The Zero Percent Solution

N/S Vul
IMPs
Dealer: West
Lead: Q

	ahmed1 Q J K 9 8 K 9 8 6 5 2 K 2
Maestro A 10 5 4 Q 5 A Q J 10 7 4 5		petit_g K 8 7 J 7 6 4 3 2 — A Q 9 7
	brando 9 6 3 2 A 10 3 J 10 8 6 4 3

West 1 1 2 3NT

North Pass Pass Pass Pass

East 1 2 2 Pass

South Pass Pass Pass Pass

 

Grand un petit Gee reach 3NT on a, shall we say, optimistic auction. North opens the spade Q; Gee wins in hand and plays the HQ. North errs by rising with the HK and continuing with the SJ. Gee wins the spade on board and plays a third round, which South covers with the 9. Now he leads the diamond 10, which holds, and the diamond J, which North wins as Gee discovers the bad news, South discarding a small club. North returns the club deuce, the club queen holds, and the moment of truth has arrived. Gerard’s only chance is to find either defender with the stiff heart A — which, as it happens, is the layout. Then the J will draw the last heart and he’ll be home with nine tricks. (If North has the stiff A and leads a D, West can simply play his last spade and South will be forced to lead a club to the board.) Gee cogitates on this carefully, then plays the heart J. Down 1. The zero percent play.

Moral: Some is sometimes better than none. None is never better than some.