Hand of the day #729
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 arose in the Mixed Pairs in Biarritz, France, when George Awad was tested as declarer in a tricky heart slam.
South’s rebid of four hearts would normally have ended the auction, but North, Marie Awad, decided that her strong hearts and minor-suit aces justified a slam invitation. Her five-diamond call was a cue-bid implying heart support, and South’s bid of six clubs suggested a club slam. With weak clubs and strong hearts, North reverted to hearts.
The opening diamond lead attacked a vital entry to dummy, and made Awad’s task vastly more difficult. But he found an ingenious plan that would succeed against a normal 3-2 club split, with the trumps divided no worse than 3-1. After winning the diamond ace, he cashed the club king and ace, then ruffed a club with the heart ace, establishing the suit while avoiding the risk of an overruff. He next crossed to the heart queen, led a winning club, and discarded his diamond loser. East ruffed in with the jack, but South was now safe. Whatever that player returned, South could reach the dummy with the heart king to discard his spade loser on a club winner. He emerged with seven trump tricks, three club tricks and two aces.
Awad’s safety play did not entirely rule out the chance of an overtrick. If West’s singleton trump had been the jack, South would have been able to overruff with the 10 on the fourth round of clubs without running any risk.
Bid with the aces
Answer: Pass
It would be nice if two diamonds were natural and to play. However, most people, myself included, play New Minor Forcing, where this call is artificial with at least invitational values. So your choice must be to pass or rebid two spades. I’d guess to pass – my side-suit may be more useful in no-trump than in spades.
This Hand of the Day was originally published on aces.bridgeblogging.com.
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