CONTRACT BRIDGE The Doll learns the Merrimac Coup

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33563, 18 June 1974, Page 19

CONTRACT BRIDGE The Doll learns the Merrimac Coup

(Contribu!cd by J.R.W.)

How I come to learn about the Merrimac Coup is a very long story, which goes as follows.

One night I am playing at Jack’s Club with the Professor against Colin the Card and his blonde Judy the Doll, when this hand comes up: ■ N S—9 74 2 H—QJ4 D C—A JlO9 3 2 W E S—K3 S—AQ.IIO 8 5 H—A 93 2 H—7 D—10874 D—Q.l95 C—K 7 6 C—B 5 S S—6 H—K 1086 5 D—A K 6 3 2 C—Q4 Naturally, there is going to be plenty of action on a deal like this and as I am the dealer sitting North I start things off by opening three clubs:

C.C. Me Doll Prof. W N E S 3C 3S 4H 4S 5H No No Dble All Pass THIRD ROUND

When Colin wins the first trick with the king of spades he continues with

|the three, but the Professor ; trumps the Doll’s ace. He starts to lead hearts and Colin holds up his ace for ; two rounds, but wins the (third round. ; As I lean over to peek > into his hand it seems to me (the Professor is going to! 'make his contract, for if! Colin leads a diamond the' ■ declarer wins in hand, draws, I the last trump and takes the, j club finesse to set up the suit. Furthermore if the Card 'leads a club, the Professor I lets it run round to his ; queen and proceeds as before. Then Colin, after some I thought, does a most peculiar Thing, for he switches to the iking of clubs and this gives ! the declarer a considerable pain in the neck. If he wins with dummy’s ace he can' come to hand with the queen of clubs to draw the last trump but he can by no means re-enter dummy. And he cannot cross to his hand by ruffing a spade, because this leaves Colin wdth more trumps than the declarer. Eventually the Professor puts dummy’s ace on the king and discards his own queen under it. He leads off the jack, 10 and nine of clubs, discarding two small diamonds. Colin ruffs the fourth round of clubs and the declarer still must lose a diamond, so he is two down. A BIT STRANGE Now I wish to state the Professor is polite to all people at all times and naturally is considered a bit strange by the other members at that. He says to Colin: “Allow me to congratulate you on your ; defence. This is as fine an: example of a Merrimac Coup as I ever see.” He explains this is named after some naval battle in 1862 which alters the whole course of naval warfare and a lot of other such information, which I consider is highly useless. But I see the Doll paying attention in a big way and

I soon after when we change 'partners this deal comes up; N S—Q JlO H—6 D—AKQ 10 8 C—Q 63 2 i W E g A 9 53 iH—KQJ 10942 H—B 753 D—7 6 3 D—J 5 C— J 10 4 C—KB5 S S—K 876 4 2 H—A D—94 2 C—A9 7 C.C. Prof. Me Doll S W N E ; IS 4H 4S 5H 5S No 6S All Pass DIFFERENT LINES ' Colin wins the king of ihearts opening lead in his 'hand with the ace and starts lon the trumps. The Doll first of all thinks she will refuse to take her ace of spades until the third round so dummy has no more and then try to win a trick in hearts. But she decides that after the Professor’s jump to four hearts the chances of Colin’s having two hearts are less than nil. So she tries a different line of defence. She wins the first round of trumps and bangs down the king of clubs. Colin naturally has to win with the ace and he makes dummy’s jack and 10 of spades, but the Doll still has the nine of spades. Though Colin has the king he has no way to return to his hand quickly to cash it. He tries to make the three top clubs but the Doll ruffs the third to put the contract one down. “My dear, that is a bril- ; liant "defence. You learn very ; quickly about the Merrimac Coup,” says the Professor, who makes it clear to one and all he is very pleased. The Doll flutters her eyelashes and says very coyly: “Well, when I sacrifice my honour I like to think it is in a good cause.” I take a long look at her, but she is very busy entering and adding up the score.