The Adventures of Team Porcupine, Part XLIV: The Moysian Porcupine

By Ray Adams

frankandarchie@yahoo.com

No one likes to play in Moysian fits more than Porczouk Nograwowicz as he proved once again when Team Porcupine drew a tough opponent in a regional knockout event.

Kowalski’s 3NT bid was natural, showing 16-18 points and no four card major. Nograwowicz’s 4♠ call was an attempt to find a 4-3 or Moysian fit. When Kowalski now bid 5♣, it confirmed such a fit and showed the ace of clubs. The rest of the bids up to 6♠ were control bids, while Kowalski’s 6♠ call showed nothing else to cuebid. Nograwowicz then bid what he thought he could make.

West led the three of spades, taken by dummy’s ten. Declarer now played the ace and king of diamonds and ruffed a diamond with dummy’s jack, noticing that the suit split 3-3. He then cashed the ace of spades and came to hand with the ace of hearts. He led a club to the queen and when that held, he cashed the ace of clubs and tossed his losing heart. He came back to hand with the king of hearts, drew the last two trumps and claimed, making 7♠ for plus 2210 to Team Porcupine.

“Nice bid,” West said sarcastically after the hand was over. “You only needed 4-2 spades, 3-3 diamonds and the king of clubs onside.”

“The Great Shuffler is kind to those who are kind to him,” Kowalski said. “Earlier today, we sacrificed twelve virgin decks of cards in his honor.” East and West looked at their opponent as if he had just escaped from a madhouse.

However, at the other table, the North/South pair had similar luck in 6NT, bringing it home when diamonds split 3-3 and the club hook worked. Unfortunately for them, even with this nice result, they only scored plus 1440, for a nifty 13 imp swing to Team Porcupine. This allowed the Porcupine team to surge ahead and win this closely contested match.

It was just another day at the office for Nograwowicz and Kowalski, a pair that thrives on the Moysian fit.