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: ♦Q
West, a relative novice, had memorized the mantra "Cover an honor with an honor." And, in a more recent lesson he had learned the reasons for not covering the first of touching honors, and resolved to apply this too. But which of those pearls was he to apply when the lead came from the closed hand?
In spite of his being at the top end of his no-trump range, South, in three no-trump, could see little chance of coming to nine tricks. West led the diamond queen, and as no suit had been mentioned in the brief auction, declarer had no reason to believe this lead to be anything other than from a four-card or longer suit, so he wasn’t expecting an extra trick to materialize from diamonds. South would gladly have exchanged his spade jack for the heart nine and then would have played for split heart honors. But although he didn’t possess that luxury, it was to the heart suit that he turned as his only chance, legitimate or otherwise.
He won the diamond lead in hand, then immediately tabled the heart jack. West was in a quandary as to which of his mantras he should apply. Unfortunately for the defense, “Cover an honor with an honor” got his vote. Dummy’s ace captured the queen, and at the next trick declarer could play low toward his 10. East could make his king, but with hearts breaking 3-3, there were the extra two tricks that South sought.
Lead with the aces
Answer: ♠Q
The fact that the opponents have not bid to game suggests that your partner has something close to an opening bid, so that you should probably lead his suit. You might be more reluctant to make this lead if the opponents had bid to three no-trump. I can see the case for a top heart, a small diamond, or even an inspired spade eight here, but today I'll settle for the mundane top of my doubleton spade.
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.
