Bridge
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Your support makes all the difference.E-W game; dealer South
North
48 7 6 3
!Q J 5
#Q 6 2
2K 5 3
West East
4K 410 9 2
!K 10 9 8 4 3 !A
#K #10 9 8 7 3
2A 10 8 7 4 2Q J 8 6
South
4A Q J 5 4
!7 6 2
#A J 5 4
22
Where would you expect to find Don Donne, John Stanton, David Eckhardt and me - a British quartet - engaged in rubber bridge? Why, in Marbella, of course. It is far more pleasant to play with warm sunshine outside than to enjoy the rigours of an English summer. This deal had its amusing points.
As South, I opened 14, David overcalled with 2! and my partner (Don) raised to 24. This was passed out, although I would certainly have fought on with the West hand (there have been worse game contracts in either hearts or clubs).
West led !10 to his partner's ace and #10 was returned. If I had played carelessly low, I would have suffered a tiresome setback, with the defenders taking the first six tricks, but I went up with my ace and was gratified to see the fall of West's king.
It looked an excellent idea to shift trumps as fast as possible, but, with no quick entry to table, it seemed right to start with 4A. More good news, and I ended with an unlikely 10 tricks.
As declarers do, I jocularly advised West to hold his cards up after the fall of his #K. What is rarer, after the second king-felling exercise, I was able to repeat the time-honoured joke.
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