Both vulnerable. North deals.

Both vulnerable. North deals.

NORTH

xK J 6 4

uQ J 8 4

v8 7 2

w9 8

WEST EAST

x10 8 xQ 5 3 2

uA 5 uK 6 3

vK 5 4 vJ 10 9

wK J 10 6 5 3 wA 7 2

SOUTH

xA 9 7

u10 9 7 2

vA Q 6 3

wQ 4

The bidding:

NORTH EAST SOUTH WEST

Pass Pass 1NT Pass

Pass Dbl Pass Pass

Pass

Opening lead: Jack of w

While the technique of the world’s great players is astonishing to most of us, so is their capability of producing catastrophes. This deal is from a match between Great Britain and Sweden at the 1950 World Championships. Sitting North-South for Britain were J. Tarlo and Harrison-Gray against Kock and Werner, Sweden’s top pair.

After South’s weak-no-trump opening bid in third seat was passed round to him, Kock balanced with a double. Everyone passed, and West led the jack of clubs. East won with ace and shifted to the jack of diamonds. South won with ace and attempted to set up some tricks by leading a spade to the jack. East won and the defenders ran their winners, squeezing declarer, and West eventually scored the 10 of spades at trick 13. Trick two was Britain’s first and last trick — down six doubled and vulnerable.

There have been several disasters that almost rivaled this. One even dwarfed it. In the Italy-Switzerland match at the 1966 European Championship, a Swiss pair managed to get into three no trump doubled and vulnerable. The Italians ran the table — down nine doubled and vulnerable for minus 2,600 points!

2009 Tribune Media Services