BRIDGE AT CHOLMELEY SCHOOL

The Matron's Brave Bid

by David Bird

The Matron pushed the healthy pile of local point certificates into the envelope. Another 117 to be posted and it had taken her less than three months to collect them! Somehow the game seemed so much easier with Victoria Bellis across the table. You just had to sit there and wait for the tops to arrive. Mind you, Victoria did seem to play the majority of the hands for some reason. Last week, when they had come second, the Matron had only played one contract herself - that very awkward spade game, where she had been cut off from the dummy. Still, the cards were dealt randomly and she was bound to play as many hands as Victoria in the long run. The Law of Averages said so.

That afternoon, half an hour after the final school bell had rung, the weekly duplicate was under way. The Matron faced the Headmaster and Reverend Benson on the first round.

Dealer: East. E/W Vul.             A K Q 10 7 4 A K Q 2  - A 7 4              8  J  K Q 10 7 4 3 2  K 9 8 6          J 5 3 2  10 9 5 4  A J 9 6  3              9 6  8 7 6 3  8 5  Q J 10 5 2

West Head- Master	North The Matron	East Reverend Belson	South Victoria Bellis
		Pass	Pass
3	Dbl	Pass	3
Pass	4NT	Pass	5
Pass	6	End

The Headmaster led the K and down went the dummy. The Matron leaned forward, a conspiratorial glint in her eye. 'I've taken a bit of a risk here, partner,' she announced. 'Two losing clubs, as you see. They say you're not meant to bid Blackwood with two losers in a suit but my hand was so strong. What else could I do?'

For a moment the Headmaster closed his eyes. When it came to bridge, the Matron could hardly be more clueless. How on earth had she managed to finish ahead of him so many times? Victoria was a strong player, yes, but it was nothing short of a miracle to drag the Matron into the local points.

Victoria Bellis ruffed the diamond lead in dummy and played the ace of trumps, the jack appearing from West. Abandoning trumps for the moment, she turned her attention to the spade suit. The Headmaster showed out on the second round of spades but was unable to ruff. Declarer cashed a third top spade, discarding her last diamond, and established the suit with a ruff in the South hand.

One piece of good luck in clubs, thought Victoria Bellis, and the slam would be home! She led the Q and was delighted to see the king appear from the Headmaster. 'Ace, please,' she said. These cards remained to be played:

10 7  K Q  - 7 4              - - Q 10 7  9 8 6          -  10 9 5  A J 6  -              -  8 7  - J 10 5 2

Victoria Bellis now played a spade winner from dummy. When the Reverend Benson ruffed, he was powerless to defeat the slam. If he returned a trump, declarer would draw his last trump and claim the remaining tricks. He tried the effect of a diamond instead and declarer ruffed in the South hand. Because she had drawn only one round of trumps at the start, she was then able to play her last trump to dummy's king-queen. She drew East's remaining trumps and the slam was hers.

'Can I believe this?' thundered the Headmaster. 'You had four diamonds to the ace and you didn't raise me? How are they going to find the heart fit if you raise? Slam in either black suit has no chance.'

'I can hardly raise you, vulnerable against not,' the elderly cleric protested. 'We might go for a huge number.'

The Matron placed a consoling hand on the Reverend Benson's arm. 'You have to bid boldly at this game,' she said. 'Look at my slam bid with two losers in clubs. Not many players would bid Blackwood on that hand, believe me!