Dubious Logic

Suffolk Championship Pairs

The Suffolk Pairs Championship was contested at the weekend, the culmination of qualification through clubs, a semi-final in darkest February, and Sunday's two session final. The winners, Cyril Saunders and George Moody, together with second placed Peter Gemmell and Peter Sutcliffe and third placed Norman Denny and Rosemarie Mascall, have gained the right to even more bridge – they represent Suffolk in the Corwen Trophy in June, the event for the top pairs of each member county of the English Bridge Union.

Pairs is a rough and tumble game and it's important not to be put off by swings of fortune or misfortune. You have to keep in mind that every board counts the same. Whether you've just had a disaster – you haven't lost yet – or a great result – you haven't won yet – keeping an even keel is essential. That is true technically too; the slam hands contribute the same amount to your final score as the part-scores. And there are always places to pick up match points:

When you see dummy prospects of game do not look bad and they perk up further still when the opening heart lead is won by the ace for a trump switch and your queen wins. A diamond to the ten and king draws forth the trump king from West and now you must feel aggrieved not to be in 4. Ten tricks become a certainly when you lead towards dummy's diamonds again, only to see the queen appear.

There are still points at stake however and before ruffing out the suit, try the effect of a low club towards the closed hand. West ducked and now the defence's club trick went away; heart ruff, diamond ruff, heart ruff, two winning diamonds throwing North's last heart and club. Eleven tricks and a decent share of the matchpoints. This was the final hand played and I can well recognise West's tiredness but the last hand counts as much as the first - that's the double edge of pairs scoring.

Published Saturday 9.Apr.2005