Bid one suit; mislead in another

Stonewall Jackson said, “Always mystify, mislead and surprise the enemy, if possible.”

When you make a bid at the bridge table, you usually want to help partner judge what to do. Occasionally, though, you are hoping to inconvenience your opponents. In this deal from a duplicate, for example, surprisingly every East but one passed throughout.

At 12 of the 16 tables, the Northsouth bidding went two clubs - two diamonds - two no-trump - three hearts (transfer) - three spades - four hearts pass. Most declarers took 12 tricks.

At this table, East overcalled three clubs despite its inherent risk. Then South opted to respond three hearts rather than three spades. North might have taken things slower, but bid what he hoped his partner could make.

South won the first trick with dummy’s club ace and understandably played a heart to his king, followed by another heart. West’s club discard was a blow. Declarer lost this trick to East’s queen, ruffed the club king and, with his back against the wall, played a diamond to dummy’s jack. South continued with a heart to his jack, played a spade to the ace, cashed the high diamonds and ruffed a diamond. Now South had to guess spades by leading his jack to pin East’s ten. But he led to dummy’s king and went down one.

South probably would not have got hearts right anyway, but East’s bid almost guaranteed that he would take a trump trick.

Six hearts was reached at one other table after West opened two diamonds(!) in third chair. It made because West’s opening lead was the heart three!