Another Bermuda Bridge Regional is in the history books and Chairman Kathy Keane and her hardworking Committee should take a bow! The tournament was fun, well attended and the Directors and hotel staff complemented the locals in doing everything they could for our guests.

From a personal viewpoint I enjoyed my one game at the Charity Game, the Panel shows got a great turnout and the banquet, as always, was fun due in no small part to the sensational Kennel Boys who make many of our visitors put the Regional in the diary for next year.

I also had the unique experience whilst emceeing the Banquet of having one of our guests walk up to the podium towards the end of the prizegiving and demanding, in a hostile manner, that we serve food immediately as it was ‘ridiculous to be eating so late’ … it was 7.30 at that time……..! We love them all though!

There were just a ton of local successes at the Regional and here is the list of locals who made it on to the Banquet stage!

Sunday Swiss

Bracket 1 — Alan Douglas-Ed White-Bert Newman-Richard Chan

Bracket 2 — Jean Johnson-Tony Saunders — David and Sally Sykes

Bracket 4 — Lynanne Bolton-Peter Donnellan-Richard and Wendy Gray

Bracket 5 — Gordon Bussell-Tom Gillett-Silvana Gangri-Robin Brendell

Bracket 6 — Michael Tait-Martha Ferguson-Jane Clipper-Danielle Cloutier

Bracket 7 — Sancia Garrison-Annabelle Mann-Patrick and Barbara Cerra

Monday — Tuesday Championship Pairs

Stratum C — John Glynn — Freya Giffen

Wednesday — Thursday Open Pairs

Stratum A and B — Alan Douglas and Jane Smith

Friday Swiss

Stratum A — Misha Novakovic-Marge Way-Tony Saunders-Harry Kast

Stratum B and C — Rachael Gosling-John Glynn-Simon and Freya Giffen

Stratum D — Michael Tait-Jane Clipper-Lorna Anderson-Ernest Paynter

Championship Knockout Teams

Bracket 2 — Misha Novakovic-Marge Way-Tony Saunders-Brenda Fortunate

Masterpoint Trophies

Bermuda Newcomer 0-20 — Keith Smith

Norman Bach Trophy — Alan Douglas

Great performances by the locals and congrats to Alan and Keith for winning the Masterpoint races — to clarify the Newcomer event, Keith won over Richard Hall who despite having more master points did not meet the three-game minimum criteria. well done to all three though!

Now we can all get back to the Club games though it usually takes a while for attendances to pick back up after the excitement of the Regional

The hand this week defeated nearly all at the table — many South’s got totally carried away with their rock crusher and paid the price!

Dealer South E/W Vulnerable

North

? A106

? 5

? QJ10943

? 643

West East

? J98 ? 7542

? 876 ? 432

? 862 ? K75

? J1097 ? KQ2

South

? KQ3

? AKQJ109

? A

? A85

Most South’s opened 2 Clubs showing a very strong hand and in the modern style North usually bid 2 Diamonds — this is ‘ waiting’ showing an Ace or King — with no Ace or King North would bid 2 Hearts.

On hearing this most declarers checked on Aces and on hearing that North had the spade Ace charged to the small or grand slam in Hearts or No Trump.

Dummy was, to put it mildly, a major disappointment and it is hard to see beyond 11 tricks for declarer in Hearts or no trump … there is, however, a difference between the two as we will see!

Six or seven no trump has no chance on the easy Club lead — our declarer was one of those in 6 Hearts and saw that he had a tiny chance! Can you see it?

Declarer won the Club and played five rounds of Hearts but the defenders each had some easy discards.

Declarer saw that his main chance was a singleton King of Diamonds with East or West but that was unlikely … the ruffing finesse in Diamonds would have a good chance but declarer needed two entries to dummy for that and he only had one …. or did he?

Seeing his only chance declarer cashed the Diamond Ace and then led a nonchalant low Spade and put in the 10! When this held he played the Queen of Diamonds, ruffed East’s King and crossed to the Spade Ace to cash the Diamonds and make an overtrick!

Super play by declarer and he took advantage of a favourable lie of the cards which is what one has to do when things look bleak!

Notice, however, what happens if West plays the Jack of Spades on the first round ... down one!

Not an easy play though!