Aces on Bridge — Daily Columns

The Aces on Bridge: Thursday, 16 January, 2025


5 Comments

A V Ramana RaoJanuary 16th, 2025 at 12:53 pm

Hi Dear Mr Wolff / Barry
Am I missing something? On a heart lead, perhaps all three hearts can be ruffed in dummy as long as east holds atleast one spade. Ruff the lead, cash A of spade, ruff spade, ruff heart, ruff spade, ruff heart, ruff spade , draw trumps and claim as the diamond goes on spade
And if at anytime east ruffs spade, south overruffs
Regards

Iain ClimieJanuary 16th, 2025 at 2:14 pm

Hi Bobby, Barry, Folks,

Any thoughts on whether East should bid Michaels with that lot (5H and 6D I suspect yes) or focus on the hearts. A D lead seems to mess things up.

Regards,

Iain

A V Ramana RaoJanuary 16th, 2025 at 3:39 pm

Hi lain
Perhaps Michaels would be in order but declarer can still make it on a diamond lead. Hop up A, lead club. When J appears from east, win, lead ten of spades and take percentage play . West won’t cover. Stay in hand, ruff heart, pitch diamond on spade, ruff diamond, ruff heart and cash high spade for heart pitch.
Regards

Jeff SerandosJanuary 16th, 2025 at 4:43 pm

Hi A V,

I went at it the same way you did and it works fine on this layout. The difference seems to come when East can follow to the second spade. Do you trump low or high? If clubs were 3-0 with West, you have to take a chance and trump low. If the trumps split and the jack fell, you can now simply trump high on the second spade and the third, if necessary. If trumps split and the jack is still outstanding, trump the second spade low hoping that West either started with at least two spades or doesn’t have the jack. If he started with two to the jack and only one spade, I think you are doomed anyway.

So, I think the idea is that drawing a round of trumps gives you more information. On today’s layout, we get there either way, but it could be helpful on a different day.

Or maybe all of the above is wrong. 🙂

A V Ramana RaoJanuary 16th, 2025 at 5:31 pm

Hi Jeff
Assuming heart lead, if east follows to second spade, south can ruff low as if west follows, the spade suit becomes established, south can draw trumps and cash spades and doesn’t need heart ruffs. This line would fail if east unexpectedly has four spades but then , the contract is always doomed. By drawing one round of trump, south cannot ruff even two hearts as he doesn’t have entries so hope spades are not 1-4 with east and proceed to ruff a spade at T3. It doesn’t hurt when west has four spades which he has
Regards