|
We return to the deepest part of the St. Helena trough, where the best bridge playing sea animals in King Neptune's realm show their skills at 'the Mahmodians' bridge club. After her effort the Electric Ray felt somewhat hungry. Since she had heard some delightful mussels had arrived, she decided head for a recharge at the buffet table. Fortunately, Fred the Flounder was willing to cut in. The Sea Slug sat South, while the Flounder took the North seat. This was the first deal:
| S/NS | ♠ | 9 8 7 6 5 | | | | ♥ | 5 4 | | ♦ | A K 6 | | ♣ | A K 9 | | ♠ | 4 3 2 |  | ♠ | A K Q J 10 | | ♥ | 10 9 8 7 | ♥ | - | | ♦ | 4 3 2 | ♦ | Q 10 9 8 | | ♣ | 4 3 2 | ♣ | Q 10 7 5 | | | ♠ | - | | | ♥ | A K Q J 6 3 2 | | ♦ | J 7 5 | | ♣ | J 8 6 |
As was to be expected with the Flounder in the driving seat, the bidding was brief and direct: | West | Noord | East | South |
|---|
| Inkfish | Flounder | Herring | Sea Slug
| | - | - | -
| 4♥ | | pass | 7♥ | double | pass | | pass | pass | | |
The poor Inkfish, who was to find the opening lead without having any clue, elected a small spade. The Sea Slug ruffed East's ♠10 and, seeing only eleven tricks, began drawing trumps in his usual slow way. As trumps were being drawn, the Herring began to feel more and more uncomfortable. On the first two trump tricks he threw a club and a diamond. On the third trump (dummy shed a club) the Herring could afford to discard the ♠J. The Sea Slug, with three trumps left, could now have established a spade by ruffing but he still would have been a trick short. So he continued with a fourth trump, discarding a diamond from dummy. This was the position, the poor Herring still having to find a discard: | S/NS | ♠ | 9 8 7 6 | | | | ♥ | - | | ♦ | A K | | ♣ | A K | | ♠ | 4 3 |  | ♠ | A K Q | | ♥ | - | ♥ | - | | ♦ | 4 3 2 | ♦ | Q 10 9 | | ♣ | 4 3 2 | ♣ | Q 10 7 | | | ♠ | - | | | ♥ | 6 3 | | ♦ | J 7 5 | | ♣ | J 8 6 |
If he threw a spade, the declarer could establish two spades by ruffing after which dummy would be high. So the Herring threw the ♣7. In his usual steady pace the Sea Slug now crossed to the ♣A and cashed the ♣K, dropping the Herring's ♣Q. Then he returned to his hand by a spade ruff and cashed the ♣J, throwing a spade from dummy. With the poor Herring still having to find a discard, this was the situation: | S/NS | ♠ | 9 8 | | | | ♥ | - | | ♦ | A K | | ♣ | - | | ♠ | 4 |  | ♠ | A K | | ♥ | - | ♥ | - | | ♦ | 4 3 2 | ♦ | Q 10 9 | | ♣ | - | ♣ | - | | | ♠ | - | | | ♥ | 6 | | ♦ | J 7 5 | | ♣ | - |
The Herring surrendered, as he could only choose which card, North's ♠8 or South's ♦J, would take the thirteenth trick.
'Did you have to double a stone-dead grand slam... again?' the Inkfish asked sarcastically. 'Stone-dead, stone-dead, what now, you stupid mollusc', retorted the Herring, 'the contract does not stand a chance after the completely obvious lead of a club or diamond!' He was right, I thought, East could then have afforded to throw a card in the other minor in the fourth round of trumps. Declarer can then establish the jack in that suit as his twelfth trick but the squeeze is not repetitive, since dummy is an entry short. 'OBVIOUS!?' shouted the Inkfish, totally beside himself. Pitch black clouds of ink filled the room. 'What is the score of 7♥ doubled and made, vulnerable?' the Flounder murmured. 'East has an automatic save in 7♠', chattered the Sea Slug, 'for a mere 2000.' 'I think I'll try some of those mussels', I said and discretely withdrew. After all, I was not further curious to the Herring's over-simplified reaction of being victimised by a repetitive triple trump squeeze. |