bridge

bridge

East-West vulnerable. South deals.

NORTH

xA 10 6 3

u10 8 5

v4

wA 9 8 4 2

WEST EAST

xQ 7 2 x4

uA J 3 uQ 9 4

vA Q 10 9 2 vK J 7 6 3

wJ 6 wQ 7 5 3

SOUTH

xK J 9 8 5

uK 7 6 2

v8 5

wK 10

The bidding:

SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST

1x 2v 4x Pass

Pass Pass

Opening lead: Ace of v

By and large, violence at the bridge table is rare. However, there is at least one recorded case of murder connected with the game. In Kansas City in 1931, John Bennett was shot to death by his wife after he failed to make four spades on this deal.

The exact play is not on record, but West led the ace of diamonds, then shifted to the jack of clubs. Mr. Bennett won in hand and started on trumps, apparently making the normal play of the ace and king. He eventually lost one spade, one diamond and two hearts for down one. After words were exchanged, Mrs. Bennett ran from the room, returned with a pistol and chased her husband into the bathroom where he locked himself in. She fired four shots through the door, one of which killed her spouse.

The most eminent authority of the time, Ely Culbertson, suggested that Mr. Bennett should have made the hand. “After winning the king of clubs at trick two, declarer should ruff his remaining diamond, cross to the king of spades, then lead the ten of clubs when West followed suit, declarer’s troubles would be over.” He would then lead the eight or nine of clubs, and ruff East’s queen. If after overruffing West returned a heart or a diamond, the contract and a life would have been saved. The lead of a trump might have led to the same fatal denouement, but at least the deceased would have chosen the best line.

Not quite. After ruffing the club with the queen of spades, any moderately competent defender would exit safely with a trump, stranding declarer with two heart losers for down one. There were a number of clues, however, which might have suggested the winning line.

Since the lead of the ace of diamonds denied the king, East was marked with that card. Since West had overcalled, it was fair to assume that defender held the ace of hearts and queen of spades. Based on that inference, declarer should cash the king of spades, finesse the ten and draw the last trump with the ace. A ruffing finesse sets up dummy’s clubs and a diamond ruff serves as the entry to discard hearts on the good clubs.

Although there was reason to feel that it was more than the bridge game that led to the murder, Mrs. Bennett was tried and acquitted.

2012 Tribune Media Services