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: ♠6

I've always liked the deceptive element to bridge, so this hand, which I was shown from the National Swiss Teams Final, was especially pleasing.

Against the contract of three no-trump West led the spade six, and the chances of success did not look rosy, with the blockages in clubs and diamonds, not to mention a wide-open heart suit.

With limited practical chances, South thought a little deception might come to his aid. He tried the effect of the spade nine from dummy, and when the eight appeared on his right, he overtook with the king. Cashing the diamond ace and queen brought down the jack, and declarer could now lead a low club from hand.

To West it looked exactly as if his partner held the doubleton spade eight, and South had begun with the bare ace-king in that suit. It seemed unnecessarily dangerous to let declarer reach dummy to cash his good diamonds, so he rose with the club ace and, after long consideration, produced his “safe” spade exit.

Now South went up with dummy’s jack and cashed the diamonds. At this point declarer already had nine tricks, but West was so disconcerted when the spade jack held, that he discarded a club on the run of the diamonds, As a result that suit also came in without further loss, giving South no fewer than 12 tricks!

The play to trick one is certainly a useful tool to add to your armory.

Bid with the aces

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.

Click here to play earlier Hands of the day ▶