Bridge | 21 April 2016

Bridge is such an unforgiving game; you can’t afford to take your eye off the ball for a single moment. Take, for example, the penalty for revoking. There you are, concentrating fiercely, counting the cards — and suddenly you realise you’ve done something as idiotic as fail to follow suit. You try to correct your mistake, apologise. But no, declarer is determined to take full advantage. He calls for the director, who tells you that the card must remain face up on the table — like a beacon of shame — and that you must play it at the first opportunity. Your humiliation is complete when this turns out to be the only way to let the contract through.

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