The Aces On Bridge by Bobby Wolff
Opening Lead: ♦K
In today's deal, West may be strong but his honors are not put together well. While he has a maximum for a bid of two diamonds, a two-level overcall should show a decent hand. When the auction gets back to him at four spades, it would be very dangerous to act again.
Having said that, East has the right shape if not the high cards to consider bidding four no-trump over four spades to show the unbid suits.
Assuming West leads the diamond king against four spades, many declarers will put up the ace. East will ruff, and play a club through for a quick one down. South will claim to be unlucky, and probably no one will say anything more (unless North is the pedantic sort). However, a nitpicker in the North seat will tell declarer that it was ‘obvious’ that diamonds were 6-0; and even if they were not, what harm could it do to duck the first trick? Even if East had a diamond all along, with West on lead at the end of trick one, the best he can do is cash the club ace before dummy’s clubs go away.
Is that all there is to it? Not at all! East might leap to South’s defense and tell North that it would not have done declarer any good to duck the first trick, since East was planning to ruff his partner’s winner and find the club shift. After that, no one should have anything more to say.
Bid with the aces
Answer: 3♣
You are far too good to pass now, but you do have a choice of calls. The question is whether to bid no-trump yourself (and if so, at which level), or to cue-bid three clubs and then follow up with a call of three no-trump to express doubt. Since three no-trump will surely play better from your partner's hand, I'd go for the cue-bid.
This Hand of the Day was originally published on aces.bridgeblogging.com.
