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The Aces On Bridge by Bobby Wolff
Opening Lead: ♣3
Against Ton Bakkeren’s three-no-trump contract, Bauke Muller led the club three to the jack and queen. Declarer played a diamond to dummy’s queen, and Simon de Wijs won the ace and returned the club two. When declarer put in the 10, Muller won his king. If Muller had pressed on in clubs, all declarer would have to do was concede the diamond king to West, and the defenders would have taken no more than four tricks in the minor suits, while declarer would have had nine.
However, on winning the club jack, Muller switched to hearts, and all of a sudden declarer was in trouble. At the table Bakkeren won his heart ace at once, but when Muller came in with the diamond king, another heart did the job. The defense made two hearts, two diamonds and the club king.
Note that if declarer had won his club ace on the second round of the suit and had driven out the diamond king, he would be home. The lead of the club three and the return of the club two could (or perhaps should) have given him a clear picture of the club position. When East returned his low club, it strongly argued that the suit was initially 4-4. That in turn argues that East might deceptively have returned the five, not the two, at trick three.
Bid with the aces
Answer: Pass
This is a little-understood auction by those playing negative doubles. North's failure to bid two hearts at his first turn means he does not have enough to invite game. He rates to have six hearts and be in the range of 6-9 HCP. So you should pass rather than try for game and hope your partner can make his contract.
This Hand of the Day was originally published on aces.bridgeblogging.com.
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