The Junior Open Pairs concluded on Tuesday night, and Barbara and Pat Cerra put together a 61.11 per cent second session which was good enough to vault them from sixth place after the first session to the winner’s circle.

In a second session where all the first round leaders had average games, first round leaders Joy Lusher and Elma Anfossi finished second, Jean Wolosuik and Claude Guay finished third, Kieran Powell and Delton Outerbridge were fourth, and Kathleen Keane and Mike Viotti fifth.

I noticed good second sessions from Betty Ann Sudbury-David Pickering, John Luebkemann-Keith Smith, and Margaret Kirk-Patricia Maher. Many congratulations to the winners in what was a large and competitive field.

The win follows Barbara’s excellent showing in the Open Ladies event last week, so clearly this is a pair with confidence and promise.

Joy and Elma put together two good sessions but just came up short. Well done to all the named pairs.

Today’s hand is a lesson in clear thinking. At first glance it looks easy, but if it was, it wouldn’t be in this column.

— Board 12. N/S Vul. Dealer West.

NORTH

72 S

62 H

KQ7542 D

AJ5 C

WEST

AQ94 S

AJ973 H

3 D

Q107 C

EAST

8653 S

Q54 H

J1086 D

93 C

SOUTH

KJ10 S

K108 H

A9 D

K8642 C

WEST 1H

NORTH 2D

EAST Pass

SOUTH 3NT

West leads a fourth best 7H and East plays the queen. What is your plan to make nine tricks?

Think before you read on — and no peeking!

I think this hand will defeat many players, even some very good ones.

You win the King of Hearts and can see that six diamond tricks will secure the contract, so your only thought must be to prepare a plan B if the diamonds do not behave.

If you woodenly play the Ace of Diamonds and another one to the Queen, when West shows out you are stuck in the wrong hand to play the clubs.

Even if the Club Queen is doubleton you cannot score five club tricks as the Jack will block the suit.

So the key is to play the Diamonds in a way that will leave you positioned to enjoy the Club suit if the cards lie favourably.

So, Diamond to the King first and then a diamond back to the Ace. If both opponents follow you have nine tricks and all is well.

If, however, they don’t, you can tackle Clubs by leading a low one to the Jack. When this holds, cash your Diamond and run the Clubs — you make the contract with one Heart, three Diamonds and five Clubs — as long as you played them in the correct order. Well done if you solved it.