The Aces on Bridge: Wednesday, October 28th, 2015
Man is the only kind of varmint sets his own trap, baits it, then steps in it.
John Steinbeck
| S | North |
|---|---|
| None | ♠ 9 7 3 ♥ K 10 5 ♦ K Q 10 5 4 ♣ K 8 |
| West | East |
|---|---|
| ♠ K Q J 6 4 ♥ 6 2 ♦ 8 7 ♣ 10 9 4 3 |
♠ 8 2 ♥ 8 7 4 ♦ A J 3 ♣ Q J 7 6 2 |
| South |
|---|
| ♠ A 10 5 ♥ A Q J 9 3 ♦ 9 6 2 ♣ A 5 |
| South | West | North | East |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 ♥ | Pass | 2 ♦ | Pass |
| 2 ♥ | Pass | 3 ♥ | Pass |
| 4 ♥ | All pass |
♠K
Today’s deal is from a reader of mine, Jacques Guerin. It was played 57 years ago, but it has matured nicely in the interim.
At duplicate pairs you play four hearts on a top spade lead, and duck, winning the continuation of the spade jack in hand. East’s echo in spades suggests an original 5-2 distribution in that suit. The first question is how many rounds of trump to draw before playing diamonds. Two seems right to me.
However, at the table most Souths drew all the trump, and played on diamonds. The trap of the hand is to lead to the king or queen; if you do, East will duck. On the actual lie of the cards, the hand can be made by simply continuing any diamond from dummy – but this would look foolish if West could win the jack and cash out his spade winner.
Many declarers led to a top diamond, ducked, then came back to the club ace to lead another diamond toward dummy. Curtains! East won the trick and knocked out the club king, killing the diamonds. Down one.
Guerin drew all the trump and played a diamond to the 10. From the play, it seemed that with West holding five decent spades but not having overcalled, the diamond ace was surely with East. Since South wanted to prevent West from getting on lead in diamonds, it looked right to force East to win the first diamond. Guerin could win the club return in hand and knock out the diamond ace, eventually discarding a spade on a good diamond.
You could opt to raise hearts at once (either by a pessimistic simple raise or an optimistic cue-bid raise). But a reasonable alternative is to start by doubling. This is a competitive (also called Fourth-suit or Snapdragon) double, suggesting the fourth suit, and values. You plan to compete to three hearts if given the chance.
BID WITH THE ACES
| ♠ 9 7 3 ♥ K 10 5 ♦ K Q 10 5 4 ♣ K 8 |
| South | West | North | East |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 ♣ | 1 ♥ | 1 ♠ | |
| ? |
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Bridge-related
Happy Veterans Day!
Hi Bill,
Yes, I am one, but I had a cushy job or was it called a MOS? The same to you.
BRIDGE FOR PEACE.
Hi Bobby,
As West, since you’re non-vul, would you bid either one or two spades over South’s one heart bid? If partner is on lead, you surely would like a spade.
Pete
Hi Pete,
No doubt you are, so to speak, reading my mail, since I would only bid 1 spade with, as here, neither side vulnerable, but 2 spades when only NS are vulnerable.
My motive (some would say excuse) is that I want to be the toughest opponent possible and when the “bad guys” are vulnerable take away the most bidding space I can, from them.
Thanks for your question.
Thanks for the answer, Bobby. Out of curiosity, would your answer be any different if it were IMPs. Thanks again.
Pete