The Mens and Ladies Pairs Champions at the Bermuda Bridge Club for 2012 are William Tucker-Alan Douglas and Lyn O’Neill-Stephanie Kyme.

Tucker-Douglas ended up winning quite comfortably as they recorded a 61.36 percent second session to add to their second-placed first session - the winning margin of 13.5 matchpoints was just over 2 ½ boards. In second place were Charles Hall-John Hoskins who had two solid 56 percent games and they were more than a board ahead of first session leaders David Pereira-Richard Gray who could not repeat their earlier performance. In fourth were John Rayner-Eddie Kyme.

In the Ladies Pairs, O’Neill- Kyme capped off a fine performance with another good session which maintained their first session lead … they ended up eight matchpoints ahead of second placed Sheena Rayner-Magda Farag who also had two good games and had virtually the same second session score as the winners. The lower placings changed slightly with Marge Way-Linda Pollett moving into third place just ahead of Jane Smith and Gertie Barker withPat Siddle-Wendy Gray finishing in fifth. This event was remarkable in that the top four pairs were almost inseparable in their second session scores!

Congratulations to all. Bill, Alan, Lyn and Stephanie are all regular visitors to the winners circle at the Club and put in two solid sessions … the events were tightly contested and needed consistency over the two nights - not always an easy thing to produce.

Before I get on to the hand, some news on a visit by ACBL Director Karl Hicks, who, along with Maury Braunstein and Sol Weinstein , has become a Bermuda favourite! Karl will be visiting the weekend of March 31/April 1 to run a series of workshops for current local directors, “lapsed” directors and to provide an introduction to directing for any club members who are interested in looking into directing at the Club. If you fall into any of these categories, please contact Bridge Club president Lynanne Bolton and she will explain more and sign you up! Do it! It is interesting even if all you want to do is learn more about another aspect of our game.

This weeks hand is worth looking at closely, as it is a good lesson in the planning of a hand.

Board 9. E/W Vul. Dealer North.LATEST RESULTS

S-9

H-K64

D-AQ75

C-AJ1092

S-A10863 S-Q75

H-Q109 H-J73

D-93 D-J10642

C-764 C-K8

S-KJ42

H-A852

D-K8

C-Q53

The bidding was interesting :

WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH

1C Pass 1H

Pass 2H Pass 3NT

The bidding needs explaining …after South responded with 1H North has a tough bid he doesn’t have enough to reverse with 2D so his choices seem to be a rebid of 2C or the bid he chose, 2Hwith only 3 card support. South now made a great bid of 3NT offering North a choice and requiring him to bid 4H if he had 4 card support …North was happy to pass. 3NT by South was played at nearly every table.

West led 6S and the play diverged hugely. Four players won this trick and paid the price when the club finesse lost East returned the 7S and declarer was dead. At another three tables the declarer ducked the first spade and played the jack on the second better, but not good enough! West simply ducked this and the result was the same when the club finesse lost - down one!

So step forward our hero - declarer number eight! He ducked the queen of spades and ducked the seven of spades! The defence was now dead as all communication had been severed - contract made!

The same play often occurs when there is xxx in dummy and KJx in hand and a low card is led and RHO plays the queen … if East can get in again, the right play again may be to duck the queen - try it!

Compiled by Julia Lunn

Monday afternoon, February 20

N/S 1 Russ Craft-Peter Donnellan 2 Rosie Smith-Pat Riding 3 Katrina Van Pelt-Danielle Cloutier

E/W 1 Pat Siddle-Diana Diel 2 Judy Patton-Martha Ferguson 3 Ted & Joyce Pearson

Monday evening, February 201 Richard Gray-David Pereira 2 Bill Tucker-Alan Douglas 3 Eddie Kyme-John Rayner

Men’s Pairs

Ladies Pairs1 Lynn O'Neill-Stephanie Kyme 2 Dee Craft-Mona Marie Gambrill 3 Sheena Rayner-Magda Farag

Tuesday evening, February 211 Peter & Susan Adhemar 2 Pat & Barbara Cerra 3 Rosie Smith-Judy Patton

N/S

E/W 1 Joan & Ron Ross 2 Joy Lusher-Elma Anfossi 3 Hugo Benzziger-Noala Contibas

Wednesday morning, February 221 Gertie Barker-Peter Donnellan 2 Louise Rodger-Lynn O'Neill 3 Richard & Wendy Gray

N/S

E/W 1 Pat Siddle-Diana Diel 2 Sheena Rayner-Magda Farag 3 Gill Gray-Elizabeth McKee

Thursday evening, February 221 Donna Leitch-Noula Contibas 2 Thomas Bolton-Katrina Van Pelt

N/S

E/W 1 Charles Pearman-Penny Cooke 2 Susan & Peter Adhemar

Friday, February 241 Bill Tucker-Alan Douglas 2 Greg Carey-Russ Craft 3 John Hoskins-Charles Hall

Men’s Pairs

Women’s Pairs 1 Janice Trott-Ellen Davidson 2 Lynn O'Neill-Stephanie Kyme 3 Margie Way-Linda Pollett