Scoring: IMP
A bit of humor.....
Sometimes, no matter how bad the result at your table, something happens at the other table to save your butt!
Table 1:
West North East South
----- Pass 1NT DBL*
2♥** Pass 3♠*** Pass
4♥ Pass Pass(!) Pass
* spades and diamonds OR hearts and clubs
** transfer to spades
*** maximum with four spades
Result: 4♥ West, down 7, +350 North/South
East thought 2♥ was a transfer bid and super accepted with a 3♠ bid. But with North not bidding or implying hearts or clubs, East decided West intended 2♥ and 4♥ as natural and passed. Against 4♥, North led a trump and West could score only the club and heart aces and a second round diamond trick. North/South +350.
Table 2:
West North East South
----- Pass 1NT 2♣*
Pass** Pass Pass
* single suited hand
** break in tempo
Result: 2♣ down 3
At Table 2, West (after a hesitation) decided to pass the artificial 2♣ bid to see what North would do. North decided to pass (which he normally would not do without a weak hand with long clubs) as he felt East would have to pass after West's hesitation. Since East and West did not have the agreement that East could not pass out 2♣ in this auction, East was obliged to pass. With trumps not drawn early by the defense, South managed to score five tricks in a 2♣ contract for a score of -150.
With East and West cold for 12 tricks in spades, an 8 imp loss or 13 imp loss appeared assured, dependent if the spade slam was bid at the other table.
But when East and West returned to their teammates and announced "plus 150" for their score on Board 1, they were pleasantly surprised to hear their teammates say "win 11"!