DO WE ADJUST SPELLINGS OF WORDS?

The English are known for their dry, quirky humour. Ben Fogle, in "English -- The Story of Marmite, Queuing and Weather" (William Collins), gives a whole chapter to the subject. He highlights English understatement by pointing out that Spike Milligan's epitaph is "I told you I was ill."

Tony Forrester is generally considered England's best player over the last two or three decades. This deal occurred during a multiple-team event. Forrester was the only declarer to make five diamonds. What did he do after West led a trump?

North's two-heart rebid was fourth-suit game-forcing. On the next round, he should have bid a forcing three diamonds, but he was an inexperienced player. (With game-invitational values, North would have immediately raised two diamonds to three diamonds.)

Forrester aimed to lose one spade and one heart, but his communications were tenuous. Spotting the best line, he won trick one in hand, then ruffed a spade on the board with the diamond king. (Ruffing low would have cost the contract.) Next, South ran dummy's heart queen to West's king. Winning the trump return in hand, declarer ruffed a spade with dummy's diamond ace, played a heart to his 10, drew the outstanding trump, cashed the spade ace and conceded a spade. Since his hand was high, Forrester claimed.

Others played in five diamonds by North. When East led a heart, ducked to West's king, no declarer realized the necessity of unblocking the heart queen. Then, every West accurately shifted to a trump to kill the contract.