Hand of the day #151
The Aces On Bridge by Bobby Wolff We saw yesterday that there is rarely any hurr...
The Aces On Bridge by Bobby Wolff
Opening Lead: ♣Q
We have all played with partners who, as defenders, think it clever to win a trick with the higher of touching honors, or who play high-low when they have an odd number, etc. They generally succeed only in confusing their poor, long-suffering partners. But at the Dyspeptics Club, East has stated that he has no worries about disconcerting his partner in this way, asking rhetorically how it would be possible to improve on the perfect job nature had done when it came to confusing West.
Look at today’s hand to try to find a way for the defenders to persuade declarer to go down in his six-spade contract. West led the club queen and declarer won with dummy’s ace, planning to cash the ace and king of diamonds and ruff a diamond with dummy’s trump eight. With the queen falling in three rounds, there would have been no further problems. Declarer would be able to draw trumps and concede a heart to make his slam.
However, when declarer started on his plan, East brightly contributed the diamond queen on the second round of the suit. Declarer now logically ruffed a diamond with the spade ace. When East followed with the diamond 10, declarer was very suspicious, but he still did not see any reason to take an inspired first-round finesse of his spade nine. He therefore lost a trump trick as well as the heart ace and went one down.
Bid with the aces
Answer: 2♠
You have two ways to raise clubs. (Do not be tempted to pass!) The courtesy raise to three clubs suggests a minimum and decent trumps. If you bid two spades, it is a cue-bid (since you can’t have length there), promising a maximum and values in spades. Your two aces and fifth trump should convince you to take the more aggressive position, but either action is acceptable.
This Hand of the Day was originally published on aces.bridgeblogging.com.