“I think Unlucky Louie’s luck may be changing,” Rose told me in the club lounge.
“I doubt it,” I demurred. “Never bet on a loser because you think his luck will change.”
“Well, Louie and I won today’s Swiss teams,” Rose said. “And we were lucky.”
Rose showed me today’s deal from the final match.
“As South I opened two clubs and bid 2NT next, showing 22 or 23 points, and Louie bid 3NT. West led a spade, and when I saw dummy, I tried to hide my dismay. Nine tricks at notrump were no lock, and we would’ve had a chance at seven diamonds.”
“Louie didn’t see his hand’s potential,” I said. “Did you make 3NT?”
“I took the ace of spades,” Rose told me, “and cashed the ace, queen and king of clubs. When the suit broke 3-3, I had nine tricks and ended with 10. If clubs didn’t break, I would have been in dummy to finesse in diamonds.”
“Well done,” I said. “So how were you lucky?”
“In the replay,” Rose said, “North-South bid six diamonds. Their auction was a lot better than ours: two clubs-two diamonds, 2NT-three diamonds (natural!). Then South bid three hearts, suggesting diamond support and heart strength, and North needed no more encouragement.
“North won the club lead in his hand, led a trump … and finessed with the queen. He lost two trump tricks. He can afford one trump loser but not two, so he must cash the ace before leading toward the queen.”
Louie was lucky. His team gained a swing when it should have lost one. He wants to play again next Sunday, but his new luck may be a one-week wonder.
South dealer
N-S vulnerable
NORTH
S A
H 9 6 2
D 9 8 5 4 3 2
C K 5 4
WEST
S Q 10 8 7 4
H 10 7 4 3
D K
C J 8 2
EAST
S K 9 6 3
H J 8 5
D J 10 6
C 10 9 6
SOUTH
S J 5 2
H A K Q
D A Q 7
C A Q 7 3
South West North East
2 C Pass 2 D Pass
2 NT Pass 3 NT(!) All Pass
Opening lead — S 7
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Originally published at Frank Stewart