Hand of the day #492
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: ♣J
Four spades might have been best today here, but when West led the club jack against three no-trump, it left South in the awkward position of having no sure re-entry to hand. He could go after spades, but if he did, he might find himself at the mercy of the heart position unless the defenders continued playing on clubs (and even then there would only be eight top tricks). Did that mean it was right to play on diamonds immediately? No, because he would then have no certain entry back to his remaining club winners.
So, before tackling the diamond suit, South cashed the three top clubs, both defenders following. When he led the diamond 10, West covered with the king, and the second key moment of the deal had arrived.
If declarer had won this trick with dummy’s ace, then he would soon discover that East still had a stopper in the suit. Needing four diamond tricks, declarer would have to play a fourth round of diamonds. East (the danger hand) would gain the lead, and a heart switch would allow the defenders to score three hearts, two clubs and one diamond trick to beat the game.
Foreseeing this possibility, and needing only four diamond tricks rather than five, declarer allowed West’s diamond king to win. Now the safe hand (West, who could not attack hearts) was on lead, and though he had two clubs to cash, declarer would claim nine winners as soon as he regained the lead.
Bid with the aces
Answer: Pass
You can play the pass as either a desire to play for penalties or an escape request, and the latter may come up more frequently. But if you do want to play for penalties, it is very irksome to be unable to do so when your RHO psyches a redouble, isn't it? I suggest passes or redoubles are always to play except at the one-level. It is a simple blanket agreement and an easy one to remember.
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.
