The Twilight Zone

One of television's most rightly revered series, The Twilight Zone (CBS, 1959-64) stands as the role model for TV anthologies. Its trenchant sci-fi/fantasy parables explore humanity's hopes, despairs, prides and prejudices in metaphoric ways conventional drama cannot.

In many ways it mirrors what happens at the bridge table - where some things are hard to explain. Consider this story from the Zonal Pairs Championship.

Dealer South. All Vul

ª A 10 7 5
© -
¨ A Q J 10 4
§ Q J 9 5

West	North	East	South
	Beresiner		Essex
			Pass
2¨*	3NT	?

Your partner's Two Diamonds is a multi, weak in either major or various strong types.

Presumably you double 3NT?

It looks safe to lead the ace of diamonds does it not?

This is what you can see:

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

Partner plays the two of diamonds, normal count. It looks obvious to lead a second diamond and wait to calculate what will surely be an enormous score. Indeed it will, but regrettably it is for your opponents for this is the full deal:

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

Having to write down -750 when you are cold for +1430 is not exactly what you had in mind!

Never give up

By Sven-Olov Flodqvist

Christian Mari is well known for his abilities as a card player as well for his fighting spirit. Those qualities came in handy on this deal in the second session of the Open Pairs final.

Board 20. Dealer West. All Vul.
	ª K 7 © J 10 ¨ A J 9 § K Q J 8 7 4
ª Q 4 © A K 8 7 4 3 2 ¨ Q 6 § A 5		ª A 8 6 5 3 © 9 6 5 ¨ 8 2 § 10 6 3
	ª J 10 9 2 © Q ¨ K 10 7 5 4 3 § 9 2

West	North	East	South
Mari	Morath	Bompis	Efraimsson
1©	2§	2©	Pass
4©	All Pass

North led the king of clubs, ducked by West. When Morath understandably did not find the diamond shift, Mari run six hearts to reach this ending:

	ª K 7 © - ¨ A J § Q
ª Q 4 © 2 ¨ Q 6 § -		ª A 8 © - ¨ 8 2 § 10
	ª 10 9 © - ¨ K 10 7 § -

On the last heart North had to let go a diamond, and he pitched the ace, while dummy got rid of the club ten and South shed his small diamond.

As North had missed unblocking his diamond jack, Mari could have exited with a small diamond, either endplaying North or forcing South to win the king, making the diamond queen good.

Since South had played the spade jack at some point, Christian preferred to play the spade queen to the king and ace and then a diamond towards the queen.

Contract just made!

Fool's Gold

By Sam Leckie

On this deal from the first session of the Open Pairs Final Jason Hackett gambled on getting a complete top only to be thwarted by declarer.

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

West	North	East	South
Le Poder	Jason	Mus	Justin
1NT	Pass	2¨*	Pass
2©	Pass	2NT	Pass
3NT	All Pass

North led the six of diamonds and declarer got off to a poor start when he strangely decided to play dummy's queen. South took the ace and switched to ace and another heart. Declarer won, cashed the queen of clubs and crossed to the king of clubs to play a heart. North won and played back the jack of diamonds. Declarer knew the game was up, as even if the spade finesse was right he only had eight tricks, so he exited with a diamond. North took the ten and could have cashed a heart for one down. However he exited with a diamond. When declarer cashed the last two clubs North calmly bared his king of spades expecting declarer to finesse for his contract and go two down.

Le Poder realized that North would never have defended like that without the king of spades, so he went up with the ace and claimed nine tricks.

That was one of the boards that saw the French pair score 76.96% over the first eight boards.