The second session of the trials to decide which three pairs travel to the Caribbean Bridge Federation Championships in Curacao will take place this Sunday afternoon and evening at the Bridge Club.The first session took place last week and there are certainly some surprises at the top of the leader board, and some at the bottom! The event is being scored by Butler Imps Scoring and here are the seven pairs, plus scores with the remaining six pairs being net minus.

David and Sally Sykes plus +63

Magda Farag-Sheena Rayner +62

Vera Petty-Roman Smolski +47

Judy Bussell-Stephanie Kyme +20

Charles Hall-Tony Saunders +12

Gertie Barker-Jane Smith 0

Some notables do not feature here but Magda-Shena and Pat-Julia can certainly feel good about their halfway performance in this field. More next week when I will bring you the final results.

I went down to the club to watch a few hands in the first session and this is the first hand I saw.

Sitting behind east, this was his hand:"62 [heart]K1075 [diamond]632 [club]J954And the bidding with neither side vulnerable goes:North East South West

1[diamond] Pass 1" Pass

1NT Pass Pass Dbl

Pass ??What do you bid? Partner clearly has a strong hand with good spades, which explains his original pass. Also partner is highly unlikely to have four hearts as he would probably have doubled first round.

I would, especially at Teams, pass and defend 1NT doubled — beating it is great and if it makes it is not good, but not a disaster as they are not in game.

At the table East, not unreasonably, bid 2 hearts and when partner now bids 2NT had to pass.The full hand:

Dealer: North

Neither Vulnerable

North

"A9

|0xa4|J943

©K94

|0xa8|A763

West East

"KQ104 "62

[heart]A8 [heart]K1075

[diamond]A87 [diamond]632

[club]K1082 [club]J954

South

"J8753

|0xa4|Q62

©QJ105

|0xa8|QOne no trump doubled, probably goes two down if played by North on a spade lead. 2NT by West is surprisingly difficult to beat — at the table declarer actually made nine tricks after the defense gets too active in the heart suit. A diamond lead is best but declarer can prevail if he wins the third round.

A nice 'nip & tuck' hand which tests both bidding and card playing skills.

BRIDGE CLUB RESULTS

Wednesday morning, January 3rd, N/S: 1 (jt.) Louise Rodger-Dorry Lusher and Margaret Way-David Cordon, 3. Lisa Burland-Peggy Thompson. E/W: 1. Stephen Ball-Lynanne Bolton, 2. Peter Jones-Sara Zug 3. Jean Bath-Diana Diel.

Wednesday evening, N/S: 1 Geoff Bell-Kath Bell, 2. Margaret Potts-Wilene White, 3. Jane Clipper-Michael Tait. E/W: 1. Penny Cooke-Trish Moody, 2. Jon Turner-Debra Randall, 3. Peter Jones-Rachael Blakeney.

Friday, N/S: 1. Judith Bussell-Stephanie Kyme, 2. David Cordon-John Burville, 3. Jean Johnson-Tony Saunders. E/W: 1 (jt) Vera Petty-Roman Smolski and Stephen Ball-Phil Shadick, 3. Charles Hall-Alan Douglas.

Bf$>Reminder<$> - 'Partnership Understandings' session at the Bridge Club, Thursday, January 18 at 7.30 p.m.