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The Aces On Bridge by Bobby Wolff

Opening Lead: ♥Q

It is normal these days to use a negative double to show both majors after your partner opens one club and the next hand bids one diamond. Conversely, the negative double of a one-heart overcall shows precisely four spades. However, South in this deal decided that since he was happy to play in a 4-3 spade fit, it was more descriptive to bid one spade himself, suggesting five. That got him to a delicate spot, but at least it was a game that had play. Five diamonds would have been nearly hopeless.

The defenders led the heart queen and played a second heart, ruffed by declarer. Now what to do? Declarer needed trumps to be 3-3 of course, but he also had to establish a second club trick while he still had trumps in both hands, to avoid being forced. So he played the club ace and a low club to the next two tricks, East winning the club queen.

If East returned a heart, that would provide the 10th trick via a ruff and sluff, whereas if he played anything else, declarer would win and play a third round of clubs to set up his 10th trick. When he chose to lead a diamond, declarer won in dummy and played a third club. West could discard a diamond, but still had one left when East played a second diamond himself. Declarer could now win and turn his attention to trumps. When they split 3-3, he claimed the balance.

Lead with the aces

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

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