Last night will have seen the conclusion of the Mens’ and Ladies’ Pairs at the Bermuda Bridge Club, the event being played this year with the first session on Wednesday and the second on Friday as opposed to the usual Monday-Friday routine.It is hard to predict winners at the best of times in these events, and harder nowadays as the best pairs don’t always show up for the Championships. Full report in next week’s column.I enjoyed this hand on Bridge Base Online, where my partner made a smart alec opponent pay heavily for a mistake in defence …I was a virtual spectator as North making just one bid and then having it happen all around me!Board 7. Game All. Dealer South.QJ109Q109K651096K765 432A2 None2 J109743J87543 AKQ2A8KJ876543AQ8NoneThe bidding was all a bit bizarre:WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH13 (!) 3 5 5Pass Pass 6 6Dbl Pass Pass PassIt looked as if West was going to profit from his shocking 3 Club bid when he found partner with AKQx and a heart void, as my partner took the push to 6 which looked set to go down one most of the time!West led a club, ruffed by partner who led a low heart towards the Queen on which West played low … curtains!Partner now saw the opportunity for a strip and endplay ... she ruffed a club, crossed to the diamond and ruffed dummy’s last club.West was now dead ... partner now played on diamonds and whether West ruffed then or not partner could throw him in with the heart to either provide a ruff and discard with a club lead or lead a spade away from the king …. doubled slam bid and made.West can of course defeat the hand by rising with the Ace of hearts at trick two and exiting with either a heart, diamond or club … he now has to come to the King of spades for the setting trick.He didn’t, however, do that and partner took full advantage to put him to the sword Very well played!Back to the Mens and Ladies Pairs … is it not a bit of an anachronism to have separate gender fields in a mental sport in 2013? Hmmm ... just asking!