Mission: Impossible
Mission: Impossible began as an American television series that chronicles the missions of a team of secret American government agents known as the Impossible Missions Force (IMF) – not to be confused with the International Monetary Fund. The leader of the team, other than in the first season, was Jim Phelps, most often played by Peter Graves. Each episode began with the classic line ‘Good morning Mr Phelps, your mission, should you decide to accept it…’
On this deal declarer’s mission looked truly impossible:
| Dealer: North
Vul: East/West |
North | ||||
| ♠ | A K 9 | ||||
| ♥ | K Q 8 6 3 | ||||
| ♦ | — | ||||
| ♣ | A Q 9 7 6 | ||||
| West |  |
East | |||
| ♠ | 10 8 6 4 3 | ♠ | Q J 2 | ||
| ♥ | 10 9 7 | ♥ | A J 5 4 | ||
| ♦ | 10 | ♦ | 9 5 4 | ||
| ♣ | K 5 4 3 | ♣ | J 10 2 | ||
| South | |||||
| ♠ | 7 5 | ||||
| ♥ | 2 | ||||
| ♦ | A K Q J 8 7 6 3 2 | ||||
| ♣ | 8 | ||||
| West | North | East | South |
| 1♥ | Pass | 2♦ | |
| Pass | 3♣ | Pass | 3♦ |
| Pass | 3NT | Pass | 4NT* |
| Pass | 5♥ | Pass | 6NT |
| All pass |
* 4NT Blackwood
*5♥ 2 Aces
With no suit agreed it’s a sound idea to use a bid of 4NT as old fashioned Blackwood.
When North only turned up with two South took the risk that North would not be void in diamonds and went for the matchpoint top.
Unlucky or stupid?
While you are deciding perhaps I should mention that East decided to lead a ‘safe’ diamond.
Subscribe to our feed
Bridge-related
Hi Mark,
Good lesson in life.
Remember, whatever happens could always be worse, and here for EW, what if NS had confused their aces reponse and South two rounds earlier, and before any NT had already been bid, had jumped to 7NT with the same “safe lead”.