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(Excerpted from WIN AT SPADES
- 1999 by Joe Andrews and Bonus Books, Inc
.)
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North
8 7 5 3
10 3
Q 9 7 6 3
7 3
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West
A K J 4
Q 9 6
8
A K J 10 2
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East
Q 9 2
K 8 7 4 2
K 10 2
Q 4
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South (Dealer)
10 6
A J 5
A J 5 4
9 8 6 5
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Bidding
West
5
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North
Nil
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East
3
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South
2
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This is a classic example of a borderline Nil bid with four small trump. The Nil bid is reasonable, although a lot of experts will argue that the trump length is very tenuous. Other seasoned players go on the record that four small trump can be discarded via the underruff route.
In any case, NORTH/SOUTH were losing by 150 points, and their situation was desperate. Bags stood at three each. West opened with his singleton Diamond, as North played the Seven, and East rose with the King, while South correctly played the Four. The club Queen was now led, followed by the Nine, Jack, and Seven. East next shifted to the Diamond Ten, as South rose with Ace, and West ruffed with the spade Jack. North unloaded his Queen. West now threw out the Spade Four, as North ducked and East was in with the Queen (South played the Six). East played his Diamond Two, South covered with the Jack, and West flamboyantly trumped with the Ace, as North heaved the Nine.
There was trouble in paradise, and North knew it! The spade King was now cashed, as North and East threw the Eight and Nine respectively. The Queen of Hearts was led, and while North was glad to ditch his Ten, he knew that it was only a matter of time before the Nil was busted. East followed with his Eight, and South ducked low. West now grabbed the club Ace to ensure his bid. The Heart Nine was led, as East ducked, and South took the Jack.
The rest was anticlimactic. North had two trump remaining; East had one trump, and the laws of physics were not about to be denied! By reducing his trump length, West had promoted long trump suit to Master status. Thus, the Nil went up in flames, and East/West rolled on to an easy win!
This hand illustrates a nice defensive theme, and one of the standard defenses against borderline Nils with four small trump.
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