It's been another STAC week (Sectional Tournaments at Clubs) and the event really seems to get the players out in search for those valuable higher-grade points. I popped in to the Club on Monday night and the car park was packed as 50 players had signed up for the game.

I got hold of the hand records and was talking to John Burville when we got to Board 12 … the bidding on this hand hardly bears repeating, but I will repeat it, but the final contract was reasonable and allowed for a lovely declarer play known as a Morton's Fork Coup.

Board 12. N/S Vul. Dealer West.

&#♠;AJ72

▝98764

♦K98

♣K

&#♠;KQ1098 &#♠;65

▝J5 ▝3

♦A63 ♦J10752

♣862 ♣J9753

&#♠;43

▝AKQ102

♦Q4

♣AQ104

I'm going to take a deep breath before I get into the bidding ... OK, I'm ready …

WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH

Pass(1) 1▝(2) 2NT(3) 3♦(4) Pass 3&#♠;(5) Pass(6) 6▝(7)

Pass Pass Pass

I do need to explain these bids … I really do:

(1) I like this pass … not quite an opener and not quite a weak 2 bid

(2) Hmmmm…11 points, three of which are in a singleton king, and a suit headed by the 9 …not an opener that would occur to many…

(3) Bizarre! Shows length in the minors! That it does , but I don't think the bid was designed for two jack high suits in a 2 point hand!

(4) Alerted as a strong hand with Spades! The bidding is now drifting into some strange netherland.

(5) You have spades , I have spades!

(6) Wow , what discipline …

(7) Better get this auction back on track!

A spade lead always beats the hand, and a club or heart lead is neutral, so East in an effort to have his defence match his bidding led the only suit that lets the hand make … a diamond !!

Declarer plays low from dummy and West is caught in a Morton's Fork Coup … if he ducks, declarer wins, draws trumps and discards two diamonds on the clubs, losing only a spade – contract made! If West wins the Ace, declarer wins any return, draws trumps, cashes the diamond queen and eventually throws dummy's losing spade away on the diamond king …contract made again!

Can South make the hand on a club or heart lead? Yes, but is unlikely to on the bidding. Declarer can draw trump and create a Morton's Fork situation himself by leading a low diamond through the hand with the Ace, but on the bidding is certain to think that the Ace is with East. So a low diamond to the queen would lose to the Ace and the contract is doomed . Looking at all four hands, the winning play is to start the diamonds by leading the 4 , but that is an unlikely play .

Quite a hand … not sure how much of it was bridge and how much poker, but us columnists are grateful for that at times!

LATEST RESULTS

Monday afternoon, November 8

N/S 1. Magda Farag-Wendy Gray 2. Peggy Thompson-Pat Riding 3. Russ Craft-Jane McCleary E/W 1. Pat Siddle-Diana Diel 2. Gwen Christensen-Annelies Scheland ¾.Joan Ross-Ann Sims ¾. Nea Willits-Charlie Gambrill

Monday evening, November 8

N/S 1. Alan Douglas-Tony Saunders 2.Freya Giffen-Lynanne Bolton ¾. Marilynn & Delmont Simmons ¾. Kevin Comeau-Rachael Gosling

Wednesday morning, –November 10

N/S 1. Jean Johnson-Harry Kast 2. Gertie Barker-Marilynn Simmons 3. Joan Sims-Julia Lunn E/W 1. Michael Bickley-Pat Hayward 2.Diana Diel-Pat Siddle 3. Gwen Christensen-Heather Woolf

Wednesday evening, November 10

N/S 1. Stan Turner-Elma Anfossi 2. Marsha & James Fraser 3. Jean Thompson-Elizabeth Kerr E/W 1. Judy Harte-Barrie McKay 2. Margaret Kirk-Lorna Anderson ¾. Charlotte Hood-Freda Roderick ¾. Barbara & Pat Cerra

Thursday evening, November 11

N/S 1. Russ Craft-Greg Carey 2. Katrina Van Pelt-Dick Meredith 3. Misha Novakovic-Dianna Kempe Friday evening, November 12

E/W 1. Jane Smith-Alan Douglas 2. Rachael Gosling-Elizabeth McKee 3. Charles Hall-Charlie Gambrill