The Aces On Bridge by Bobby Wolff

Why not sit yourself in the East chair for today’s deal.

Opening Lead: ♠8

Playing a matchpointed pairs event, you open one spade and partner responds one no-trump, forcing. When North enters with a take-out double, your duty to take a rebid is lifted. Two clubs now would show a real suit. You pass and South bids two diamonds. Partner now comes in with two spades. You play a direct raise to two spades as constructive, so partner will have a poor hand with support. That trots back around to South, who competes with three diamonds.

Partner leads the spade eight. Plan the defense.

Declarer may well look to ruff a spade in dummy. You can switch to trumps to prevent said ruff, but there is no rush as you hold the diamond ace; you can pull trumps instantly if needs be. Thus, you can afford to insert the spade jack at trick one, to find out where the king is. You also stand to keep control of the spade suit by forcing declarer to take his king. If instead you take the spade ace then play two rounds of diamonds, declarer will be able to go about his business elsewhere while still having the spade king as a stopper.

As it is, your spade jack holds the trick. What now?

You do best to draw dummy’s trumps as planned, but again there is no hurry; dummy still has a spade. Switch to a small trump to keep your ace for control. Declarer will have to continue drawing trumps, at which point you can cash your spades. Indeed, declarer plays back a diamond to your ace. You then take your black-suit tricks for one down.

If you were to play ace and another trump, declarer could succeed by drawing the rest of them and playing four rounds of hearts for a spade pitch.

Bid with the Aces

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