Hand of the day #337
You can now play the hand of the day on BBO+ and compare how you get on with the...
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The Aces On Bridge by Bobby Wolff
Opening Lead: ♥2
You reach four spades after East has opened one heart. West leads the heart two. Plan the play — and to make the problem more challenging, cover up the East and West cards before making your decision.
Today’s deal is all about avoidance. You must duck your heart ace at trick one, since you want to cut the defenders’ communications. If a diamond comes back, you can put up the queen, and if it loses to the king, you will know to take the trump finesse since East must have that card to make up his opening bid.
Whether East shifts to a diamond or not, you will be able to cash the spade ace and king, play on clubs, and the defenders will never score a diamond trick. The point is that West will never be able to get on lead in time to play diamonds through the ace.
However, if you make the mistake of winning the first trick with the heart ace, the best you can do is to cash your top spades next and take the club finesse. East can win the club king and then put West in with the heart jack. Now a diamond switch will beat the contract, since even if you put up the ace and play on clubs, West will be able to ruff in. He can then cash his side’s diamond trick before you have been able to establish a discard for yourself.
Lead with the aces
Answer: ♠3
Leading a heart seems like a hugely committal position. While a club might be right, your partner's silence in the auction suggests he may well have diamond length. If so, a passive defense may be best, and that involves a trump lead — which is unlikely to do much for declarer that he cannot do himself. Accordingly, I'd lead a low spade.
This Hand of the Day was originally published on aces.bridgeblogging.com.
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