You can now play the hand of the day on BBO+ and compare how you get on with the players in the article.
The Aces On Bridge by Bobby Wolff
Opening Lead: ♠6
The trump ace gives the defenders a sure entry and frequently allows them to control the drawing of trump — frequently the single most important part of any deal played in a suit contract.
However, the singleton trump ace frequently acts as a millstone around one’s neck. Not only do you rarely take down as much with it as you would like, but it occasionally gives you the lead at a moment in the deal when you would rather not have it.
This was the theme in today’s match between Great Britain and Austria played in Salt Lake City when the World Bridge Federation organized a Grand Prix event to coincide with the Winter Olympics. Both North-Souths reached five hearts, the British turning up their noses at the 500 or 800 penalty available from four spades doubled, while the Austrians were (typically) trying for slam under their own steam.
The opening lead was a spade at both tables, East’s ace taking the first trick. Where Doris Fischer as North was declarer, East shifted to a club, and declarer stripped off both black suits before exiting with a trump. West won perforce and had to play a diamond, letting declarer guess to put in the 10 and avoid a diamond loser altogether. In the other room Sylvie Terraneo as East found the excellent trump shift at trick two – letting her partner take the ace and exit with a club, leaving declarer an inevitable diamond loser at the end.
Lead with the aces
Answer: Low ♣
Your partner is almost guaranteed to have real club length here since he did not raise diamonds and can't have too many spades either. Lead a low club rather than your weak diamond sequence since you certainly won't be able to prevent the opponents from organizing a club ruff if they want to take one.
This Hand of the Day was originally published on aces.bridgeblogging.com.
If you’re a BBO+ member, you can now play the Hand of the Day directly on BBO as part of your membership benefits.
Go to the BBO+ section, select BBO+ Games and Events, then click Play Today’s Deal to give it a try and compare your result with the players featured in the article.
is't a heart better? W "TO" doubled and RHO jumped in spades...doesn't this mean partner may well have heart honors behind West's heart honor(s)?