Hand of the day #84

The Aces On Bridge by Bobby Wolff


Today’s deal includes a point of declarer-play technique at no-trump that comes up more often than you might think.

Opening Lead: ♠3

Let’s see what might happen at a typical table in 3NT on the lead of the ♠3. Declarer must play low from dummy to ensure he can collect at least one spade trick. (If he wastes dummy’s king, he is down at once.) East inserts the ♠9, so declarer wins the jack and tries to set up a diamond winner. Alas, the defenders get in and cash four spade tricks for down one.

At the end of trick one, South has eight tricks, but cannot afford to lose a trick in a red suit, or the defenders will take their four spade winners. Of course, spades may be 4-4, but then declarer can set up a diamond trick later.

At trick two, South should play back a spade, hoping that if the defenders take their spades, a squeeze will develop. (It is almost guaranteed that neither defender started with more than five spades.)

Now watch what happens: East takes his ♠A and is likely to play back a spade. (Shifting to the Q is better, but declarer would win and play a third spade himself.) Now if West cashes the rest of his spades, East is squeezed to a pulp. If West does not cash his fourth and fifth spades, declarer can get his ninth trick by conceding a diamond trick to East (the safe hand).


Bid with the Aces

This Hand of the Day was originally published on aces.bridgeblogging.com.

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