Before I get to the hand, a few dates for your diary, all on Saturdays – Junior Pairs Championship on April 29 at 9:30am, Mixed Pairs Championship on May 13 at 9:30am and the Bridge Club Summer Party on June 17 at 6.30pm.

Now to the hand. This deal arose in a team game and is a great example of the need for a clear head at the table when confronting a difficult decision (see Figure 1).

The bidding was exactly the same at both tables (see Figure 2).

North’s two heart bid was an “unassuming cue bid”, which showed values, denied four spades (no negative double) and probably denied a heart stopper – once South showed the stopper, North decided to chance 3NT.

Both South players declared 3NT and received the King of diamonds as the opening lead, with East signalling that he held an odd number of diamonds by playing the three – up the line with an odd number. Both declarers played low from hand at trick one, and had to win the continuation of the Queen of diamonds with their now bare Ace.

At the first table, the declarer was more noted for his impatience than his deep thought. He reasoned that West seemed to have at least nine cards in the red suits, and was likely to be short in clubs – not an unreasonable assumption.

So, at trick three he led a low club to the King. When East discarded a low spade at this point, declarer had to settle for a three-trick defeat – and well deserved it was!

At the other table, the declarer was a careful and thoughtful player. She also placed at least nine red cards on her left but, unlike her counterpart, she saw that there was no rush to tackle clubs.

The only suit about which she could safely gather additional information was the spade suit. So, instead of tackling clubs immediately, declarer cashed the Ace, King and Queen of spades.

After West discarded two low hearts on the spades, declarer concluded that the only relevant shapes that West could hold were either 1-5-4-3, or some extreme shape with a club void, such as a 1=6=6=0 shape.

As the latter might have seen more bidding from West, declarer placed West with the possible club length and cashed her Ace of clubs at trick six. When West followed with a low club, declarer knew that the contract was now safe. Once East discarded a low spade on the Ace of clubs, declarer claimed nine tricks on the proven club finesse.

Really well thought out and the plus score was rewarded with a big IMP gain.

• David Ezekiel can be reached on davidezekiel999@gmail.com

BRIDGE CLUB RESULTS

Friday, April 14

1. John Burville-Molly Taussig

2. William Pollett-Magda Farag

3. Betsy Ballie-David Barber

Monday, April 17

North/South

1. Peter Donnellan-Lynanne Bolton

2. Louise Rodger-Molly Taussig

3. Sheena Raynor-Magda Farag

East/West

1. Judith Bussell-Stephanie Kyme

2. Linda Pollett-William Pollett

3. Diana Downs-Gloria Rego

Tuesday, April 18

North/South

1. Richard Hall-Tim Mardon

2. Wenda Krupp-Jane Gregory

3. Greta Peters-Margaret Young

East/West

1. Nikki Boyce-Carol Eastham

2. Jean Schilling-John Thorne

3. Amanda Ingham-Heidi Dyson

Wednesday, April 19

1. Joseph Wakefield-Magda Farag

2. Gertrude Barker-Sharon Shanahan

3. Linda Pollett-Kirsty Pollett

Thursday, April 20

1. David Petty-Stephanie Kyme

2. Miodrag Novakovic-Margaret Way

3. James Fielding-Benjamin Stone