Young children often make mistakes, but hopefully small ones. Every
small thing they put their minds on, however, matters greatly to
them. There are no small bridge hands to an eager young novice.

Jacques was sitting East in a Junior matchpoint event, and was first
to speak. This is almost a perfect situation for a psyche: first
seat favorable. Will the boy do it?

 South
   —
   —
   —
   —

My hand is a touch too strong for the psyche. Besides, I'm working
on my discipline, said Jacques to himself. After two passes, his
partner, Francine, opens 1 and North, Marcel, doubles. Should I bid
1? thinks Jacques....

 South Claudia
   —
   —
   —
   —

No, North has shown spades, so I will pass again. Maybe I will have
something interesting to do in the card play.

After South, Claudia, bids 1NT, North raises to 3NT and Francine
leads the 10 of diamonds. How interesting, thinks Jacques. She has
found my only high card. Declarer calls low from dummy.
Surprisingly, Jacques is able to take the first trick with his
2-point hand. How will he defend?

 South Claudia
   —
   —
   —
   —

South — pass 1NT

West — 1 pass

North — double 3NT

East pass pass all pass

Opening lead: 10

Declarer has the jack of diamonds and probably the ace or king of
hearts, thinks Jacques. If declarer has the queen of clubs or four
of them, he has four club tricks and three diamonds and the ace of
spades. That's eight tricks. Probably this is a question of
overtricks. I wonder if Francine, who has avoided giving anything
away in spades or hearts, will eventually be squeezed and endplayed
later in this hand, and is there anything I can do to help her?
Should I return a heart or a spade?

Jacques then figures that if South holds the king of spades, it's
probably right to return a heart. Otherwise partner will be thrown in
with the queen of spades later. But if partner has the king of
spades, it might be better to lead a spade through declarer's queen.
Then it occurs to Jacques that dummy has shown spades in the bidding,
but doesn't really have much in spades. Perhaps partner has even
better spades than the king, but was inhibited from leading the suit
because of the takeout double. Jacques looks fondly at his spade
sequence and thinks, Why would the Lord give me such nice spots if
not to use them? Besides, when I lead the 10, I will then have four
nines on top of my suits. How artistic!

 South Claudia
   —
   —
   —
   —

South — pass 1NT

West — 1 pass

North — double 3NT

East pass pass all pass

Opening lead: 10

Jacques returns the 10 of spades at trick two. Declarer's queen of
spades is covered by the king, which is allowed to win the trick.
Francine continues with the 2 of spades. Declarer comes to her hand
in diamonds to finesse clubs, but in the end must concede down one.
I'm glad I didn't psyche or even respond 1, says Jacques. Yes,
says Francine, you're such a clever boy, I don't know how I would
have found the diamond lead without you. Oh, gee, I didn't mean
that, says Jacques, I meant to say 'Nicely done, pard.'

THE END

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 South Claudia
   Q 3
   K 10 7 5 2
   J 8 7
   J 10 7

South — pass 1NT

West — 1 pass

North — double 3NT

East pass pass all pass

Opening lead: 10

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