June 30th, 2010 ~ admin ~ Comments Off on The Aces on Bridge: Wednesday, June 16, 2010 
| Dealer: West
Vul: None |
North |
|
| ♠ |
A 8 7 2 |
| ♥ |
10 8 |
| ♦ |
K Q 7 4 |
| ♣ |
K Q 5 |
| West |
 |
East |
| ♠ |
10 6 5 |
♠ |
4 |
| ♥ |
A Q J 6 4 3 |
♥ |
9 5 2 |
| ♦ |
5 |
♦ |
J 9 8 6 3 |
| ♣ |
J 10 8 |
♣ |
9 6 4 3 |
| |
South |
|
| ♠ |
K Q J 9 3 |
| ♥ |
K 7 |
| ♦ |
A 10 2 |
| ♣ |
A 7 2 |
| South |
West |
North |
East |
| |
2♥ |
Dbl. |
2♠ |
| 6♠ |
All Pass |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
Opening Lead: ♣ Jack
“Where there is much desire to learn, there of necessity will be much arguing, much writing, many opinions; for opinion in good men is but knowledge in the making.”
— John Milton
Today’s deal features a point of interest in the bidding as well as in the play. When the weak-two from West was doubled, East suspected that his opponents could make a considerable number of tricks in spades. In an attempt to tangle their wires, he tried a baby psyche, hoping to keep his opponents out of spades. (There is nothing inappropriate about such actions — so long as partner is not expecting them any more than your opponents.)
A good idea, perhaps, but South was not fooled. He opted for the simplest way to get to a spade slam, managing to right-side the contract into the bargain.
West was looking at an ace, so knew that a diamond lead was unlikely to succeed. Since South had inferentially promised a heart control, West shrewdly led a top club, giving declarer nothing. South took the club king and drew trumps in three rounds with his king, queen and jack, at which point he knew nine of West’s cards. When that player followed twice more to the top clubs, the contract had suddenly become almost a claim. West had three cards in each black suit and six hearts and thus no more than one diamond.
Declarer took dummy’s diamond king and, when no jack appeared, led a diamond back to his 10, cashed the diamond ace, then returned to dummy with the spade ace to pitch one of his heart losers on the diamond queen.
ANSWER: Although most partnerships will not discuss sequences of this sort until too late, the pass of a redouble by the hand sitting over the trumps can only sensibly be played for blood. Your partner was going to pass out two hearts doubled and will instead enjoy this denouement even more! Do not let West trick you out of collecting your penalty.
BID WITH THE ACES
South Holds:
| ♠ |
A 8 7 2 |
| ♥ |
10 8 |
| ♦ |
K Q 7 4 |
| ♣ |
K Q 5 |
| South |
West |
North |
East |
| |
2♥ |
Pass |
Pass |
| Dbl. |
Rdbl. |
Pass |
Pass |
| ? |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
For details of Bobby Wolff’s autobiography, The Lone Wolff, contact [email protected]. If you would like to contact Bobby Wolff, please leave a comment at this blog. Reproduced with permission of United Feature Syndicate, Inc., Copyright 2010. If you are interested in reprinting The Aces on Bridge column, contact [email protected].
June 29th, 2010 ~ admin ~ Comments Off on The Aces on Bridge: Tuesday, June 15, 2010
| Dealer: South
Vul: None |
North |
|
| ♠ |
A K Q 7 3 |
| ♥ |
8 3 |
| ♦ |
10 6 3 |
| ♣ |
Q 8 3 |
| West |
|
East |
| ♠ |
J 5 |
♠ |
9 6 2 |
| ♥ |
K Q 10 5 |
♥ |
9 7 4 2 |
| ♦ |
Q J 7 |
♦ |
K 8 5 2 |
| ♣ |
10 6 5 2 |
♣ |
A 7 |
| |
South |
|
| ♠ |
10 8 4 |
| ♥ |
A J 6 |
| ♦ |
A 9 4 |
| ♣ |
K J 9 4 |
| South |
West |
North |
East |
| 1♣ |
Pass |
1♠ |
Pass |
| 1 NT |
Pass |
3 NT |
All Pass |
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
Opening Lead: ♥ Queen
“A little learning is a dang’rous thing;
Drink deep or taste not the Pierian spring.”
