A big well done to Marion and Duncan Silver for their triumph in the Bermuda Bridge Club Non-Life Masters Pairs Championship in a really close finish from Nikki Boyce and Rosemary Smith, who finished second. The winners also won the B strata and second in B were Wendy Krupp and Sally Irvine.

The event was close all the way – after the morning session Marion/Duncan and Nikki/ Rosemary were both exactly on 55 per cent, but a 57.5 per cent game in the afternoon sealed the title for the winners.

It takes a long time to achieve Life Master status and as a result there are a lot of very capable players in this category, so the completion is tough – Marion and Duncan were probably one of the pairs with a lower master point total than most in the field, so the win is really creditable. Many congratulations to Marion and Duncan, and to Nikki/ Rosemary who just came up short this time.

Next up on the Tournament scene is the Life Masters Pairs on May 21.

This week’s hand is yet another one that came up on BBO recently and is a great example of declarer seeing the only chance to make the contract and then executing it to perfection, before the defence had a chance to figure out what was happening (see Figure 1).

North-South bid themselves into a small slam in spades which was not unreasonable, but the point duplication in the heart suit was unfortunate and meant that the slam looked doomed to failure as it looked like there were two unavoidable club losers. Declarer, however, was an expert with a lot of experience and managed to bring it home.

The opening lead was the ten of hearts and declarer was faced with two club losers as there were no discards available – there was, however, the chance of an endplay and declarer seized it.

Declarer won the heart and at trick two cashed the Ace of clubs – the key play. He now drew trumps, cashed the diamond winners and ruffed a diamond and now exited with a club in this position (see Figure 2).

West won the club but was endplayed, as any red suit lead gave declarer a ruff and discard – slam made! The play was particularly brilliant in the timing. If declarer had drawn trump at trick two, stripped the hand and then played Ace and another club, West would figure out what was coming and would have thrown the King of clubs under the Ace, defeating the hand, as now East could cash two clubs.

The cash of the club Ace at trick two was therefore essential, and almost impossible for West to read – superb play!

BRIDGE CLUB RESULTS

Friday, April 22

1. Elizabeth McKee – Molly Taussig

2. Dorry Lusher – Joe Wakefield

3. Aida Bostelmann – Heather Woolf

Saturday, April 23

Non-Life Masters Pairs

1. Marion Silver – Duncan Silver

2. Nikki Boyce – Rosemary Smith

Monday, April 25

North/South

1. Gertie Barker – Jane Smith

2. Stephanie Kyme – Joe Wakefield

3/4. Elysa Burland – Molly Taussig

3/4. Linda Abend – Felicity Lunn

East/West

1. Peter Donnellan – Tony Saunders

2. Diana Diel – Dorry Lusher

3. Aida Bostelmann – Julia Beach

Wednesday, April 27

1. Gertie Barker – Jane Smith

2. Molly Taussig – Tony Saunders

3. Wendy Gray – Richard Gray

Thursday, April 28

1. Jane Smith – Peter Donnellan

2. Wendy Gray – Richard Gray

3. Lynanne Bolton – David Petty