The recent Bermuda Regional is still sharp in the memory and it’s always difficult for players to settle back in to the smaller, quieter environs of the Bridge Club.

This has always been a problem with attendances typically falling off for a few weeks and was the reason I invented “crazy bridge” some years ago a fun game that got the players out after the Regional so I’ll dust off the material on this and see whether the Bridge Club would like to stage another one of these.

Anyway, the local tournaments will soon start and that will focus the minds and players will soon get back into the swing of things. There are already a couple of important dates for the diary :

The Bermuda Sectional has been moved from its usual September slot to the dates of June 8 to June 11… not sure how this will work but the stated reason is the issue of possibly inclement weather based on the hurricane in 2010 and not great weather last year ... stay tuned.

The International Sponsorship Trials have been set for April 28 and April 29 to select the team to travel to the 2012 World Mind Sports Games … the event itself has not finalised its venue but it seems it will either be Cardiff between August 7 and August 20, or Strasbourg , France between August 9 and August 23.

Today’s hand is the sort that separates the winners from the losers, the regular winner from the occasional winner declarer not only showed good technique, but exhibited the work ethic and patience that leads to success …

Board 5. N/S Vul. Dealer NorthS-Q84

H-Q105

D-AK76

C-A62

S-J1062 S-K5

H-62 H-83

D-108542 D-J9

C-95 C-KQJ10743

S-A973

H-AKJ974

D-Q3

C-8

The BiddingWEST NORTH EAST SOUTH

1NT 3C 3H

Pass 4C Pass 4S

Pass 5D Pass 6H

The bidding was good after East bid 3 Clubs, South’s 3 Heart bid was forcing and showing at least 5 hearts. North now cue bid clubs to agree hearts and after a couple more cue bids the slam was reached West led the Club 9.

Declarer has 11 tricks and the 12th is easy if West has the spade King … at one table declarer drew trump and couldn’t wait to play the Ace of Spades and a spade towards the queen East won and continued clubs and declarer sidled to a disappointing down one!

One declarer was successful …….at trick two he ruffed a club with the trump nine , drew two rounds of trumps ending in dummy and ruffed the last club. Now three rounds of diamonds and a diamond ruff left this situation :

SQ84

H10

DNone

CNone

S-J1062 S-K5

H-None H-None

D-None D-None

C-None C-KQ

S-A97

H-K

D-None

C-None

Now declarer played the Ace of spades and a spade to the queen this again lost to the king but thanks to declarers preparation East now had only clubs to return giving declarer a ruff and discard … declarer threw the losing spade from hand and ruffed in dummy …slam made !!

Take a good look at this hand and practise it … it is in effect a strip and end-play and the opportunity to make this play comes up way more often than you think!

LATEST RESULTSN/S 1 Peter Donnellan-Lynanne Bolton 2 Joan Ross-Ann Sims 3Joan Sims-Julia Beach

Compiled by Julia Lunn

Monday afternoon, January 30

E/W 1 Diana Diel-Pat Siddle 2 Julia Lunn-Jeanette Shaw 3 Dianna Kempe-Aida Bostelmann

Monday evening, January 30

N/S 1 Judy Bussell-Stephanie Kyme 2 Tony Saunders-Jean Johnson 3 Richard & Wendy Gray

E/W 1 Sue & John Hodge 2 Jane Smith-Gertie Barker 3 Sheena Rayner-Magda Farag

Tuesday, January 31

N/S 1 Joy Lusher-Thomas Bolton 2 Pat & Barbara Cerra 3 Marsha & James Fraser

E/W 1 Marsha Ferguson- Mark Crampton 2 Geoff & Kath Bell 3 Johnnie McWhinnie-Elizabeth Caulfield

Wednesday, February 1

N/S 1 Louise Rodger-Diana Diel 2 Magda Farag-Gertie Barker 3 Heather Woolf-Joan Sims

E/W 1 Danielle Cloutier-Noella Cloutier 2 Gill Gray-Pat Siddle 3 Peter Donnellan-Lynanne Bolton

Thursday, February 2

N/S 1 Thomas Bolton-Katrina Van Pelt 2 Dan McCleary-Paul Thompson 3 Michael Tait-Jane Clipper

E/W 1 James Leitch-Stephen Smith 2 Scott & Sally Godet 3 Debbie Jhuboo-Martha Ferguson

Friday, February 3

N/S 1 Elizabeth McKee-Rachael Gosling 2 Richard & Wendy Gray 3 Thomas Bolton-Margie Way

E/W 1 Eddie & Stephanie Kyme 2 Tony Saunders-Michael Bickley 3 Gill Gray-Pat Siddle