GOREN BRIDGE

East-west vulnerable, South deals

EAST

J97 KJ65 Q8654 7

SOUTH WEST NORTH 1NT Dbl* 2♣ 2♦ Pass 2♥ ** 2♠ All pass

*One minor or both majors **Pass or correct

Opening lead: King of

100 PERCENT

In the modern Covid era, online bridge is thriving. A new online game starts every hour during the day and each game seems to draw between 350 and 600 entries. Such huge fields make it very unusual for one score to earn 100 percent of the available match points, but today’s deal did just that for Northsouth.

South was an aging player who had been considered quite good in his youth. These days, he contents himself with writing a bridge column — a harmless drudge.

North’s sequence was “Garbage Stayman” and his two-heart bid showed both majors within a weak hand. South’s two-spade bid was a preference. This was a poor contract, so South played it hoping for the best. He won the opening club lead and led a spade to dummy’s king, winning the trick. A diamond to the jack held, but the ace of diamonds was ruffed with West’s 10 of spades as dummy shed a club. West cashed the queen of clubs and continued with the jack. East discarded a diamond as South, ruffed with the three of spades.

Declarer led the king of diamonds, ruffed by West with the ace as dummy discarded a heart. Another club from West was ruffed in dummy, over-ruffed by East, and ruffed by South with the queen of spades. A low diamond was ruffed in dummy, felling the queen from East. Dummy’s last trump was led to East’s jack as South discarded a diamond winner. South rose with his queen on the forced heart lead from East. This won the trick and provided an entry to the established 10 of diamonds. South took the last two tricks and made an overtrick for 100 percent of the points.