A QUARTET from Hemel Hempstead won the Bedfordshire Swiss Teams on Sunday, March 11.

The victorious team was Cliff and Anne Short, Dave Stimson and Julian Peers.

Dave, who sent me the hand below, said, with perhaps unnecessary
modesty: "When you are doing well, even your poor bidding comes off."

                            North

Dave said: "What is West to bid? Redouble shows nine-plus points but not spades, and it is too strong for a splinter of four hearts. Perhaps two no-trumps would show spades and a good hand, but as we have only partnered each other only once before, Julian took the 'safe' option of four no-trumps, Roman key-card Blackwood.

"With a void and two aces, I could have bid six clubs, the void suit, but as we were an untried partnership, I bid just bid five hearts showing two aces and no queen of trumps - a bit of a cop-out.

"Fortunately Julian could see the potential of the hand and bid six. I duly made 13 tricks ruffing three hearts in dummy and discarding the fourth on the king of diamonds.

"At the other table the bidding started the same, but after South's double West bid four hearts which West passed !

"Presumably he thought this was natural and weak due to the intervening double.

"With the hearts breaking, he did make this contract, but we gained 13 imps on the board."

At Dave's request, I am witholding the names of the well-renowned Hertfordshire players sitting East-West at the other table !