This hand from 1997 provided the ladies with a leading question.

Isn't it wonderful to see a woman of lesser rank being called into the families of the royal people? Usually, this happens along morganatic lines - no good for us. We are only content if a lady manages to promote herself to the rank of a king.

Dealer South. Love All ª A 3 © Q 7 ¨ 8 7 6 5 4 2 § A 7 5 ª 10 6 ª Q 9 7 4 © A K 10 9 8 5 © 6 4 2 ¨ K Q ¨ A 9 § 10 9 3 § K Q J 8 ª K J 8 5 2 © J 3 ¨ J 10 3 § 6 4 2

This time, we should not bother about the royal family of diamonds. They are not making good use of their power, as KQ opposite A9 will only produce two tricks. No, we should look at the trump suit. If West plays 4© and north leads the ªA and another, then South can win and continue spades. No matter what West does, the trump queen will enter the ranks of the trump kings. One down.

There is one more problem, however: this defence has to be found. Full marks and all credit to the two women who made this lead: Izvorka Petrovic of Croatia (against Israel) and Nicola Smith of Great britain (against the Netherlands).

We expect to see plenty of sparkling play in the Ladies Pairs Championship. This was one of the best hands of the 1997 final.

This interesting deal came up in the first session of the Ladies Pairs final.

Dealer East. Game All ª Q 10 8 © J 9 7 6 ¨ K J 10 9 8 4 § — ª J 6 3 2 ª 7 5 4 © A 10 4 © Q 8 5 3 ¨ — ¨ A 6 3 2 § A Q 10 8 6 2 § 5 3 ª A K 9 © K 2 ¨ Q 7 5 § K J 9 7 4 West North East South Krogulska Siwiek Banaszkiewicz Macieszcak Pass 1NT 2§ 2§ Pass 2NT Pass 3NT All Pass

West's Two Clubs promised at least 5-4 with clubs and a major.

West led the two of spades and declarer took the trick in hand with the ace and started on the diamonds. East won the third round and switched to the three of clubs (low from a doubleton), West capturing South's jack with the queen. She then played a second spade, taken in dummy by the queen. Now three more rounds of diamonds turned the heat on West. She could not afford to blank the ace of hearts as declarer would simply duck a heart, so she had to retain ©A10. Now it was a simple matter to throw West in by returning to hand with the king of spades and exiting with a club.

+600 was an excellent score.

What will surely be remembered as the most dramatic deal of the 1997 Championships took place in the Open series encounter between Germany and Sweden. Here is how it was reported by two of the tournament directors.

'Take Out' Double
Antonio Riccardi & Eitan Levy

Dealer North. Love All ª — © A K Q 10 3 ¨ A 10 9 7 § K Q 7 6 ª A K 10 6 3 2 ª Q 9 8 © 6 2 © J 7 5 ¨ Q J 6 4 3 ¨ K 8 5 2 § — § J 10 8 ª J 7 5 4 © 9 8 4 ¨ — § A 9 5 4 3 2 Closed Room West North East South Holowski Nilsland Gotard Fallenius 1© Pass 2© 4ª Pass Pass Dble All Pass

In theory North-South can take the first six tricks against Four Spades doubled, but only if the opening lead is a double dummy diamond. In practice it was even worse, as the defenders failed to find even one diamond ruff, so declarer was able to claim 10 tricks. +590 to Germany In the replay Four Spades also became a possible contract, but this time South would have been declarer! This was the remarkable sequence produced at the table:

West's Two Spades was natural, so North thought it would be clear that he was making a cue bid when he leapt to Four Spades. South didn't see it in that light, but West came to the rescue with a double that will surely cause him to have many sleepless nights.

His double was for penalties but North promptly took it out!

West could scarcely believe it when his opponents bid on to the cold Seven Clubs for +1440 and 19 IMPs. In desperation he called for the Tournament Director. Alas, all we could offer him was sympathy and a wry smile!

Do you remember this hand from the 1997 Championships?

Dealer West. Love All ª 10 8 5 2 © K 10 3 2 ¨ Q 5 § J 3 2 ª A J 7 ª K 9 6 3 © 8 5 © J 9 7 6 ¨ 8 7 6 3 ¨ K 9 2 § Q 8 6 4 § 7 5 ª Q 4 © A Q 4 ¨ A J 10 4 § A K 10 9

At most of the tables 3NT was was played from the South hand. Declarers who received a diamond lead were in no difficulty, being able to set up three club tricks to go with a similar number in both red suits. For example, Russia's Helena Maitova simply played the nine of clubs from hand. It held of course.

It was rather different when her compatriot, Andrew Choudnev was playing against Portugal. He selected as his opening lead the jack of spades! Frightened that West held ªJx declarer ducked and it was now a simple matter for the defenders to take three more tricks in the suit. East, Gromov, exited with a club and declarer was helpless. +50 went well with the +430 recorded at the other table.

Considering the hand for inclusion in a new book it struck one of your editors that it was not quite so simple. Between them South and West have to find some discards. Say declarer parts with a couple of clubs and West throws a heart. That leaves the following:

ª — © K 10 3 2 ¨ Q 5 § J 3 2 ª — ª — © 8 © J 9 7 6 ¨ 8 7 6 3 ¨ K 9 2 § Q 8 6 4 § 7 5 ª — © A Q 4 ¨ A J 10 4 § A K

When East switches to a club South wins and cashes another club. That is followed the ace and queen of hearts. With five cards left this is the position:

ª — © K 10 ¨ Q 5 § J ª — ª — © — © J 9 ¨ 8 7 6 3 ¨ K 9 2 § Q § — ª — © 4 ¨ A J 10 4 § —

When declarer plays the king of hearts West is not well placed.