NSWBA

Four Beers - Paul Brayshaw

This is yet another article against myself, one to add to the growing list. The beer-card is a legend amongst the informed youth players of today. For those of you unfamiliar with it, let me introduce you to its beauties. About a month ago I was playing with Chris Mulley in a teams match, sitting North with EW vulnerable:

Game EW
Dealer North
Contract 2CXX (S)
WEST
NORTH
S  KJ4
H  75432
D  A8
C  KQ6




EAST
S  A7
H  QJ9
D  KJ52
C  J873



SOUTH
S  10632
H  K86
D  10643
C  102
S  Q985
H  A10
D  Q97
C  A954

WestNorthEastSouth
 1NTPass2C
DblRedblPassPass
Pass   

The auction was quite simple - West was a moron and paid for it. Little did I know how much of a moron West actually was. The opening lead was the HQ, around to Chris' ace. A superficial analysis showed the contract to be cold, so Chris didn't spend too much time thinking. At trick two a spade was led towards dummy. West rose and led another to dummy's king. Chris wanted to ruff diamonds in dummy but lacked entries, so he now tried CKQ, almost falling off his chair when East followed to both of these. Next, Chris rectified the count by giving up a heart, a very important play. East won this and played a spade, ruffed by West, who inexplicably led a diamond to his partner's ten and Chris' queen. Chris now led a diamond to dummy's ace (carefully unblocking the D9) and played a trump to the ace (drawing the last outstanding trump) followed by SQ. Chris was down to D7 C9 and West held HQ DK. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to work out what West discarded on C9 at trick twelve. When D7 hit the cloth, free from all adversity, a triumphant look came on South's face and a groan and muttering could be heard from North - something about four beers. Although I had been on the wrong end of way too many beer-cards in the past (including two on one hand in Canberra - Tony!!), this just sucked rocks. I didn't talk to West for the rest of the (year...) match.

D7

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