The Aces on Bridge: Friday, January 18th, 2019
The rich have become richer and the poor have become poorer; and the vessel of the state is driven between the Scylla and Charybdis of anarchy and despotism.
Percy Shelley
| E | North |
|---|---|
| None | ♠ 8 5 3 ♥ Q 9 6 ♦ A Q 7 5 ♣ K 8 3 |
| West | East |
|---|---|
| ♠ 9 2 ♥ K 2 ♦ 10 6 4 3 2 ♣ Q 7 4 2 |
♠ A 6 4 ♥ A J 10 3 ♦ K J 9 ♣ J 9 6 |
| South |
|---|
| ♠ K Q J 10 7 ♥ 8 7 5 4 ♦ 8 ♣ A 10 5 |
| South | West | North | East |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 NT | |||
| 2 ♣ * | Pass | 2 ♦** | Pass |
| 2 ♠ | All pass |
*Majors
**Asking for the longer major
♣4
When East upgraded his 14-count into a strong no-trump, South came in to show the majors. He ended up in two spades when North wisely opted to find his partner’s better major and not to invite game. That was sensible enough, since these deals are so much more often about contesting the part-score than about reaching game in the teeth of a strong opening bid.
When West led a diamond against two spades, South flew up with the ace and ruffed a diamond to hand with a high trump (necessary as the cards lay, to preserve a possible entry to dummy) before leading a heart toward the queen. West took his king and shifted to a low club to the jack and ace. Now came a second heart to the nine and 10. Seeing dummy’s weak trump holding, East won and continued with the ace and another heart. That let West score his spade nine, but declarer was able to discard a club from dummy and eventually ruff a club loser on the board for his contract.
It would not have done East any good to continue clubs when in with the second heart, assuming declarer guessed correctly which club to play from hand (not so easy to do).
In fact, though, the only way to beat the game by force is to lead a trump to the first trick. This is often sensible when declarer has shown a two-suiter and you either have a strength in declarer’s second suit or can infer that your partner does, as is the case when he has opened one no-trump.
Your cue-bid shows a limit raise or better in diamonds. That said, you have nothing in reserve, but just enough in hearts to bid two no-trump now. This suggests a hand in the invitational range and is not forcing, which perfectly describes your assets. Let partner make the next decision, if any, as to strain and level.
BID WITH THE ACES
| ♠ 8 5 3 ♥ Q 9 6 ♦ A Q 7 5 ♣ K 8 3 |
| South | West | North | East |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 ♦ | 1 ♥ | ||
| 2 ♥ | Pass | 2 ♠ | Pass |
| ? |
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Bridge-related
You describe the play in the other room where W led a D at trick 1. In this room, though, we are told W led a C. S should win the A (C are now a poison suit) and immediately play a H. Whenever W wins his K, if he now shifts to a D, S continues as in the other room. If he exits with a H, E can win and exit with a small S, but S keeps playing H and the play winds up as in the other room, or E eventually gets endplayed, forced to lead up to dummy’s DAQ or lead C. Finally, if W exits with a S, S wins and keeps leading H and the play either winds up as in the other room, or E gets endplayed. All of this to prove that your final comment (about leading a trump at trick 1 as the only way to defeat the contract) is absolutely correct.
Hi David,
No doubt our reporting is, at the very least, more than slightly skewed.
However, likely this hand was real and played in a team game where at one table (the one reported) a 4th best diamond was led and as you eloquently reported, all roads led, if played correctly, to the same result.
Mea culpa, but much thanks to you for sorting it out and making it appear nothing horrible was described, since you pointedly reported the play of both minors being led.
It is convenient, refreshing, and very satisfying (and to quote expressions from this era) for someone like you to have my back. Reporting tedious play can be challenging, but going off the rails (like I did) results in many being confused, taking too much positive bridge thinking away from the report of how to declare hands successfully.
IOW, please take a deep bow, you surely deserve it!
Hi Bobby,
As always, I like to read your columns, please keep up the great work!
I believe that East will profit from having opened his 14 points as a 15-17 NT if he would play clubs instead of hearts as within that range West can not hold the Q of clubs (having showed already the K of hearts) and South will play the 10 of clubs.
Greetings from Amsterdam!
Hi Nico,
It is great hearing from you, appreciating your kind words and especially remembering my too few times in Amsterdam, truly one of the most interesting and fascinating cities in the whole world.
Yes, and I will guess you agree with me, it is winning bridge to not be too rigid in employing strict discipline with demanding neither strict to be followed point ranges, nor, at the proper times, exact distributions when encountering experienced bridge technicians at the table.
Although one chances certain risks (from partner) by being loose, IMO he, she or they get it back (with interest) by being a tougher and more difficult to read opponent.
Again thanks for your post and understand you are not only welcome here, it is a pleasure to hear from you and your exceptionally bridge and people loving, beautiful country.
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