Dubious Logic

Results round-up

A clutch of results this week to underline that summer is now over and bridge, that occupier of the dark nights, has reached its season. And there are more to come. This is the time of year when the early rounds of the national competitions mean that everyone is involved. Yet there has been one casualty among all the increased activity, the new events, the variations in scoring and the like. It is the classic seaside congress. Once the centre point of the playing calendar, demand has faded away over recent years. Suffolk's congress in Felixstowe is no exception. Once upon a time it was necessary to book months in advance for these events – now it is essential to get your entry in early to calm the uncertainties of the organisers.

So Felixstowe in autumn, bracing walks along the front and a great venue for bridge. October 5^th-7^th, The Pier Leisure Centre, Felixstowe, details from John Garbutt, 01473 463569, including details of hotels etc.

Just time for a brief hand. I managed to extract this from the winners of the Men's Pairs, a less than auspicious early board from which they did well to recover:

East's three clubs was intended to show clubs and diamond support but technically he was a trump (diamond) short for that. There was uncertainty on West's side as to whether there was any sort of diamond support opposite and so he bid cautiously though sensibly. But as ever, when players are not on the same wavelength, East's five clubs – to him showing good clubs – was thought only to emphasise a weak hand with no support opposite. The result was that they played their grand slam in the wrong game. The wrong game? To add insult, South led a diamond and North ruffed holding them to just twelve tricks.

Published Saturday 15.Sep.2001