THE Men’s and Ladies’ Pairs concluded at the Bridge Club on Monday and both ended in desperately close finishes.In the Men’s Pairs, Roman Smolski and David Sykes moved from second place after the first session into the winners’ spot, overcoming an eight-matchpoint deficit to push first-session leaders Bill Tucker and Joe Wakefield into second place by 3.5 matchpoints.

John Burville and David Cordon won the second session to finish third. Barry Rahman and Alan Douglas were fourth and Tony Saunders and David Pereira were fifth.

The Ladies’ Pairs were as close as you could ever get with Vera Petty and Sally Sykes surviving a lacklustre second session to win by 0.2 matchpoints over Rachael Gosling and Nea Willits, 141.60 to 141.40 (I actually thought anything less than a 0.25 difference was considered a tie, so the rules must have changed).

In third were Diana Diel and Stephanie Kyme, in fourth were second-session winners Lisa Burland and Greta Marshall and in fifth were Magda Farag and Mona Marie Gambrill.

Congratulations to both sets of winners and also to Tucker and Wakefield and Gosling and Willits for two excellent performances which came up short.

Sometimes in bridge, more is less, which is a hint on today’s hand. You are in a team game and are in four spades.

North

[spade]K 8 2

[heart]6 5

[diamond]8 6 4 3

[club]94 2

South

[spade]A Q J 5 3

[heart]K 8 2

[diamond]A K Q

[club]A 2

The opponents have been silent and West leads a diamond. At the table declarer won the diamond, crossed to the spade and played a heart towards the king.

This lost to the ace and another spade was played and the alarm bells started ringing. The defence played a third spade when in with the next heart and declarer went down, losing three hearts and a club.

The full hand:

North

[spade]K 8 2

[heart]6 4

[diamond]8 6 4 3

[club] 4 3West East

[spade]10 9 6 [spade]7 4

[heart]A J 9 5 [heart]Q 10 7 3

[diamond]J 10 9 7 [diamond]5 2

[club]Q 10 [club]K8 7 6South

[spade]A Q J 5 3

[heart]K 8 2

[diamond]A K Q

[club]A 2

Declarer should win this and play a low heart from hand at trick two — now the defence cannot stop a heart ruff and the contract makes.

Notice if declarer did not have the king of hearts this play is automatic — an embarrassment of riches!

LATEST RESULTS

Bermuda Bre Club<$>:

Las Pairs<$>: 1. Vera Petty-Sally Sykes, 2. Rachael Gosling-Nea Willits, 3. Diana Diel-Stephanie Kyme, 4. Greta Marshall-Lisa Burland, 5, Mona Marie Gambrill-Magda Farag, 6. Margaret Way-Lynanne Bolton, 7. Wendy Gray-Janice Trott.

Men’s Pairs: 1. David Sykes-Roman Smolski, 2. Bill Tucker-Joseph Wakefield, 3. David Cordon-John Burville, 4. Barry Rahman-Alan Douglas, 5. Tony Saunders-David Pereira, 6. Ian Hilton-Da Barber.

Monday afternoon, February 26, N/S: <$>1. Gertrude Barker-John Hoskins, 2. Eileen Sharpe-Jacqueline Swan, 3. Diana Diel-Lyn O’Neill. E/W: 1. Alan Douglas-David Pereira, 2. Vera Petty-Margaret Way, 3. Patricia Riding-Annaba Fraser.

Monday evening, N/S: 1. Sally Sykes-Vera Petty, 2. Lynanne Bolton-Margaret Way, 3. Wendy Gray-Janice Trott. E/W: 1. David Sykes-David Cordon, 2. Bill Tucker-John Burville, 3. Alan Douglas-ry Rahman.

Wednesday morning, N/S: <$>1. Charles Gambrill-Bill Tucker, 2. Wendy Gray-Gertrude Barker, 3. Dolly Winwick-Aida Bostelmann. E/W: 1. Pat Siddle-Vivian Siddle, 2. Lisa Burland-Elizabeth McKee, 3. jt. Patricia Hayward-Mary Johnston and Diana Dielan Johnson.

Wednesday evening, N/S: <$>1. David Nayish-Greg Carey, 2. Jane Clipper-Michael Tait, 3. Ray McDaid-Misha Novakovic. E/W: 1. Louise Payne-Ernest Paynter, 2. Rosemary Smith-Julia (Judy) Patton, 3. Diane Donald-Reg Donald.