Marsha and John are a married couple. They are happily married even though Marsha has her own mind about how things should work.

John keeps telling the same jokes about her, always doing things opposite to what anyone else does. His favorite story is when he called her to tell her to be careful on the road as he heard on the news that there is a lunatic driving opposite the traffic direction… just to hear her saying: “One lunatic? There are hundreds of them here…”

About 10 years ago he took a Bridge course and 3 month later he taught Marsha and also Adam and Rose, their two best friends, who are also a married couple.

As Marsha and John were never on the same wave length regarding the game, Rose suggested once that they switch partners… and so from that moment on Rose played with John, and Marsha partnered Adam, who didn’t mind … Quite on the contrary… He liked her creative moves…

John was making fun as usual: “I’ll let you get some yelling from Marsha. I already get enough at home”, and some more of this kind…

“That is just his bizarre way to say that he loves me”, said Marsha once and continued: “And he claims that I’m the one doing things backwards”. Turning to John she added: “You can just tell me you love me, you know…”.

Some years ago they began playing at the local club, Adam still playing with Marsha, and John with Rose. They always drive to the club together in the same car.

“Make sure to try and make declarer ruff in his long trump hand, in order to shorten him and try to take control over the hand”, said John in the car, to no one in particular… He still felt responsible for the group, being 3 months “older” in the game. And so he shared his “wisdom” on every opportunity.

He continued: “This strategy is better when you are trying to steal one ruff, especially when you have long trumps in defense.  If you do manage to take control, you can make tricks later from your long suit, or from your partner’s”.

He was right, of course, but Bridge is Bridge, and on the deal below he got to play, as an opponent, against his wife.

As you will soon see, she didn’t mind at all to get shortened:

Dealer East, N-S Vulnerable

Adam, sitting North, had a bidding issue.  What should he bid after 1♥ overcall from partner? He has no Diamond stopper, No Heart fit and no side suit to bid. Yet, he must do something with his 14 points. After debating for a while between 1♠, 2♣, 2♦ and 2NT , and with a little “help” from his wife Rose, sitting East (“Come on!!!”), he finally bid 2♦, and the bidding continued as described above.

John, sitting West, led the ♦Q and seemed to look happy when declarer (his wife…) ruffed it in her long hand: “Soon enough I’ll take control over the hand and stand my grounds” he thought.

Marsha was thinking for a while (Rose didn’t interfere this time) and came up with this brilliant line, totally contradicting her husband advice in the car:

Diamond ruff at trick 1, Club to the ♣K, Diamond ruff with the ♥10, Club to the ♣A, Diamond ruff with the ♥Q, Spade to the ♠K, Diamond ruff with the ♥K, Spade to the ♠A and 5^th and final Diamond, ruffed with the ♥A.

So far she made 9 tricks: ♣AK, ♠AK, and 5 Diamond ruffs. And now she opened her cards, claiming the ♥98 will make her 10^th trick (one of them loses to the ♥J and the other is good).

“Well Done partner! A brilliant play!”, shouted Adam and continued: “How did you come to think of such a creative line of play?” (Ed. This technique is called “dummy reversal”.)

“My husband. He should get credit for that”, said Marsha.

“Really? He taught you that?”, asked Rose, amazed.

“No, the opposite. He taught me not to do this, as I might lose control, ruffing in the long hand. But as principle matter, I always do the opposite of what he says”…

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