When did we change from being a nation of curtain-twitching old biddies into one of full-on super-snitches?

First a retired teacher (male) reported Dominic Cummings to the police (I mean — can you imagine actually doing that?) for getting into his own car with two members of his own household and driving 260 miles to ensure the safety of his child? One day after doing almost the same thing himself? Another professional snitch, who invented a second sighting, has now said he made up the story as ‘a little bit of comedy value’. Whatever gets you through lockdown, I guess.

Hands like this are getting me through.

Luckily for South, who had arrived in 6 Hearts with almost indecent speed, he was given a chance when West did not find the devastating Diamond lead, selecting instead ♣♣K. The temptation is obviously to throw a Diamond away quickly, but then you need a minor miracle in Spades. A much better plan is to discard a Spade on the Ace of Clubs, then ruff a Spade hoping for a 3-3 break. If that is the case, dummy’s good Spade will take care of a Diamond and you make your slam. Having come this far, Declarer threw a Spade on the Ace of Clubs, but they were not 3-3 and he went down.

It was not a bad plan, but he’d missed one important step; he should have ruffed the opening lead and first tested Spades with Ace and King. If, as happens here, Q, J are coming down doubleton, the ten has grown into a trick and you are home.

When was the last time you played a slam and threw away your twelfth trick on the opening lead?