Hand of the day #211
The Aces On Bridge by Bobby Wolff This column aims to amuse, as well as to educa...
The Aces On Bridge by Bobby Wolff
This deal comes from a national tournament in Reno.
Opening Lead: ♥J
Take a look at all four hands of this deal from the first qualifying session of the Lebhar IMP Pairs. As you can see, North and South have four “top” losers in four spades — and yet the most common result achieved by North-South was plus-620 in four spades. Of course, at some tables, East-West went overboard in hearts, but at many more tables, the defenders could not work out how to untangle their winners against four spades, and the real problem took place at trick one.
Take a look at East’s problem at trick one. Everybody knows “third hand plays high,” so why did so many Easts duck their heart ace and allow South’s king to score?
The answer is that East was worried that declarer might have three hearts to the king, and playing the ace would give South a free discard. That is true, up to a point, but take a second look at that North hand.
If there are any club losers, they are fast ones — either the ace and king are missing or they aren’t. And East has no diamond honors. What trick could possibly go away on that “bonus” discard? The right defense is for East to cash both aces and play a second club. Mrs. Guggenheim wouldn’t have gotten it wrong!
Lead with the aces
Answer: Lead the heart queen
Your double of the one-no-trump overcall was for penalties and simply suggested your side had the balance of high cards. Although it may cost your side a trick to lead the heart queen, this is your side’s most likely source of tricks. While a deceptive low heart could work out very well, it might also confuse your partner unnecessarily.
This Hand of the Day was originally published on aces.bridgeblogging.com.
Hand #185, West could / should bid 2H with 9 HCP, while risky Vul, changes the bidding maybe keeping them out of a spade game and if they get in the spade game with that J hearts lead partner better cover the Heart lead knowing there are only three out!
Cashing the spade king and letting partner know there's two tricks coming in trumps wouldn't hurt, either. Why tempt fate and force them to think?
I will pass. We have a good chance to take 7-8 triks if the contract remain 1 NT. Also if east change the biding we can win at higher contract.This at least the less riscant decision.