The Bermuda Bridge Club Novice pairs Championship was held at the Club on Tuesday and the in-form pairing of Richard Keane and Delton Outerbridge came out ahead of Claude Guay and Sharon Shanahan in second and Ken and Irma Hodgson in third.

Keane-Outerbridge would have been favoured to win based on recent performances and their win in the Junior Teams, and they duly delivered a 60.42 per cent game to hold of Claude and Sharon who also chalked up an impressive 58.33 per cent. Well done to all three pairs.

This week’s hand shows the danger of an indiscriminate, albeit tempting, double which gave declarer a route map to the winning play.

Dealer North, None Vulnerable

(Spades / Hearts / Diamonds / Clubs)

North: A1098542 / 1065 / 76 / A

East: KQJ7 / 87 / 83 / QJ753

South: 6 / AK92 / AK102 / 10962

West: 3 / QJ43 / QJ954 / K94

North opened three spades in first seat and South made the obvious raise to four Spades - he has four tricks and North should usually be able to provide six. This was passed out at many tables but also doubled by East at a few others, not unreasonably given his holding and the fact that N/S had not tried for slam.

Where there was no double, declarer usually won the opening lead and cashed Ace and another Spade — this led to a one trick defeat with three Spades to lose and one Heart loser.

At the doubled table, however, declarer realised that the double must be based on a trump stack as N/S had a lot of high cards. With this information declarer won the Club and using the red suit entries ruffed three Clubs. He now cashed the last red suit winner and had eight tricks with A1098 of Spades and a Heart in his hand — now a Heart exit could not prevent him from making two more tricks and his contract.

I have some sympathy for East but the double is mildly greedy and he paid a heavy price.