Top three pairs off to Caribbean
THE trials for the Caribbean Championships concluded at the Bridge Club last weekend when the half-time positions remained unchanged at the top. The final Butler imp scores showed David and Sally Sykes on 114, Roman Smolski-Vera Petty on 113, Bill Pare-John Glynn on 46 and Harry Kast-Michael Bickley on 32.
Under the conditions of contest, the top three pairs will travel to the Caribbean final to be held in Costa Rica in May which will decide the area representative to the Bermuda Bowl.
The result is interesting as these three pairs travelled to the last Olympiad in Istanbul, Turkey and clearly like playing together. I’ve always put a lot of store in team cohesiveness as it impacts all areas of the performance, from practice to play and is a valuable intangible. We wish them the best of luck in the next round.
This week’s hand has interesting aspects in both the bidding and the play.
Dealer: North.
E/W Vulnerable.
[spade]J 7 6
[heart]K 3 2
[diamond]A J 3 2
[club]A K Q
West East<$>
[spade]A K Q 10 4 [spade]8 5 3
[heart]8 6 [heart]10 9 7 5
[diamond]K 8 5 [diamond]Q 10 9 4
[club]8 6 2 [club]7 5
South
[spade]9 2
[heart]A Q J 4
[diamond]7 6
[club]J 10 9 4 3
West North East South
— 1[diamond] Pass 1[heart]
1[spade] Double Pass 2[heart]
Pass 3[heart] Pass 4[heart]
Pass Pass PassNorth’s double was a Support Double, promising three-card heart support; if North had raised hearts directly it would have promised four-card support. South was somewhat fixed and decided to sign off in two hearts but changed his mind when North issued a game invitation; he had good trumps and the clubs might prove useful.
West began with the three top spades. As South had plenty of winners (four hearts, five clubs and the ace of diamonds), he followed the normal course when in that position — he played to keep control of discarding a diamond; indeed, as the cards lie, this is essential.
West now shifted to a diamond. Declarer rose with the ace and drew two rounds of trumps with the ace-king and considered the club position. If trumps were 3-3 he could draw the last trump, cash dummy’s top clubs and ruff a diamond back to hand. However, trumps were likely to be 4-2 and so he needed a plan to overcome the club blockage.
After a short pause, declarer continued with the ace-king of clubs. When both defenders followed he was safe! He drew the remaining trumps with the queen and jack and discarded the queen of clubs from dummy, allowing him to score the last three tricks with the jack-ten-nine of clubs.
The play is similar if West persists with another spade at trick four. Declarer ruffs low in dummy. If East overruffs the play develops along similar lines to that above. If instead East discards a club, declarer cashes just the ace of clubs then draws trumps, discarding the king and queen of clubs from dummy. Again he makes the last three tricks with his club winners.
Note again that South bid four hearts, knowing full well that she was in a four-three fit. This proved to be the winning move as not only did the game make but 3NT has no chance.
Bermuda Bridge Club
1. Sally Sykes-David Sykes +114
2. Vera Petty-Roman Smolski +113
3. John Glynn-Bill Pare +46
The above three pairs will represent Bermuda at the CACBF Championships in Costa Rica in May. The non-playing captain will be Cliff Alison.
Sponsorship Trials:
1. Magda Farag-Steve Ball; 2. Kevin Comeau-Craig Hutton; 3. Eddie Kyme-Stephanie Kyme; 4 jt. Jane Smith-Gertie Barker and Cliff Alison-Stephan Juliusburger.
Monday, February 7 (afternoon): <$>1. Dorry Lusher-Peggy Sinclair; 2. Gillian Gray-Dorothy Moir; 3. Enid Hyland-June Stanton.
Monday, February 10, evening, N/S: 1 jt. Diana Diel-Judy Bussell and Jane Smith-Gertie Barker; 3. Ian Hilton-David Barber. E/W: 1. Joe Wakefield-Michael Bickley; 2. Steve Ball-Lynanne Bolton; 3. Vera Petty-Roman Smolski.
Wednesday morning, N/S: 1. 1. Joan Sims-Alice Palmer; 2. Julia Beach-Felicity Lines; 3. Gillian Gray-Petty Thompson. E/W: 1. Dorry Lusher-Jean Johnson; 2. Lynanne Bolton-Greta Marshall; 3. Magda Farag-Mona Marie Gambrill.
Wednesday evening, N/S: 1. Sally Godet-Scott Godet; 2. Donna Leitch-Jim Leitch; 3. Elaine Stevens-Ian Hilton. E/W: 1. Louise Payne-Sally Ashford; 2. Judith Evans-John Evans; 3. Dorothy Moir-Alex Moir.
Friday evening, N/S: 1. Tony Saunders-Jean Johnson; 2. Judy Bussell-Gordon Bussell; 3. Kevin Comeau-David Cordon. E/W: 1. Eddie Kyme-Stephanie Kyme; 2. Joe Wakefield-David Pereira; 3. Marge Way-Lyn O’Neill.
