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The Aces On Bridge by Bobby Wolff
Opening Lead: ♦A
While the world junior championships were being played in Bali 30 years ago, a tournament to celebrate Indonesia's 50th anniversary was being run simultaneously. This problem came up for the British team — and was not solved at the table. Because they failed to qualify for the final stages by the smallest of margins, it was an expensive slip.
South handled his very powerful hand sensibly enough in the auction, although North might have reasoned that the club king was not likely to be pulling its full weight. The final contract of four spades looks next to impossible, even on the lead of the diamond ace.
However, after a lot of thought, West switched to the club ace, then played the heart nine, which went to East’s queen and declarer’s ace. What next? The line chosen at the table was to draw four rounds of trump and try the heart 10, but East ducked that, and declarer had no chance now.
Can you spot the winning line? It is not so bizarre; West’s auction and opening lead suggest he has seven clubs and the bare diamond ace. You need to win the first heart and play West to be 4-1-1-7. You can test the theory by playing three top trumps, then throw West in by leading your low trump, forcing him to play a club for you. Now you have an entry to dummy to take the diamond finesse, and eventually a second parking place for your losing hearts.
Bid with the aces
Answer: 2♥
This is a hand where it is clear to respond two hearts rather than make a negative response and then bid hearts or transfer into the suit. The two-heart response will never rob partner of his natural rebid, and when you have a hand that is marginal for slam, you should strive to show a positive initially with a good suit.
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.
2H