The Guest Columnist this week is Alan Douglas. Alan has been playing bridge for more than 40 years, and has represented Bermuda in International Competition more than 20 times. He won the Caribbean and Central American Championships in 2003, and also has numerous regional and sectional wins to his credit.Today’s hands feature Bermuda playing against Canada at the Bermuda Bowl played in Monaco in 2003. Bermuda were having a tough time of it at the championships but rose to the occasion with a great win against Canada in their round robin match. Bermuda was close to the bottom of the teams but Canada was in position to qualify for the Knockout stage.Here are a couple of hands as reported in the daily bulletin of the championships.Board 1. Dealer North. None Vul.? Q6? K10? KQ2? AJ6532? AK5 N ? J10974? QJ542 W E ? A9876? 9863 ? A10? 7 ? 8S? 832? 3? J754? KQ1094Open RoomWest North East SouthDouglas Harvey1? 2? 2?4? Pass pass 5?5? Dble All PassClosed RoomWest North East SouthSmolski Petty1NT Dble 2NTPass 3? Pass Pass4? 5? Dble All PassIn the Open Room North for Canada opened 1? and Bermuda’s Ian Harvey made a Michaels cue-bid. South showed a constructive club raise and Alan Douglas jumped to the cold heart game. When South sacrificed in 5?. Douglas took the push to 5?, where he was doubled. The opening lead was the king of diamonds to dummy’s ace, and Douglas lead the J? at trick two, rising with the ace when South followed low without thought. The heart finesse won and the last heart was drawn and now Douglas dropped the queen of spades to bring home his contract with an overtrick: +750.In the other room Roman Smolski opened a strong no trump and East doubled - one minor or both majors. Vera Petty showed one minor and West cue-bid, over which Smolski saved in 5?. That was very much the winning decision as there were just 4 tricks to be lost for -300 but 10 imps to Bermuda.Board 15.dealer South N/S Vul.? A9863? Q652? J8? J10N? KJ752 ? Q4? 10 W E ? AKJ4? 65 ? A43? A7632 ? KQ98S? 10? 9873? KQ10972? 54Open RoomWest North East SouthDouglas HarveyPass2? Pass 4? All PassClosed RoomWest North East SouthSmolski Petty2?Pass Pass 3NT PassPass Dble 4? DbleAll Pass.Douglas’s 2? opening was simply a weak two bid. The five one split could have put the contract under serious threat had North led a diamond to set up a force, but fortunately he chose the jack of clubs and Douglas was in control. He just lost three trump tricks for + 420.In the other room, Petty had a weak 2 ? opening at her disposal, promising two of the top three honours, and used it. East simply jumped to 3NT when that came around to him, a contract that would have been an easy make. But now Smolski took an inspired view. His partnership play that a double here would ask for a spade lead and he took a gamble that I confess would not have occurred to me when he did indeed double. East had a serious worry about the spades and guessed to run to 4?, doubled by petty. How wonderful for North/South! Had West realised what was going on he could have corrected back to 4Nt but he could not imagine that his partner had bid a four card suit - after all the jump to 3Nt would more often than not based on a long suit, would it not? He passed and this bizarre contract drifted three off for — 500. That was another 14 imps to Bermuda, setting the seal on an excellent 22-8 VP victory.