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The Aces On Bridge by Bobby Wolff

Opening Lead: ♥K

In today's deal South had no problem in driving to game once his partner raised his suit. Making game proved to be a far more challenging proposition. In the contract of four spades I suggest that it would be the norm rather than the exception to rely on the club finesse here, but declarer can do considerably better.

After the lead of the heart king is taken by the ace, declarer draws trump and exits with a second heart. The best the defenders can do is for West to win and lead a club through, realizing that declarer must have a hole in the club suit — and that if all he needed to do was set up clubs, he would not have given up a heart.

Rather than waste dummy’s club jack, declarer plays low from the board and wins in hand, then leads a diamond, covering West’s card. East can take his diamond king and ace, but then has nowhere to turn. A club gives up the whole suit, while a diamond or heart lets South discard his club loser and ruff on the board.

For this line of play to succeed, all declarer needs is to find both high diamonds with East. If West has one of the top diamonds and more than one club, declarer falls back on the club finesse. Effectively this play turns a 50-50 contract into one where you will succeed at least two times out of three.

Bid with the aces

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

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