Double Fit by Foxymoron

The wildest hands usually occur when both sides have a double fit. It will usually be right to bid one more, but one has to be careful at matchpoints that one does not take this too far. On the following hand, from the most recent game, the top spot was achieved by those that went to the six level:

Six declarers played in doubled contracts, and the top score for EW was when the declarer was allowed to make 6Hx for +1660. This can be defeated by an initial lead of a spade from North or the ace of spades from South, but that is not easy to find. I was pleased to see the score of 1660, a "Restoration" after the return of Charles II in that year. John Wilmot, Earl of Rochester, wrote of him:

Restless he rolls from whore to whore
A merry monarch, scandalous and poor

I don't think merriness was the cause of these big swings. More misjudgement. With a double fit, each side should be bidding one more and 7Dx-3 by NS is par.  EW have a double fit in the majors and NS in the minors. One or two NS pairs bought the contract at the six level in a minor, and EW have to find the diamond ruff or club ruff to get even 500 from this. 200 was the common result.

It is interesting to apply the "Law of Total Tricks" to this hand. That says that the total number of tricks for EW and NS in their longest suits should be 11+11 which is 22. Indeed EW can make 12 but only in spades and NS can make 10 by North in either minor. It is a good approximation but is often one out, particularly if the defence can take a ruff.

Some members had the following puzzle on a Xmas card (and also on Facebook):

I know many solved it. You need to find East with SK HT987 D9876 C9876. Precisely. Win the ace of spades, dropping the king, and cash the queen of spades. East is squeezed in three suits and gets squeezed again in the suit which he unguards.

Let us hope there are more double fits when the club reopens on 7th January.