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The Aces On Bridge by Bobby Wolff
Opening Lead: ♣K
Erstwhile President of the European Bridge League, Bill Pencharz, who was both a top player and for many years a nonplaying captain of the Great Britain team, now resides mainly in France. Today's is deal from the French interclub tournament, which allowed him to reach the finals.
To see the problem that led to his qualification, put yourself in declarer’s shoes and cover up the East and West cards. Plan the play in four hearts on the lead of the club king. East overtakes the club king with the ace and continues the suit to West’s queen. West now plays a third club. Do you ruff, and if so, with what?
Now ‘the trump 10’ from dummy sees East play the two; what next? At the table declarer carefully overtook the heart ‘10’ with the ace, planning to strip off the diamonds and exit with a second heart in an attempt to endplay someone with the second round of trump. This would succeed unless West had neither heart honor. All of that sounds reasonable; but there was a catch, as you can see when you look at the full deal.
Pencharz’s decision not to overruff had given declarer a problem that he did not solve. Would South have got the trump right had East overruffed? Only the Shadow knows!
Bid with the aces
Answer: 1NT
After three suits have been bid (or if LHO had raised his partner instead of bidding a new suit), your partner's double is takeout. It shows values and typically both unbid suits, if there are two, or else the unbid suit, together with tolerance for partner's suit. Here you have a straightforward call of one no-trump to show your hand-type and honor location. Two clubs would be my second choice.
This Hand of the Day was originally published on aces.bridgeblogging.com.
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Pencharz's play shouldn't work. Assuming he really couldn't overruff the third club, when he then plays the 2 of trump, the 2 must be a singleton. That would leave West with KJ doubleton of trump so ducking the 10 is fine and caters to a good
deceptive play by East. A noble effort by East but it should have been in vain.