The Bermuda Sectional is finally here and started last night at the Bermuda Bridge Club. The event has really become popular over the last few years after almost disappearing off the calendar and I expect some pretty strong fields and tight competition.

The event kicked off yesterday afternoon with the single session Alyce Kraft Pairs followed at night by the first sessions of the Independent Financial Services Pairs and the Kirk and Judy Kitson Newcomer Pairs both of which will conclude on Monday night. Monday afternoon sees the staging of the single session Maiden Pairs.

Saturday afternoon and evening see the two sessions of the David Ezekiel Bridge Column Pairs and the two sessions on Sunday stage the Gosling Brothers Stratified Teams. Prize giving follows the Monday night session.

All sessions start at 1pm and 7.30pm and Tournament Chairman Andy Carne and his team have refreshments, eats and social events running right through the tournament. John Glynn will handle partnerships. So, get down to the Club for what promises to be a fun event!

Before I get to the hand … the Bridge Club staged two separate sessions of the WBF Worldwide Instant Matchpoint game on Friday night and Saturday afternoon. Five tables contested the Friday night event which was won by David Cordon and Julia Lunn with a 59.58 percent game with John Burville and Paul Thompson in second and Alan Douglas and Jane Smith in third. Seven tables turned out on Saturday with Magda Farag and Sheena Rayner finishing top with 59.52 percent followed by Russell and Dee Craft in second and Danielle Cloutier and Martha Ferguson in third. Well done to all these pairs!

I just love it when bad and indisciplined bidding gets punished so you can imagine just how enjoyable it was for me to sit South on the hand below which came up on Bridge Base Online this last week.

East Dealer, Both Vulnerable

(Spades / Hearts / Diamonds / Clubs)

North: AK964 / AJ92 / 32 / 32

East: none / 87 / QJ9765 / KQJ109

South: AKJ108 / 32 / A62 / K75

West: Q108732 / Q104 / 4 / 876

East opened a weak 2 Diamonds and I got my hand off my chest by bidding 2NT. West passed and partner bid 3 diamonds which I took to mean choose a 4 card major if you have one, as I had already shown a diamond stopper. Before I could bid, however, East stepped in with a bid of 4 Clubs breaking every rule in the book on bidding! I doubled this partly on principle but also on my great diamond suit! West and North passed and I was on lead.

Having been here before it was clear that West was going to come down with some clubs and one or fewer diamonds, so I led a low trump and the rest was carnage!

Declarer won and played the diamond queen … I won this and played Ace and another club and declarer had no escape … he played a diamond which I won to switch to a low heart and the rest is history … declarer never even made one diamond trick! All declarer made was 4 Trump tricks — six down for 1700 and a bushel of imps!

So, a couple of lessons … … you can pass with a weak two suited hand and come in later instead of making a silly opening bid and then a sillier follow up! And if the opponents warn you that the suits are all breaking badly let them play the hand, double them and lead trumps! Do not let them have the luxury of a crossruff.

And …. again……..sit on them when they play poker at the bridge table!