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: ♦A
While the world junior championships were being played in Bali years ago, a tournament to celebrate Indonesia(s 50th anniversary was being run simultaneously. This problem came up for the British team — and was not solved at the table. As they failed to qualify for the final stages by the smallest of margins, this was an expensive slip.
South handled his very powerful hand sensibly enough, but North might well have reasoned that the club king was not likely to be pulling its full weight. The final contract looks next to impossible, even on the lead of the diamond ace.
However, after a lot of thought West switched to the club ace, then the heart nine to East’s queen and declarer’s ace. What next? The line chosen at the table was to draw four rounds of trump and try the heart 10, but East ducked that, and declarer had no chance now.
Can you spot the winning line? It is not so bizarre; West’s bids and opening lead suggest he has seven clubs and the bare diamond ace. You need to win the first heart and play West to be 4-1-1-7. You can test the theory by playing three top trumps, then throwing West in by leading your low spade to force him to play a club for you. Now you have an entry to dummy to take the diamond finesse, and eventually you will establish a second parking place for your losing hearts.
Bid with the aces
Answer: 5♦
When you failed to act at your first two turns and took a minimum call at your next turn, your partner had every right to expect a very weak hand. If he is still interested in game, you must bid five diamonds. Whatever you have must be at least as much as he has a right to expect.
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.
