Bridge Blog 1101: 4,000!

John Ziemer delights in nailing me on a doubled contract. With an endless succession of ill-advised sacrifice bids, I’ve given him many a 1,100 score. But now he’s come back from the Pittsburgh Labor Day Regional Tournament with a new benchmark in penalty scoring.

John and partner Mike Ryan sent an unfortunate pair of opponents down eight, doubled. Their score? 4,000. John says he’s never seen a number that high. Me neither. 

According to the numbers on the backs of the cards in the bidding box, there aren’t many higher. You can’t get there playing offense. The highest score for someone bidding 7 No Trump, doubled and vulnerable and making it, is only 2,980. Anyway, here’s the hand. Board 25, east-west vulnerable:

 North

Spades: J 10 8; Hearts: 6 3; Diamonds: J 9 4; Clubs: J 10 9 3 2.

 East

Spades: 7 3; Hearts: A 10 9 5 4; Diamonds: K 10 7 5 2 Clubs: 8.

 South

Spades: A Q 2; Hearts: K J; Diamonds: A Q 8 6 3; Clubs: K Q 4.

West

 Spades: K 9 6 5 4; Hearts: Q 8 7 2; Diamonds: none; Clubs: A 7 6 5.

According to the hand record, John and Mike, playing East-West, can make 6 Diamonds if East is declarer for a score of 1,370. What happened, however, was that North gave a cue bid of 3 Diamonds. John doubled. North redoubled. South left it in. Down eight, redoubled. At most tables, East-West played the hand at 3 NT and made a couple overtricks.