BRIDGE

Issues resolved. The promised hand:

2 NT — I have a 2-5-3-3 distribution. 3 ♣ — How many controls? 3 ♥ — Four controls (an ace is two, a king is one). 4 ♣ — How many kings? 4 ♦ — I have two kings of the same colour. (South knows they are in hearts and diamonds because he has the king of spades.) 4 ♥ — How many queens? 4 NT — I have no queens. 5 ♣ — What about jacks? 5 NT — I have the jack of diamonds but not the jack of spades or hearts. 7 ♠ — This looks like the right spot. Pass — Good luck! Cannell won the trump lead with the queen, cashed the A-K of hearts and ruffed a heart. He then led all his trumps, and West was squeezed because he could not guard both hearts and diamonds. Thus Cannell made seven for a score of 1,510 points. When Britain held the NorthSouth cards, they also bid seven spades, but less scientifically: 1♥ -2♠ -2NT-4NT-5 ♦-5NT-6♥ -7♠ . And so, despite all the trimmings, the deal proved to be a washout.