ10863 ? 72

? AKQ103

? AKQ6

• 8

?AK5

The bidding:

South North

2? 2•

2? 3•

3? 4?

4NT 5•

7?

The bidding was great and look at that amazing South hand — two Clubs was strong, two Diamonds waiting with an Ace or King, 4NT was Blackwood and the rest was natural, and the Grand Slam is one you would be happy to be in at any time.

West led the Club Queen which declarer won to play the Ace and King of trumps ... when West showed out declarer had to change tack and decided to cash the second club and ruff a club with dummy’s Heart 7 ... East, however, overruffed resulting in a one trick defeat!

Declarer was very unlucky to find Hearts 4-1 and East with only two Clubs, but the hand can be made fairly easily ... declarer should continue at trick four by cashing the Queen of Hearts, play a Diamond to the Ace and ruff a Diamond with his last trump. Now cross to the Spade Jack, draw East’s last trump with the Jack throwing a Club, and now declarer is left with all good spades and the Club Ace ... Grand Slam made !!!

Looks simple doesn’t it? We are, however, conditioned to taking our ruffs in dummy and this ‘dummy reversal’ is always hard to spot! Keep it in mind as there will be numerous occasions where you can use this play!