Bridge

EVERY SO often you come across a "I pulled the wrong card, partner!" But occasionally there is a happy ending. This deal, from a Women's European Championship, illustrated another curious variant. The match was critical - Great Britain v. Israel - and was featured on Bridgerama.

After two passes South opened One Club, North responded One Heart and the intrepid Israeli East was in there with an overcall of One Spade. After two passes North doubled and the Bridgerama audience was totally baffled by South's jump to two No-trumps , which North raised to game. The explanation, of course, was that South had mistakenly pulled the "2NT" card from her bidding box instead of the "1NT" one . . .

West, presumably inured to the lively quality of her partner's overcalls, refrained from doubling and started with the ace and another spade. Was this a miracle swing? One spade, five hearts and four diamonds for 10 tricks with only a combined 22 points?

Alas, South played with what seemed to be the odds - East had passed originally but had length in spades; West had not led a top club, so perhaps East held either the ace or the king (or both). Having the lead, it was South's last chance to play West for Q#, but a finesse of 9# at trick four led to a three-trick defeat. What might well have been another triumph for "the wrong card" never got there.