The Malta Bridge Club Open Pairs Championships, sponsored by Farsons, were won this year by Stanko Grammatikov and Alexander Andreev with an excellent average score of 61.52 per cent. This is the highest average ever recorded locally for a multi-session tournament, albeit over just four sessions.

In the past, most pairs competitions were held over six sessions. The modern trend is to cut these long tournaments a little shorter. This appears to be a more popular format among local players.

Second were Charles Assouline and David Olliver with 57.35% and third Carmen Gaffiero and May Sultana with 55.51%.

The autumn teams tournament at the Union club was won by Mario Dix, Margaret Parnis, Charles Assouline and Graham Penney.

Eight teams contested this multiple teams competition and the leaders on the final ranked list were: 1. M. Dix, M. Parnis England, C. Assouline, G. Penney 483; 2. A. Sacco, M. Farrugia, N. Marlin, A. Vella 483; 3. A. Portelli, E. Thompson, D. Rizzo, J. Henderson 429.

It was a close contest between the top two teams.

The runners-up built up a good lead of 30vps in the first couple of rounds. But in the third round, the winners scored an incredible 140 vps (80%) and went into the lead. Both teams scored well in the last round but the winners managed to keep their noses in front.

In the Sigma tournament, also hosted by the Union Club, two out of six rounds have been completed and the leaders at this stage are Anna Vella and Yvonne Muscat Inglott (59.17) who are ahead of Charles Assouline and Graham Penney (58.80).

The following hand from the teams tournament caused a few heavy swings. All North South pairs managed to bid the vulnerable game in Spades but only two out of eight declarers pulled in ten tricks. Sit yourself South and see how you would play after West leads the Queen of Hearts.

Dealer South. North South vulnerable. imps

There are two very important lessons to be learnt by declarer from this hand.

First of all, before playing from dummy, stop to think and plan your play. On this deal, it may appear pretty obvious which cards you are going to play from dummy and your hand at trick one. But until you have planned your play to ensure best chance to make your contract, you must resist the temptation to play from either hand.

There are clearly four losers here. Is there a way out of losing one Heart, two Diamonds and a Club?

There is but one chance of discarding one of these losers.

If West continues Hearts at trick 2 and the suit breaks three-three, we are home and dry. We are now in complete control. Win the Heart continuation, draw trumps and on dummy’s fourth Heart discard a losing Diamond.

If West changes to a Diamond at trick two and the defence cash their two Diamond tricks, the contract is defeated…. and thereby lies lesson two.

Before play starts, make sure you are familiar with your opponents defensive carding.

If your opponents encourage with a high card, you must smoothly drop your seven of Hearts at trick one.

This makes it more difficult for West to read his partner’s card as discouraging since he cannot see the three of Hearts. As the cards lie, he has a rather difficult switch and if in doubt, may well feel safest to continue the suit.

Bridge lessons for beginners and intermediate students will be held in the Bridge room at the Union Club in the new year.

Further details may be obtained from the club (21332011).