Hand of the day #136
The Aces On Bridge by Bobby Wolff You might think that best defense to a slam is...
The Aces On Bridge by Bobby Wolff
We have all been taught that when partner leads an ace or king against a suit contract, we should play high-low, echoing when we have a doubleton. That is all very well in theory but, as always, some common sense is needed.
Opening Lead: ♦K
In today’s deal, East played the ♦6 at trick one when West led the king. West, quite understandably, assumed that his partner could overruff dummy’s 10 and so continued with two more rounds of the suit. Declarer ruffed high in the dummy and played a trump. A club switch now was too late, and the game rolled home.
East should have seen that he had to persuade West to switch to a club at either trick two or trick three. If East plays the ♦2 at trick one, West is likely to find a club switch immediately, but even if he continues with a second top diamond, he will then “know” that East still has the ♦Q and that a third diamond would give declarer a ruff and discard. A club switch is now the obvious way for him to proceed.
Incidentally, can you see why it is logical for West to switch to a club rather than a spade? If East has the ♠K, he will always come to it even if West switches to a club. But if East has the ♣K, there is a real danger that South will discard clubs on dummy’s spades.
Lead with the Aces
Answer: ♦6
The spades can wait, but there may be an extra trump trick or two to be generated by playing on diamonds early, before trumps are drawn. Best therefore is to lead the ♦6. Even when you have an apparent trump trick, as here, it is surprising how frequently getting a ruff may help your side’s cause.
This Hand of the Day was originally published on aces.bridgeblogging.com.
Partner did not show any real support for spades so that leaves the diamonds.
as partner did not show any real interest in supporting spades that leaves the diamonds as best chance