The Aces on Bridge: Monday, September 3rd, 2018
Security is mostly a superstition. It does not exist in nature, nor do the children of men as a whole experience it. Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure. Life is either a daring adventure, or nothing.
Helen Keller
| S | North |
|---|---|
| Both | ♠ A 6 3 ♥ A 10 9 ♦ Q 9 4 3 ♣ A Q 3 |
| West | East |
|---|---|
| ♠ J 10 5 ♥ J 8 7 6 ♦ J 6 ♣ K 10 6 2 |
♠ Q 9 7 4 ♥ 5 4 2 ♦ 10 8 7 5 2 ♣ 7 |
| South |
|---|
| ♠ K 8 2 ♥ K Q 3 ♦ A K ♣ J 9 8 5 4 |
| South | West | North | East |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 NT | Pass | 4 NT | Pass |
| 6 NT | All pass |
♠J
Over North’s quantitative sequence, South might accept the slam try by bidding six clubs (a 5-3 fit could easily be best here). However, when he bids six no-trump, he finds himself in an excellent spot; now all he has to do is make it.
After the lead of the spade jack, declarer counts two spades, three hearts and three diamond tricks, which adds up to eight tricks. The key to the deal therefore is that the he needs to take four club tricks, not five; declarer can afford to give up a trick in clubs as insurance to bring home his contract.
This is sometimes referred to as a safety play, though that term is rather misleading. A safety play should be a maneuver to avoid losing an unnecessary trick. Today’s deal is closer to a gambit, where a trick is potentially invested for the greater good of the contract.
In positions like this, if South had weaker club spots, the best play might be to cash the club ace. Here, though, declarer starts by leading a low club to the queen. If it loses, cash the club ace and finesse against East should West shows. This play loses only to a singleton king in East.
However, when the queen holds, do not cash the ace; that fails whenever West has K-10-fourth. Instead, come back to hand with the diamond ace and lead the club nine next, intending to run it if West follows with the six. Of course, if West discards on the second club, you rise with the ace, then finesse against East’s K-10.
With a choice of majors, it seems logical to lead your better suit, since you need less from your partner this way. It is not as if the spade lead is exactly safe either. The other attraction of the heart lead is that your partner is slightly more likely to have hearts and not overcall than he is to have spades.
LEAD WITH THE ACES
| ♠ 10 4 2 ♥ J 8 7 ♦ A 10 8 4 2 ♣ K 5 |
| South | West | North | East |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 ♦ | Pass | 2 ♣ | |
| Pass | 2 ♦ | Pass | 3 NT |
| All pass |
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Hi Bobby,
There is also a standard trap here for a greedy declarer. Change the club pips slightly and give East CK1084 (say) opposite West’s singleton 2 or 3. After a club to the Queen, East should drop the 8. South should return to hand and lead the C9 as before but, once in a while, declarer may decide that East has C108 alone and try leading the Jack. For the same reason, dropping the 8 from 108x can work e.g. if South is in 7NT or was in 6NT with another loser. It cost nothing to try….
Regards,
Iain
Hi Iain,
Yes, you, no doubt, seem to excel in what can be referred to as random card combinations, pertaining to bridge, allowing from both sides of the aisle, safety plays by declarer and traps set by the defense.
In a word, numeracy, which, at least to my knowledge and experience, one needs to be born with (however, in a quandary how to guarantee that to happen) in order to reach the top level, except perhaps when selecting the right parents.
In the meantime you are and will continue to be our resident “mistress” (or rather) “mister maker” in both creating traps for the defense and how to correctly solve them when declaring.
That talent, extremely visible with many talented high-level bridge authors, has many twists and turns, but likely, in fact, only really fully enjoyed by those who possess it.
However, without your reminding us often, with and no doubt, all interested readers on this site, will lose learning about many and various card combinations, often leading to necessary falsecards, which serve as the salt and pepper with our playing bridge in the best way to give our partnership a better chance to win.
IOW, thank you, and please do not stop!
Hi Bobby, I’m a journalist interested in speaking with you for a story on the Dallas Aces 50 years after the team’s founding. Can you please send me an email at MikePiellucci@gmail.com so I can tell you more, as well as hopefully set up a time to speak with you?
Thank you for your time and I hope this finds you well.
Hi Mike,
OK, I’ll do it soon.