[nikos59]

I have been collecting bridge curiosities for a long time, so it is
always exciting when I find one when playing at the table.

Scoring: IMP

---

West North East South

 -     -     -     Pass
 Pass  1♦    Pass  1NT
 Pass  Pass  Dbl   Pass
 Pass  Pass  

SJ SQ SA S6
S9 S7 S5 S3
S2 S8 ST S4
SK H3 D6 D2
H4 HA H9 H2
CK C2 C4 C3
CQ C7 C6 C5
D3 D8 DJ DK
H5 HQ HK H6
etc.


This happened yesterday. I was East and reopened 1NT, then I realized
that the standard meaning of my double was penalties (an initial penalty pass
of 1D). At least, this is how (I think) it is played in France.
By the way, how do you play a reopening double over 1NT?

Anyway, pard was no French, but he passed the double. As you see,
the hand is a genuine curiosity, because with 24 hcp NS cannot make
1NT -that is, against optimal defence.
We did not defend optimally, but declarer
erred when he discarded dummy's low heart on the fourth spade,
so he went down 2.

The more frequent contract was 3NT and this was allowed three times
to make (by North) on a heart lead and heart continuation after
the king of diamonds is taken.

[Trumpace]

Declarer's play makes no sense at all!

First the discard of a small heart on the spade...

Even if the discard damage has been done, (say you join table in the middle of the hand ) , the ♥Q must be played when a heart is led. If that fails, we can still hope the diamond finesse works.

Anyway, what was the bidding sequence which got to 3NT?

[nikos59]

What was the bidding sequence that led to 3NT?

North opens 1D and South replies 3D, then North 3NT
Or, 1D-2C, 2NT-3NT
Or, 1D-2NT, 3NT