Hand of the day #620
You can now play the hand of the day on BBO+ and compare how you get on with the...
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: ♦2
Few would solve today's problem, although the correct play requires nothing more than a careful consideration of the opponents' bidding and a little thought as to how the play is likely to develop.
Against four hearts the opening lead is the diamond two to dummy’s ace. Clearly the spot-card led indicates that diamonds are 5-1, and while you are in no imminent danger of a defensive ruff, the possibility exists that the defenders may be able to arrange some inconvenient discards – if you let them.
On the bidding, it is both safe (and necessary as the cards lie) to cash the spade ace, king and queen. While you might feel this could expose you to ruffs, remember that West’s negative double showed precisely four cards in the spade suit. (With five he would have bid one spade.) The reason for cashing those winners is to prevent West from discarding spades on diamond winners.
It may feel that you have done the heavy lifting now, and can tackle trumps, but that is not so. Instead you must lead the club queen to drive out the ace. You can ruff the third round of diamonds high, then play a high trump from hand if you want, but after that you must cash the club king and ruff a club, thereby avoiding the loss of a second club.
If you lead trumps early, West will ruff his partner’s diamond winner and can then play ace and another trump to leave South with a second club loser.
Bid with the aces
Answer: Pass
You have the values to bid one no-trump, but you have a huge misfit (and the last thing you want to do is have partner run to his six-card heart suit). While one no-trump may work here, I'd be inclined to pass and back in later. Remember, an immediate call of two diamonds would be a raise of hearts here, but a delayed bid of two diamonds will be natural.
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.
