Congratulations to Caitlin Conyers and Erika Jones who are now the Bermuda Bridge Club junior champions for 2024. The two-session event was held last Saturday and Caitlin-Erika topped a seven-pair field with a score of 41.5 matchpoints ahead of Amanda Ingham and Heidi Dyson in second with 39.5, and Sarah Bowers and Stuart Clare in third with 37.5.

The morning session was tight with the above three pairs and James and Rob Mulderig all separated by just a couple of matchpoints, so there was everything to play for.

The afternoon session was also close, and Caitlin and Erika had another steady session which kept them in first spot. Well done to the winners and the podium pairs – the finish was close and I’m sure every one of these pairs could point to just one hand that would have propelled them into first place, and the challenge for them is to eliminate the costly hands in the next event they play.

This week’s hand (see Figure 1) came up in a team game at a crucial point of the competition and holding the South hand as declarer was a world-class player – and he needed to be in order to make his contract.

The bidding was interesting – North opened one spade, South bid two hearts and North jumped to four hearts – since they were already in a game-forcing situation the jump to four hearts showed a minimum opening hand (fast arrival – weak hand, slow arrival – strong hand). South then powered his way into the small slam via Roman Key Card Blackwood.

Knowing that South had a strong hand, West did not want to lead from either of his Kings. Also, West did not want to alert declarer to a possible bad break in spades by leading his singleton two. So, West led the six of trumps and dummy’s seven held the trick.

Declarer saw that he had to start setting up dummy’s spade suit immediately. So, he cashed the Ace of spades, noting that both defenders followed.

Declarer saw that if the spade suit was 4-1 and he tried to cash the King of spades he would go down. On the above layout, West would ruff and exit safely with a trump, leaving declarer with no chance to make the contract. Having given it some thought, declarer came up with a master play – he led a low spade next!

East took this with the Jack and switched to a club, but declarer was now in control: he refused the finesse and rose with the Ace of clubs and then crossed to dummy with the Jack of trumps.

After a spade ruff with his Queen of trumps established the spade suit, declarer crossed back to dummy with the King of trumps. Declarer then cashed the K-9-7 of spades, discarding the three minor-suit losers from his hand to make the slam.

Brilliant planning and execution by declarer!

BRIDGE CLUB RESULTS

Friday, April 19

1. Tony Saunders-Patricia Siddle

2. Gertrude Barker-Martha Ferguson

3. Louise Rodger-Greta Marshall

Saturday, April 20

Junior Pairs Championship

1. Caitlin Conyers-Erika Jones

2. Heidi Dyson-Amanda Ingham

Monday April 22

North/South

1. Sheena Rayner-Magda Farag

2. Jack Rhind-Charles Hall

3. Geoff Bell-Kathleen Bell

East/West

1. Judith Bussell-Diana Diel

2. Caroline Svensen-Jane Clipper

3. Peter Donnellan-Lynanne Bolton

Tuesday, April 23

North/South

1. Jamie Sapsford-Jane Dowling

2. Duncan Silver-Marion Silver

East/West

1. Robert Mulderig-James Mulderig

2. Benjamin Stone-Malcolm Moseley

Wednesday, April 24

1. Gertrude Barker-Jane Smith

2. Charles Hall-Linda Pollett

3. Lynanne Bolton-Greta Marshall

Thursday, April 25

1. Charles Hall-Diana Diel

2. John Glynn-Rachael Gosling

3. Gertrude Barker-Makiko Rogers