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: ♠4
When Sweden and France battled it out in the seniors' contest in the European Championships in Dublin, the match ended 16-14 in favor of the French. However, the Swedes picked up a swing here after a Precision auction had seen them reach five clubs rather than three no-trump.
Sven-Ake Bjerregard got a spade lead, which went to dummy’s king and East’s ace. East then gave declarer a chance when he returned the diamond two. He could have played any other suit and the defense would still have been in control. Bjerregard went up with the diamond ace, cashed the king, and ruffed a low diamond in dummy. Declarer continued with a trump to the king and another diamond ruff in dummy, but this time ruffing with the queen while East threw a spade. Two rounds of trump followed, and on the last round declarer discarded a low heart from dummy. Poor East also had to discard a heart, since he would have given up control of the spades if he had thrown one away. Bjerregard then played a heart to dummy’s ace, stripping East of his last heart, and next led a low spade from dummy. East had no escape: he tried playing low, but when declarer had the eight, he could claim his contract.
This was 10 IMPs to Sweden when the French pair at the other table failed by a trick in three no-trump.
Bid with the aces
Answer: 1NT
Did you open a minor suit because of the open major suits? If so, award yourself the white feather of cowardice! With a quintessentially balanced hand, you must show it at one go by opening one no-trump — partly to pre-empt the opponents out of their fits, partly to let partner know the nature of your hand.
This Hand of the Day was originally published on aces.bridgeblogging.com.
You can now play the hand of the day on BBO+ and compare how you get on with the players in the article.
1club