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The Aces On Bridge by Bobby Wolff
Opening Lead: ♣7
In today's auction North should not jump to four spades immediately (which is essentially a pre-emptive bid) lest he shut his partner out of a slam. East should restrain himself from competing at too high a level without the highest ranking suit at unfavorable vulnerability. A takeout double of two no-trump looks completely reasonable, however. South has an absolute minimum opening bid, so jump to game to deny slam interest and no one will have anything more to say.
The lead of the club seven marks South with at least K-Q-8 in that suit, so East should resist the temptation to play third-hand high. He should withhold his club ace to avoid setting up two discards from dummy. There is no hand South can hold, consistent with the bidding, whereby East can let the contract through by holding up his club ace. However, even after that start, the defense still has work to do. When East wins his spade ace, he must lead a diamond to avoid setting up an extra trick for declarer.
Equally, when West eventually wins the diamond king, he must lead a heart to avoid a throw-in play against his partner. (If he does not do so, then after eliminating diamonds, declarer could throw East on lead with the third club and force a heart lead back into dummy’s A-Q.)
After all this work, the defense gets back two tricks in the red suits in exchange for the club ace and defeats the game.
Bid with the aces
Answer: 1♠
I'm often asked if I could include the vulnerability in the bidding problems. This deal is certainly one where your action might be different depending on the vulnerability. I'd bid two spades in second seat vulnerable, but would open one spade if nonvulnerable. By contrast, in first seat a one-spade opening looks right at all vulnerabilities.
This Hand of the Day was originally published on aces.bridgeblogging.com.
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