Aces on Bridge — Daily Columns

The Aces on Bridge: Tuesday, October 20, 2009

by admin on November 3rd, 2009
Dealer: East

Vul: All

 North
♠ 7 6 4
♥ J 9 4
♦ J 10 8
♣ K J 10 6
West East
♠ 9 5 ♠ A Q 10 3 2
♥ 6 3 2 ♥ A Q 10 8
♦ K 3 2 ♦ 7 5
♣ 9 8 7 5 4 ♣ 3 2
South
♠ K J 8
♥ K 7 5
♦ A Q 9 6 4
♣ A Q

 

South West North East
      1♠
Dbl. Pass 2♣ Pass
2 NT Pass 3 NT All Pass
       

Opening Lead:♠9

“Heaven’s great lamps do dive

Into their west, and straight again revive.”

— Thomas Campion

Today’s deal comes from Ron Klinger’s latest book, “Right Through the Pack Again.” Unusual for a bridge work of fiction, the characters are credible and possess lifelike emotions.

 

The plot of the book concerns the real hero, the Old Master, who is in a coma and is not sure if he wants to die, because both his children have passed away before him. The playing cards are trying to bring him back because they love him, so they are telling the stories of his greatest triumphs. Here the heart queen has taken center stage.

 

“This experience was special for me. Against three no-trump West led the spade nine and the Old Master won with the ace. He paused for just a moment. His thoughts had gone to his daughter Jenny. ‘She was the queen of his heart and so he played me,’ said the queen of hearts. ‘Declarer covered with the king, played the club ace, followed by the club queen. He overtook with the club king and led the diamond jack: this went to the five, four and king. West returned a heart and the Old Master collected three heart tricks to take the contract one down.

 

“‘For me this deal epitomized the Old Master’s life. Jenny was the one and only for him and I was the one and only card at trick two to beat the contract. Jenny surrounded her family with love and I was needed to surround dummy’s jack to beat the contract.’”

ANSWER: In this sequence a call of two no-trump shows 18-19 points, not 12-14. With a minimum balanced hand, you would simply pass and await future action — if any. Although your hand is at the top of your range, there is no harm in having a maximum from time to time. Simply bid two no-trump and let partner move on if he wants.

BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds:

♠ K J 8
♥ K 7 5
♦ A Q 9 6 4
♣ A Q

 

South West North East
1♦ Pass 1♥ 2♣
?      
       
       

 

For details of Bobby Wolff’s autobiography, The Lone Wolff, contact theLoneWolff@bridgeblogging.com. If you would like to contact Bobby Wolff, please leave a comment at this blog. Reproduced with permission of United Feature Syndicate, Inc., Copyright 2009. If you are interested in reprinting The Aces on Bridge column, contact reprints@unitedmedia.com.

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