Hand of the day #557
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: ♥3
Today's deal shows how illogical bridge can sometimes be. Both tables reached three no-trump on the lead of the heart three. With five diamonds and two hearts in the bag, you need two more tricks. However, as soon as you lose the lead, you know a heart will come back, and you will not be able to lose the lead again without the defenders cashing out to beat you.
It looks normal to play on clubs, the long suit, and leading low toward the king-queen feels like the natural play. However, David Bakhshi won the heart, crossed to a high diamond, and instead correctly played a spade to the king. When that held, he led the club king to the ace, won the heart return, and claimed nine tricks. Even if East had won the club ace and played back a spade, declarer would have put in the 10 and the defense would surely have been able to cash at most three tricks there, since West was highly unlikely to have started with five good spades.
Of course it wouldn’t have helped East to fly up with the spade ace at trick three. And if the spade king had lost to the ace and a heart had been returned, declarer would still have come home if the spade jack was onside. Only the spade ace with West and the spade jack with East beats the hand. By contrast, playing on clubs is only a 50 percent chance.
Bid with the aces
Answer: Pass
I'm as much in favor of light opening bids as the next man (though maybe it depends a little on just who my neighbor is) but this is emphatically NOT a one-diamond opening bid. I hate opening bad suits in subminimum hands, and here my kings are in my short suits and I'm directing my partner to lead my worst suit. Not for me, thanks; I 'll pass and bide my time.
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.
don't like the 1nt - 3nt auction there. I like to play 2s clubs or size, 2nt diamonds or minors weak, 3c as muppet, 3d as either 5-5M or 5-5m GF, and 3h as 31(45), 3s as 13(45). Would've started with 3d on this hand to show a 5-5 GF. Partner asks with 3h and I bid 3s to show minors (3nt shows majors to right side the major contracts). Then we'd probably end up in a much safer 5d contract.
Losing a spade and a club barring an early ruff (which I think is better than 75%). Sometimes just bid your hand.
At matchpoints would it be correct to play on clubs since you might make overtricks with Ace onside and clubs 3-3? Or would you still just take the best percentage play for game as described?