Errors can secrete pearls of wisdom BRIDGE

John Dryden, who was appointed England’s first poet laureate in 1668, wrote, “Errors, like straws, upon the surface flow; / He who would search for pearls must dive below.”

Bridge deals, especially in the hands of the inexperienced, can be like that. Errors are made that the players do not realize are mistakes. But if a more-experienced player can offer instruction, the players will gain pearls to add to their knowledge chain.

In the auction, West’s two-club overcall was Cappelletti, showing a long suit somewhere; and two hearts was a transfer to spades.

West led the heart ace and continued with the heart three, which East ruffed. East shifted to the diamond six, which West ruffed. West exited with a club. After declarer played a spade to the queen and king, West still had the spade ace to come, so four spades went down two.

I dislike Cappelletti because one cannot immediately show one’s long suit, which is particularly galling when it is a major. Here, I would have jumped to four hearts, been doubled by North and gone down two, minus 500.

South might have passed out three no-trump because partner’s bid ought to have included heart help. Without any, North would have doubled to show points. Note that three no-trump would have come home with an overtrick.

West should have led the heart nine at trick two, a suit-preference signal asking for a diamond return, the higherranking of the other two side suits. But East was psychic! Not that it mattered, because East was getting in with the spade king.