— Alexander Pope
Bridge can be an exasperating game for the less experienced. Just when they finally think they have mastered something, they have to unlearn it.
Today, in a team contest, both Norths exercised good judgment to reach the no-trump game rather than insisting on spades. Although it is a slight overbid, three no-trump is surely much more likely to make than four spades.
West led the heart queen, in their methods asking partner to encourage if holding an honor. (The king would have requested an unblock of an honor or a count-signal.) Declarer had obviously heard about the Bath coup, for he ducked, thus preventing West from continuing the suit without giving him an extra trick. However, it was not difficult for West to find a diamond switch. Declarer ducked two rounds of this suit before winning the ace and running his spades, but East had the club ace and the long diamond to send the contract down one.
The point of a Bath coup is not only to prevent the defenders from continuing with the suit led, but also to force them to switch to another suit to declarer’s advantage. Here the last thing declarer wanted was a diamond switch.
In the other room South received the same lead, but had no hesitation in winning the first heart, hoping for the suit to split 4-4 or for West to hold the club ace. He could no longer be prevented from making nine tricks: five spades, two clubs and two aces.
ANSWER: The options here are to bid three no-trump or to gamble on a pass, hoping your aces will stand up, and that on trump leads declarer will not have that many tricks. With a fifth club I’d be less inclined to defend and be more optimistic about my chances of quick tricks at no-trump. Here I’d guess to pass. We do, after all, have the balance of high cards and some trump control.
BID WITH THE ACES
South Holds:
| ♠ |
10 8 4 |
| ♥ |
A J 6 |
| ♦ |
A 9 4 |
| ♣ |
K J 9 4 |
| South |
West |
North |
East |
| 1♣ |
1♦ |
Dbl. |
3♦ |
| Pass |
Pass |
Dbl. |
Pass |
| ? |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
For details of Bobby Wolff’s autobiography, The Lone Wolff, contact [email protected]. If you would like to contact Bobby Wolff, please leave a comment at this blog. Reproduced with permission of United Feature Syndicate, Inc., Copyright 2010. If you are interested in reprinting The Aces on Bridge column, contact [email protected].
June 28th, 2010 ~ admin ~ Comments Off on The Aces on Bridge: Monday, June 14, 2010
| Dealer: North
Vul: All |
North |
|
| ♠ |
A |
| ♥ |
A 10 5 3 |
| ♦ |
A K 6 3 |
| ♣ |
10 8 4 3 |
| West |
|
East |
| ♠ |
Q J 7 4 2 |
♠ |
K 10 9 8 5 3 |
| ♥ |
9 8 |
♥ |
2 |
| ♦ |
J 10 8 2 |
♦ |
Q 7 |
| ♣ |
Q 9 |
♣ |
J 7 5 2 |
| |
South |
|
| ♠ |
6 |
| ♥ |
K Q J 7 6 4 |
| ♦ |
9 5 3 |
| ♣ |
A K 6 |
| South |
West |
North |
East |
| |
|
1♦ |
2♠ |
| 3♥ |
3♠ |
4♠ |
Pass |
| 4 NT |
5♠ |
Pass* |
Pass |
| 6♥ |
All Pass |
|
|
Opening Lead: ♠ Queen
“Hope, whose weak Being ruined is,
Alike if it succeed, and if it miss;
Whom Good or Ill does equally confound,
And both the Horns of Fates Dilemma wound.”
— Abraham Cowley
When the holdings in two suits look more or less equal, a closer inspection can reveal that one of them offers a slight extra chance. Take a look at this six-heart deal, which occurred in a national knockout event.
West’s simple three-spade raise did nothing to hinder North-South. It merely suggested to both players that the other was unlikely to have too much in spades, while it took away none of their bidding space. No doubt West’s subsequent five spades was in to find out if North-South could work out how many aces they had. As it was, North’s pass showed an odd number (there are all sorts of methods one can play here, the only important thing being to know what your partner does) and the fair slam was reached.
When West led the spade queen, declarer won and drew trumps in two rounds. The bidding had indicated that there was very little chance of one defender being long in both majors, so declarer had to make an immediate decision. He could make his slam if either minor suit broke evenly, but he had to guess which one to play on. In diamonds a 3-3 break offered one chance, but in clubs there was a significant extra chance: If the suit was not 3-3, East might have a doubleton honor, or, as here, West might have a doubleton Q-9 or J-9. Today the right choice made the difference between success and failure.
