Bridge

I am sure that readers of this column need no introduction to Victor Mollo’s most famous creation, The Hideous Hog. Bridge in the Menagerie was first published in 1965 and today, Mollo’s stereotypes are as sharp and apposite as they were 60 years ago.

And don’t think (as I did) that hogging is an exclusively male prerogative; I’ve seen women bid their five-card major three times rather than let their partner near the cards. And what about trick hogging?

If the worst and most annoying thing is your partner overtaking your trick with no clear plan as to where to go next, a close second is when they overtake in order to ‘steer’ the defence – and let through the contract in the process.

The ♠️J seemed like the obvious lead, and my partner’s King was taken by Declarer’s Ace, who immediately played a small Club from hand. My ten was winning the trick, but the world class trick hog overtook with a learned look and played the 2♥️. I could win the Ace and return the Jack, but when that was covered by the Queen, dummy’s 9♥️ was enough to prevent us taking more than three tricks in Hearts, and the rest was easy.

‘I knew we had to try the Heart suit,’ said my partner with a shrug. I briefly considered letting him know that I knew that too, and that with me on lead, starting with the ♥️J, we could have taken four tricks in the suit, when he said confidently, ‘Nothing we could have done, pard.’

Cheers!