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The Aces On Bridge by Bobby Wolff
Opening Lead: ♠6
Certain players seem to cause curious happenings at the bridge table. The incomparable Zia is the first name that springs to mind. The late John Collings is another. And a third is Michael Courtney of Australia. This hand won the 2010 International Bridge Press Association's Rose Cliff Declarer Play of the Year Award, and the winning journalist was the prolific author Ron Klinger.
The deal arose at rubber bridge and Michael Courtney came up with an ingenious deception that claimed East as its victim. When North opened three diamonds, Courtney bid three no-trump and West led the spade six to the 10, jack and king. Now Courtney took the losing diamond finesse, leaving East on lead. Keen to show where his values lay, East cashed the heart king. West, keener for East to revert to spades, followed with the heart jack, denying the queen. Courtney knew that the initial spade lead was from at most a six-card suit since he could see the four and three. Thus East held at least one more spade and the contract was hopeless. Accordingly, when East followed up with the heart ace, Courtney contributed the queen! Naturally, West continued his unblocking in hearts, playing the 10, since East clearly had the rest of the hearts.
Now, having read West for an initial holding of J-10-9-7 of hearts with South holding the doubleton heart queen, East continued with a third heart – and Courtney produced the master nine and took his nine winners.
Bid with the aces
Answer: Pass
This is an auction where partner could have easily raised hearts or cue-bid in support of hearts by bidding two diamonds. Given that he did not overcall in spades at his first turn, this double has to be penalties, not takeout. Is that possible? It is surely unlikely, but possible, if your RHO has a 4-4-5-0 pattern. And why shouldn't he?
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.
