Woolf and Scheland edge it
THE Non-Life Masters Pairs (0-300) and the Junior Pairs (0-20) concluded at the Bridge Club last Wednesday, and congratulations to Heather Woolf and Anelise Scheland, who won the Non-LM, and Lane Martin and Ray McDaid, who won the Juniors.In the Non-LM, Woolf and Scheland went into the second session just behind Charles Pearman and Ernest Paynter but had an excellent session to edge Paynter-Pearman into second with Pat and Vivian Siddle moving strongly into third.
The story was a bit different in in the Junior Pairs where the leaderboard hardly changed after the first session.
Martin-McDaid took a fairly healthy lead into the second session and stayed well out in front of of Edward and Joyce Pearson in second and Judy Patton and and Rosemary Smith in third.
Finishing fourth and fifth in the big field were Jonathan Clipper and Rachel Blakeney and Diane and Reg Donald.
Well done to all these pairs who represent the future of the Bridge Club.
Remember — Crazy Bridge tomorrow night at the club for those of you who signed up. See you there!
One thing about aggressive bidding in bridge — you had better have the declarer skills to back it up and more often than not, luck needs to play a part.
This hand from the European Open Championship had all of these — a 24- point game, great declarer play and a fortunate lie of the cards.
Dealer North.
Both Vulnerable.
North
[spade]K 10 9 7 3
[heart]K 8
[diamond]K 9 4 3
[club]K 2
[spade]Q 8 4 2 [spade]A 5
[heart]Q 6 5 3 [heart]A J 9 4
[diamond]8 5 [diamond]A Q J 10
[club]A 10 4 [club]7 6 5
[spade]J 6
[heart]10 7 2
[diamond]7 6 2
[club]Q J 9 8I>
Open Room<$>:
Dumbovich Mauberquez Winkler Al<$>
— 1[spade] 1NT Pass
2
3
Pass PassOne no trump certainly would not have been everybody’s choice holding only one spade stopper, but it paved the way for the Hungarians to reach a hair-raising contract that required very good declarer play as well as a slice of luck.
South led the club queen. When Dumbovich won this with his ace, the club suit was blocked. Next came a heart to the jack, the ace of hearts (thank you) and the heart nine back to hand for the diamond finesse.
When this worked, declarer knew he would either get four diamond tricks (if the king had been tripleton originally) or he would need an endplay, throwing North in with the diamond king. So he crossed to his last trump in hand, using the carefully preserved four of hearts, and took another diamond finesse. When the king did not fall under the ace in the third round of the suit, he followed with the fourth diamond from dummy, North winning his king.
As he was known to have started with five spades, it was a certainty that North would have only one top club to cash before being forced to open up the spades. Very well played for a deserved 620 to Dumbov.
Closed Room:
Fray Szalay Bessis Lakatos
— 1[spade] Double Pass
2[heart] Pass Pass PassThe Fran|0xe7|ais Standard auction did not work well here. Both the double and the two heart bid are straightforward actions, but as each player held a little bit in reserve, the thin, but certainly playable, game was missed. Declarer even made 11 tricks but, unfortunately had to accept a loss of nine IMPs.
LATEST RESULTS
Bermuda Bridge Club
Non-Life Masters Pairs: 1. Heather Woolf-Anelise Scheland, 2. Charles Pearman-Ernest Paynter, 3. Pat Sie-Vivian Siddle.
Junior Pairs<$>: 1. Lane Martin-Ray McDaid, 2. Edward Pearson-Joyce Pearson, 3. Julia (Judy) Patton-Rosemary Smith
Monday afternoon, March 19, N/S: 1. Lisa Burland-Greta Marshall, 2. Joan Sims-Gillian Gray, 3. RichaGray-Wendy Gray. E/W: 1. John Burville-Magda Farag, 2. Gill Butterfield-Margaret Way, 3. Peter Jones-Sara Zug.
Monday evening, N/S: 1. Lynanne Bolton-Margaret Way, 2. Michael Bickley-John Hoskins, 3. Daviykes-Sally Sykes. E/W: 1. Bill Tucker-Kevin Comeau, 2. Magda Farag-Elizabeth McKee, 3. Dick Meredith-Julia Lunn.
Wednesday morning: 1. Richard Gray-Wendy Gray, 2. Betty Outerbridge-Peggy Thompson, 3. Michaeickley-Bill Tucker.
Friday evening, Howell<$>: 1. Vera Petty-Roman Smolski, 2. Ken Cornelius-Mary Cornelius, 3. Sharon Jabbour-Zeke Jabbour. N/S: 1. Tony Saunders-Charles Hall, 2. David Sykes-Sally Sykes, 3. Bilucker-Kevin Comeau. E/W: 1. Alan Douglas-David Pereira, 2. Eddie Kantar-Yvonne Snyder, 3. Jean Bath-Charles Pearman.
