Bookworm Bridge Conundrums #41
This conundrum was written by Barbara Seagram's and was originally published in ...
The Aces On Bridge by Bobby Wolff
There is nothing more embarrassing than to go past game while exploring slam, stay low for safety, and still go down. To avoid that embarrassing fate, you will need to play today’s contract of four no-trump carefully.
Opening Lead: ♦K
North’s four-no-trump bid is a natural if slightly pushy slam invitation, which South should pass with his 16-point minimum. A 4-3-3-3 distribution is always a negative, and although the controls are good and you have two 10s, that is not quite enough.
It can do no harm to duck the opening lead of a top diamond, but you should win the second diamond. Once East shows out, the only reason to duck would be to tighten the position for a squeeze, and that seems somewhat unlikely today.
The right thing to do next is to test clubs by playing the ace and queen. Deep down you know that if anyone is long in clubs, it MUST be East, so you should arrange to finesse against that player. But lo and behold! It is West who has length in both minors.
When East shows out on the second club lead, your 10 presumed winners have shrunk to nine. But by cashing the top spades and hearts, you can force West to discard two of his good diamonds or unguard the clubs.
Then you can lead a diamond, forcing West to lead a club into your tenace and giving you the game-going winner in clubs.
Bid with the aces
Answer: 2♣
You have a very good hand, but while you may want to play in game, which is the right strain? The best way to show your values is to bid two clubs, a cue-bid showing a heart raise, planning to follow up over a minimum continuation from your partner with a bid of three no-trump, suggesting that you have a good hand with the black suits stopped.
This Hand of the Day was originally published on aces.bridgeblogging.com.
