Hand of the day #394
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The Aces On Bridge by Bobby Wolff
Opening Lead: ♥3
In today's deal from the finals of the Women's World Championship between England and China, which finished in a 1 IMP win for England, a nice defensive play paid dividends.
Both Wests opened a conventional call of two diamonds to show a weak-two in one major or the other. The English North had no convenient way into the auction on the first round, then had to guess whether to bid or pass on the next. The singleton heart king was of dubious value, and her main suit was hardly robust: She decided to pass.
The defenders led a trump and declarer was easily held to six tricks, minus-150.
By contrast the Chinese North took immediate action, showing a balanced 13-15, after which South jumped to the obvious game.
West led the heart seven, declarer winning with dummy’s king. With some good guesses 11 tricks are available, but when declarer started with a club to the queen, Heather Dhondy followed smoothly with the eight!
Naturally, declarer now ran the club 10. East won with the jack, cashed the spade king, and then went back to hearts. Declarer ducked, won the next heart, and knocked out the club ace, assuming that East would win the trick. All she would then have needed to do was locate the diamond queen, except that it was West who now produced the club ace and proceeded to cash her heart tricks for plus-300.
Bid with the aces
Answer: 2♦
A double here by you would be takeout but would normally see you hold both majors. Your choice is a simple call of two diamonds, an aggressive three-diamond bid, or a double, expecting to play a 4-3 fit. I'd bid just two diamonds — You are a long way from game, but if you can make something significant, partner will surely bid again.
This Hand of the Day was originally published on aces.bridgeblogging.com.
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