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Fame is the Spur

By Maureen Dennison

Being a very famous player can be a two edge sword. And there are few more famous than the great Zia Mahmood about whom this cautionary tale revolves.

For some years the EBU held an event called the Harry Sculley Trophy in which the 12 leading juniors from their National Pairs events played with an 'expert.' Good players give an afternoon of their time to play with a youngster and Zia was one of these. This was the hand on which both Gerrard Faulkner and Zia met his match.

East-West game. Dealer North.

			J 9
			A 6 4
			Q 10 7
			K 9 8 7 5
	8 7 2	N W E S			K 10 6 5 3
	K 8 7 2				J 10 9 5
	K 4				J 9 5
	J 10 4 2				3
			A Q 4
			Q 3
			A 8 6 3 2
			A Q 6

At every table this hand was played in 3NT by South. When Gerrard Faulkner was declarer, the youngster on his left led a low heart, which he ran to his Q. Faulkner played a low diamond and without a flicker, West played low. Declarer called for the ten losing to the jack. Hearts were cleared and now South tried the effect of leading the Q hoping to pin the nine and lost to the now singleton king! He was held to nine tricks for a bottom.

Faulkner recounted this sorry tale to Zia "Against Andrew Thompson I ducked too! Declarer looked at me, played queen, then ace dropping my king and laughed!"