THE
MOONRAKER HAND
Ian
Fleming used the Duke of Cumberland hand to
exercise his imagination when writing
Moonraker (1955).
Facing his old enemy Sir Hugo Drax, Bond rigs a pack of cards beforehand and then substitutes the
pack when it is his deal. He warns his
partner, `M', that this is the crucial
deal by a prearranged signal (bringing out a handkerchief).
It
is the fourth rubber. Bond and his partner lead two to one, but
the stakes are climbing and Bond is
feigning drunkenness from the champagne.
Naturally Drax fancies his chances with a `Duke of Cumberland'
powerhouse and raises the stakes still higher. The `drunken' Bond
agrees the bet and the trap is set.
Dealer
South.
|
|
North
Dealer |
ª |
10 9 8 7
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|
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|
|
Neither
Vulnerable |
© |
6
5 4 3 |
|
|
|
|
|
¨ |
|
|
|
|
|
|
§ |
7
6 5 3 2 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
N |
|
|
|
ª |
6
5 4 3 2
|
|
|
ª |
A
K Q J |
|
© |
10
9 8 7 2 |
|
W
E |
© |
A
K Q J |
|
¨ |
J
10 9 |
|
|
¨ |
A
K |
|
§ |
|
|
|
§ |
K
J 9 |
|
|
|
|
S |
|
|
|
|
|
ª |
|
|
|
|
|
|
© |
|
|
|
|
|
|
¨ |
Q
8 7 6 5 4 3 2 |
|
|
|
|
|
§ |
A
Q 10 8 4 |
|
|
|
W |
N |
E |
S |
|
Meyer |
M |
Drax |
James
Bond |
|
|
|
|
7§ |
|
NO |
NO |
Double |
Redouble |
|
NO |
NO |
NO |
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|
|
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|
West
led ¨J,
which was ruffed in dummy. Then followed the standard sequence of finessing the
clubs and ruffing the diamonds. By the third round, all the remaining diamonds
were winners.
The weakness in Fleming's construction is that Drax can still bid Seven Spades, which is two off at worst.