CHAPTER ♣3

Redealing a board after a pass out in the first round

The Summer heat had given way to Autumn showers. No weather to cycle through the vast countryside of Groningen, and Leo had picked Linda from her home by car. They drove to the bridge club in silence, both preoccupied with their own thoughts.
Leo's wife Loes was angry because he had forgotten their wedding anniversary. A disastrous day had been topped off by their little son Luc ruining the brand new DVD recorder. Linda on the other hand was in a euforic mood. She ran her own advertising bureau and had just booked a large order. In addition she had won 1000 euro in a lottery, and her partner Lex had surprised her with a huge bunch of red roses.

The first round of the weekly duplicate brought a couple of dull hands, and in the second round Leo and Linda faced Joep and Joeri. These young internet entrepreneurs were slowly recovering from the economic crisis and had swapped their faded jeans for flashy Hugo Boss suits.

Linda extracted her cards from the first board. She once more admired the trendy boots she had bought that afternoon, and placed a green PASS card on the table while humming Chris de Burgh's 'Lady in Red'. Joeri passed as well, and meanwhile removed an invisible speck from his new suit. Leo, who was still moaning over the wretched events earlier that day, decided to park his sorrows and concentrate fully on the game. This was the second round, and he knew that the board had not been passed out in the first round. It was a long established habit at the club to redeal such hands. Joep therefore had to have an opening of some sort, and chances were that East-West could make something at the two-level.

N/EW	♠ 5 4 2 ♥ A K 6 3 ♦ K 7 6 5 ♣ 9 4
♠ A 8 3 ♥ 7 4 ♦ A 10 4 2 ♣ K Q 10 6	N W         E S	♠ 10 7   ♥ Q 10 8 5   ♦ Q J   ♣ A 8 5 3 2
	♠ K Q J 9 6 ♥ J 9 2 ♦ 9 8 3 ♣ J 7
West Joep -   pass	North Linda pass   pass	East Joeri pass   pass	South Leo 2 ♠ *
* Muiderberg: 6-10 points, 5 spades and 4+ of a minor

Leo therefore bid an untrue Muiderberg. Risky without a four-card minor, but he liked the look of his spades. This unorthodox call had the desired effect of silencing the opponents. The smartly dressed Joep led ♣K against 2♠, and after Joeri's come on signal also cashed ♣Q. Joep continued with ♠3 to Leo's ♠K, took Leo's ♠Q with ♠A and exited with his last spade to Leo's ♠J. Declarer crossed to ♥A and played a small heart from dummy, taken by Joeri's ♥Q.

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N/EW	♠ - ♥ K 6 ♦ K 7 6 5 ♣ -
♠ - ♥ - ♦ A 10 4 2 ♣ 10 6	N W         E S	♠ -   ♥ 10 8   ♦ Q J   ♣ A 8
	♠ 9 6 ♥ J ♦ 9 8 3 ♣ -

It seemed obvious to continue with ♣A, but Joeri took his time to analyze the hand. Leo was in any case going to make four spade tricks, ♥AK and ♦K. So a third heart trick would present him with the contract. That could however be prevented by removing dummy's ♦K as an entry before Leo had unblocked ♥J. So Joeri pushed back his ♣A and led ♦Q instead! Joep was taken in for a moment, but then played low. Leo won with dummy's ♦K and played ♥K hoping to find the hearts 3-3. His prayers were not answered, and he ended 1 down.

"Beautiful card, that ♦Q", Joep complimented. "A club continuation sees Leo home."
"Thanks", replied Joeri. "But this will still be a bad one for us, because we can make a somewhat fortuitous 2NT or 3♣. That was a very sneaky fake Muiderberg by Leo..."

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Removing the bidding cards before the auction has ended

In the next round Leo and Linda took on Mathilde and Constance, two elderly ladies who walked with a stick but still had a very sharp mind. Mathilde was actually always cheerful in spite of her physical discomfort, while Constance usually displayed a sour face. They were both born and raised in the village, and their husbands had worked in the Groningen sugar factories all their lives. After they had become widows at a somewhat early age they had founded BC The Sugar Beet.

S/NS	♠ A J 10 8 ♥ 7 6 4 ♦ Q 10 2 ♣ 10 5 4
♠ 9 6 5 2 ♥ K Q 9 ♦ 8 7 3 ♣ A K 6	N W         E S	♠ K Q 7 4 3   ♥ 3   ♦ 9 6 5   ♣ 9 8 7 2
	♠ - ♥ A J 10 8 5 2 ♦ A K J 4 ♣ Q J 3
West Linda -   double   pass	North Mathilde -   2 ♥   pass	East Leo -   3 ♠   pass	South Constance 1 ♥ *   4 ♥
* five-card

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Constance opened 1♥ as dealer, and Linda produced a moth-eaten double at favourable vulnerability. Mathilde supported her partner's hearts, and Leo threw in a preemptive 3♠. That did not put off Constance however, who bid 4♥ under the assumption that Mathilde did not have wasted spade values.
Linda passed and started to remove her bidding cards from the baize. She knew Leo, and the last thing she wanted was a sacrifice into 4♠. Her spades were abominable, and besides that she saw a good chance of defeating 4♥. Mathilde passed, and Leo who understood at once what was going on passed as well.

