We can all take solace from some of the things that happen even in the most expert company. For example, take this deal from the match between Great Britain and the United States in 1955.
When the British held the North-South cards, the bidding went as shown. Kenneth Konstam opened one diamond, and Boris Schapiro jumped to two hearts. Schapiro was trying for a slam, of course, and Konstam went along with the idea by leaping to four diamonds. He apparently was trying to show a self-sufficient suit as well as a very respectable opening bid.
It is not known whether Schapiro's four-no-trump bid was intended as Blackwood. It is also difficult to say how Konstam interpreted four no-trump, given his somewhat unorthodox leap to six no-trump. Whatever the case, six no-trump became the final contract, and American East unsympathetically cashed the A-K of hearts to defeat the slam.
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At the other table, the U.S. pair of William Rosen and Milton Ellenby arrived at the same contract, but this time with South as declarer. Rosen opened the South hand with three no-trump, which Ellenby promptly raised to six.
In explanation of this bidding, it should be noted that Rosen-Ellenby were playing "gambling three no-trump" openings, wherein three no-trump showed a long solid minor suit and not much else on the side.
Ellenby's decision to bid six was based on the hope that there would either be a legitimate play for the slam or that the contract would be made on a wrong opening lead. The latter wish was granted when the unfortunate English West led the jack of spades, giving Rosen all 13 tricks.
So the American team, with a big assist from Dame Fortune, gained 1,070 points on the deal. Both teams missed the ice-cold six-diamond contract.
