The Friendly Fate Of Fiction

The Ides of September are come. I have just found out that every month has Ides. It is the 15th in March, May, July and October, and the 13th in the other months.

Caesar, while taking his bath before that evening’s party, was reading an edition of New Zealand Bridge. He came across this amusing story: North opened one heart. South immediately asked for aces and then bid seven no-trump. As he tabled his dummy, North said, “I’m sorry, partner. I think I’ve underbid my hand.” Thumbs up!

This deal was also in the magazine. After East opened with a weak notrump (showing 12-14 points) and South made a penalty double, West’s redouble announced a weak one-suited hand. Doubling two hearts would have worked well, probably netting 500, but North-South didn’t have the methods to accomplish this.

Against three no-trump, West led the heart queen. When declarer ducked, West might have found the lethal club nine switch, but he continued with his low heart to dummy’s king. Declarer took a diamond finesse and led the spade jack, trying to create a dummy entry, but East ducked. Now a spade went to the queen and ace.

Endplayed, East cashed the club ace, but South missed his chance. If South had jettisoned his king, East would have had to concede an entry to the dummy in either black suit. Declarer could have picked up the diamond suit and collected nine tricks. When South played the “automatic” club five, though, East exited with a low club. South could do no better than play the ace and another diamond, finishing one shy. Thumbs down!