BRIDGE MASTERCLASS

HERE’S a ‘funny’ story, about a bidding disaster which ended in success. It’s funny, if you look on the lighter side of bridge and don’t get too upset by partner’s black spots in bidding knowledge.

WEST’S partner opened 4NT, which, as you will all know by now, is a conventional bid to ask partner whether he has an ace and, if so, which one? The responses are simple — he merely bids the suit in which the ace is held. If he happens to have two aces, he responds 5NT, or no ace — 5 .

west hadn’t heard of this convention although, being an intelligent player, he knows it was something special. Eventually, he decided it must show a super-strong balanced hand with 27-28 points, so he bid 6 !

Continued tomorrow.