Next Saturday, the two-session Non-Life Master Pairs will be held. The first session will start at 9.30am, followed by the second session after a short lunch break. The event is open to all players with less than 300 Master Points at the start of the event.

This Monday, the Member-Guest Social game takes place at 12.30pm. The main purpose is to introduce new blood into the club so if you have someone who might want to learn and enjoy this amazing game of ours, take them along.

This week’s hand needs you to concentrate a bit more than usual – and I will give you a hint, it involves noticing a bit more than just the picture cards.

Dealer South , N/S Vulnerable

North

? AQ875

? 64

? A

? AK1093

West

? 6

? KJ1083

? KJ1062

? 52

East

? 103

? 752

? 54

? QJ8764

South

? KJ942

? AQ9

? Q9873

? None

The hand came up in a team game and North/South knew that they were behind and needed a good result. The bidding was illuminating when South opened 1 spade and West bid 2 spades showing Hearts and a minor. North now checked for aces and when South showed one ace, he bid a bold grand slam in spades.

West made the usual lead against a grand slam, a trump. Take a try at the best play before you move on.

Declarer won, drew one more trump and could now see 12 tricks — 1 heart, 1 diamond, 2 clubs and 8 spades, two high ones and three ruffs in each hand — so he needed a 13th — no problem, look at those diamond spots.

Declarer cashed the diamond ace, followed by ace and king of clubs throwing two hearts. A club ruff confirmed West as 1-5-5-2 so declarer led the diamond queen which West had to cover and this was ruffed, followed by a club ruff, diamond 9, covered by the 10 and ruffed.

Now another club ruff back to hand and this was the position:

North

? 5

? 64

?

?

West

?

? K

? 106

?

East

?

? 75

?

? Q

South

?

? A

? 87

?

Declarer now led the 8 of diamonds, covered with the jack and ruffed — he now claimed the last two tricks with the ace of hearts and the diamond 7.

Needs a bit of concentration, but not really that hard after the bidding and play confirmed that West had all the diamonds. Did you solve it?

Results Week of April 30

Monday afternoon

North/South

1. Molly Taussig/Diana Diel

2. Sheena Rayner/Magda Farag

3. Judy King/Martha Ferguson

East/West

1. Charles Hall/William Pollett

2. Judith Bussell/

Stephanie Kyme

3. Joseph Wakefield/

Edward Betteto

Monday evening

1. Alan Douglas/Edward Betteto

2. Richard Gray/Wendy Gray

3. John Glynn/Jane Smith

Tuesday evening

1. Tim Mardon/Charlie Griffiths

2. Carol Jones/Wendy Salvia

3. Felicity Lunn/Gina Graham

Wednesday morning

North/South

1. Jean Johnson/Dorry Lusher

2. Judith Bussell/

Stephanie Kyme

3. Ellen Davidson/

Jeanette Shaw

East/West

1. Patricia Siddle/Diana Diel

2. Molly Taussig/

Edward Betteto

3. Linda Pollett/Julia Beach

Thursday evening

Junior Teams

1. K Van Pelt, J Leitch, D Leitch, K Keane

2. J King, M Ferguson,

J Luebkemann, D Pickering

Senior Teams

1. E McKee, E Betteto, M Viotti, J Burville

2. G. Barker, J Smith, J Glynn, M Farag

Friday afternoon

North/South

1. Louise Rodger/Patricia Siddle

2. Charles Hall/Magda Farag

3. Michael Antar/Julia Patton

East/West

1. Judith Bussell/

Martha Ferguson

2. Alan Douglas/Jane Smith

3. Greta Marshall/

Heather Woolf