The Aces On Bridge by Bobby Wolff

It is insulting to tell a declarer that he has taken a practice finesse, since that means he has risked his contract for a finesse that he did not need. Sometimes what may seem unnecessary to one person is essential to a declarer who has seen further into the problem than his colleague. Witness today’s deal, where slam seems a decent bet until the opening lead tilts the balance against declarer.

Opening Lead: ♣9

West leads the ♣9, top of a doubleton, against South’s six spades, leaving declarer to find a way to avoid losing a trick in each minor. After drawing trumps, declarer should take the heart finesse (which superficially looks like a practice finesse) and run the rest of his trumps.

The reason for taking the heart finesse is to leave declarer with a master in both red suits — he needs to keep a high heart in hand to exert pressure on East.

After two hearts, a club, and five rounds of spades, East has to keep three clubs and thus can hold only two red cards. Declarer can now execute what is sometimes called a striptease coup. South cashes the winners in the red suit East has discarded, forcing East to pitch his other red-suit losers. Then South takes the rest of his red winners, reducing him to all clubs in the three-card ending. Finally he runs the ♣8 around to him, forcing him to concede the last two tricks to dummy’s club tenace.

Bid with the Aces

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

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