Sheffield Bridge Club	Established 1936

ROY  CRAB-JETS  AND  THE  PIG  TRADER

(From Sheffield Bridge Club Newsletter No 69, September 1992.)

It was Thursday, 6 August. I was sitting West and held some interesting hands. When I saw that the Pig Trader was also sitting West, I was sure that he would have a tale of glory for me!

This was his last Board. South had dealt and opened 1NT and the Pig Trader’s overcall of 4© ended the auction. I frivolously ventured to enquire if this was Canape, but the Pig Trader ignored me and continued to describe the play.

A spade was led to the Ace, and ¨Q returned, taken by ¨A. Then dummy was entered with ¨8 for a trump finesse…..

At this point, I interrupted the Pig Trader. Surely North would have taken ¨K and given his partner a diamond ruff?

“Hardly likely”, replied the Pig Trader, who asserted that North’s reasoning must be that South could not hold a doubleton for that would mean that the Pig Trader held six, so South must hold ¨J to take the trick and be able to lead a club through.

So, on the trump finesse, South split her honours, the trick was taken with ©A, a diamond was ruffed with ©9 and South over-ruffed, and the Pig Trader claimed a vital overtrick for an unequalled Top!

Five days later, it was Tuesday, the Aggregate scored Pairs evening. This was Board 20, with dealer West at Game All.

I opened 4©, passed round to South, who bid 5§, doubled by my partner for three off and 800, the Aggregate limit.

At the end of the evening, Roy Crab-jets came over and showed me his scorecard. He was West and had let South play in 3NT undoubled. He led a small heart and after nine red tricks, South had bared ªK. This resulted in 3NT-8 for 800! It was the first time that I had ever seen a defender reach his Aggregate limit without doubling!

And hence the expression “It should only have gone six off!”

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Roy Crab-jets is also responsible for the quotes:

“2§ plus six, is that?”

and

“Where’s the “G” in your name? Is it Barrie ‘G’ Partridge?”

Sheffield Bridge Club, 6 Thornsett Road Sheffield S7 1NA		Tel:  0114 255 0844
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