A sombre start to the column with the passing of the lovely Peggy Thompson who was a loyal and so well liked member of the bridge club — she will really be missed and our thoughts will be with her family and friends. At the same time, the great Eric Murray, perhaps one of Canada’s greatest players and a renowned lawyer also passed away — Eric was a faithful supporter of Bermuda and with a personality as large as a small country, the bridge world has lost someone special.

Andrew Robson, who has been one of England’s leading players for many years, has built himself a mini bridge empire based on a great teaching system, experienced and thoughtful staff and a knowledge of just how to get new players into the game.

His system is based largely on starting with rubber bridge, in which new players play with three others at their own level who they are comfortable with and the participants are not immediately thrown into the matchpoint jungle and made to feel a bit inferior when they see their names way down the results table. He gets great turnouts and has built something special.

Allan Graves, one of Canada’s leading players and a regular Bermuda visitor, is trying to bring the system this side of the pond and we will hopefully get some exposure to it in Bermuda in the months to come.

Robson also writes a great column for The Times in England and this hand of his caught my interest.

Dealer South, N/S Vulnerable

North

? None

? K76

? AJ63

? AJ10875

West

? 987543

? Q54

? 94

? 43

East

? AQJ106

? J1032

? Q102

? 9

South

? K2

? A98

? K875

? KQ62

Most pairs got the six clubs on this hand, which really has no chance as there is always a heart and a diamond loser, whereas six diamonds (the “magic 4-4 fit”) is easy, even with the diamond loser, as declarer can just play ace — king of diamonds, pitch a heart on the clubs and ruff a heart and then only lose one diamond whenever East wants to take it.

One declarer in six clubs did actually make it and his play was interesting — he received a spade lead and instead of ruffing he discarded from dummy — not a heart but a diamond.

East won the ace but declarer was in control — he won the spade return, throwing another diamond, drew trumps, played the ace — king and ruffed a diamond and eventually had a diamond winner in the South hand on which to throw dummy’s losing heart.

Brilliant, patient, play which was richly rewarded.

I have just seen the bridge club website and the great pictures of the bridge club Ladies in their great outfits running for the Women’s Resource Centre fundraiser. What an amazing effort and idea and a big round of applause to all those who supported Judy, Lisa and Sharon in their efforts. Log on to bermudabridge.com to see the pictures.

Results for week of June 4

Monday afternoon

North/South

1. Tony Saunders/Jean Johnson

2. Molly Taussig/Diana Diel

3. Gertrude Barker/Julia Lunn

East/West

1. Edward Betteto/Joseph Wakefield

2. Peter Donnellan/Charles Hall

3. Patricia Siddle/Margaret Way

Monday evening

North/South

1. David Sykes/Edward Betteto

2. Delton Outerbridge/Ruby Douglas

East/West

1. Patrica Siddle/Diana Diel

2. Gertrude Barker/John Glynn

Tuesday evening

1 .Jo-Ann Dawson/Mike Dawson

2. Nick Kempe/Samantha Pickering

3. Wenda Krupp/Joanne Edwards

Wednesday morning

North/South

1 .Linda Pollett/Jean Johnson

2. Louise Rodger/Molly Taussig

3. Michael Anton/Richard Hall

East/West

1. Heather Woolf/Dorry Lusher

2. Charles Hall/Joseph Wakefield

3. Magda Farag/Sheena Rayner

Thursday evening

1. Edward Betteto/Fabian Hupe

2. Alan Douglas/Martha Ferguson

3. Margaret Way/Diana Diel

Friday afternoon

North/South

1.Molly Taussig/Desmond Nash

2. Alan Douglas/Martha Ferguson

3. Gertrude Barker/Dianna Kempe

East/West

1. Janice Trott/Michael Bickley

2. Diana Diel/Joseph Wakefield

3. Charles Hall/Tony Saunders