The Aces on Bridge: Tuesday, March 14th, 2017
by Bobby Wolff on
March 28th, 2017
Nobody gets justice. People only get good luck or bad luck.
Orson Welles
| E | North |
|---|---|
| None | ♠ Q 10 ♥ K ♦ A Q 7 4 3 ♣ K 9 7 5 2 |
| West | East |
|---|---|
| ♠ A 8 7 3 ♥ Q J 5 4 2 ♦ K 9 6 ♣ 3 |
♠ K 6 4 ♥ 8 7 6 ♦ J 5 ♣ A J 10 8 6 |
| South |
|---|
| ♠ J 9 5 2 ♥ A 10 9 3 ♦ 10 8 2 ♣ Q 4 |
| South | West | North | East |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pass | |||
| Pass | 1 ♥ | Pass | 2 ♣ * |
| Pass | 2 ♥ | 2 NT | Dbl. |
| 3 ♦ | All pass | pass |
*heart support and a maximum
♥Q
Your partner has set up a game force, then showed a really good hand with spades. You are far too good just to raise to four spades; a simple action is to jump to five spades, showing doubleton support and extras. Another option is to bid four hearts, a cuebid in support of spades. You would certainly be prepared to give up in four spades, if partner expresses no interest at his next turn.
BID WITH THE ACES
| ♠ Q 10 ♥ K ♦ A Q 7 4 3 ♣ K 9 7 5 2 |
| South | West | North | East |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 ♦ | Pass | 1 ♠ | Pass |
| 2 ♣ | Pass | 2 ♥ | Pass |
| 3 ♣ | Pass | 3 ♠ | Pass |
| ? |
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Bridge-related
All the deals this week come from last year’s Spring Nationals tournament in Reno to mark the fact that this year’s event is currently taking place in Kansas City,
Today’s deal cropped up in the last set of an early Vanderbilt Knockout match. Three diamonds might not seem a healthy spot, but you are not displeased to see the heart queen hit the table. When you try a club to the queen to your surprise and pleasure, it holds the trick. Things are definitely looking up! What should you do after taking the heart ace to pitch a spade from dummy?
At the table, West covered declarer’s heart nine, to force declarer to ruff in dummy. South next exited with the spade queen. West won, led a heart for his partner to ruff and back came the diamond jack. Now the contract could no longer be made.
At trick four it was necessary to take the diamond finesse, and only now should you exit with the spade queen. The defenders do best to let West win and play a second trump, which you win, to duck a club.
When East wins, his best move is to play back a heart to the 10 and jack, ruffed in dummy. South cannot afford to ruff a club now, since West would be able to over-ruff and exit in spades. Instead, declarer leads another club, and discards a spade on it. East is endplayed, either to set up a club or a spade for declarer’s ninth trick.