Now that summer is winding down things will start getting livelier at the Bridge Club. The board is working hard to encourage members back to the live games, post Covid, and will hopefully succeed in recreating that unique social atmosphere that comes from a live bridge session.

The club made a great start with the junior/senior evening which was held last Friday and proved a great success with all the attendees. There were seven and a half tables in play and it was an excellent opportunity for all club members, both experienced and inexperienced, to get to know each other better.

The members played a small number of boards and were happy to provide and receive explanations during the bidding and play. They finished with some food, drinks and lively conversation.

It was clearly a tonic for the members to have such an enjoyable evening after a couple of tough years, and many thanks go out to our tournament director, Peter Donnellan, for putting it all together.

Last week I described a hand where declarer eschewed a finesse in the trump suit and retained one extra trump that was needed to ruff out a loser. This week we have another slam and again declarer has a choice of finesse – or not! See Figure 1.

In a team game, both sides reached six diamonds on the auction shown. The raise to two diamonds was inverted, promising a maximum pass with four-card or longer support.

Four clubs showed club shortage and four spades was control-showing. South then made a key-card enquiry before bidding the slam.

The opening lead at both tables was the Jack of clubs, taken by dummy’s Ace. At the first table, declarer was a simple fellow. He drew trumps and led a low heart to his ten and West’s Queen.

After ruffing West’s club return, declarer crossed to the King of spades and led a second heart to the Jack. West produced the King and declarer was down one.

At the other table, declarer ruffed a club at trick two, then led a trump to dummy’s ten to ruff a second club with his Ace of trumps. After crossing back to dummy with a low trump to the Jack, declarer ruffed dummy’s remaining club, thereby eliminating the suit.

Next, he crossed to dummy with a low spade to the King to lead a low heart to the ten in this position. See Figure 2.

After taking this with the Queen of hearts, West was end-played, with only major suit cards remaining. It did not matter which one he played, for declarer would make two tricks in that suit and be able to ruff his losing card in the other major for 12 tricks.

BRIDGE CLUB RESULTS

Friday, September 16

1. Heather Woolf – Aida Bostelmann

2. Jane Clipper – Mike Tait

3. Wendy Gray – Richard Gray

Tuesday, September 20

North/South

1. Katyna Rabain – Louise Payne

2. Jean Schilling – John Thorne

3. Marion Silver – Duncan Silver

East/West

1. Rosemary Smith – Wenda Krupp

2= Vivian Pereira – Wilena White

2= Nikki Boyce – Carol Eastham

Wednesday, September 21

North/South

1= Gertie Barker – Jane Smith

1= Lynanne Bolton – Peter Donnellan

3. Wendy Gray – Richard Gray

East/West

1. Martha Ferguson – Judy King

2. Molly Taussig – Sheena Rayner

3. Marge Way – Betsy Baillie