The Novice Pairs (0-20) Championship took place at the Club last Tuesday and the winners with a stunning 80.56 per cent game were Betty Ann Sudbury and David Pickering who finished ahead of Nick Jones and Jean Wolosiuk who had an equally stunning 74.08 per cent game!

I can’t remember the last time I have seen an 80 per cent game and I know for certain that I have never seen a 74 per cent game finish second! Truly remarkable scores. Finishing third with a highly respectable 56.48 per cent game of their own were Claude Guay and Sharon Shanahan.

I called the winners to ask about the game and it seems that David and Betty Ann met Nick and Jean in the penultimate round at which time the latter pair were over 80 per cent. The round proved pivotal as the eventual winners took 8.5 points out of a possible 9 and that completely turned the tables — exclude this round and the placings are totally reversed!

Many congratulations to David and Betty Ann as I know they both work hard at improving, and congratulations and commiserations to Jean and Nick … two excellent performances … I’ll take a look at whether scores like this have been replicated before and if any readers can help out on that score it would be appreciated. It will be interesting to see how these two pairs fare as they move up the ranks.

Before I get to the hand, news of a new game at the Club, announced here by Tournament Director Peter Donnellan

“Next Tuesday evening 17th November is the first of our new Tuesday evening 299er games and also the evening of the Novice Pairs Championship. As I said in my message a few days ago, the 299er game is intended to run alongside the regular Tuesday 99er game, and will normally be restricted to those with at least 50 MPs. But on this occasion, because there will not be a regular 99er game, there is no minimum requirement and ANYONE WITH LESS THAN 300 MPs may play In the 299er game.

If you have not entered for the Novice Pairs or are too senior — ie more than 20 MPs — do come along on Tuesday evening and enjoy a game in the 299er section. And don’t forget that every week on Thursday evening we prepare for a 299er game as well as for the Open Game. There is no minimum MP requirement on Thursdays. So if you play Tuesday evenings and would like a second evening game, Thursday is especially for you! But it can only happen if you turn out — duplicate games need at least 3 tables to run well. So talk to your partner and other Tuesday players and give it a go!”

Now to the hand which is a great example of planning ahead as declarer:

NORTH

S 875

H A63

D 43

C AKQ65

WEST

S K96

H QJ9

D QJ108

C 973

EAST

C J1042

H

D K9652

C J1042

SOUTH

S AQ3

H K1087542

D A7

C 8

North opened a Club and after South bid a Heart, raised to 2 Hearts … not my choice as South could have only 4 Hearts, but it worked here and South soon pushed to 6 Hearts.

West led the Diamond Queen and declarer saw that if Hearts broke 2-1 it was all easy — so what does he do?

He prepares for a 3-0 break, which is what all good players do!

If he had a trump loser he would need Clubs 4-3 or the Spade finesse to work so he found a way to combine both chances.

Seeing that the Heart Ace was the only side entry to dummy at trick two declarer cashed the Heart King, getting the bad news.

But he was now in control …he played three Clubs throwing a Diamond and a Spade and now ruffed the fourth Club. West was helpless … no matter whether he overruffed or not declarer could cross to the Heart Ace and discard the Spade Queen on the last Club.

If Clubs had not broken 4-3 Declarer still had the Heart Ace in dummy to try the Spade finesse — great declarer play from start to finish!