Grand Slam

It may be still chilly outside but last Wednesday night the windows in the Dominican Ecology Centre had to be opened as the heat of fierce competition got to some players. It was a night of interesting hands. Many tables were challenged by the opponents holding unbalanced hands and with trump cards unevenly divided, making for some gnashing of teeth by defeated declarers. There was one small slam bid and made, and that was by a novice pair of players.

This week’s winners were as follows: In the seated section, Mairead Fallon and Caroline Brown led the field ahead of Billy Dunne and Ann McCarthy. Teresa Ghalaieny and Margo Mulligan were in third. In the moving pairs section, Shane Fagan and Patricia Curtis fought off strong opposition to take first place ahead of Peggy O’Sullivan and her partner Margaret Williams. Third were sisters Marie Vickers and Josephine Roche.

Last week, the club was discommoded by the weather and the rare event meant cancelling the competition for that week.

The competition on the Wednesday prior to the snow saw Gary Dowling take over the reigns while myself and Cathal Cooney were in Westendorf in Austria playing in the snow over there for a week of ski fun and games. The winners on that night were Mary Dickenson and Marian Canavan followed by Ann Houston and Billy Dunne and in third place were Marian O’Sullivan and Caroline Brown.

Next Wednesday, there will be a party night to celebrate the week that’s in it to mark St Patrick’s Day on the following Saturday. There will be the normal game of bridge with nibbles and refreshments served to them that turn up on the night. There will only be two more Wednesdays after this before Easter on April 1.