The Aces On Bridge by Bobby Wolff
Opening Lead: ♣7
When there is a long solid suit in dummy — or even one that looks as if it will set up easily — it often pays to grab whatever tricks might be available to the defense before they disappear.
Today’s deal cropped up in the European Champions Cup of 2007. Against four spades, West led his singleton club, won in dummy. Then declarer called for the trump two, to the three, jack and queen. Seeking to put his partner on lead for the club ruff, West continued with the diamond queen. Dummy played low, as did East. A second diamond went to the king and ace and was ruffed by South, who proceeded to knock out the trump ace. Now East’s club return was too late. West was fresh out of trump, and South’s third heart departed on dummy’s fifth club.
At the second table, the play to the first two tricks replicated those at the other table. But when West, Albert Faigenbaum, returned the diamond queen at trick three and declarer called for dummy’s six, Michel Bessis rose with the ace and delivered the club ruff that set the contract. He had noted the danger of dummy’s clubs and also took into consideration the lead itself. Surely a diamond lead, from a suit headed by the queen and jack would have been preferable, unless West’s club lead was a singleton.
Incidentally, should West have shifted to a low diamond at trick three to avoid this particular dilemma for East? I think so.
Lead with the aces
Answer: ♠7
When you know that suits are not behaving for declarer, you should aim to make a passive lead. Here, trumps are breaking badly, and it is unlikely that declarer can set up dummy's diamonds. A spade is your best shot. My preference would be the seven if playing fourth-highest leads, and second from bad suits.
This Hand of the Day was originally published on aces.bridgeblogging.com.
