The summer slumber continues at the Bridge Club, but things are still moving on the youth bridge initiative as the players and coaches gear up for their trip to the ACBL Summer Nationals at the end of July, and here is an update from John Burville

“We are well into the summer sessions. These go on for three weeks, and we have just completed the first week.

“Attendance was good with 11 or 12 midweek, and 15 on Saturday (pizza day!). Many students that normally would attend are on vacation with their parents.

“Bill Pollett started the summer sessions this past week, on Tuesday and Wednesday, and is always providing great suggestions for the youth initiative. Next Saturday (July 13) we are looking forward Cathy Duffy, head of AIG (our main sponsor) in Bermuda, to meet and talk to the group.

“We have had volunteers helping at each session, and we are very grateful for all their support.

“The trip this year is to Las Vegas, and we have 24 students going (12 girls, and 12 boys), four chaperones, and six parents including Judy King, and Bill Pollett.

“We depart on July 24 and return on July 28. The group is staying at the Vdara Hotel which is next to the convention centre at the Cosmopolitan hotel.

“This is our largest group, and among the largest youth groups at the YNABC.

“The ACBL ensure they let us know how much they appreciate our support of the youth bridge.

“Without our sponsors; AIG, Judy and Kirk Kitson, some private donors, and some members of the Bridge Club this would not be possible.

“Many thanks to all of them for their support. These trips have been a great boon to the development of youth bridge.

“Many of those that go become extremely enthusiastic about the game, and some even become fanatical.

“Towards the end of the YNABC, they are eager to play again. That is what we are trying to achieve — John.”

So it looks like all systems go and we all wish the team some success and a lot of enjoyment — I will bring you news of any success in Las Vegas, either from this group or the other Bermuda players travelling to the event.

This deal was the last one played in an intermediate class on suit combinations.

All four tables played in four hearts and each defence began with three top spades.

After ruffing the third spade, three of the declarers played the trump suit correctly in isolation: ace of trumps then a trump to the queen.

If East had begun with four trumps, these declarers would have made an overtrick.

However, on this layout, West could ruff the third club and exit in spades if declarer had drawn a third trump or in trumps if he had not.

So South lost a trump and a diamond for a one-trick set.

What happened at the fourth table? After ruffing the third spade, this declarer cashed the ace and king of trumps and, after the 4-1 break was revealed, he tried to run the club suit.

West ruffed the third club but could do no better than exit with a spade.

Declarer ruffed this then crossed to dummy with a trump to the queen, thereby drawing West’s remaining trump.

Declarer then had ten tricks: five trumps, a diamond and four clubs.

The teacher asked the student why he had played the way he did.

The declarer replied: “It was the last deal of the night and I thought that, if it were true to those in earlier classes, it would be a counter-example to what we have been studying.

“So, as we would have been expected to play the trumps in the classic fashion to avoid a loser in the suit, I reckoned it would turn out that West would have four trumps. If that were the case, there would be no point in making the standard play.”

The teacher replied: ‘’The reason this line works is that when West ruffs in, there is still a trump entry to dummy.

“Also, if it turned out that East had held the trump length, declarer would still have survived, for the same reason.

“So the lesson to be learnt is that the correct play of a suit in isolation is not necessarily the correct play on the deal.”

RESULTS

Week of July 1

Monday afternoon

North/South

1. Charles Hall/Greta Marshall

2. Lorna Anderson/Janice Trott

3. Sarah Lorimer-Turner/Judith Law

East/West

1. Tony Saunders/Margaret Way

2/3 J Clipper/C Svensen/M Ferguson/J King

Tuesday evening

North/South

1. Katyna Rabain/Louise Payne

2. Gina Graham/Felicity Lunn

3. Tim Mardon/Chris Harris

East/West

1. Malcolm Moseley/Mark Stevens

2. Ashlea Boyd/Mike Greaves

3. Sandra Ogden/George Ogden

Wednesday morning

North/South

1. Annabelle Mann/Patricia Colmet

2. Sheena Rayner/Magda Farag

3. Julia Beach/Patricia Siddle

East/West

1. Desmond Nash/George Correia

2. Linda Pollett/William Pollett

3. Gertrude Barker/Jane Smith

Thursday evening

North/South

1. Gertrude Barker/Jane Smith

2. Linda Pollett/Elizabeth McKee

3. William Pollett/Desmond Nash

East/West

1. Annabelle Mann/Charles Hall

2. Claude Guay/Sharon Shanahan

3. Diana Diel/Margaret Way

Friday afternoon

North/South

1. Joseph Wakefield/Malcolm Simmons

2. Wendy Gray/Richard Gray

3. David Pickering/Sancia Garrison

East/West

1. Elizabeth McKee/Diana Diel

2. Martha Ferguson/Judy King

3. Annelies Schleland/Julia Patton