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BERMUDA | RSS PODCAST

Philadelphia is nirvana for bridge junkies

The ACBL Summer Nationals starts this week in Philadelphia and promises to be a real feast of bridge for those who make the trip. There are games on at all hours and for all levels of player and the Nationals are really bridge junkie heaven.At the same time the event hosts all the major teams and pairs events and my guess is that 40 of the top 50 players in America will be there together with a host of ranking internationals.A number of pairs are making the trip from Bermuda and I’ll bring you news of any notable performances. Many years ago a Summer Nationals in Boston had fond memories for me on the same day I won the North American Individual, turned 33, and became a Life Master. The Bulletin called it The Bermuda Triangle.I am travelling at the time of writing this column so the hand is short and sweet. The hand came up on OK Bridge in a pairs game and was a lot of fun, and hugely interesting and instructional in the play.S KQJH KQJ5D A62C 753S- A1095 S- 63H -95 H - 43D J105 D KQ9873C- AQJ8 C - 1064S 8742H- A10872D 4C K92West opened one club after which North had a fairly uncomfortable takeout double on that flat hand but things looked up when South bid two hearts showing a hand with values. North raised very aggressively to three hearts and South now had an easy raise to game.West led the diamond jack and the hand was a fairly open book. If East had the diamond king and queen that left only 12 points so West probably had them all including the club ace, so things did not look great.Declarer won, ruffed a diamond and drew two rounds of trumps, another diamond ruff and now played a spade. West won the ace and played another spade and now declarer played it well. He won the spade, cashed the third spade, came to hand with the last trump and played the eight of spades.When East played the 10 declarer let him hold the trick, discarding a club from dummy.West was now end-played with only clubs left in his hand and had to give declarer a trick with the king. Ten tricks in the shape of four trump tricks in dummy, two spades, two diamond ruffs, the diamond ace and the club king.Well played.

North-South

Monday, July 9 Morning: 1 Julia Beach-Joan Sims; 2 Louise Rodger-Lyn O’Neill; 3 Donna Leitch-Katrina Van Pelt.

Evening: 1 Paul Thompson-Alan Douglas; 2 Russ & Dee Craft; 3 Ellen Davidson-Dianna Kempe; 4 Julia Lunn-Diana Diel.

Tuesday, July 10: 1 Louise Payne-Marion Ezedima; 2 Ray Desilva-Martha Ferguson; 3 Joy Lusher-Mary Leigh Burnett; 4 Irene Chew-Andy Carne.

Wednesday, July 11 Morning: 1 Russ & Dee Craft; 2 Louise Rodger-Lyn O’Neill; 3 Donna Leitch-Jeanette Shaw

Thursday, July 12 Evening: 1 Paul Thompson-Bill Pollett; 2 Kath & Geoff Bell; 3 Des & Tracy Nash

Friday, July 13 Evening: 1 Charles Hall- Michael Tait; 2 Charlie Gambrill-Michael Bickley; 3 Jane Smith-Gertie Barker

East -West

Monday, July 9 Morning: 1 Magda Farag-Sheena Rayner; 2 Richard & Wendy Gray; 3 Judy Harte-Martha Ferguson.

Evening: 1 Rachael Gosling-Kevin Comeau; 2 Pat Siddle-Gill Gray; 3 Steve Ball-Linda Pollett; 4 Eddie & Stephanie Kyme.

Wednesday, July 11 Morning: 1 Mona Marie Gambrill-Julia Beach; 2 Jane Clipper-Diana Diel; 3 Sheena Rayner-Jane Smith.

Friday, July 13 Evening: 1 Rachael Gosling-Kevin Comeau; 2 Bill Tucker-Alan Douglas; 3 Lynanne Bolton-Peter Donnellan.

Compiled by Julia Lunn