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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.
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J
9 |
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A 6 4 |
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Q 10 7 |
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K 9 8 7 5 |
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8 7 2 |
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K 10 6 5 3 |
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K 8 7 2 |
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J 10 9 5 |
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K 4 |
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J 9 5 |
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J
10 4 2 |
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3
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A Q 4 |
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Q 3 |
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A 8 6 3 2 |
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A Q 6 |
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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!"
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