BRIDGE
Oh, Calamity!
Andrew Robson DO BRIDGE experts ever have unmitigat- ed disasters, entirely of their own making? Human nature being what it is, there is a natural curiosity to see the bridge equiva- lent of a professional golfer do an 'air shot' — miss the ball completely.
The long-time partnership of Chip Mar- tel and Lew Stansby is as reliable as you get, but they had a spectacular bidding mishap on this deal from the 1996 Vander- bilt, one of the US 'Majors'.
South 14 3+ The Bidding West North 1, 1NT 2* pass pass(!) East double pass pass Stansby, South, intended his 341 bid to be 'fourth suit forcing', an artificial bid ask- ing for further information. But Martel thought it was natural, therefore apparent- ly revealing a ghastly misfit, and because he was understandably none too proud of his one-level opener, he passed before worse trouble developed.
Rather than give up his ridiculous con- tract, Stansby taught us all a lesson in focus. West led *I (a trump lead was surely indi- cated) and declarer won 4K, cashed 4A dis- carding a IP, trumped 42, cashed VAK and +A, trumped *3 and trumped 43. He had made the first eight tricks, leaving East with just five trumps. He tried a third V from dummy and if East had sleepily trumped low, Stansby would have overruffed with +6 and actually made his contract. East spoiled the show by trumping with +0 and the defence quickly took the remainder.
Ironically the 44 contract reached in the other room had to go one down on a • lead, losing two +5 and two 4s, and so Martel-Stansby did not even lose points on the deal. However, I suppose they did lose the opportunity to gain points by bidding to the making game contract of 4V.
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