The abnormal is hard to get right

Mark Haddon, who wrote The Curious Incident of the Dog

in the Night-Time, said, “I am really interested in eccentric minds. It’s rather like being fascinated by how cars work. It’s really boring if your car works all the time. But as soon as something happens, you get the bonnet up. If someone has an abnormal or dysfunctional state of mind, you get the bonnet up.” Surely we are happiest when our car keeps working and we can leave the bonnet down. Some bridge deals, though, make us very happy if we find the abnormal play that is required to make or break the contract — and today’s deal features two abnormal defensive moves. South is in three no-trump. What happens after West leads the club nine? North’s bidding sequence showed four spades, five-plus diamonds and game-forcing strength. Typically, East would play third hand high. Here, West’s club-nine lead is top of nothing. So, East must follow suit with the club two. South takes that trick, perhaps with a deceptive ace or king, then plays a diamond. West is back in. He should realize that South is ready to run for home, and that the defense must take four heart tricks now, despite South’s having four cards in that suit. West must hope that his partner has king-third in hearts, but he still has to be careful. First, West must cash the heart ace. Then, he continues with a low heart to his partner’s king. Finally, East leads through South’s heart 10 into the jaws of West’s jack-nine. Abnormally brilliant!