THE WONDER OF BRIDGE..............( By Bridgemeister Gibson ) Whenever I pick up a scoresheet ( or view one using an electronic bridge-mate ) I am always amazed at how many different contracts have been reached........ by either side. Why just the other day after making a routine 3NT+ 1, I noticed a 3S tick on my side of the scoresheet.......but also a 3S tick on the other side as well !!!! Surely, this was a scoring error.....but no....it was correct. Now I was intrigued as to (a) how the bidding got there, and (b) how the hell did they make it ? North held: 8xxx....(void)......xxxxx.....xxx opposite dealer South's: Jxx.....1098xx...A....AQxx. South opened 1H, and the bidding went as follows: double - 2S(psyche) - 3C - double - pass - 3D - pass - 3s - passed out. Why West failed to double beggared belief, but it turned out a wise move as this rather bizarre contract came rolling in. East made an unfortunate opening lead with the King of hearts, ruffed by North. With the hearts splitting 4-4, declarer was able to make 4 ruffs with the North hand, using the Diamond Ace, and 2 diamond ruffs as entries ( 7 tricks). The successful club finesse finished off the story. Meanwhile, on another table East/West found themselves in an equally bizarre 3 spade contract. South again opened 1H, but the bidding here took a different sequence altogether: 1S - Pass - 2S (!!) - pass -3S - passed out. South's opening bid certainly saved E/W from a doomed 4H contract. However, West's overcall of 1S seemed to me a rather poor choice of bid, but West's 2S really did border upon the ludicrous. So an invitational 3S bid ended the auction. West held : AKQx....Axxx....KQJ...10x opposite his partner's: 109...KQJx...xxx....KJxx. A witless North inexplicably led a spade at trick one. West immediately rattled off his top three trumps. Then he started on hearts conceding just one loser when North ruffed in with his last trump ( 6 tricks ). With 2 diamonds and a cluff ruff to come, nine tricks came rolling in. Now that is why this game is so truly wonderful... yet so bizarre.