Hand of the day #211
The Aces On Bridge by Bobby Wolff This column aims to amuse, as well as to educa...
The Aces On Bridge by Bobby Wolff
Sitting South, plan the play in four spades after the defense starts with two rounds of clubs. Remember, when a contract looks undemanding, that is the time to consider what might go wrong. It is all too easy to feel overconfident, perhaps wondering if you might make a slam if both major-suit queens drop.
Opening Lead: ♣J
If you simply play out your top spades, you will be fine if spades break 3-2. But suppose someone shows out. When you knock out the trump queen, the defenders will force you again in clubs. Now if you draw the last trump, you will have no trumps left. When the defenders win the heart queen, they will have at least one club to cash and you will go down. If you leave the trump out, West ruffs away your fourth heart winner.
Can you see a solution? At trick two, you should play the JACK of spades — retaining the spade nine in dummy for emergencies. Suppose West wins with the queen and continues clubs. You ruff and play the JACK of hearts. If East wins, he cannot attack clubs again because you can ruff in the dummy, cross to your hand with a diamond, and draw trumps.
Incidentally, it would not do West any good to duck the jack of spades. You simply cash the ace and king of spades and lead out your hearts. You have gained a tempo in the trump suit, and thus have a trump to spare.
Bid with the Aces
Answer: Pass
If you had a full opener, you would reopen with a double for takeout in case partner was sitting with a penalty double. Here I would be reluctant to do this and would simply pass the hand out, hoping that the opponents have missed a game. Although your partner might have a decent hand with a spade stack, that may not be enough to set one spade!
This Hand of the Day was originally published on aces.bridgeblogging.com.