THE start of the Regional is now just over a week away and Lynanne Bolton and her committee will be doing the double and triple checks to ensure that all is ready for the visitors and locals. The players’ thoughts will also be on the weeks ahead as it is the event of the year. More on the tournament in next week’s column.

This week’s hand offered declarer a good chance to test the defence but not many did. It is the sort of hand best left to an experienced declarer who has seen this before.

Dealer: North

E/W VulnerableNorth

[spade]A K J 10

[heart]K J 10

[diamond]A K Q 3

[club]8 2

South

[spade]Q 9 8 7 3

[heart]Q 8 2

[diamond]7

[club]K J 9 3The bidding was reasonable with North-South playing Precision:

North South

1[club] (1) 1[spade] (2)

2[spade] (3) 4[spade] (4)

5 [diamond] (5) 5[spade] (6)

Pass

1. 16+ points

2. 8+ points at least 5 spades. Game forcing

3. Agree trumps — already smelling slam! There is a case for bidding 3 spades to show 19-21 but that usually leaves partner with a tough decision

4. No interest in slam with a minimum

5. Having only bid 2 spades the first time North takes one more try

6. Still not tempted!

West led a trump and declarer won drew trumps and really didn’t know how to proceed. Declarer cashed diamonds, pitching two clubs and eventually had to guess clubs and went down when West had both honours.

The full hand:North

[spade]A K J 10

[heart]K J 10

[diamond]A K Q 3

[club]8 2

West East

[spade]5 2 [spade]6 4

[heart]A 5 4 [heart]9 7 6 3

[diamond]5 4 2 [diamond]J 10 9 8 6

[club]A Q 7 6 5 [club]10 4

South

[spade]Q 9 8 7 3

[heart]Q 8 2

[diamond]7

[club]K J 9 3Declarer can do a lot better — draw trumps ending in hand and lead a low heart. West is likely to play low, as it looks like a guess for declarer and now it is over — win the heart, cash diamonds pitching the remaining hearts in the South hand and then try guessing clubs for the overtrick!

The key here is not to cash diamonds early as they provide no useful discards until the heart play. West should probably rise with the ace of hearts as declarer has to have the queen to get to eight high card points — but that would require some thinking, a strong point for many defenders!

Successful declarers don’t give the opponents too much credit — what they do give them is lots of rope to hang themselves!LATEST RESULTS

Bermuda Bridge ClubMonday afternoon, January 2:<$> 1. Pat Siddle-Vivian Siddle, 2. Dolly Winwick-Julia Lunn, 3. Lisa Burland-Peggy Thompson.

Monday evening: 1. Kevin Comeau-Stephan Juliusburger, 2. Judith Bussell-Stephanie Kyme, 3. Michael Bickley-Harry Kast.

Wednesday morning, N/S: <$>1. Magda Farag-Diana Diel, 2. Marilyn Simmons-Jacqueline Swan, 3. Joan Sims-Bea Williams. E/W: 1. Gertrude Barker-Patricia Riding, 2. Elizabeth McKee-Aida Bostelmann, 3 (jt) Tracy Nash-Caroline Svensen and Gillian Gray-Peggy Thompson.

Wednesday evening:<$> 1. Julia Lunn-Joan Sims, 2 (jt) Alice Palmer-Anelise Scheland and Sally Godet-Scott Godet.

Friday, N/S: 1. David Sykes-Sally Sykes, 2. Margaret Way-Lynanne Bolton, 3. Rachael Gosling-Craig Hutton. E/W: 1. Joseph Wakefield-David Pereira, 2. Vera Petty-Roman Smolski, 3. Diana Diel-Audrey Smith.