With<$> the fall tournament schedule now completed, the next event on the calendar is the Bermuda Bridge Federation Trials to qualify pairs for the Pairs Olympiad in Verona in 2006. The event will be held on November 1,3 and 5 and details are available at the club.I still play a bit of Internet bridge on OK Bridge with Jean Johnson, and a few weeks ago, today’s hand came up at our table and, playing imps, we got a great result when our opponents got no further than 3NT, though no small slam looks a bargain with the bad break in clubs.

Imagine my surprise when I read in the OK Bridge Spectator that Turkish declarer Alpay Ozalp had bid and made the club grand slam!

Dealer: North

Vulnerable: E/WNorth

[spade]10 9 6

[heart]Q 7 6 4 3

[diamond]K J 7 5

[club]4

West East

[spade]A 7 2 [spade]K J 5 3

[heart]A J 10 2 [heart]5

[diamond]6 [diamond]A Q 8 4 2

[club]K Q 8 7 6 [club]A 9 3

South

[spade]Q 8 4

[heart]K 9 8

[diamond]10 9 3

[club]J 10 5 2

West North East South<$>

— Pass 1[diamond] Pass

2[club] Pass 2[spade] Pass

3[heart] Dbl 4[club] Pass

4NT Pass 5[heart] Dbl

7[club] All PassSome people lead a trump against any grand slam. Others, afraid they may trap partner’s presumed trump queen, look for alternatives to leading their singleton trump. North was a sceptic, so out came the [spade]10. Ozalp realised immediately that he probably was facing a 4-1 trump break because North didn’t lead a trump. He also realised that his only hope was for a successful diamond finesse and a subsequent crossruff.

After the lead was covered by the jack and queen, declarer took his ace and took the diamond finesse. It worked! He had a chance!

He discarded a spade on the [diamond]A and ruffed a diamond. He crossed to dummy with the [spade]K, came back to hand with the [heart]A, and ruffed a heart with dummy’s small trump. South craftily dropped the [heart]K on this trick, but declarer continued his crossruff. What else could he do? Next he ruffed a spade in his hand and trumped another heart in dummy, leaving this position:North

[spade]—

[heart]Q 7

[diamond]J

[club]4

West East

[spade]— [spade]J

[heart]J [heart] —

[diamond]— [diamond]8 4

[club]K Q 8 [club]A

South

[spade]—

[heart]—

[diamond]—

[club]J10 5 2South still had all of his trumps, but it did him no good. Declarer led a diamond from dummy, and South put in the [club]J. Declarer over-ruffed and trumped his last heart with the [club]A. When he then led the [spade]J, South was finished. Making 7[club]. If North had led his singleton trump? Down one!LATEST RESULTS

Bermuda Bridge ClubMonday afternoon, October 17: 1. Richard Gray-Wendy Gray, 2. Ivy Rosser-Mary Arton, 3. Bea Williams-Julia Lunn.

Monday evening, N/S:<$> 1. Michael Bickley-Harry Kast, 2. Jean Johnson-Lyn O’Neill, 3. Sally Sykes-John Glynn. E/W: 1. Anthony Buckley-Dorothy Buckley, 2. Lynanne Bolton-Linda Pollett, 3. Sheena Rayner-Stephen Ball.

Wednesday afternoon, N/S: 1. Jean Johnson-Dorry Lusher, 2. Patricia Hayward-Greta Marshall, 3. Richard Gray-Wendy Gray. E/W: 1. Jane Smith-Gertrude-Barker, 2. Pat Siddle-Vivian Siddle, 3. John Hoskins-Michael Bickley.

Wednesday evening, N/S: 1. Alice Palmer-Don Airey, 2. Mabs Turner-Stan Turner, 3. Patricia Colmet-Laura Patriciu. E/W: 1. Erica Hendricks-Anna Diethelm, 2. Penny Cooke-Jane Clipper, 3. Peggy Thompson-Dee Griffiths.

Friday: 1. David Sykes-Stephanie Kyme, 2. Rachael Gosling-Craig Hutton, 3. Eddie Kyme-David Pereira.