Hand of the day #429
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The Aces On Bridge by Bobby Wolff
Opening Lead: ♥K
Here is one of Edgar Kaplan's favorite deals, from a duplicate pairs long ago. To appreciate it fully, cover up the East and West cards.
Against four spades doubled, West led the heart king, then played the ace and a third heart, hoping partner could overruff dummy. Kaplan, sitting East, could infer that West was void in spades and that four hearts would make 10 tricks. So the task at hand was for the defense to set declarer three tricks. When North played the third heart, declarer ruffed in dummy with the nine. Kaplan casually discarded the diamond five, apparently unable to overruff. Declarer now played a spade from dummy to his ace and was shocked when West discarded.
Declarer could do nothing but lead another spade. Kaplan won, played his last diamond, and obtained the diamond ruff for the necessary penalty of 800 and matchpoint top.
Of course, there was considerable discussion between North and South. South explained to his partner that despite all appearances to the contrary, he had heard of a finesse, but he argued that he could never play East for the king when he didn’t overruff the heart.
North had little sympathy for his partner, but 20-20 hindsight makes the game much easier. In my opinion it was a neat play and apt to work against almost anyone. However, it wouldn’t have succeeded against you or me. Or would it?
Bid with the aces
Answer: Pass
If you feel tempted to bid, expecting partner to hold the unbid suits, reconsider. Your partner passed over one club. Would he have done that with values and any kind of two-suiter? No, he wouldn't. This auction shows a respectable hand with a good club suit — virtually the only sort of good hand with which your partner would pass initially and then back into a live auction.
This Hand of the Day was originally published on aces.bridgeblogging.com.
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Hello
Please refer Hand of the day #403 and comment on my logic.
1. Bidding implies that East has at least 10 pts
2. West takes two top H tricks.
3. West now plays Ace of D.
4. East has played High -Low H and shown 2 pts.
5. To bring contract down, W can play S or C.
6. But not sure about Spade K, West should play C based on the assumption that E has Ace of Club or King and Queen of club.
Thanks.