Hand of the day #249
The Aces On Bridge by Bobby Wolff In today's deal South rates to take 11 tricks ...
The Aces On Bridge by Bobby Wolff
In today’s deal from the Dyspeptics Club, neither North nor South did anything unreasonable to reach a thin game, but it would have required South to find a good play to bring home 10 tricks. Maybe North was optimistic in accepting South’s invitation to game with such bad trumps and a possibly wasted club holding.
Opening Lead: ♣K
Defending to four spades, West cashed two top clubs, then paused for some while, trying to remember if East had echoed in clubs. Eventually he played a third club. Declarer ruffed in dummy and saw the danger of taking a trump finesse. If the cards lay as they actually did, West could win and lead a fourth club, letting East promote a trump trick for his partner by ruffing with his spade nine.
So South played the ace and queen of spades, a good try but not good enough. West won his king and switched to a heart. Declarer tried to ruff the third heart back to hand, but West could overruff for down one.
North is generally South’s sternest critic, but even he was hard-pressed to berate South too sternly on this occasion. Nonetheless, South had gone halfway down the road to success. It was a pity that he had not worked out that he needed to cash the two top hearts before playing the ace and queen of spades. That way, West must put declarer back in hand to draw the last trump, and the contract comes home.
Bid with the aces
Answer: 2♥
There are two questions to address: Do you want to reopen the bidding, and if so, with what call? Since your side should have half the deck, it is reasonable to bid. Best would be two hearts because of the strong heart spots, rather than doubling for takeout or repeating a five-card spade suit.
This Hand of the Day was originally published on aces.bridgeblogging.com.
As for at least 40% of the hands I disagree!
In particular "Since your side should have half the deck, it is reasonable to bid" absolutely not! why not pass??