Kate (Karen) is one of the finest bridge players in the world. She is well known for her aggressive style as well as her well founded theories on the game.
Source: 73rd Summer North American Bridge Championships Bulletins
Kate McCallum is one of the game’s true characters. Her style of bridge could not be described as “mainstream,” particularly in the women’s game, but no one would ever claim that she was a dull player to watch. If ever you get the chance to sit behind her for a session, don’t miss it. Today’s deal from the Wager Women’s Teams shows Kate in action, and afterwards she described her feelings at various stages of the deal. As the dealer with only the opponents vulnerable, her hand was: 
7 6 
3 
J 10 9 6 4 2 
Q 9 5 3
While most Americans would consider this an automatic pass and many Europeans would opine a weak two in diamonds, Kate has never been backward in coming forward, and for her this was a routine 3 opening bid. You may think that the worst thing that could happen after such an opening bid is to find yourself playing 3 doubled, but things are almost as bad when the preempt is followed by three passes.
Not surprisingly, the first thing partner puts down in dummy is a singleton diamond, followed by plenty of defensive values.
Not only does partner probably have enough to make sure that the opponents cannot make 4, but you can make 5 with a favorable lie of the trump suit. For sure, you can make a club partial and you are surely going down in 3.
Things do not improve when the defenders start with two rounds of hearts, tapping you immediately. You can hardly afford to start trumps – the best chance seems to be to cash spades and hope RHO ruffs high in front of you on the fourth round.
That doesn’t happen, but things do improve slightly when LHO ruffs the third round of spades – that’s good as the opponents have only two spade losers in a high heart contract. More good news is right around the corner – West now leads a club and you finesse. Are you not delighted when East ruffs this?!!! This turns out to be the full hand:
3 duly drifted three down: NS minus 150. At the other table, Kate’s Dutch teammates, Bep Vriend and Marijke van der Pas, had no trouble reaching 4 after their South passed as dealer. A 2 opening also would have given West an easy way into the auction, with similar results. No doubt the players at the second table thought little of this deal, mentally registering it as a dull flat game. Chalk up yet another 10-IMP swing for the “Crazy Woman from New Hampshire.”
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