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The Aces On Bridge by Bobby Wolff

Opening Lead: ♣A

Michael Gromoeller and Andreas Kirmse, a pair who play on Germany's Open team, have established a formidable reputation. A double duck demonstrated their prowess in today's deal.

Against three spades West led the club ace, then switched to the diamond deuce, which showed an odd number. On winning with the queen and noting the fall of the 10 from South, Kirmse played back the club nine — his lowest club because he expected to win his diamond ace and give his partner a second ruff. However, West ruffed, then returned the trump queen instead of playing a second diamond. He knew that if South did hold a second diamond, the contract would fail, so there was no urgency in that department.

Declarer drew the rest of the trumps, then advanced dummy’s diamond king, on which Kirmse impassively played low (realizing declarer had to be void now). Deciding that it was West who held the diamond ace, declarer ruffed, then crossed to dummy in clubs to play a heart to the king. which, in turn, Gromoeller also ducked. Being devoid of further entries to dummy, and knowing the distribution — and the location of the red aces — South continued with the heart seven, expecting that East would be forced to win with the ace. But East’s singleton honor was the jack, and his club return meant that South’s contract had to fail.

Bid with the aces

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

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