Frieda Mayer was in the airport lounge just about to fly off to Sydney for two weeks. It was the day after the A point tournament, Gordon had driven her to the airport, and they intended to pass the time until boarding analysing their performance. She smiled at him warmly, aware that he had been a little disappointed by their showing, and determined to cheer him up. A little flattery might do the trick she thought to herself. “Gordon, you played really well on that last board in the morning” she trilled. Gordon only grunted morosely. Better lay it on thicker thought Frieda, Gordon seems really down.
| ♠Q875 ♥954 ♦Q8752 ♣4 | ||
| ♠AKT8 ♥T73 ♦J96 ♣985 | ♠J432 ♥AJ62 ♦KT ♣AJ2 | |
| ♠9 ♥KQ8 ♦A43 ♣KQT763 |
Frieda described how Gordon (East) had played 1NT after receiving the ♣K lead. “It was so clever of you to duck the opening lead” she gushed “If South had continued clubs you would get two tricks in the suit.” Frieda was being disingenuous; she had read about this manouevre (called a Bath coup) only last week.
“Hrmmph” said Gordon, perking up a little “that’s called a Bath coup, Frieda, but South didn’t fall for it and switched to the ♦3”.
Frieda continued her account. “You took North’s ♦Q with your ♦K and played back a diamond immediately; that was very brave of you. Did you do it to establish a second diamond trick?” This was pure flannel but Gordon didn’t seem to notice. Indeed he now took up the tale.
“South ducked this trick so I led a spade to dummy’s ten. North won his Queen and led a heart that I let South take with their ♥Q. This was now the position”:
| ♠875 ♥95 ♦875 ♣ — | ||
| ♠AK8 ♥T7 ♦J ♣98 | ♠J43 ♥AJ6 ♦— ♣AJ | |
| ♠— ♥K8 ♦A ♣QT763 |
“You’ll notice, Frieda, that South is now endplayed. Their best course is to cash the ♦A but they actually played a club. My Bath coup worked in a delayed way. I won two rounds of clubs, then three rounds of spades and put South in with the ♦A. South had to lead away from their ♥K8. Gordon seemed quite recovered but Frieda was taking no chances. She next recalled a slam hand where she could plausibly compliment Gordon.
| ♠T98542 ♥53 ♦AJ83 ♣5 | ||
| ♠AKJ7 ♥AKT74 ♦K2 ♣32 | ♠6 ♥9 ♦T765 ♣AKQJT64 | |
| ♠Q3 ♥QJ862 ♦Q94 ♣987 |
where the bidding had gone (with Gordon, the dealer, sitting West and Frieda East)
| West | North | East | South |
| 1♥ | Pass | 2♣ | Pass |
| 3NT | Pass | 6NT | Pass |
| Pass | Pass |
“Your 3NT bid was a masterstroke, Gordon” she said breathlessly and shamelessly. Quite unaware of Frieda’s ploys, Gordon glowed with pleasure. Since the opening lead had been ♠T the play had been straightforward but he forbore to say how he might have played against a club or a heart lead.
The next board had not been quite as successful. They had bid competently to 6♥ on these cards.
| ♠J6 ♥654 ♦A832 ♣Q932 | ||
| ♠AKT2 ♥AQJ87 ♦QT75 ♣— | ♠4 ♥K92 ♦KJ964 ♣KT84 | |
| ♠Q98753 ♥T3 ♦— ♣AJ765 |
Unfortunately, North had led ♦A and another diamond for one off. It had been a very poor score since most Norths had not found that lead. However, they agreed that their auction had made it easy for North. Without competition it had been swift:
| West | North | East | South |
| 1♥ | Pass | 2♦ | Pass |
| 6♦ | Pass | 6♥ | Pass |
| Pass | Pass |
North had deduced that South was short in diamonds and had therefore led ♦A. Gordon manfully took the blame: “I should have passed your ♦6 bid, Frieda”.
To which Frieda replied “You were correctly thinking about match-point scoring, Gordon; I would have bid the same”.
Harmony now ruled.
During the afternoon Frieda had sat North, Gordon South. The first board had not been his best performance.
♠63 ♥872 ♦KT972 ♣K84 | ||
♠954 ♥Q6 ♦A3 ♣QJ7652 | ♠JT ♥JT543 ♦QJ4 ♣AT9 | |
| ♠AKQ872 ♥AK9 ♦865 ♣3 |
He had been declarer in a rather ambitious 4♠. He had played low in dummy on the ♣Q lead and ruffed the club continuation. Then he’d drawn trumps and played a small diamond. West went up with the ♦A and switched to a heart which Gordon won. “I now made a costly error by playing a diamond to the King” he admitted ruefully.
Frieda stayed tactfully silent; she was now something of an expert on male psychology and realised that fulsome agreement must sometimes be withheld.
“I should have ducked that round of diamonds” continued Gordon. “Then I have an entry to your long diamonds and would easily make the contract.” As so often happens their best board had come about through an opponent’s error. A later board in the afternoon had allowed Frieda to use a newly learnt signal.
♠KQ5 ♥7 ♦A93 ♣KQ8752 | ||
♠AT94 ♥K6 ♦KQJ654 ♣3 | ♠8762 ♥AQ532 ♦T82 ♣T | |
| ♠J3 ♥JT984 ♦7 ♣AJ964 |
Their opponents had overreached themselves and Gordon had doubled East’s 4♥ contract after he and Frieda had competed in clubs. He led ♣A and paused to think. Noticing that Frieda had played ♣8 he realised that she was signalling for a spade lead (he had told Frieda that if opening leader holds the trick but dummy has a singleton then partner signals with a high card if they want the higher of the non-trump suits to be played). Gordon therefore played ♠J and, in due course the defenders collected 800.
Their discussion stayed firmly on the topic of the tournament until . . . “Would passenger Frieda Mayer please proceed to board her Freedom Air flight now departing from Gate 3” boomed the airport sound system. Frieda and Gordon realised that time had sped by and they needed to say their farewells. Screwing up his courage Gordon leant forward to kiss Frieda on the cheek. Simultaneously and unexpectedly she had moved her head while locating her handbag. This resulted in his kiss landing full on her lips. Both sprang back with scarlet blushes. “Oh, goodness me, I must dash” exclaimed Frieda. “See you in two weeks time, Gordon”. She scampered through the gate leaving Gordon nonplussed. Thoughtfully he returned to his car.
Had he offended Frieda? How would he know if he had? Should he apologise? Should he not mention the incident? Life could be so complicated.
Bridge Romances 
Leave a comment