You can now play the hand of the day on BBO+ and compare how you get on with the players in the article.

The Aces On Bridge by Bobby Wolff

Opening Lead: ♣J

This month on Tuesdays I shall be running deals from a book, by Robert Ewen and Jeff Rubens, editor of the Bridge World, the monthly publication that is generally acknowledged to be the world's most interesting bridge magazine.

The book is called “It’s All in the Game,” a mixture of humorous and informative deals, together with a fair selection of mind-bending problems. Quite a few of the latter demonstrate that bridge and reality have only a small overlap. I can guarantee that all my readers will find something to enjoy.

Here is Ewen at work as South in a chapter mischievously trying to prove that one can take certain dictums at bridge too far — such as “second hand low.” Against four spades West stumbled upon a club lead; East topped the king with the ace and shifted to a trump. Ewen won and led out the three top hearts. “Second hand low!” chortled West, as he carefully ruffed with the lower of his two remaining trumps, the seven. Declarer would have made the contract had West discarded (he would pitch a diamond from dummy and score his 10th trick with a diamond ruff), or if had he ruffed with the spade nine (he would then use the spade eight as an entry to run the clubs), but West’s actual play left him without recourse.

Ewen overruffed and led the club queen for a diamond discard, but West ruffed, then cashed the two top diamonds for a one-trick set.

Bid with the aces

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

You can now play the hand of the day on BBO+ and compare how you get on with the players in the article.

Click here to play earlier Hands of the day ▶