Hand of the day #212
The Aces On Bridge by Bobby Wolff In a Norwegian Team Championship, Svein-Harald...
The Aces On Bridge by Bobby Wolff
Look only at the East cards and those of dummy if you want to challenge yourself with this defensive problem. You see partner lead the diamond seven against three no-trump. It looks natural to win the ace and return the diamond nine, giving partner the count in this suit. Is there any reason to vary the script?
Opening Lead: ♦7
Assuming your partner has led fourth highest of his longest and strongest, he has surely led from a five-card suit headed by two top honors. The rule of 11 gives declarer only one card bigger than the seven, and you know partner would have led the king from a sequence of three honors.
If declarer has the queen or the jack of diamonds, you can cash the first five diamond tricks and sit back to wait for your club ace. But what if partner has led from Q-J-8-7-4? If you play your ace and return the suit, declarer will duck and win the third round. Now when you win your club ace, you will not be able to put West in to cash his diamonds.
You can tell from your hand (the club ace and the long spades) that declarer cannot possibly have nine tricks, even if you let him have one diamond, so the safest defense is to play the diamond nine at trick one.
At matchpoints you might play for two down. If you are playing teams or rubber, putting in the diamond nine to force out the king looks best.
Bid with the Aces
Answer: 3♣ or Double
You are far too good to sell out now. The choice is between a simple preference to three clubs and a second double. The former will probably work best, unless partner is going to pass your takeout double for penalty, which seems unlikely given your doubleton trump holding.
This Hand of the Day was originally published on aces.bridgeblogging.com.
What if D9 is ducked
return your top heart
Go to dummy with a spade, and play a diamond.