November 2022 - 70

Special Contributor
Bridge with the Abbot
Brother Xavier's indiscretion
T
he Abbot's team had been
drawn against Brother
Cameron's novice team in the
Hampshire Cup. This was the final
board of the first half:
Dlr: South  J 6
Vul: Both k K 5
l 7 6 4 2
' A K 6 3 2
 10 8 4 3
k Q J 10 9 2
l -
' Q J 9 5
 A K 7
k A 7 4
l A K Q J
' 10 7 4
West North East South
The Bro.
Bro. Bro.
Abbot Damien Xavier Cameron
2NT
Pass 4NT
Pass 6NT
All Pass
For a moment, the Abbot was
tempted to double 6NT. The auction
indicated that declarer would have
few values to spare, and all the suits
were breaking badly. Still, if Brother
Cameron made 6NT doubled against
him, the story would reverberate
around the novitiate for days. It was
better to play safe and pass. At least
he had the world's most obvious opening
lead.
The Abbot led the kQ and Brother
Cameron won in hand with the
ace. To make the contract, it seemed
that he would have to score four club
tricks. What were the possibilities?
Suppose he led low to dummy's ace,
West producing a singleton queen or
jack. He would not be able to make
70 | Bridge Bulletin | November 2022
 Q 9 5 2
k 8 6 3
l 10 9 8 5 3
' 8
the slam. If he tried a low club towards
the 10 next, East would fly in
with his honor and remove dummy's
kK while the clubs were blocked.
What if East held a singleton club?
There was no way to deal with a singleton
queen or jack; West would then
have two certain tricks in the suit.
" Come on, come on, " exclaimed the
Abbot. " I wouldn't have set an eight
o'clock start time if I knew you were
going to play so slowly. It's only a local
match, not the Gold Cup. "
" Sorry, Abbot, " said Brother Cameron.
The
novice eventually concluded
that unless clubs were 3-2, he would
need to find East with a singleton 8 or
9. With this in mind, he led the '10
from his hand. Not liking the look of
this much, the Abbot covered with
the jack. Brother Cameron won with
dummy's ace and noted with interest
the appearance of the 8 on his right.
When a second round of clubs was
led from the dummy, East showed
out and Brother Cameron played the
7 from his hand. The Abbot had no
counter to this. If he won with the
queen or 9, a subsequent finesse of
dummy's '6 would give declarer the
contract. If instead he allowed the
'7 to win, declarer would simply
continue with 'K and another club,
setting up a long card while the kK
entry was still intact.
" I must make four club tricks, " said
Brother Cameron, facing his remaining
cards by way of claiming the
contract.
The Abbot gave a reluctant nod of
the head, returning his cards to the
wallet.
" Unfortunate lead, Abbot, " observed
Brother Xavier. " If you leave
BY DAVID BIRD
the heart entries in place, declarer
might start with a low club to the ace,
hoping to pick up a singleton queen or
jack in your hand. "
The Abbot looked wearily across
the table. Even by Xavier's standards,
this was a fatuous observation. " I've
never heard such nonsense, " he declared.
" Declarer will cash some diamonds
before he decides who to play
for a possible club shortage. When I
show out on the first round of diamonds
it's obvious, even for a modest
performer, that you're the favorite to
hold a singleton club. "
" You may be right, " said Brother
Xavier.
" Apart from that, " continued the
Abbot, " a 'Q lead from me would
give the position away, and who in
their right mind would lead a spade
from 10-fourth when they had a solid
sequence in hearts? "
" I didn't mean to find fault with
your lead, Abbot, " replied Brother
Xavier. " I just said it was a bit unfortunate. "
" It
was less unfortunate than some
of the remarks you see fit to pass
during a match, " persisted the Abbot.
" Ah, Lucius and Paulo have finished.
November 2022

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