Last Saturday saw another hugely successful Bridge Club Christmas Party under the stewardship of Judy King and her many helpers who were at work a week earlier decorating the club and on and after the actual event – there are too many to name, but we all know who they are and they deserve a big hand.

From all accounts the food and entertainment was excellent, and many congratulations to Richard Gray for winning the Calcutta Bridge tournament – what else does one do at a Bridge Club party? – following on his recent success in the Open Teams.

The photos from the party are now up on the Bridge Club website and from looking at them it is clear that the club looked great and that the atmosphere was excellent.

With Christmas arriving, there are still a few events to complete: Social Bridge: Sunday December 15, 3-5pm (and every third Sunday); the Novice Pairs on Tuesday, December 17 at 7pm; and the Ernie Owen Individual on Thursday, December 19 – Ernie was my regular partner for years and the event is a fitting tribute to a wonderful bridge player and all-round special person.

As I wrote last week, good declarer play requires clarity of thought and the ability to avoid the “obvious” or reflex play. That comes not only from looking at the cards in front of you but also deciphering the opponents’ bidding to get a picture of the hand. Declarer on today’s hand (see Figure 1) did that and more!

South opened a strong two clubs and was surprised to hear West jump straight to four hearts – this was passed around to him and he had a tough decision at the vulnerability.

If West has one spade (as in this hand) the right decision, in my opinion, would definitely be to double as declarer would make a spade, a diamond and, almost certainly three heart tricks, given that he had the nine – without the nine, a third heart trick is unlikely. At the table, declarer decided to bid four spades.

Declarer had to decide how to play it when West leads the Ace of clubs followed by the King.

Declarer ruffed the second club and realised that he could have a combined three possible losers in the major suits. Declarer saw the danger in playing the Ace of hearts, because West must have started with eight hearts for his vulnerable leap to the four level. On the given layout, East would ruff the Ace and now there would be no way to make ten tricks.

As a cautionary measure against such possibility, declarer led a low heart at trick two – the only winning line here! West won cheaply and had a choice of returns.

Suppose first that he plays another heart. Declarer ruffs in dummy and East can overruff. However, declarer will follow with another low heart and East will have ruffed a loser with his probable trump winner. Declarer will lose one club, one heart and the trump Queen, making the contract.

It is no good for West to return a trump instead of a heart at trick four. Of course, East does best to withhold his Queen (otherwise an overtrick would be conceded) but declarer will still score ten tricks: seven trumps and three tricks in the red suits. West’s only other return is a diamond, but declarer will ruff his remaining heart loser with the ten. East will overruff but declarer wins the return then draw trumps on the way to making ten tricks.

Well thought out and executed!

• In closing, it is with great sadness that I report on the recent passing of two valued members. Passing last week at the age of 93 was Greta Marshall, truly one of the grand dames of the club. Greta loved the game and her presence really added something at the table – always smiling, courteous and gracious and always willing to improve over the years. She will be sadly missed by family and friends.

Her funeral is being held today at the St Andrew’s Presbyterian Church in Hamilton (corner of Church Street and Court Street) at 1pm and I expect a good turnout from the many friends she made at the club over the years. This will be followed by a wake at the Bridge Club from 2pm to 4pm.

And just this week we received the news of the death of Gill Gray. Gill was a longstanding member of the club although she had not played bridge in recent times due to ill health.

Gill and her husband Allan were huge friends and substantial supporters of Bermuda bridge, and it was through their generous seven-figure Orbis donation that Bermuda was able to host the 2000 Bermuda Bowl, the 50th anniversary of that event. The remaining funds after the event have been well used to fund bridge education in Bermuda for many years.

Gill was a gracious and charming lady who was a regular afternoon player in her day, and we send our sincere condolences to the Gray family and friends.

Her funeral is at 2.30pm on Monday December 16 at St John’s Anglican Church, Pembroke.

• David Ezekiel can be contacted at davidezekiel999@gmail.com

BRIDGE CLUB RESULTS

Friday, December 6

1. John F.W. Glynn/Molly Taussig

2. Sancia Garrison/Jane Smith

3. Lorna Anderson/Joyce Pearson

Monday, December 9

North/South

1. William Pollett/Charles Hall

2. Joyce Pearson/Jane Smith

3. Allyson Eadie/Aida Bostelmann

East/West

1. Margaret Way/Rachael Gosling

2. Peter Donnellan/Lynanne Bolton

3. Stephanie Kyme/Molly Taussig

Tuesday, December 10

North/South

1. Amanda Ingham/Heidi Dyson

2. Ben Stone/James Fielding

East/West

1. Joshimor Hussey/Julia Tadman

2. Jamie Ferrari-McComb/Edward Ferrari-Willis

Wednesday, December 11

1. Lynanne Bolton/Heather Woolf

2. Martha Ferguson/Judy King

3. Sheena Rayner/Molly Taussig