BRIDGE

Oh, calamity

Andrew Robson

THIS week's hand does not match the 3,400 penalty that Forrester and I lost against Indonesia in the summer of 1996. We had played in 34 redoubled, holding four small trumps facing a singleton after a major bidding misunderstanding. But it comes close.

Both North and South (names withheld!) were experienced players and I tell the story exactly as it happened.

Dealer South Both vulnerable 48 43 2 V —

• K 107 5 3 2 48 7 6

4 A K J Q J 8

• A J 9 4 Q 4 2

10

4 — V 10 9 6 5

• 8 6 4 4 A K 1095 3

W E

• Q 9 7 6 5 A K 7 4 3 2 • Q ▪ J South West North

East 1,

1NT pass 24 24 pass pass 34 pass pass

44 54

54 pass double pass pass North's actions in the bidding were unorthodox, but he succeeded in pushing the opponents to 54, which is beaten on three rounds of Vs, the obvious defence. It was South's 54 bid that did the damage. South compounded his bidding error in the play. West led 42 and East won 4K and played 4A. Declarer trumped and West unblocked 4Q.

South then emerged with a card that he must be living to regret — 4Q. A rather surprised West won 4K and drew all the trumps in three more rounds. He then led his third 4 and East, who had discarded two Vs and two •s on the 4s, was able to cash four winning 4s.

With three cards remaining, West kept all his •s and East led his remaining • to West's ace. West then led •9. Dummy's last two cards were •K10. Give declarer credit for reading the ending correctly and finessing dummy's •10 to win the last two tricks. But with only one trick in his favour up to that point, he was eight down dou- bled plus 100 honours, giving East-West 2,400 points.