WHAT ANOTHER 3 SPADES TICK BOTH DIRECTIONS !...... ( Bridgemeister Gibson reports )

Not so long ago I published a hand where 3S was bid and made in both directions, with little assistance from the defence. The gist of story was that a such an outcome was an absolute rarity......one which was more likely to be the product of a dream fantasy hand, rather than an actual deal. Well, let me tell you the very same experience happened to Bigot-Johnson, but only after falling victim to a cleverly rigged hand. In a local teams match against the Walnut Tre Allotment BC, the oppostion South opened a pre-emtive 3S on J10765432.....65432.....(void).....(void). His partner came down with a decent dummy hand of 9....J109.....Aq432....AKQx.

Bigot-Johnson sitting East doubled on his AKQ8....AKQ87....K....J109, which brought an end to the bidding. Sadly for Bigot, West could only lead a minor suit card, having a 0-0-7-6 distribution. This allowed dummy to play off 3 top clubs and the Ace of diamonds, providing South the opportunity to jettison 4 losing hearts. With the King of diamonds falling under the Ace, South played the established Queen of diamonds for Bigot to ruff, but the last losing heart disappeared. Now declarer could claim 5 spade winners, giving Bigot the other three. Contract made.....with one extremely unhappy bunny sulking profusely in the East corner.

On the other table Bigot's team-mates were involved in a completely different auction, with North the first to open with 1D. East bid 2 hearts (strong), which went round to North to make a re-opening double. East redoubled ......... only for West to panic and come to life with 3C. North walloped this, only for East to show his strength again by bidding 3S. Now South came to life by weilding his axe, and, as destiny would have it, 3S doubled also became the final contract.

The opening lead was a low spade, which East took dummy's 9 with the queen. Five heart tricks were played out in which South had to follow to all. Then Bigot's poor team-mate was forced to ruff the each of the minor suit cards led out by East. Effectively, he was end played in spades by having to lead away from J107 into East's AK8. Contract made.

So when Bigot-Johnson saw the double game swing going in favour of the opponents, players and spectators stood in awe at the screaming histrionics that immediately followed...........