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The Aces On Bridge by Bobby Wolff

Opening Lead: ♣4

It’s very easy to defend by rote. See if you can do better than the East-West pair managed on this deal, from the stratified pairs at the Memphis Nationals last spring. North-South had managed to reach four spades after a patented transfer auction to establish they had no club stopper, and had also done well to locate the more solid of their 4-3 major-suit fits.

The defenders led two rounds of clubs. So far, so good; but what next? East shifted to diamonds and declarer, Glenn Milgrim, could finesse, then draw trump when he got back in. That was 10 painless tricks and a top for him. Perhaps East should have led a third club instead for the ruff-sluff. Declarer should ruff in hand, could now lead a low diamond from hand, and might survive if he reads the position. But would he? Who can say? But making 420 rates to be very good here.

Let’s go back to trick one. The delicate bidding sequence means that West knows his side has the club ace and king, that both are cashing, and that the opponents are in a 4-3 fit. If he knows that he is going to get in with the diamond king later on, perhaps he can find the heart lead.

Now the club queen and diamond king will provide re-entry to give partner two ruffs, if declarer does not draw all the trump. (Incidentally, even a heart shift by East at trick two or three does the trick — and that is certainly easier to find.)

Bid with the aces

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

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