By the time this column appears the Mens and Ladies Pairs will have been decided last night at the Club at the conclusion of the second session. At the halfway point the Mens event seems to be a three horse race with Eddie Kyme- Alan Douglas and David Cordon – Misha Novakovic leading with the same score on 66.88 % — two massive games! In third on 60% are Charles Hall – Tony Saunders who seem to be the only other pair in with a chance as 4th place is back on 53%, but stranger things have happened!

The Ladies event is much closer and has some unfamiliar names at the top! Well done to Rosie Smith and Barbara Cerra who sit at the top with 60.71%! They are followed by Ellen Davidson – Janice Trott on 59.23%, another good performance, and they are closely followed by Judy Bussell – Stephanie Kyme in 3rd, Mona Marie Gambrill – Pat Siddle in 4th and Sheena Rayner-Magda Farag in 5th. This event is still wide open! Full results next week.

Before I get to the hand a quick word on the great job being done by the Bridge Committee on promoting bridge on the island, including the schools. Bridge is now recognised as a skill in the Duke of Edinburgh Program and as a community based service and development scheme for young adults. Saltus Grammar school has embraced this and recently two of their students Gianluca Cacace and Tyler Irby and teacher Mike Viotti appeared at the Regional and had a great introduction to the game ! Well done to them and to Mike for being the catalyst in making it happen, and to the many locals at the club who have supported this initiative!

This hand is full of interest and turned up recently in a top level Teams game .

Dealer East N/S Vulnerable

The Bidding:

West North East South

2S 2NT ?????

4S ? 4NT Pass 5C

Pass 6C Pass Pass

Pass

The bidding was frisky but pretty normal until North’s last bid which was a bit of a leap! East opened a weak 2 Spades, South chose a normal 2NT overcall which tends to deny 4 hearts, and West understandably bounced the bidding. North’s 4NT bid offered partner a choice in the minors and when South chose clubs North got a bit carried away with his void and five card suit and bid the slam – which actually is not a bad one !

West led the two of spades and South showed the Vugraph crowd the difference between an expert and the rest- he ruffed in dummy, played two rounds of trumps and then turned his attention to the heart suit.

The finesse looks normal but South realised that he was in a great slam and just making it would be a super result – if West has the heart queen there is never a problem but declarer decide to take out some insurance in case the Queen was with East.

So he played a heart to the Ace and a heart to the King!

If nothing good happened declarer intended on leading a third heart towards the jack which works any time West has the queen or hearts are 3-3 , setting up the last heart for a diamond discard!

As you can see, however, declarers superb play was rewarded when the queen came up on the second round and the slam made – great play !!

Would I make the same play at Pairs?? I think so – the slam is a superb one if it makes and the overtrick only comes in if West has exactly Qxx in hearts, so I think the safety play is called for.