Guest columnist is Roman Smolski, who has represented Great Britain, England and Bermuda numerous times, most notably as part of the GB team which won the European Championships in 1990 and the Bermuda team which won the Caribbean and Central American Championships in 2003.Playing in the final of a KO Teams, you are tied after the regulation 24 boards, so you have to play a further four boards.

Your partner has had to leave, but opponents sportingly agree to allow a substitute if one can be found.

By this time the only remaining kibitzer is your elderly aunt from England, who assures you that she can play bridge, but doesn’t hold with these newfangled convention things, so you agree to bid naturally.

This turns out to be irrelevant as on the first board your aunt revokes to allow opponents to make a part-score, and on the second board she leads out of turn to let through a vulnerable game.

On the third board opponents bid smoothly to 6 Hearts; you lead the ?K and see

:♠AQJ10♥ 3� ♣AK106♥9732♥10♦ KQ3♣

87432Declarer calls for the ?6 from dummy and your aunt contributes the ?4.

Familiar with her methods by now, you politely ask whether she has any diamonds, and with a sorry, dear she puts the ?4 on the table, while declarer follows with the ?J.

You raise an inquiring eyebrow at RHO, who pauses for a moment then waves the penalty card off, telling you to lead what you like.

The thought crosses your mind that if declarer has another diamond this could be the greatest Grosvenor Coup of all time, but RHO doesn’t look the type, and anyway the timing is wrong at this late stage of the match.

You see your aunt reaching for a card so you quickly lead a spade.

Declarer tries to bring off a trump coup but fails unluckily when the second round of clubs is ruffed.

The full hand: ♥AQJ10 ♥ 3 ♦ 10986 ♣ AK106♥9732

♥ 865♥10 ♥ J854♦ KQ3 ♦ A7542 ♣ 87432

♣9 ♥K4 ♥AKQ9762 ♦ J ♣ QJ5

You note that a second round of diamonds would have allowed declarer to make his slam as you pick up the final hand:? QJ5 ? KQ872 ? KQJ9 ? 4 and see your aunt open 1?. You toy with 3NT but settle for the normal 1?; LHO passes reluctantly as does your aunt. RHO also passes with a grin which is quickly wiped off as dummy is revealed:

♥A3 ♥J4 ♦ A2 ♣AKQJ832♥QJ5

♥8762♥KQ872 ♥963♦ KQJ9 ♦ 1074♣4

♣1065 ♥K1094 ♥ A105 ♦ 8653

♣97Understandably shell-shocked, LHO misdefends to allow you to make 1? You score up: lose 5 . . . lose 13 . . . win 13 . . . win 5 . . . no,wait! . . . win 6 . . . win by one!

On the drive home you ask your aunt about her somewhat eccentric 1? bid.

Well, dear, she says, my old teacher, Mr. Meredith, told me that one should always open 1 spade non-vulnerable in first or third seat, but with such a poor hand I just didn’t have the nerve.LATEST RESULTSBermuda Bridge ClubMonday afternoon, August 2, N/S: 1. Gill Gray-Pat Siddle, 2. Ann Sims-Joan Ross. E/W: 1. Julia Patton-Kath Bell, 2. Russ Craft-Jane McCreary. Evening: 1. Gertie Barker-Jane Smith, 2.Charles Hall-Magda Farag, 3. Richard and Wendy Gray.Wednesday morning, August 4, N/S: 1. Louise Rodger-Lyn O’Neill, 2. Richard and Wendy Gray, 3. Greta Marshall-Pat Hayward. E/W: 1.Julia Beach-Joan Sims, 2. Phyllis Emerson-Willard MacCallum, 3. Judy King-Gertie Barker. Evening, N/S: 1. Julia Patton-Martha Furguson, 2. Lorna Anderson-Jean Thompson, 3. Barbara and Pat Cerra. E/W: 1. Joyce and Joseph Pearson, 2. Kath and Geoff Bell, 3. Judy Harte-Rick Worr.Thursday evening, August 5: 1. Russ Craft-Simon Giffen, 2. Willi Christensen-Barrie McKay, 3. Dolly Winwick-Charles Pearman.Friday evening, August 6: 1.David and Sally Sykes, 2. Delmont Simmons-David Cordon, 3. Audrey Smith-Janice Trott.