Heaving a sigh of relief, Linda led ♣A under which an alert Constance deposited ♣J. After everybody had viewed dummy's unexpectedly strong spades in amazement, Linda switched to ♦7. Constance, who reckoned with West having both missing trump honours, won with dummy's ♦10 and called for ♠J. Leo covered with ♠Q and Constance ruffed. She continued with ♦J to dummy's ♦Q, and cashed ♠A on which she threw a spectacular ♦A. The ♠10 followed, covered by ♠K and ruffed in the closed hand.

Constance knew for sure now that Linda had to have ♥K and ♥Q for her double. She cashed ♦K and continued with ♣Q. Linda, who could see the danger coming, took her ♣K anyway. She had nothing better than playing a club, won by dummy's ♣10. Constance ruffed dummy's last spade and paused briefly, savouring the moment. Then, with a thin smile, she slowly advanced ♥10. Linda had to capture this trick but was subsequently forced to lead into declarer's ♥AJ.

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"Beautifully played", said Mathilde with a hand clap. "That was a neat throw in!"
"Darn", grumbled Leo rudely. "4♠ goes 3 down, so we should have sacrificed after all."
"Don't be ridiculous", snapped Linda. "How could I know that 4♥ was going to be made."

Mathilde, who in her long life had seen everything at the table and knew exactly what was going on between Leo and Linda, observed their little fight in amusement...

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Giving unrequested explanation during the bidding, or as defenders after the bidding

Half way through the evening Leo and Linda encountered the eternally nervous Bea and the ever sombre Piotr. They both knew a thing or two about the game, but they somehow seemed to attract catastrophe. From their looks this was certainly the case tonight, and Leo was determined to keep it that way a little longer.

N/NS	♠ A 6 ♥ K Q 10 9 5 ♦ K 5 ♣ J 10 6 3
♠ Q 3 ♥ 8 7 6 4 3 2 ♦ 7 6 ♣ K 8 4	N W         E S	♠ K J 8 7 4   ♥ -   ♦ A Q 9 8 2   ♣ 9 7 2
	♠ 10 9 5 2 ♥ A J ♦ J 10 4 3 ♣ A Q 5
West Linda -   pass	North Bea 1 ♥   pass	East Leo 3 ♣ *   pass	South Piotr 3 NT
* Ghestem: 5-5 spades-diamonds

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Piotr arrived in 3NT after a blunt auction. Linda had not alerted Leo’s 3♣, and actually thought that he had real clubs. She had already decided to lead a club, when Leo suddenly made the polite remark to Piotr that his 3♣ should have been alerted.

"I had noticed", muttered Piotr, who had taken a discrete look at Leo's convention card during the bidding.
“Alerted?” thought Linda. “Why...? Ah, of course, we are playing Ghestem since last week!”
She quickly abandoned the club suit and spun ♠Q onto the table. Piotr took dummy's ♠A directly, and Leo discouraged smartly with ♠4. Piotr contemplated for a moment, and then took the club finesse. It lost to the ♣K and Linda, knowing that Leo also had a diamond suit, found the killing diamond switch. Leo gave a satisfied nod and quickly cashed ♦AQ and ♠KJ.

"3NT -1 is a top for us", announced Leo happily. "3NT was made once, and two East-West Pairs went off for -500 in 3♦ or 3♠. Excellent lead and excellent switch by the way. If you start with ♠Q and continue spades after winning ♣K, Piotr is home. And if you start with a diamond Piotr is also home as long as he plays low from dummy."

Bea and Piotr watched their opponents suspiciously, but said nothing....

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Asking for the obvious

The evening progressed, and outside a fearsome storm had developed. The wind was howling around the club building, and rain rattled against the windows. Inside however it was warm and comfortable, and in the penultimate round Leo and Linda took their seats opposite Paul and Pauline. These had had a profitable week, by selling a few worthless old cars to some innocent young couples.

W/all	♠ A 9 6 4 3 ♥ Q 7 2 ♦ K 6 5 ♣ 8 3
♠ K 2 ♥ A 9 6 3 ♦ A 4 ♣ Q J 10 7 5	N W         E S	♠ Q J 10 8 5   ♥ 8 5 4   ♦ Q 7 2   ♣ 4 2
	♠ 7 ♥ K J 10 ♦ J 10 9 8 3 ♣ A K 9 6
West Pauline 1 ♣   pass	North Leo 1 ♠   pass	East Paul pass   pass	South Linda 1 NT

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Pauline opened 1♣ first in hand, and Leo overcalled 1♠. Paul asked with his silkiest smile, which he also used in their second-hand car business, what this meant.
"Normal, real spades", said Linda gruffly.
"How many spades does it promise?", persisted Paul.
"The usual, five spades!", snarled Linda irritably.
"Thank you", said Paul sweetly and calmly placed a green PASS card on the baize.

