Duplication leads to fewer tricks

Who said, "It does not make sense that everybody should duplicate efforts when we could be working together"?

In bridge, duplication is having wasted values - high cards opposite shortness, or perhaps ace-queen-doubleton opposite king-jack-doubleton. It often results in fewer tricks being available than the point-count would suggest.

In this deal, North wondered how many "wasted" spade values his partner had opposite his void.

During a session at Bridge Base Online, this deal was played 16 times. Only three North-Souths got to three no-trump, two with the given auction. Three pairs ended in three diamonds, which made, but the others got to various unsuccessful contracts: five diamonds, six clubs and six diamonds.

In this auction, South's two-no-trump response was natural, indicating a maximum pass, a balanced hand and a stopper or more in spades. The lack of a rounded-suit stopper was worrying, but an 11-point hand cannot be expected to cover all of the suits.

When North continued describing his hand, South indicated her diamond support. Now North wondered about a high-level diamond contract, but wisely paused to cuebid three spades, asking his partner if she really could cover spades. When South said that she could, North passed. After a spade lead, South took her 10 top tricks for a tied top.

The final mystery in this deal is how one of the declarers in three no-trump went down.

For the quote, I expect you picked a politician. Correct - it was Theresa May.