It is not quite the Bermuda Bowl

PEARLS BEFORE SWINE® GARFIELD® BIG NATE® ARLO & JANIS® ZITS®

David Bird has now published 13 books featuring the monks of St. Titus. In the previous book, the self-important Abbot ascended to the pinnacle of the game by competing in the Bermuda Bowl in Chennai, India. Now, in the latest work, “The Abbot’s Return to Earth” (Weidenfeld & Nicolson), the Abbot cannot understand why he does not win every time he plays.

However, the Abbot arranges for his world championship partner, the Parrot, to travel from Africa. After problems with his airplane flights, he had to fly himself from Hamburg across the freezing English Channel. But after a big bowl of birdseed and a night in the warm laundry cupboard, the Parrot was ready to play in a monastery duplicate.

In this deal, how did the Parrot play in four spades after West led the heart jack?

At first glance, declarer had seven spades, one heart and two clubs, but not if the defender with the club ace (presumably East) held up that card until the second round of the suit.

The Parrot quickly saw the right line of play. He ruffed in his hand at trick one, drew trumps and led the club king. When West played the eight (signaling high-low with an even number of cards), East ducked the trick. He took the second club, but was endplayed. A heart or club lead would have resuscitated the dummy, so he shifted to the diamond eight. West took the trick and returned the suit, and East put in his 10. But South took that trick and played another diamond, claiming when the suit broke 3-3. The Parrot took seven spades, two diamonds and one club -- no hearts.