In most years at this time players would be fully back in the swing and looking forward and preparing for the major event of the year, The Bermuda Regional, which is usually held at the Fairmont Southampton at the end of January.

This year, of course, the traditional event has been cancelled, but the local organisers have done well to construct an online substitute with games each morning at 11am and each afternoon at 3pm. Not quite the same, but a great chance to get in a number of games in a short period and to support the local unit.

It all starts with a warm up game on the morning of Saturday, January 23, followed by the traditional Charity Pairs at 3pm and then eight single session games each morning and afternoon, Sunday through Wednesday. The schedule is posted online on the website.

This week’s hand is all about planning and playing the cards in the right order – and keeping a clear head … (see Figure 1).

South opened a strong 2 Clubs and after North made a waiting bid of 2 Diamonds, showing some values, South charged ahead and checked for Aces and Kings and, finding partner with one of each, bid the grand slam in No Trump.

West led the spade 10 and declarer won the Ace and started counting – there were 12 top tricks and the 13th could come from a 3-3 heart split or the diamond finesse and declarer just had to play things in the right order to try both, and that is not easy.

Try it before reading on. The key play is in the heart suit where declarer must investigate the 3-3 break before deciding which card to discard on the spade king. Take another minute before reading further.

The full hand (see Figure 2).

Declarer should win the spade Ace, and run the 6 clubs throwing a five diamonds and a spade from dummy. Now the key play – King of hearts, Queen of hearts and heart to the Ace to come to this position (see Figure 3).

If the hearts had split declarer throws the Queen of diamonds on the spade and claims – in this case, declarer cashes the spade King and East has to keep the heart so must discard a diamond, and declarer pitches his heart. Now when a diamond is played and East follows, declarer knows that his other card is a heart, so West must hold the remaining diamond and the play of the Ace fells the King and the Queen becomes the 13th trick – bravo!

A fairly difficult hand to sort through, probably the main thing being to keep a clear head around trick 11 and 12 and recognising the diamond situation.

Bridge Club results

Monday, December 28

1. Julia Beach - Annabelle Mann

2. Magda Farag - Sheena Rayner

3. Lynanne Bolton - Peter Donnellan

Tuesday, December 29 <149

1. Malcolm Moseley - Mark Stevens

2. Tim Mardon - Jean Schilling

3. Marion Silver - Duncan Silver

Wednesday, December 30

1. Linda Pollett - William Pollett

2. Gertrude Barker - Jane Smith

3. Magda Farag - Sheena Rayner

Saturday, January 2

1. Joyce Pearson - Lorna Anderson

2. Marsha Fraser - James Fraser

3. Charles Roraback - Molly Roraback

Monday, January 4

NS

1. George Correia - Elizabeth Baillie

2. Marsha Fraser - James Fraser

3. Magda Farag - Sheena Rayner

EW

1. Lynanne Bolton - Peter Donnellan

2. Marion Silver - Duncan Silver

3. Judith Kitson - Gill Butterfield

Tuesday, January 5 <149

1. Malcolm Moseley - Mark Stevens

2. Jane Gregory - Wenda Krupp

3. M Louise Payne - Katyna Rabain

Wednesday, January 6

1. Linda Pollett - William Pollett

2. Magda Farag - Sheena Rayner

3. John Hodge - Sue Hodge

Thursday, January 7

1. Marion Silver - Duncan Silver

2. 2= Elizabeth Baillie - Lisa Ferrari

3. 2= Linda Pollett - Elizabeth McKee