Over the holiday period Randy and Voluptua had been very much preoccupied with each other. Voluptua’s Aunt Frieda had often stared with vexation at Voluptua’s closed bedroom door but tried not to speculate. However on the one occasion they ventured forth to play a holiday game they did very well, helped somewhat by this hand.
Randy declared 3NT as South having been so bewitched by his magnificent hand that all Voluptua’s pleas for him to withdraw from the auction were ignored. He received the somewhat fortunate lead of ♠5 but there was still much work to do.
| ♠842 ♥72 ♦J97542 ♣Q3 | ||
| ♠KT653 ♥A94 ♦T ♣T864 | ♠J97 ♥T865 ♦863 ♣K97 | |
| ♠AQ ♥KQJ3 ♦AKQ ♣AJ52 |
Randy counted his tricks. There were two spades, two hearts (after knocking out the ♥A), three diamonds, and two clubs (after knocking out the ♣K). That make nine tricks, thought Randy with a sigh of relief (he desperately wanted to impress Voluptua).
But wait a minute! His first spade stopper had just been dislodged, and the second would be dislodged when he gave up a trick to ♥A; then, when he lost to the ♣K, the opponents would run a zillion spades.
What could be done? In a testosterone-induced flash the answer came to him. Having captured the first trick with ♠Q he played his three top diamonds. Then, with a masterful smile, he played his ♣J.
The opponents were helpless. In the end, East ducked realising that dummy’s diamonds would bring home the contract through the ♣Q entry. But now, with a club trick won, Randy could simply knock out the ♥A and come to his planned nine tricks.
No other declarer had found this line and Randy smugly awaited compliments from his beloved. Voluptua’s attention had been distracted by a broken fingernail however, and all she said was “29 points in total and all you could manage was nine tricks?” With an admirable and impassive stoicism Randy went on to the next hand.
Bridge Romances 
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