Today sees the start of the Men’s and Ladies Championship at the Bermuda Bridge Club — it will be a two-session event with a break for lunch prior to the second session. I hope we see a good entry from the leading players and hopefully there are enough entries to stage the men’s event — full results in next week’s column.

I received some fun feedback on last week’s column on “altercations” at the bridge table and I’ll do another one in the future. I can’t leave without one more which I hope won’t offend, but it’s 2026 and most of my readers are an open-minded bunch.

Years ago a visitor to the island called our partnership secretary looking for a game and we fixed her up with one of our really nice members, who was no Omar Sharif in either looks or bridge ability, but was a pleasant lad.

Anyway they had an enjoyable game, though not a successful one, as our local boy was not the best bidder in the world and they were in many unmakeable contracts.

Towards the end of the evening he excused himself to visit the restroom, at which point our visitor confided to the two opponents at the table: “This will be the first time this evening I know what he has in his hand.” … Smart bunch, us bridge players!

***

Today’s hand is mainly about the declarer play and defence, but also has some interest in the bidding.

North decided to temporise with a two-diamond bid (which would typically show at least five diamonds) and then jumped to the spade game to close out the auction, as it didn’t sound as if his club honours would be of much use.

My preference with three-card trump support would be to bid a forcing no trump with the North hand and then make a decision whether to jump to game or look for slam based on partners next bid — if, for instance, partner’s second bid had been three clubs instead of three hearts I would be giving it a try by bidding three spades (which is 100 per cent forcing and a slam try) and hoping partner can cue-bid hearts — if she does we are off to the races.

Against four spades, West led her singleton heart and East won the Ace and returned the three of hearts for West to ruff, the low card return, suggesting a club switch. West ruffed and duly returned a club which East won and surprisingly continued with another club.

Declarer won this in dummy and had a choice to make. After the ruff, the opponents had only four trumps left. Should she just bang down the AK of trumps hoping to drop the Queen or take the finesse — what would you do?

The answer, dear Watson, is blindingly obvious — East has to have the Queen, 100 per cent!

Why? Ask yourself why East didn’t continue with another heart when in with the Ace of clubs — simple, because he knew West did not have a trump higher than the Jack and returning a heart would tell declarer that! So the finesse is undoubtedly the correct play.

There are may instances in declarer play where a competent opponent makes a “strange” play. When that happens you must ask yourself why and you will probably figure it out — but only if you give it some thought!

• David Ezekiel can be reached at davidezekiel999@gmail.com

BRIDGE CLUB RESULTS

Friday, June 5

1 John F W Glynn/Molly Taussig

2 Peter Donnellan/Sancia Garrison

3 Duncan Silver/Marion Silver

Monday, June 8

North/South

1 Jane Clipper/Caroline Svensen

2 Judith Bussell/Stephanie Kyme

3 Wendy Gray/Molly Taussig (Tied 3rd)

3 Peter Donnellan/Richard Gray (Tied 3rd)

East/West

1 Lorna Anderson/Heather Woolf

2 Stephen Cosham/Sharon Shanahan

3 Patricia Siddle/Diana Diel

Tuesday, June 9

North/South

1 Ross Cooper/Scott Gilbertson

2 Amanda Ingham/Heidi Dyson

East/West

1 Julia Tadman/Joshimar Hussey

2 Veronica Boyce/Carol Eastham

Wednesday, June 10

1 Sheena Rayner/Molly Taussig

2 Patricia Siddle/Diana Diel

3 Elysa Burland/Magda Farag

Thursday, June 11

1 John F W Glynn/Delton Outerbridge

2 Charles Hall/Stephanie Kyme

3 Erika Jones/Caitlin Conyers