BRIDGE AT CHOLMELEY SCHOOL

Phillip Tait's Double

by David Bird

Madame Baguette turned her gas fire down to the lowest level and plumped up the cushions on her ancient settee. Just twenty-four boards to endure and she would be able to claim her reward - an intimate post mortem with Phillip Taitt, the handsome young art master! She placed a bottle of Courvoisier on the coffee table, where it would catch some warmth from the fire, and headed for the school cardroom.

The first few rounds of the school duplicate passed by without incident and Madame Baguette then faced her old partner, the Matron. This was the first deal they played:

Dealer: South. N/S Vul.     Q 8 5 4   8 7   7 6 4 3 2   10 4     -   10 5 4   9 5   K Q J 9 8 6 3 2   A J 10 9 2   Q J 9 6 3 2   Q 10 8   7 5     K 7 6 3   A K   A K Q J 10 8   A

West	North	East	South
Madame Baguette	The Matron	Phillip Tait	Victoria Bellis
			2
5	Pass	Pass	5
Pass	Pass	Dbl	End

A spirited auction left the 18-year-old Victoria Bellis in 5 , doubled by the art master. Madame Baguette led the K and down went the dummy.

'Only a queen for you, I'm afraid,' observed the Matron. 'I had a feeling we would be doubled.'
'That's fine,' Victoria Bellis replied. Only one queen, yes, but what a useful queen! If she could restrict her spade losers to two, the doubled game would be made. She won the club lead with the bare ace and drew trumps in two rounds. The A-K came next, removing that suit from the scene.

Only one card was good enough in the spade suit now and Victoria Bellis found it. She led the K from her hand. Phillip Taitt won with the A and returned the J, won in the dummy. These cards remained:

8 5   -   7 6 4   10     -   10   -   Q J 9 8 6   10 9   Q J 9   -   5     7 6   -   Q J 10 8   -

'Ten of clubs, please, Matron,' said Victoria Bellis. She discarded a spade loser from her hand and Madame Baguette won the trick. Her heart return conceded a ruff-and-discard and away went declarer's remaining spade loser. The game had been made.

Phillip Taitt shook his head in disbelief. 'I couldn't believe she would make that,' he said. 'You'd made a strong bid in clubs, partner, and I had the spades and hearts covered. Where were her tricks coming from?'

Madame Baguette had rarely seen such a foolish double. Had the man not heard the 2 opening? Still, she hadn't formed this partnership as a promising source of local points. No, it was in the post mortem, by the fire in her room afterwards, that it brought such a big dividend! 'My fault, Phillip,' she replied. 'I was a bit light for my bid.'

Victoria Bellis looked across at the Matron. 'It makes no difference if Phillip allows the king of spades to win,' she said. 'I duck the next spade and that leaves him end-played.'

'Does it, dear?' said the Matron, nodding happily as she inspected the travelling score-sheet. 'It's a very nice top, anyway, with us being vulnerable. Well played!'