When much younger, bid weirdly

Hunter S. Thompson, the founder of the gonzo journalism movement, said, "When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro." Young bridge players experiment with weird bids, usually before they turn pro. In 1974, I partnered Dennis Spooner, a former scriptwriter, in a one-day pair event, when this deal occurred.

I opened the South hand with one heart, promising a four-card or longer suit in the Acol system we used across the pond. If partner had four-card heart support and gamegoing values, he had to bid his own suit, then jump to four hearts, what was called the Delayed Game Raise. Instead, Spooner (North) bid his own three-card suit, then, after I rebid two no-trump, promising 15-17 points, he jumped to six hearts, the Delayed Slam Raise, as he explained afterward. I beat a retreat to six no-trump.

West led a club. East won with his ace and returned the suit. I was confident that East had the club queen, but I did not need to finesse, because either spades would be worth four tricks, or I would have a squeeze. After winning with the club king, I played a heart to dummy's ace, took my two top diamonds and ran the rest of the hearts. Everyone came down to four cards. I had my spades, and dummy held three spades and one diamond, but West could not keep the diamond queen and four spades. Plus 990 was a top.

I turned pro six years later.