The article last week on “doubles” seemed to resonate with a lot of you, so thanks for the many comments — I will do another one sometime discussing negative doubles, penalty doubles, support doubles and even SOS redoubles to help you sharpen your bidding.

Also, thanks to the eagle-eyed Tony Saunders for spotting the non-deliberate error in the James Bond hand which should have been: Graphic 1

Now the Diamond suit sets up with just two ruffs, and no overruff from Drax, and Bond triumphantly claims his ridiculous contract of seven Clubs, doubled and redoubled. It was always tough to get one past Tony at the table and clearly nothing has changed!

The hand is a lot of fun but I always think Ian Fleming could have constructed something a bit more subtle and credible — still, loved the book and the movie and you cannot argue with success.

Today’s hand goes back to a few of familiar themes — look beyond the obvious, exhaust all available plays before the “last resort” play, and use your trumps properly: Graphic 2

The auction was the same at both tables in a team game — South opened a spade, North bid a forcing no-trump, and when South rebid Spades North bid the Spade game. Why did North not bid four S immediately? Many good reasons — if South rebids two Hearts, four Hearts with a 4-4 fit will nearly always play better than four Spades, and if South bids 2NT showing a good 5-3-3-2 hand a final contract of 3NT might even be better, though at teams I would go for the safe four Spades.

Anyway, both tables played four Spades — only one made it! What would be your line of play?

The lead at both tables was the Jack of Clubs. At the first table, declarer won with the Ace of Clubs and played a low trump from the table. East saw that he did not want to be on lead on the second round of trumps, so he played the Ace and another trump. Declarer took this in hand and ran the Queen of Hearts to East’s King. After trumping the Club return, declarer played a Heart to the 10. East won with the Jack of Hearts for the third defensive trick and as declarer still had to lose a Diamond, he was down one.

Unlucky that East had both Heart honours but, as we will see, you make your own luck.

At the second table declarer was a bit more patient and hardworking — she also took the Ace of Clubs at trick one and, looking past the double finesse in Hearts, ruffed a Club at trick two. Next she played the 3 of trumps to dummy’s 7. East won with the ace and exited with the 4 of Spades. Declarer won with the Jack, then ruffed a second Club before playing the King of Diamonds from hand. West won with his Ace of Diamonds and returned the Jack of Diamonds. Declarer won with the Queen of Diamonds, coming to this position: Graphic 3

Declarer now ruffed that last Diamond and played a low Heart to the 10, and the defence is toast — East either has to return a Heart into the 10, Ace, or provide a ruff and discard, thanks to declarer’s great preparation in eliminating Clubs and Diamonds before playing on the Heart suit. Really good play!

Results

Friday 11 September

1, Aida Bostelmann-George Correia

2, John Hodge-Sue Hodge

3, Patricia Colmet-Heather Woolf

Tuesday 15 September

<149

1, Marion Silver-Duncan Silver

2, Gina Graham-Felicity Lunn

3, Sarah Bowers-Stuart Clare

Wednesday 16 September

NS

1, William Pollett- Linda Pollett

2, Richard Gray- Wendy Gray

3, Sheena Rayner- Magda Farag

EW

1, Greta Marshall- Lynanne Bolton

2= Gertrude Barker- Jane Smith

2= Molly Taussig- Tony Saunders

Friday 18 September

1, Joyce Pearson-Lorna Anderson

2= Aida Bostelmann-George Correia

2=Gertrude Barker-Martha Ferguson

2=Marion Silver-Duncan Silver