Hand of the day #216
The Aces On Bridge by Bobby Wolff Defense is one of the hardest aspects of the g...
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
Answer: 3♣
In the modern style, your two-heart bid showed a limit-raise or better in clubs. A jump to three clubs would have been pre-emptive, not limit. Your partner’s call suggests spades and clubs, but not necessarily any extras. Since you have no more than you promised for your first call, simply bid 3♣ and await developments — if any.
This Hand of the Day was originally published on aces.bridgeblogging.com.