It is with a heavy heart that I pass on the news that Bermudian bridge legend Alan Douglas passed away on Tuesday. Alan became a good friend ever since I came to Bermuda in the 1970s and we had a lot more than just bridge as a connection.

Alan was, in my opinion, the best ever home-grown Bermudian player, and his partnership with Charles Vaucrosson was one of the most successful on the local scene, as was his team success with Charles, Ian Harvey and David Pereira.

I travelled on many Bermuda teams with Alan, and, in addition to his regular place on the Bermuda team, his successes at regional and club level are too numerous to list – just a look around the boards at the Bridge Club tells the story.

Alan’s strength at bridge was the ability to stay focused at the table even when things were not going well. Always a solid bidder, his declarer play and defence just got better and better until there were few chinks in his armour. In his later years Alan turned to teaching and playing professionally, and his “Ask Alan” section on the Bridge Club website was innovative and popular.

Alan and I first met at bridge, but I really caught his attention when I beat him at table tennis soon after I arrived, as he quite fancied himself as a player! We then played a lot of golf — he was my first guest when I joined Mid Ocean Club — and then serendipitously he ran the Upstairs Golf and Tennis Shop for about a decade after I bought it until we closed it a few years ago.

He was a solid golfer and a good all-round sportsman, and was successful and popular in all his endeavours. He contributed much to local golf for many years through Upstairs Golf and his deep affiliation with, and affection for, Ocean View Golf Club where he was a popular presence.

Of course, through the years, he had Ruby at his side to play with him, support him, and put him in his place when he stepped out of line. Married couples have to tread carefully in a bridge partnership — I’ve seen more failures than successes in that area! But Alan and Ruby handled it really well at and away from the table. Our thoughts are with Ruby, the whole Douglas clan, and the huge number of people here and abroad who could call Alan a friend – may he rest in peace.

Alan had strong technique at the table, but was also not averse to making the occasional flamboyant play if the odds dictated it. The hand I best remember him for, and it is memorable, occurred in a Teams game at the club. I was sitting North and was a spectator for most of the hand (see Figure 1).

My partner opened a 16-18 No trump and I had an easy raise to 3NT, though I knew it would be close with my nine points containing two unsupported Jacks – Charles was on lead and led the spade King, Alan was sitting East.

This was a Teams game, so all partner needed to do was make the contract – overtricks were not important. Partner held off on the first trick, noticing Alan’s play of the two of spades indicating three cards in spades (up the line with an odd number), and when Charles continued partner won the third round of the suit.

While this was all going on Alan had been planning, and knew that declarer had to have every other high card in the deck including the Ace-Queen of clubs to get to his 15-17 hcp range, so things looked pretty hopeless — but that allowed him to make a plan.

After winning the third spade, declarer played the nine of diamonds and ran it — and Alan smoothly won with Ace!

Alan now returned the ten of clubs and declarer, thinking he had nine tricks – one spade, four hearts, three diamonds and a club – saw no reason to risk the club finesse as Charles had winning spades to cash.

So he played the Ace and took the “proven” diamond finesse – to his shock and horror Alan won the queen and with a broad smile cashed the King of Clubs for the setting trick! Brilliant play and all we could do was congratulate him.

Take a look at what happens if Alan won the first diamond with the Queen – now when he returns a club declarer has no choice but to let this run round to his jack — when that happened declarer knocks out the diamond Ace and claims nine tricks. A brilliant play by Alan, who probably had this locked away somewhere in the memory bank and pulled it out at the perfect time.

He will be sorely missed.

BRIDGE CLUB RESULTS

Friday, July 7

North/South

1. Peter Donnellan-Judy King

2. Tony Saunders-Margaret Way

3. Gloria Rego-Felicity Lunn

East/West

1. Wendy Gray-Richard Gray

2. Sancia Garrison-Jane Smith

3. Diana Diel-Stephanie Kyme

Monday, July 10

North/South

1. Judy King-Jane Smith

2. Diana Diel-Patricia Siddle

3. Peter Donnellan-Gertrude Barker

East/West

1. Margaret Way-Joseph Wakefield

2. Charles Hall-Molly Taussig

3. Caroline Svenson-Jane Clipper

Tuesday, July 11

1. Malcolm Moseley-Mark Stevens

2. Daque Davis-Ahzjanai Smith

3. Jean Schilling-John Thorne

Wednesday, July 12

No Game

Thursday, July 13

1. Molly Taussig-Judy King

2. Charles Hall-Stephanie Kyme

3. Erika Jones-Margaret Way

Non-Bridge Club Online Results for Bridge Club Members

July 8: Elizabeth McKee and Diana Diel placed 5th overall against 190 pairs.

July 11: Marge Way and Diana Diel placed 1st overall against 142 pairs.