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The Aces On Bridge by Bobby Wolff
Opening Lead: ♠6
P. Hal Sims was one of the giants, literally and metaphorically, of the early days of contract bridge. He stood 6 feet 4 inches and weighed over 300 pounds. He and his wife, Dorothy, the inventor of the psychic bid, were a formidable partnership, who took on the Culbertsons in one of the early challenge matches.
Sims was also one of the original members of the Four Horsemen, the first of the powerful squads at contract bridge in the early 1930s. Sims was credited with defending this hand.
Against South’s contract of three no-trump, Sims led a fourth-highest spade six. North took his king and returned the spade two. Sims won the spade ace and played back the spade 10 to declarer’s jack, establishing his spade eight as a winner.
South now played the heart ace and a low heart to the queen and king. Judging that the hearts were 2-4, declarer now played a diamond to the king, felling the queen, giving declarer a chance to guess West’s entire distribution.
Placing West as having begun with 5-2-1-5 shape, declarer exited with a spade to Sims’ eight. If Sims had cashed his remaining spade, East would eventually have been squeezed in the red suits. (This is an unfortunate maneuver known as a suicide squeeze or fratricide squeeze.) Instead Sims exited with the club queen, and declarer had no chance to exert any pressure on the defense for the ninth trick.
Bid with the aces
Answer: 1NT
Despite the absence of even a half-stopper in diamonds, it feels sensible to me to advance with a call of one no-trump. The main reason for showing a few values here is to let your side find a better fit than spades, if there is one. It also allows partner to compete again if necessary, knowing you have scattered values.
This Hand of the Day was originally published on aces.bridgeblogging.com.
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