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The Aces On Bridge by Bobby Wolff
Opening Lead: ♦5
The most straightforward hands sometimes offer a chance for whimsy. In this deal, most North-South pairs ended up in three no-trump, here after a strong no-trump by South. If a diamond is led, the defense will surely take the first five tricks, but on any other lead, the contract rolls home.
However, declarer has a curious resource if the diamond seven and eight are interchanged between the South and East hands to produce the diagram as shown. (In real life those cards were switched). Now, when West leads the diamond five to East’s queen — a much better play than the ace at the first trick if partner has jack-third in diamonds — South follows with the deuce. East returns the diamond six and South imaginatively follows with the JACK!
West wins the king perforce, and returns his remaining diamond, the nine. If West started with an original K-9-8-5, East must duck now to avoid blocking the suit and taking only four tricks. On the other hand, if West started with K-9-5, East must take his queen to avoid taking only three tricks in the suit.
There is no scientific way around this problem. If you sacrifice potentially useful spot cards on opening lead to avoid blockages, you will cost yourself tricks in other more normal layouts of the cards. The simple solution is to hope that you do not come up against declarers who are as ingenious as today’s.
Bid with the aces
Answer: Pass
When the opponents intervene over Stayman, double from both sides of the table should be penalty, and this is no exception. You don't have to get overly involved here; pass and await developments — and expect them to be gory.
This Hand of the Day was originally published on aces.bridgeblogging.com.
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