BRIDGE

This deal occurred many years ago in a rubber-bridge game at New York’s Cavendish Club, where some of the world’s top experts once congregated daily.

East opened with a forcing two-bid, and his partner responded two notrump. North, a bit mystified, now bid three notrump. This was the “unusual notrump,” indicating length in both minor suits.

When East next bid four spades, South ventured five diamonds, which rolled around to the opener, who now revealed his second suit. This in turn drew a five-spade bid from West, six diamonds from North and six spades from East. North’s seven-diamond bid, doubled by West, then became the final contract.

Declarer ruffed the spade lead in dummy, cashed the ace of diamonds and overtook the queen with the king. He then led the club eight, planning to let it ride!

But West was right on his toes and covered the eight with the 10. South finessed the jack, and East showed out. Next came the heart ace and a heart ruff. Declarer now led the club six, covered by the seven and queen.

After ruffing another heart, South led the club nine, covered by the king and ace. As a result of all these maneuvers and countermaneuvers, declarer had to go down one, West scoring the setting trick with the club five, which had become the high club!

And so, East, who opened with a strong two-bid, never took a trick, and West defeated the grand slam because he had been dealt the club five instead of the four!

Oddly enough, the hand proved to be a complete washout, since North’s 100 honours offset the 100-point penalty, resulting in no score.