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By now Gaston en Philémon have figured out that they have to kick the ball in the goal, meaning under the cross-bar instead of over it. Their amazement about the absence in the twins' village of both a McDonald's and a Burger King, has abated somewhat as well. One is inclined to think that their integration is going smoothly. 'Damn, Harry, if these palookas keep on screwing up like they do, we won't score a point.' 'Calm down, brother, we've only played one round of the tournament and what's more, we won it!' 'I know that, I'm only saying that if these palookas keep on screwing up, we can forget about winning this thing.'
Barry and Harry are playing a local teams tournament with their cousins as teammates. Gaston and Philémon are rather nervous, playing as they are with their strong cousins in one team, causing them to make some mistakes in the first match. However, Barry and Harry have done very well, so the team won the match 21-9. Harry has showered Gaston and Philémon with compliments and the latter two more or less shine, as they prepare for the second round. | S/EW | ♠ | 9 8 7 6 3 | | | | ♥ | K Q 10 3 2 | | ♦ | K 9 | | ♣ | 4 | | ♠ | K 10 2 |  | ♠ | — | | ♥ | 7 | ♥ | A J 9 8 6 5 | | ♦ | 10 8 5 | ♦ | J 3 2 | | ♣ | K Q 8 5 3 2 | ♣ | A J 7 6 | | | ♠ | A Q J 5 4 | | | ♥ | 4 | | ♦ | A Q 7 6 4 | | ♣ | 10 9 |
| West | North | East | South |
|---|
| Gaston | | Philémon | | | — | — | — | 1♠ | | pass | 4♠ | pass | pass | | pass | | | |
Gaston leads the ♣K, which wins the trick. Gaston shifts to the ♥7. Philémon wins with the ♥A and returns the ♥5. Before revealing what happens next, we take a look at what has happened at the other table, where Barry and Harry were NS. Barry, South, ended up declaring 4♠ as well. The defence started off in the same way: ♣A, heart to the ♥A and another heart. Without hesitation Barry flashed the ♠Q from his hand. West's ♥7 to the second trick had come so fast that Barry was convinced that it was a singleton. He hoped to tempt West into overruffing (by the way, ruffing with the ♠Q was free; at worst this could cost an overtrick, if East had all three trumps). Barry's tactics succeeded: West got carried away by Barry's speed and á tempo overruffed Barry's ♠Q with the ♠K. 'No more tricks for you', Barry declared merrily and showed his hand to EW. They surrendered with deep sighs. 'If declarer ruffs low at the other table, this deal may prove lucrative', Barry says later, after the match, to Harry, while waiting for their cousins. 'I think it all vent very well', Philémon says, on showing up. 'What's with deal four?' Barry asks excitedly. 'Four spades, down one', Gaston proudly announces. 'Told you so, Harry! I take it declarer ruffed the second heart low?' 'I don't think so, Barry', says Harry, 'those boys are not bad players. I think you may underestimate your cousin. How did you defend, Gaston?' 'Vell, I led ze ♣K of course, and swietched to my single 'eart. Philémon took ze trick and played back a 'eart. Declarer banged down ze ♠Q while looking at me like "come on, take it if you can." I already 'ad ze ♠K in my 'and, but then I took another look. And so I saw zat I would make two trump tricks if I simply not ruffed over. So I discarded.' 'Nicely done', Harry says. 'Mumble, mumble', Barry mumbles. |