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The Aces On Bridge by Bobby Wolff

Opening Lead: ♥2

The auction for the Cavendish Pairs generated comfortably over a million dollars, so everyone knew that good play would be rewarded in more ways than one. And today's deal was just such an example.

At one table where Neil Chambers and John Schirmer were South and North respectively, they managed to silence their opponents here; when East opened one club Chambers overcalled one diamond, and Schirmer simply jumped to three no-trump, making nine tricks in comfort. But reaching the 4-4 heart fit was not easy when East-West could bid and raise clubs — and of course, the five-club sacrifice is relatively cheap.

However, on our featured auction Fred Gitelman finished in five diamonds and when West led a helpful heart, Gitelman won in hand, crossed to dummy with a trump to ruff a club, then drew a second trump.

Next he cashed the heart ace to get the bad news, and now he found the neat maneuver of leading the club king to pitch a low spade. East won his ace (ducking does not beat the hand as declarer would subsequently set up a spade) and could not safely give a ruff-sluff.

In fact, East chose to play the spade ace and lead another spade, hoping that his partner had the jack, and now Gitelman had a home for his heart loser. But there was a resource available; after winning the club ace: East had to underlead his spade ace-queen to beat the hand. Would you have thought of it?

Bid with the aces

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

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