As Spades players catch on to the extra value of a nil bid in duplicate events, the standards for bidding nil sink lower and lower. Will they ever bottom out?

J72 A83 A9653 42 Q9 K1097 KQJ72 Q10 AK10643 J64 8 AK3 85 Q52 104 J98765 East South West North 7 nil nil 2 South led the 6

The accompanying deal breaks all records for Worst Nil Bid Ever. East heard his partner bid 7, followed by South's nil. Able to resist everything but temptation, and despite an appalling lack of low cards, West countered with a nil of his own.

West's folly gave North/South a fine result. They picked up a score of 219 points, collecting 100 for defeating East's nil, 100 points for making their own nil, and 20 more for North's 2-bid (less 1 for a bag).

In case you think West's action was an isolated case of lunacy from a lone crackpot, it is my sad duty to report that 50% of the field bid the nil! That's right, 3 out of 6 Wests deemed their cards had good chances for winning zero tricks. How depressing.

I will close this report on a sunnier note, however. At one of the tables where West chose not to nil, East/West produced an inspired defense to defeat South's seemingly impregnable nil. It seems that clubs were never played until late in the hand. South led the 4. After two early rounds of spades, West was able to shed a club on a third round of that suit. The stage was now set for the kill. East won a high club and led back his 3. Poor South could go no lower than the 5, and had herself a winner. The nil set gave E/W their 100%. Well played, friends.