Where do you think you’re going?’ demanded Maid Marian, noting that Robin Hood had a sheaf of arrows over his shoulder.
‘I’m off to gather a tasty supper for us,’ Hood replied. ‘Little John spotted some hares yesterday. Nothing can beat your hare casserole, my love.’
‘That may be,’ Marian replied. ‘Don’t forget that you promised Annie and me a game of bridge this afternoon. We’ve been looking forward to it.’
‘I’ll be back by two at the latest,’ Hood declared, testing the tension of his favourite yew-wood bow. ‘Earlier, if I strike lucky with a couple of plump hares. Nazir and I will head straight to Annie’s place. See you there.’
The local church clock was striking two as a breathless Robin Hood and Nazir entered the portals of the well-appointed homestead of Annie Duckett and her husband.
‘I never break my word,’ declared Hood. ‘Two on the clock. The first chime, and here we are.’
Annie Duckett, who was somewhat house-proud, viewed the outlaws’ muddy footware with disfavour. ‘Were you lucky with your hunting?’ she enquired.
‘Not especially,’ Robin Hood replied. ‘One hare and two rabbits. You and Edwyn can join us for supper this evening if you like.’
Annie Duckett had no intention of following some tortuous route through the forest to the outlaws’ latest camp. Not dressed in her finery, with the prospect of a return journey when it would be pitch black. She pretended not to hear the invitation.
The players took their places at a wooden card table, and this was an early deal:
Dealer South. Love All.
| West (Nazir) | North (Robin Hood) | East (Annie Duckett) | South (Maid Marian) |
|---|---|---|---|
| — | — | — | 1♠️ |
| Pass | 3♠️ | 4❤️ | 4♠️ |
| All Pass |
Nazir led the ❤️7, his partner Annie winning dummy’s ❤️10 with the jack. Maid Marian ruffed the ❤️A continuation, played a low trump, then the ace. When East showed out, Marian continued a second trump towards the dummy.
Nazir went in with the trump king and switched to the ♣️9, leading a high spot-card to make it clear that he wasn’t looking for any tricks in the club suit. Annie Duckett won with the ace and returned the ❤️K. Nazir overruffed declarer’s ♠️9 with the ♠️10 and the game was one down.
Nothing was said, but it seemed to Maid Marian that Robin and Nazir had shared a brief glance. ‘Well?’ she said. ‘Trumps were 3-0. That’s not my fault, is it?’
‘No, of course not,’ Robin Hood replied. ‘Very unlucky.’
‘Go on,’ Marian persisted. ‘If I could N W E S have made it, tell me how.’
Nazir leaned forward. ‘Not easy for you, but the only risk was 3-0 trumps,’ he explained. ‘You must lead a low trump at trick three. I can win with the king and cross to Annie’s hand with a club. When she plays back a third heart, you ruff with the ace and draw trumps with the queen and jack in dummy.’
Marian nodded resignedly. ‘Yes, I see,’ she replied. ‘It looked safer to play ace and another trump, drawing two rounds.’
Nazir smiled at her. ‘Usually, yes,’ he said. ‘Not an easy play for anyone to find.’ The score had advanced to game all when Maid Marian picked up a very strong hand. 23 points! With any luck, she would score a game with it and Robin would be happy to have won the first rubber.
Dealer South. Game All.
| West (Nazir) | North (Robin Hood) | East (Annie Duckett) | South (Maid Marian) |
|---|---|---|---|
| — | — | — | 2♣️ |
| Pass | 2♦️ | Pass | 2NT |
| Pass | 3NT | All Pass |
Nazir led the ♥️7 and Marian won East’s jack with the queen. Now, how many top tricks did she have? A count, followed by a re-count, revealed only eight tricks. Still, maybe the diamonds would break 3-3. Dummy’s last card in the suit would then be a winner. Yes, and the king of clubs would be an entry.
Maid Marian played the ace and king of diamonds. On the second round, Nazir followed with the ♦️Q.
‘That doesn’t look very promising,’ said Marian. When she continued with a third round of the suit, Nazir produced the ♦️10 and Annie Duckett won the trick with the ♦️J. A heart return put the game two down.
‘Bravo, Nazir!’ Annie exclaimed, beaming at her handsome partner. ‘When you threw your queen, I could win the third round with the jack.’
Nazir shrugged his shoulders. ‘It could cost nothing,’ he replied. ‘If you started with doubleton jack, my ten would win the third round anyway.’
Marian sighed. ‘A clever defence,’ she agreed. Did he have to find it, just when she was the declarer? It was all very well for Annie to be flashing her eyes at Nazir. She had always found him attractive. It was a pity Annie hadn’t been sitting West. She would surely have held on to the ♦️Q, won the third round with it and allowed the game to make.
‘I must make a note of the deal, Nazir,’ Annie declared. ‘I’m sure the ladies of the court would like to see it when I go to the castle tomorrow.’
Marian had a further chance to win the rubber not long afterwards:
Dealer North. Game All.
| West (Nazir) | North (Robin Hood) | East (Annie Duckett) | South (Maid Marian) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1♥️ | Pass | 1♦️ | |
| Dbl | 2♥️ | Pass | 4♥️ |
| All Pass |
Nazir launched the defence with his three top spades. Marian ruffed the third round and paused to make a plan. If the trumps broke 3-2, she could take the remaining tricks. Still, Nazir had made a take-out double. This increased the chance that he would hold only one trump. What could be done in that case?
‘Problems, my love?’ asked Robin Hood. ‘It’s my fault. I probably shouldn’t have raised you with only three hearts.’
Marian continued to think. If she drew three rounds of trumps and turned to the diamonds, Annie would ruff the third round and the dummy would be dead. The game would go two down.
A spark came to Marian’s eye as she spotted what she should do. She played the ace and queen of trumps, Nazir showing out on the second round. Abandoning trumps for the moment, Marian then turned her attention to the diamond suit.
Annie Duckett ruffed the third round of diamonds and switched to the ♣️2. Marian rose with the ace and crossed to the trump king, drawing East’s last trump. She then cashed two more diamond tricks, disposing of her club losers. The game and rubber were hers.
‘Such a play you made there!’ exclaimed a delighted Robin Hood. ‘Tomorrow Annie can tell her friends about this deal, too.’
Nazir was smiling. ‘Maybe she should tell them one more thing,’ he suggested. ‘I had a chance to beat the game. Did you see it, Robin? At trick two I must play a low spade to Annie’s jack. She returns a club and it is one down.’
Robin Hood laughed, as he totted up the rubber. ‘Not like you to miss such a move,’ he declared. ‘Now we should drink a toast to celebrate Marian’s play. Do you have some of that splendid parsnip brandy left, Annie?’
‘I keep it for special occasions,’ Annie replied, rising to her feet. ‘Still, I suppose Marian’s play was rather special.’ She disappeared out of the room.
‘Only three glasses, remember,’ Nazir called after her. ‘For me, Allah be praised, the alcohol is not allowed!’
