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The Aces On Bridge by Bobby Wolff
Opening Lead: ♥J
Signals to tell partner where your values lie or, as in this instance, don't lie, may also be interpreted by declarer, who might make use of the information for her own ends. In action in today's deal was British international Sandra Penfold, playing in the 2010 American Summer Nationals in New Orleans.
When North opened the bidding with two no-trump, Penfold decided against playing no-trump because of the lack of sure entries to her hand and jumped to five clubs.
West led the heart jack, and putting in the queen was a no-cost play for declarer. Had the queen held, she would have had two discards for spade losers from her hand, allowing her to take the ruffing finesse in spades to provide a painless route to her minor-suit game.
However, when East covered dummy’s heart queen with the king, declarer ruffed and at trick two led a club to dummy, on which West threw the spade 10. According to the defense’s methods, this denied spade interest. Taking full advantage of this knowledge, Sandra threw a spade on the heart ace, then called for the heart eight. When East played low, South discarded her second spade.
West won and could do no better than play a fourth heart, ruffed by declarer. A club to the king was followed by the spade king, covered by the ace and trumped. A third club to dummy allowed two diamonds to be discarded on the spades.
Bid with the aces
Answer: 3♠
Hands of this sort are difficult to judge. Should you pass and try to go plus in two spades, or take action to protect against the opponents making a partscore or game? There is no 'right' answer, but I'd be tempted to raise to three spades to make my LHO's job far harder. He may think he is being stolen from and bid when he shouldn't, or pass when he should bid.
This Hand of the Day was originally published on aces.bridgeblogging.com.
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If hearts and clubs were reversed I would raise. As is, no guarantee East will have the hand to balance.