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Guinevere – The Queen of Clubs

With Arthur as the king of clubs his consort unsurprisingly adopted the name Guinevere, or if you prefer; Guenevere, or Guenievre, or Welsh - Gwenhwyfar, or Cornish - Jenefer.

In today's terms Guinevere's portrayal in Arthurian legend could at best be termed "bad press". She's represented as the unfaithful wife of a loving and gallant husband. But this is based on the mores of latter-day writers.

In reality Celtic queens, which Guinevere is presumed to be, were considered partners on the throne. Power, wealth and surprisingly, the freedom to take lovers was granted equally to both parties. A "modern relationship" as it might be called.

The Pack's queen had a hint of mischievous indiscretion about her which disconcerted male opponents - an edge she was happy to use to her advantage.

Game all, Dealer South		Cassandra
		♠ A53
		♥ 86543
		♦ AKQ
		♣ 83
	Dorothy		Guinevere
			♠ ---
			♥ QJ10972
			♦ 432
			♣ QJ62
		Bard

	West	North	East	South
	Dorothy	Cassandra	Guinevere	Bard
				1NT1
	2♠	3♠2	Pass	3NT
	End

1. 15-17 No-trump
2. Shows hearts and a spade stop

Dorothy commenced proceedings with the king of spades which was ducked in dummy. Consider what you would have done in Guinevere's seat and bear in mind that "deceptive stratagems require more malice aforethought than commonplace plays."

There is a lot to be said for the Spades Suit's liturgy of counting points, suit lengths and winners before planning any defence. So let's see, I have six, dummy thirteen, and partner has five or six in spades, that's twenty-four or five, which leaves fifteen or sixteen for south.

What about the suit lengths? Well south must have two hearts as I can see eleven of them and he opened 1 no-trump. I'm betting partner has seven spades for her vulnerable two-level bid with so few points, which leaves three for south. Leaving Bard with room for eight cards in the minors.

As for tricks, well South has one spade, two hearts, three diamonds with the ace, king, queen. Plus two clubs with the ace and king - eight certain tricks. If he has four or more diamonds he's destined to make nine tricks whatever I do.

So I should defend using the presumption that south's shape is three spades, two hearts, three diamonds and five clubs, after all, "one should defend on the assumption that the contract can be defeated". I'll also need partner to hold the jack of spades in addition to his king-queen.

Bard will look to clubs for his ninth trick. Since I'm presuming partner will have winning spades once the ace is dislodged, declarer will want to play the clubs in a fashion that doesn't lose a trick to Dorothy.

I can visualise partner continuing spades which will be taken by the ace. Declarer will lead a club to hand, then return to dummy in diamonds and lead a second club. If I play the queen on the first or second round he'll let me hold the trick. And if I play low both times he will lead a third round from hand, I'll win and exit with a heart, but south will establish his ninth trick by playing another club.

The contract looks unbeatable, but the dear King Arthur says, "When your opponents' strategy is destined to succeed, offer them a losing option". I think I can see a way that might be achieved. What I need to do, is to create the illusion that partner has an entry in clubs. If I discard myself, the queen on the first trick, declarer may believe I started with three and have cleverly transferred control of the suit to west.

Maybe, just maybe, declarer will try to endplay Dorothy into leading clubs.

Guinevere discarded the queen of clubs on the first round of spades. Dorothy continued with the ten of spades which was taken by the ace as east discarded a queen for the second trick in succession, this time in hearts. Declarer led a heart to the ace and, as it appeared to be the fashion, Dorothy also discarded a queen - of spades.

Looking at the hand from Bard's position, this is what he saw and how he planned his campaign.

		Cassandra
		♠ 5
		♥ 8654
		♦ AKQ
		♣ 83
	Dorothy		Guinevere
		Bard
		♠ 9
		♥ K
		♦ J106
		♣ AK1094

I know Dorothy started with seven spades, no hearts and judging by east's discard on the first trick, three clubs to the jack. I've three tricks in the majors, three in diamonds, so I need to make three in clubs.

If I cash my four red suit winners and one club everyone will have five cards left. West must retain two clubs so she'll be forced down to three spade winners. After I exit with the nine of spades Dorothy's club return at trick twelve will provide the extra trick I need. I expect the ending will look like this…

		Cassandra
		♠ 5
		♥ 865
		♦ ---
		♣ 8
	Dorothy		Guinevere
	♠ J107		♠ ---
	♥ ---		♥ J109
	♦		♦ 9
	♣ J7		♣ 6
		Bard
		♠ 9
		♥ ---
		♦ ---
		♣ K1094

Of course it didn't quite work out that way. Dorothy followed to three rounds of diamonds and discarded a spade on the king of hearts.

	Dorothy		Guinevere
	♠ J107		♠ ---
	♥ ---		♥ J109
	♦ 9		♦ ---
	♣ 7		♣ J6

But when she was put on lead she confounded Bard by cashing the spades and the thirteenth diamond!

The full deal:

		Cassandra
		♠ A53
		♥ 86543
		♦ AKQ
		♣ 83
	Dorothy		Guinevere
	♠ KQJ10762		♠ ---
	♥ ---		♥ QJ10972
	♦ 9875		♦ 432
	♣ 75		♣ QJ62
		Bard
		♠ 984
		♥ AK
		♦ J106
		♣ AK1094

Guinevere explained to Dorothy that the Bard's play had not been so ill judged. "Forsooth", she said in her mock olde-worlde accent, "had fate dealt me these cards."

	♠ ---
	♥ QJ10972
	♦ 9432
	♣ Q62

"The Bard would have championed the joust. But you know men – tell them the word 'Gullible' isn't in the dictionary, and they'll believe you", she added with a wink.