Well , it looks like I let myself in for it by mentioning Crazy Bridge as I immediately got a call from Lynanne Bolton, Bridge Club president, looking for a date, so watch this space! It is a lot of fun as those who have done it before will tell you.

So , do you have a hand that you think is easily the best you have ever played? I do, and I’ll bring it to you some day, but today I’m putting in the hand given to me by Allan Graves when I asked him that question!

And it is a great hand, more so because of the setting and the opponents The Spingold in 2002 against the great Italians Versace and Lauria! Alan was playing with Bryan Maksymetz and was sitting South.

Board 4. Game All. Dealer WestLATEST RESULTS

A10532

AKQ109

A

85

K4 J976

J52 763

Q10432 K9

732 J1064

Q8

84

J8765

AKQ9

WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH

Pass 1 Pass 2

Pass 2 Pass 2NT

Pass 3 Pass 3

Pass 3NT Pass 6NT

West led the diamond 2, a great start for the defence! Things didn’t look good for Allan , as even with the hearts coming in there were only 10 top tricks but when things look bleak you just have to hope for a favourable lie of the cards and play the hand that way!

At trick two Allan led a club from dummy and …..put in the nine! When this held things started to look hopeful … now five rounds of hearts and three more clubs left this position:

A105

none

none

none

K4 J9

none none

Q K

none none

Q8

none

J

none

Now a diamond exit and East was endplayed … he tried the spade nine but it was clear he didn’t have the King as otherwise a player as good as him would have ditched the King of diamonds to leave partner on lead! So Allan played low and West was stuck! He played the king, won by the Ace and now the queen was good, 12 tricks and a huge 1440 at Imps!

Lovely hand! Without the diamond lead, Allan would probably have tried to set up spades by playing a low one to the queen first, and none of that would have worked! Funny game …

Monday afternoon, February 6

N/S 1 Michael Bickley-Louise Rodger 2 Peter Donnellan-Russ Craft 3 Greta Marshall-Elysa Burland E/W 1 Pat Siddle-Diana Diel 2 Janice Trott-Charles Gambrill 3 Ivy Rosser-Barb Mulder

Monday evening, February 6N/S 1 Diana Diel-John Hoskins 2 Judy Bussell-Stephanie Kyme 3 Jane Smith-Gertie Barker E/W 1 Linda Pollett-Marg Way 2 Pat Siddle-GillGray 3 Charles Hall-Elizabeth McKee

Tuesday, February 7

N/S 1 Judy Harte-Stephen Smith 2 Rosie Smith-Judy Patton 3 Andy Carne-Irew Chew E/W 1 Marsha Ferguson-George Correia 2 Ted & Joyce Pearson 3 WilliChristensen-Wilena White

Wednesday, February 8

N/S 1 Mona Marie Gambrill-Russ Craft 2 Elizabeth McKee-Elysa Burland 3 Richard & Wendy Gray E/W 1 Gertie Barker-Sheena Raynor Danielle Cloutier-Dianna Kempe Judy King-Aida Bostelmann

Thursday, February 9

N/S 1 Michael Tait-Jane Clipper 2-3 Donna Leitch-Judy Harte 2-3 Dolly Winwick-Peter Donnellan E/W 1 Scott & Sally Godet 2 Louise Payne-Ernest Paynter 3 James Leitch-Stephen Smith

Friday, February 10

N/S 1 Richard & Wendy Gray 2 David & Sally Sykes E/W 1 Ernest Paynter-Lorna Anderson 2 Audrey Smith-Diana Diel