Linda bid 1NT after this pantomime, and was allowed to play this. Pauline pondered for a while and then led ♣Q. Linda won with ♣A and played a cunning ♦10. Pauline took a good look at this card, considered Paul's pressing inquiries during the auction, and then decided to rise with her ♦A! Linda probably did not have as many as six diamonds for her 1NT bid, and if Paul possessed ♦Q this precious card had to be preserved until his apparent spade suit had been established.
In with ♦A, Pauline played another astonishing card: ♠K. Linda ducked in dummy, and took the next spade with ♠A while discarding a club from her hand. She continued with a heart to Pauline's ♥A, and Pauline returned ♣J won by declarer's ♣K.

Linda went into a huddle. She realized well enough that Paul had good spades, but she saw no other option than to take the diamond finesse. So she ran ♦J. But Paul won with ♦Q and cashed three more spades putting the contract 1 down.

"Cool, rising directly with that ♦A", Paul smiled to his wife. "If you play low on the first round of diamonds, Linda makes her contract."
He wisely did not pass any comment on Pauline's remarkable ♠K switch...

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Asking suggestive or closed-ended questions during the auction

In the last round, Leo and Linda were pitted against the mayor and the councillor. The storm outside had increased in violence, and with the treasury being in a parlous state the two politicians were hoping that the bad weather would not cause any serious damage in the village. No sirenes could be heard yet, but they picked up their cards with a worried expression.

E/-	♠ Q 7 3 ♥ Q 8 2 ♦ J 5 3 ♣ Q 8 4 3
♠ 10 6 2 ♥ A J 7 5 ♦ 9 6 ♣ K 10 7 2	N W         E S	♠ J 5   ♥ 9 6 4   ♦ A Q 10 8 7 2   ♣ J 6
	♠ A K 9 8 4 ♥ K 10 3 ♦ K 4 ♣ A 9 5
West mayor -   pass   pass	North Leo -   3 ♠   pass	East councillor 2 ♣ *   pass   pass	South Linda 2 ♠   4 ♠
* strong, or a weak two in diamonds

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The councillor opened 2♣ as dealer. Linda, who herself played this as game forcing, could hardly envision such a strong hand with East considering her own power house. In amazement she asked: "Is 2♣ strong?"
The mayor, not in a good mood anyway, replied with obvious irritation that 2♣ promised a strong hand or a weak two in diamonds. Linda was not sure how Leo would interpret a double, so, irritated by the mayor's irritation, she made the underbid of 2♠. The pompous first citizen hesitated for a moment but then decided to pass.

It was clear to Leo from Linda's suggestive inquiry that she held a strong hand herself. He therefore managed an inspired 3♠ bid despite his horrible 7-count, and Linda was quick to launch into the razor sharp spade game.

The mayor led ♦9, and Leo displayed his meagre dummy with an apprehensive look.
"Thank you", said Linda in sarcastic tones. "Small please."
The councillor won the opening lead with ♦A and returned ♦7 to Linda's ♦K. Declarer played three rounds of trumps, ending in dummy, and then considered whether to ruff dummy's last diamond. Eventually she decided against this and played ♥2 instead. When the councillor followed with a small heart, Linda inserted a determined ♥K! The councillor had seven points and eight cards in the pointed suits, and Linda placed the mayor with ♥AJ and ♣K.

The mayor had to win with ♥A but then found he was endplayed.

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E/-	♠ - ♥ Q 8 ♦ J ♣ Q 8 4
♠ - ♥ J 7 5 ♦ - ♣ K 10 7	N W         E S	♠ -   ♥ 9 6   ♦ Q 10 8   ♣ 6
	♠ 9 8 ♥ 10 3 ♦ - ♣ 9 5

He paused for thought, and eventually played ♣2 to East's ♣J and declarer's ♣A.

Linda continued with ♣9, covered by a brave ♣10 from west. Linda won in dummy with ♣Q and was thankful that she had not ruffed dummy's last diamond earlier. This now gave her an essential entry to her hand. She ruffed ♦J and led her last club. The mayor had to take his ♣K, and played a heart for want of anything better. A finesse was no longer necessary, so Linda took dummy's ♥Q and discarded her last heart on the ♣8.

"Wow", she sighed with relief. "That was a sharp one. Both dummy's ♣8 and ♥8 are necessary to make it."

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The mayor, who like Leo had grasped the implications of Linda's question during the auction, opened his mouth with a fierce expression. At that moment his cell phone rang, and a distant sirene sounded above the storm. He ran out of the card room with a remarkable speed for someone his size, followed by the high-heeled councillor...


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