At the time of writing this column the ACBL Nationals are in full swing in Toronto and with quite a few pairs attending from Bermuda. I will try and bring news of success as soon as I get some. There has already been some early success with Heather Woolf and Gordon Bussell winning the Daylight Gold Rush pairs on Monday.

This is a really meaningful win as the event was held over two sessions with 80 tables in play and winning brought Heather and Gordon 18 Gold Points in the process. Many many congratulations. Hopefully there will be other success stories and I will get to hear of them so that I can bring you the news, so watch this space.

This week’s hand featured a strong South player who followed a brave practical bid with some excellent declarer play.

Dealer South N/S Vul

? KJ1084

? J7

? 4

? 98543

? 632

? KQ98

? Q862

? K2

? None

? 1063

? KJ753

? QJ1076

? AQ975

? A542

? A109

? A

The Bidding:

West North East South

1S

Pass 4S Pass 6S

I like South’s 6 Spade bid – undoubtedly a little flighty but with 18 points and great distribution no other bidding would tell South any more about the hand and the slam must at least have a chance unless North had an awful 4 Spade raise.

West led a low trump which happened to be the only lead to pose any problems for declarer ... without it declarer could give up a Heart and finally ruff two Hearts and two Spades in dummy to get to twelve tricks. Now with the trump lead West can lead another trump when declarer gives up a Heart, leaving declarer one ruff and one trick short.

Declarer, however, was made of sterner stuff and having identified West as the danger hand, as East had no trumps to lead, he played to keep West off lead .

Winning the Spade declarer now led the Diamond Ace and then the nine, intending to throw a Heart if West played low. West, however, played the Diamond Queen and declarer had to ruff in dummy. Declarer now came to the Club Ace and played the Diamond 10 and when West played low he discarded a Heart from dummy. East won but with no trumps to lead the hand made comfortably on a high cross ruff.

Really not that difficult when you devise a plan and then concentrate on executing it is it? Well done to this declarer as many would have bashed out Ace and another Heart in the vague hope that East would have to win and would go one down.

Results for week of July 17

Monday afternoon

North/South East/West

1. Wendy Gray/Richard Gray 1. Diana Diel/Molly Taussig

2. Geoff Bell/Kathleen Bell 2. Janice Trott/Greta Marshall

3. Julia Beach/Gertrude Barker 3. Annabelle Mann/C Lloyd-Jennings

Monday evening Tuesday evening

1. Tony Saunders/Margaret Way 1. Claude Guay/Sharon Shanahan

2. Patricia Siddle/Diana Diel 2. David Pickering/C Lloyd-Jennings

3. Magda Farag/Sheena Rayner 3. Judith Law/Jane Gregory

Wednesday morning

North/South East/West

1. Richard Gray/Wendy Gray 1. Peter Donnellan/Lynanne Bolton

2. Tony Saunders/Molly Taussig 2. Diana Diel/Joseph Wakefield

3. Louise Rodger/Greta Marshall 3. P Siddle/J Beach, D Pickering/L Abend

Thursday evening

North/South East/West

1. Gertrude Barker/Judy King 1. Scott Godet/Tom Gillett

2. John Luebkemann/Jane Smith 2. Magda Farag/Sheena Rayner

Friday afternoon

North/South East/West

1. Louise Rodger/Greta Marshall 1. Charles Hall/Molly Taussig

2. Michael Antar/Dianna Kempe 2. Wendy Gray/Richard Gray

3. Peter Donnellan/Magda Farag 3. Julia Lunn/David Cordon