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The Aces On Bridge by Bobby Wolff
Opening Lead: ♥Q
Have you noticed how many experts seem to be lucky and how many palookas are born to run into hostile breaks and unfavorable lies of the cards? I wonder whether the two things might somehow be linked. For example, the average player might go down like a stone in three no-trump here, and complain about his terrible misfortune, but in reality he would have only himself to blame.
Declaring the no-trump game, most Souths would duck the first heart, although this play is probably not important today. He would then take the second heart, cross to dummy with the spade king and lead the club queen. It would not matter whether East covered or ducked; the defense can prevail. The point is that declarer is permanently cut off from the long club in dummy — since the side entry is gone.
Another losing approach would be to cash the club ace at trick three — this is a somewhat better approach since it guards against West’s having all four clubs, though it fails today.
The expert player would, realize that nothing could be gained by ducking the first trick. He would win the first heart with the king, but then make the critical play of leading a low club toward the jack. This guards against a bad club break in either hand. Whether East wins or ducks the first club, declarer can set up the suit for one loser and come home painlessly with nine tricks.
Lead with the aces
Answer: ♣4
Partner rates to have a few scattered values here. A trump looks far too dangerous, and, of the other choices, a low heart is my least favorite since partner does not rate to have honors there. Either the diamond ace or a low club are sensible choices. Of the two, the low club would be marginally my favorite despite the fact that underleading aces is normally frowned upon.
This Hand of the Day was originally published on aces.bridgeblogging.com.
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Playing pairs, the Kx of clubs would naturally be onside and you would pay off to all the palookas in the field.