The Aces On Bridge by Bobby Wolff

This column aims to amuse, as well as to educate and instruct, but from time to time I acknowledge that the deals err on the side of complexity. By contrast, maybe today’s deal will strike some of my readers as a little too easy, but I’m sure that at the table it would catch out quite a few victims.

Opening Lead: ♥6

Today’s three no-trump should be easy enough to reach, even though North may initially be dazzled by the possibility of playing slam in diamonds. When his partner shows a balanced minimum hand, North should settle for game, against which West leads the heart six, East’s 10 falling to the jack.

Now, if South counts his tricks, he will see that there are eight on top. If he attempts to develop the ninth by playing on diamonds, he will find that the defenders can establish the setting tricks in hearts before the vital ninth trick can be made.

The correct play is to attack spades, in which a trick can surely be set up, no matter what the lie of the opponents’ cards. So declarer crosses to a club in dummy and leads a spade back to his 10 at the third trick. After this start, declarer cannot fail against any lie of the cards. If any South player goes down in three no-trump, the alibi that he thought he had to play for overtricks will be treated with the respect that it deserves. take his heart ace, but then must give the lead to dummy, which is now high.

Lead with the aces

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

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