Hand of the day #145
The Aces On Bridge by Bobby Wolff “An umbrella is of no avail against a Scotch...
The Aces On Bridge by Bobby Wolff
North had enough to insist on game, but an immediate jump to four hearts would be pre-emptive. He made a cue-bid raise first to show his high cards.
Opening Lead: ♦5
West did well to stay off a spade lead, preferring a diamond (a trump was also a possibility). Declarer inserted the diamond jack, East taking the ace and shifting to the club 10. Declarer won the ace and pulled trumps via a finesse. How should he proceed?
Barring a miracle singleton spade nine or spade 10 with East (or 10-nine doubleton), declarer must look to an elimination and endplay to make the contract. He needs to eliminate the minor suits, throwing a defender in with the last round to either gift a ruff-and-sluff or open the spade suit.
However, East can broach spades safely. It follows that declarer must extract his exit-card in that suit first as well, and he will need spades to split 6-1.
Declarer duly played a spade to the jack, cashed the diamond king and exited with a minor-suit card. The defenders took their minor-suit tricks, but whoever won was then endplayed. If East won the last trick, he had to gift a ruff-and-discard. If instead West took it, he had the additional option of leading into declarer’s split tenace in spades.
Bid with the Aces
Answer: Pass
An overcall of a preempt should ideally show more than this, or a sixth heart. Especially with the ‘death holding’ of three-small in right-hand opponent’s suit, I would pass. If partner cannot act, it is unlikely we have a game on.
I disagree: In my opinion is more correct 2h.. if my partner has at least 8 points and 3 hearts it is posible to play this contract. I don't need ths sixth card in hears. Of course I should be in agreement with my partner in advance on how to answer to the opponent bids like that. Please note also that we aren't vulnerables so it could be better to pay 2h -1 than allow the opponents to play 2D