Not a lot happening at the Club right now as players gear up for the four-day Bermuda Sectional which runs from Friday June 12 to the Monday the 15. All the afternoon sessions start at 1pm and all the evening sessions at 7.30pm. The schedule is as follows:

Friday and Monday afternoons — Single Session Stratified Pairs

Friday evening — Single session 0-20 Newcomer Pairs

Friday evening and Monday evening — Championship Pairs

Saturday afternoon and evening — David Ezekiel Bridge Column Championship Pairs

Sunday afternoon and evening — Gosling Championship Swiss Teams

Monday evening — Championship Pairs second session and Single Session 0-20 Newcomer Pairs

The Tournament chairman is Paul Thompson (232-7671) and the Tournament Director will be our own Jack Rhind. Refreshments will be served after every evening game and the Prizegiving will be held after the Monday evening session.

This hand came up on Bridge Base Online earlier this week and as declarer I saw what the defence could do to me, but thankfully they didn’t!

Dealer South N/S Vulnerable

North

S 874

H 932

D AJ1095

C 54

West East

S Q962 S J10

H 107 H QJ84

D K42 D Q86

C QJ108 C 7632

South

S AK53

H AK65

D 73

C AK9

The bidding was over pretty quickly. I opened 2NT (20-22) and partner raised to 3 No trump.

West led the Club Queen and the hand did not take long. I ducked the first club, won the second and played a Diamond to the 10 and Queen.

A Club came back which I won and repeated the Diamond finesse and with the King sitting well I made ten tricks — pretty normal.

Or is it? What if East had ducked the first Diamond? I would now probably make two tricks in each suit for … one down!

I haven’t finished. What if, when I lead the first Diamond West plays the King! Winning it would be suicide with no outside entries to dummy so I would have to duck it hoping West started with KQx.

Now when I win the Club return and repeat the finesse East wins — with careful defence I can now be held to six tricks!

This is a fairly standard, but expert, play by West, and it comes up often especially when Declarer has no side entries to dummy — keep it in mind!

East could also save the day by not winning the first Diamond but West should not even put him in that position.