Hand of the day #620
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: ♥Q
While you cannot make a grand slam missing the ace of trumps, I have taken 13 tricks (admittedly in game) on a hand where somebody revoked before taking their trump ace. However, making a slam while missing the ace and king of trumps is rare, but not unheard of.
In today’s six spades, if dummy’s trumps were weaker (with the queen but without the jack), South could lead the queen in the hope that East would naively cover when holding a doubleton king. That would achieve the desired honor crash. But no East would consider covering with the king when dummy has a Q-J combination.
When this deal came up at the table, Ken Barbour of Arizona found himself as declarer in what seemed a hopeless slam after his opponents had effectively crowded the bidding and forced him to guess at the six-level.
Barbour spotted a chance, however, when he ruffed the opening heart lead in dummy and led club winners, trying to look like a man with diamond losers to discard. When he led the third round of clubs, East obligingly ruffed with the spade four. South overruffed and led a trump, bringing about a satisfying clang as the ace and king of trumps fell together.
East should have seen through this. It was virtually inconceivable that South held a losing singleton diamond, the only position in which an immediate low ruff would be essential. But it cost South nothing to try, and he was rewarded for his effort.
Lead with the aces
Answer: ♥8
There is no reason to lead anything but hearts here. It feels right to lead the eight (suggesting a weak suit) to avoid any accident if declarer has a singleton heart honor. Incidentally, if looking for a swing, you might have doubled here – you’d hope to score two or three tricks in your hand and partner should come through with something.
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.
To me the easy thing to do with 3 trump out is to hope for the K and A to fall at the same time. ruff the first trick then play Q of trump thinking E would need to take the trick right away.
After that it is all down hill.