The Aces on Bridge: Saturday, March 28, 2009

Dealer: North Vul: N/S		North
		♠	K 7
		♥	5 3 2
		♦	K 9 7 3
		♣	K Q 7 3
West				East
♠	Q 10 8 3 2			♠	A 9 4
♥	8 7 4			♥	Q J 10
♦	J 5			♦	Q 10 2
♣	6 5 4			♣	J 10 9 8
		South
		♠	J 6 5
		♥	A K 9 6
		♦	A 8 6 4
		♣	A 2

South	West	North	East
		Pass	Pass
1NT	Pass	3NT	All Pass

Opening Lead: ♠3

“In every parting there is an image of death.”

— George Eliot

Today’s deal includes a point of declarer-play technique at no-trump that comes up more often than you might think.

Let’s see what might happen at a typical table in three no-trump on the lead of the spade three. Declarer must play low from dummy to ensure he can collect at least one spade trick. (If he wastes dummy’s king, he is down at once.) East inserts the spade nine, so declarer wins the jack and tries to set up a diamond winner. Alas, the defenders get in and cash four spade tricks for down one.

At the end of trick one, South has eight tricks, but cannot afford to lose a trick in a red suit, or the defenders will take their four spade winners. Of course, spades may be 4-4, but then declarer can set up a diamond trick later.

At trick two, South should play back a spade, hoping that if the defenders take their spades, a squeeze will develop. (It is almost guaranteed that neither defender started with more than five spades.)

Now watch what happens: East takes his spade ace and is likely to play back a spade. (Shifting to the heart queen is better, but declarer would win and play a third spade himself.) Now if West cashes the rest of his spades, East is squeezed to a pulp. If West does not cash his fourth and fifth spades, declarer can get his ninth trick by conceding a diamond trick to East (the safe hand).

BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds:

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