I suspect everyone is familiar with the proverb, ‘For want of a nail’.
It might have been applied to this deal from the last session of the semifinals of the Mixed teams:
Ferm had made a good start to the session, picking up 18 IMPs bringing the score to 73-104.
4[S] was in no danger and declarer took eleven tricks.
North led the [H]4 and declarer won in hand, ruffed a diamond, cashed the [S]A and continued with the nine, South winning with the king and exiting with the [D]J. Declarer won with the ace, drew the outstanding trump and played the [C]8.
He knew South had started with the [S]K10, the [H]]9 (and almost certainly a second heart) and [D]KJ9743. Who had the [C]K? The odds surely favoured it being with man who had overcalled and declarer went up with dummy’s ace and ran the queen.
That represented a swing of 22 IMPs and a huge loss of momentum.
For want of a King, the battle was lost.
