Bridge

North was having a first outing with Benjaminised Acol – a system named after Albert Benjamin but one he refused to play. She knew that 2D was the big, game-forcing opener, but had not read the section on how to respond.

She bid 2H, imagining that this would be a relay, denying a good suit and inviting partner to describe his hand. South of course knew his system, where 2S was a negative, and 2H showed some values. He rebid 2S, forcing, to see if he could locate these values. North had to bid something, and 3C seemed the best available choice. South now formed a Cunning Plan. He would ask for keycards with clubs agreed. If partner showed the king of clubs he would bid 7S, hoping to find a 13th trick.

South was playing Kickback, a form of Blackwood where the asking bid is the suit above the agreed trump suit. So 4D asked for keycards with clubs agreed – or it would have done if North had read that part of the system. She scratched her head, and decided to bid 4S, partner's suit. This showed the king of clubs, so South bid the Grand.

Dummy was not quite as South predicted, but declarer won the diamond lead, ruffed a diamond to reach dummy, and took the club finesse. Poor East-West had to be content with insincere apologies.