Contract Bridge

This deal occurred in the 1932 national pair championship. The hand itself was not extraordinary, but what happened at one of the tables provides a most amusing story.

East-West had already played half the afternoon session when they encountered the deal. During that time, they had accomplished the unenviable feat of losing no fewer than seven aces during the play (mostly on defense).

They were naturally disconsolate by the time this hand came along. North-South then proceeded to reach six hearts in jig time, mostly due to North’s overly optimistic five-heart bid. (It was back in the days before

Blackwood.)

Trying desperately to recover some points for his side, East, holding two aces, doubled the slam. West, on lead, promptly plunked down the ace of spades, announcing jubilantly, “Well, here’s one ace we won’t lose.”

West was mistaken. South trumped the ace, led a heart to the eight and discarded a club on the king of spades. He then led the king of clubs and ruffed out East’s ace.

Warming to his task, declarer crossed to dummy with another trump, cashed all five of dummy’s remaining clubs — which luckily were divided 3-3 — and discarded all five of his diamonds to make the doubled contract with an overtrick!

Of course, had West led any suit other than spades, South would have gone down one, and West’s words would not have achieved immortality. As it was, though, East-West, who had started the deal having had seven of their aces put to sleep, finished the hand with three more aces to add to their collection.