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The Aces On Bridge by Bobby Wolff
Opening Lead: ♦K
When you are short of entries to a hand, a little lateral thinking may get you to the position you require. Today's deal provides an example.
Against four hearts West led the diamond king and ace, on which the seven then two from East suggested a holding of four diamonds. Declarer played low from dummy on West’s switch to the club four, and East won with the club king as declarer followed low. East now carefully returned a club to South’s queen, and after drawing trump, declarer had to rely on the spade queen dropping. It didn’t; and down went the game.
South’s play lacked imagination. We can all see that if the spade queen drops, declarer is home. But there is a second string to declarer’s bow, which he failed to consider. If South had unblocked his club queen under the king at trick three, the opportunity to finesse West for the club jack is a valid possibility if the spade queen fails to oblige.
This unblock will also come up in positions such as the doubleton queen facing A-9-2 or K-9-2, when West leads the jack and East takes the trick with his high honor. Unblocking the queen leaves a finesse against the 10.
Incidentally, East did well to return a club to South’s queen at trick four. On a major-suit return, South would have won, drawn trump, and tested the spades. Then he can run the rest of the trumps and squeeze West in the black suits.
Bid with the aces
Answer: Pass
It would be nice for North to be able to make a support double of two diamonds, not to show extras, but three-card spade support. That lets the simple raise to two spades show four trumps, often critical in deciding what level to compete to. Without such an agreement, I'd guess to pass as South. Doubling for takeout now would require at least the heart queen in addition to my values.
This Hand of the Day was originally published on aces.bridgeblogging.com.
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