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The Aces On Bridge by Bobby Wolff

Opening Lead: ♦9

At the Bermuda Bowl in the match between Israel and Poland, the Poles showed their ability in defense.

After a simple auction, South had to declare three spades and West led his singleton diamond. Ophir Herbst won this in hand and went on to play spade ace and another spade. East won and thoughtfully shifted to the heart jack, ducked by West to leave the defenders’ communications intact. Declarer could do no better than exit from dummy with a club. East won the ace (West giving reverse count by following with the seven) and gave his partner the diamond ruff.

West now did not know which of the club or heart winners were standing up. He solved his problem by underleading his hearts, his low card suggesting a remaining three-card holding. East won the heart 10 and knew to return another heart; thus declarer had to lose two hearts, a club and the diamond ruff for down one. Poland: plus 50.

Jacek Kalita was also in three spades against the lead of the diamond nine. He too won in hand, but immediately ran the spade jack. Of course, East won his king and could now give partner a diamond ruff, but the defense had only their two aces now. Had East returned a heart immediately, South would have won and played a club, and thus have been able to ruff the third heart with the spade ace. The fall of the spade 10 would have allowed declarer to come home.

Bid with the aces

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

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