bRIDGe

There have been many bridge truths attributed to that venerable Chinese sage Confucius, almost certainly inaccurately if for no other reason than timing: bridge hadn’t been invented when he was philosophizing!

Notwithstanding that slight historical conflict, I’m quite sure he’d agree with the windup to today’s tale of woe for one of the teams that contested this misfitting deal.

A slightly conservative decision by South to rebid just two hearts (when many would have judged a sixcard suit and 16 high-card points warranted a jump rebid) ended the auction right there. Not quite a good enough suit for three hearts by this South’s standards.

But, struggle as he might, South could muster no more than seven tricks, in no small way because of the truly ugly heart split and South’s lack of better spot cards in his long suit, possession of which might have occasioned a three heart rebid!

To no avail as his team- mate sitting East, decided to do what he could to obstruct South: yes, he really did open two hearts in second seat, suit quality standards be damned!

To lead to a final contract of two hearts that didn’t fare nearly as well as the same contract played by South: actually down two when South on defense was armed with the advance clue that there were six hearts on his right.

That led to plus 200 added to plus 100 and a tidy swing to the team that defended at both tables.

Confucius: when both pairs of the same team play the same contract from different directions, at least one of them is bound to be in a bad spot!