Slings and arrows of fortune rule

George Chapman, an English dramatist who died in 1634, wrote, “Fortune, the great commandress of the world, / Hath divers ways to advance her followers: / To some she gives honour without deserving, / To other some, deserving without honour.”

There are bridge deals in which the luck — or misfortune — seems random. Today’s is one example. North-South have two almost-identical 5-3 major-suit fits. However, 10 tricks are the limit in hearts because the trumps break 5-0. In spades, 11 tricks can be won.

When this deal was played at Bridge Base Online, one North-South pair got a fortuitous result. First, South upgraded his hand to a strong no-trump because of ace-king, aceking and the good five-card suit. (The Kaplan-Rubens method values that hand at 16.15 points.) Then, over West’s Unusual No-trump, showing at least 5-5 in the minors, North used a transfer bid, which resulted in South’s declaring at four spades.

West led a spade. Declarer drew trumps ending on the board, learning that West had started with three. What did South do next?

West was marked with 3=0=5=5 distribution. So declarer led dummy’s heart six and won the trick with that card! Then came the heart queen and another heart to the 10 and king. South cashed the heart ace, discarding a club from the dummy, and played a diamond to the king.

Plus 450 turned out to be a top. Of the other eight pairs in game, one made four spades and one made four hearts, both exactly, and six went down in four hearts.