There was a full day of bridge for the participants in the Bridge Club men’s and women’s Open Pairs Championships last week, and when the smoke had cleared after the two sessions David Sykes and Fabian Hupe and Sheena Rayner and Magda Farag emerged as the winners in two close contests.

The turnout was again good, with 16 pairs in the women’s event and nine pairs in the men’s.

After the morning session Rayner-Farag held a nice lead over Jean Johnson-Linda Pollett and Lynanne Bolton-Marge Way, and in the men’s Sykes-Hupe had a very comfortable lead over three other pairs who were all still in touch. Neither of the leaders had a strong second session, but with none of the pursuing pack producing anything special. Rayner-Farag won by six match points and Sykes-Hupe by 6.5.

Finishing in the frame in the women’s pairs were Marge Way-Lynanne Bolton in second, Katrina Van Pelt and Rachael Gosling in third, Jean Johnson-Linda Pollett in fourth and Elizabeth McKee-Diana Diel in fifth.

In the men’s event Alan Douglas-Delmont Simmons finished second, Tony Saunders-Joe Wakefield in third and John Burville-Mike Viotti in fourth.

Flight B in the women’s was won by Lorna Anderson and Marsha Fraser and in the men’s it was won by Burville — Viotti.

Well done to the winners, Rayner, Farag and Sykes are multiple previous winners at the club and Hupe recorded what will be the first of many wins by continuing his strong performance at the recent regional. Both the fields were quite deep which made the wins look good.

This week’s hand is from an intermediate class on entries.

Dealer South Both Vul

? K742

? K76

? Q65

? J102

? 93 ? 10865

? QJ95 ? 843

? K98 ? A1042

? A983 ? 9842

? AQJ

? K102

? J73

? KQ75

All six South’s in the room opened 1NT and every declarer ended up in 3NT. Four North players went straight to 3NT with their 4-3-3-3 shape, which I like, and the other two started with Stayman and also bid 3NT when South denied 4 Spades

West led the queen of Hearts, and all of the declarers failed to make the contract. All six took the first trick in hand with the king and thereafter did not have the entries in the end game to make the contract (thanks to the teacher’s instructing West to hold off taking the ace of clubs until the third round of the suit).

In the review, the teacher explained that declarer should make four tricks in Spades, two in Hearts and three in Clubs provided that the entries were used appropriately. The teacher continued by pointing out that if declarer is to make certain of three Club tricks he may need a side-suit entry to cash an established club winner.

As the Spade suit will need to be unblocked if declarer is to make four tricks when the suit is not 3-3 (as expected), the only late entry to the closed hand will be in Hearts.

Accordingly, the teacher pointed out that the first trick must be won with dummy’s ace of hearts. The next move must be to cash three Spade winners in hand. Then a Club is played to the 10, which holds. After cashing the king of Spades and throwing a low Diamond from hand, declarer continues with the jack of Clubs. When that holds, declarer plays a third Club to the queen and West’s ace. West now shifts to a Diamond. East wins the trick with the ace of Diamonds and switches to a Heart. Declarer rises with the king of Hearts, then cashes the king of Clubs: he makes four Spades, two Hearts and three clubs for a total of nine tricks.

Not very complicated but it just needs some organisation of thought and planning — and for some that is too much to ask.

RESULTS

Monday afternoon

North/South

1. Sheena Rayner/Magda Farag

2. Lorna Anderson/Malcolm Simmons

3. Elysa Burland/Greta Marshall

East/West

1. Patricia Siddle/Gill Gray

2. Elizabeth McKee/Stephanie Kyme

3. Diana Diel/Molly Taussig

Monday evening

1. Elizabeth McKee/Rachael Gosling

2. Diana Diel/Patricia Siddle

3. Margaret Way/Lynanne Bolton

Tuesday evening

1. Carol Jones/Wendy Salvia

2. John Luebkemann/Charles Griffiths

3. Nick Kempe/Samantha Pickering

Wednesday morning

North/South

1. Judith Bussell/Stephanie Kyme

2. Gertrude Barker/Jane Smith

3. Ellen Davidson/Jeanette Shaw

East/West

1. Patricia Siddle/Diana Diel

2. Magda Farag/Alan Douglas

3. Aida Bostelmann/Joyce Pearson

Thursday evening

1. Richard Gray/Wendy Gray

2. Gertrude Barker/Jane Smith

3. Sheena Rayner/Magda Farag

East/West

1. John Glynn/Peter Donnellan

2. Alan Douglas/Richmond Simmons

3. Michael Tait/Jane Clipper

Friday afternoon

North/South

1. Judith Bussell/Stephanie Kyme

2. Jean Johnson/Margaret Way

3. Elysa Burland/Patricia Colmet

East/West

1. Janice Trott/Ellen Davidson

2. Elizabeth McKee/Diana Diel

3. Joseph Wakefield/Tony Saunders

Saturday men’s and women’s championships.