The Malta Bridge Club open pairs championships, sponsored as usual by Farsons, were this year won by Graham Penney and Charles Assouline with a score of 188.69.
Runners-up were Joan Consiglio and Irene Naudi, who scored 176.15, and in third place Victor Attard Bondi and David Olliver had 170.63.
Eighteen pairs contested the tournament, which, while still a long way from the size of field a few years back, it is an improvement over the last few editions.
It is still necessary to explore ways of attracting a bigger following to these main local Bridge events.
The number of boards played in this tournament was insufficient for a competition of this level.
Three rounds of 24 boards, and with some pairs sitting out three boards in the last round, there is barely time for the cream to rise.
The winners of the Union Club teams tournament were Mario Dix, Margaret Parnis England, Penney and Assouline with a score of 455vps.
Marie Farrugia, Albert Sacco, Anna Vella and Yvonne Muscat Inglott were second with 439vps and Joan Consiglio, Irene Naudi, Terry Davies and Eileen Mifsud third with 359vps.
The Sigma tournament has now reached the half-way stage. With three more rounds to go, Farrugia and Sacco are in the lead, Consiglio and Naudi are second and Penney and Assouline in third position.
Only two points separate the three leading pairs. With over 80 boards still to be played, the final ranking is impossible to predict.
Two heats from the European Simultaneous Pairs Tournament were held this year.
The Monday session was played by the Penthouse Group.
In all, 977 pairs from 60 different clubs contested and the leading local pairs were Marjory Raimondo and Barbra Wilkinson in 64th position with a score of 64.35%, Bea Griffiths and Jackie Murray 118th with 59.07% and Carol and Vrej Harutinian in 251st position scoring 55.24%.
The Wednesday session was played at the Union Club.
This time, 786 pairs from 55 clubs contested and the local leaders were Josephine Gerada and Albert Ganado in position 32 with a score of 62.86%. Veronica Ganado and Angele Tabone were 49th. scoring 60.81%, and Carmen Gaffiero and Albert Portelli 90th with 58.64%.
A complete analysis of the results can be seen on www.simpairs.com/sims (choose Archives – Recent).
Meanwhile, other winners in the one-day events were Eileen Valenzia and May Sultana in the Freddie Triccas tournament at the Union Club, Victor Attard Bondi topped the Joe Attard Manche tournament at the Malta Bridge Club and the club’s Christmas party session was won by Guy and Phyllis Chamberlain.
The following hand from the Union Club open teams tournament, proved to be rather expensive for those who correctly bid the small slam in Clubs but failed to make the contract.
Dealer South. North South vulnerable. Imps
It is not easy to reach six Clubs here, but if East West push hard enough with their Diamond fit, at this vulnerability and having such a good fit, North South are more likely to bid the small slam than punish five Diamonds.
Twelve tricks
In the event, three teams bid the small slam, but only one declarer pulled in 12 tricks. Take the South seat and plan your play after West leads the King of Diamonds.
Eleven tricks can be made easily, six Clubs, Ace and two ruffs in Diamonds and Ace King of Hearts.
Of course, the Heart Queen may be right for a 12th trick. Is there any other chance?
East West have a lot of goodies in Spades. Yet neither of them called the suit during the auction, a strong indication that neither opponent has five. If suit breaks 4-3, dummy has enough entries to set up a fifth Spade on which declarer can discard the Knave of Hearts.
Plan your play correctly so that, if it is discovered that the Spades don’t break, you can still take the Heart finesse.
Thus, win the Ace of Diamonds and immediately play a Spade. East wins and obviously returns a Heart.
Win the Ace, enter dummy with the Ace of Clubs and ruff a Spade with the Knave. Re-enter dummy with the Queen of Clubs and ruff another Spade.
If both opponents follow you are home and dry. Re-enter dummy twice by ruffing Diamonds, once to ruff out West’s King and again to play dummy’s last Spade discarding the Knave of Hearts.
If either opponent does not follow to the third Spade, re-enter dummy with a Diamond ruff and take the Heart finesse.
Bridge lessons are starting again in the new year. Anyone interested may contact ingalbertsacco@gmail.com or phone 9985-6731.