I got an e-mail from poorbridge connoisseur Adam Lea. The e-mail had the following title: A very poor hand (possibly poorbridge.com worthy?)

Well, not every hand that Adam sends me is poorbridge.com poor — many are rather like what having flu is to having the Bubonic plague: jolly nasty and all, but only the old and infirm would publish them on the web. And no-one at poorbridge.com is old. Or infirm, I imagine. Anyway, I'm happy to say that this hand is PBOTW poor.

What contract would you like to play in on the N/S cards:

6 looks ok with twelve tricks off the top — our teammates made 5+1 and were disappointed to not find the slam. However, things turned out fine as at our table South managed to go two off in 5!

How? Well...

Partner led a heart, covered by the Q and A. I played the K, ruffed. South played A, then cashed K Q. A, followed by Q J T, partner ruffing the fourth round. Partner plays another heart, ruffed, trapping South in hand and South now has to lose two spade tricks for two off!

Comment at the end by South: "The spades were 3-3, I should have played to set them up."

Yup, that's why she didn't make 5.