ANSWER: It seems reasonable to attack spades, your best source of tricks, and a low spade lead looks normal enough. I know geniuses who would lead the spade queen because that is very unlikely to cost a trick and might leave them on lead to continue spades or to shift to clubs through dummy. But I leave such plays to others!
LEAD WITH THE ACES
South Holds:
| ♠ |
Q 10 8 4 |
| ♥ |
10 6 4 |
| ♦ |
5 4 2 |
| ♣ |
9 8 5 |
| South |
West |
North |
East |
| |
1♦ |
Dbl. |
1♥ |
| Pass |
2♦ |
Pass |
2♥ |
| All Pass |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
For details of Bobby Wolff’s autobiography, The Lone Wolff, contact [email protected]. If you would like to contact Bobby Wolff, please leave a comment at this blog. Reproduced with permission of United Feature Syndicate, Inc., Copyright 2010. If you are interested in reprinting The Aces on Bridge column, contact [email protected].
June 27th, 2010 ~ admin ~ Comments Off on The Aces on Bridge: Sunday, June 13, 2010
| Dear Mr. Wolff:
Is there a source for clear definitions of such terms as negative double, balancing seat, protective seat, etc.?
— Glossary Gus, Albuquerque, N.M.
ANSWER: The best is “The Official Encyclopedia of Bridge.” For definitions of bridge terms online, go to Wikipedia, or The Bridge World’s Bridge Glossary.
Dear Mr. Wolff:
I was in second seat, holding ♠ Q, ♥ 10-3-2, ♦ A-J-8-7-2, ♣ K-Q-7-4. My RHO opened a weak two hearts. I passed, my LHO bid four hearts, and my partner doubled for takeout. Would you bid or pass? If you did act, what call would you make?
— In the Hot Seat, Dayton, Ohio
ANSWER: It seems clear to bid since there is a decent chance your side can make slam, and there may be big double-fits for both sides. Your best call is four no-trump. This suggests a two-suiter with the minors, since you would bid spades if you had them.
Dear Mr. Wolff:
What does “cooperative double” mean? I saw the term in print, but I’m not sure if it is the same as “optional double.”
— Double Play, Spartanburg, S.C.
ANSWER: In simple terms a cooperative double tends to be made under the opponents’ trumps. It is oriented toward takeout, but lets partner pass with trump tricks. The typical sequence sees responder to an opening bid hearing a subsequent overcall on his left, passed back to him. Doubles by responder at his second turn were for penalties in the old days, but currently would be aimed more toward takeout, suggesting ownership of the hand and asking partner to do something intelligent. |
|
Dear Mr. Wolff:
In fourth chair I held ♠ Q-9-7-3-2, ♥ K-Q-3-2, ♦ 4, ♣ K-6-4, and my partner overcalled one spade over one heart. There was a negative double to my right, so I jumped to four spades and heard five clubs on my left, passed back to me. Am I supposed to bid again? If so, what call should I make?
— Nowhere Man, Doylestown, Pa.
ANSWER: Without any sure tricks you do not have any reason to bid again. If partner had real extras, he might have found another call, but as it is, your side might not be able to defeat a slam, so pass.
Dear Mr. Wolff:
What is my best opening bid with ♠ —, ♥ A-Q-9-7-3-2, ♦ Q-10-7-4-3-2, CLUBS 4? Would the vulnerability matter?
— Seeing Red, Bristol, Va.
ANSWER: I’d be inclined to open it with a weak two hearts vulnerable, planning to jump to four diamonds at my next turn facing an inquiry of two no-trump, or to compete to three diamonds if the opponents let me. Nonvulnerable, I might try four hearts (but I’m not sure I would recommend this to others!). Incidentally, with the red-suits switched, I would probably pass and hope to get my hand across later. |
If you would like to contact Bobby Wolff, e-mail him at [email protected]. Reproduced with permission of United Feature Syndicate, Inc., Copyright 2009.
June 26th, 2010 ~ admin ~ Comments Off on The Aces on Bridge: Saturday, June 12, 2010
| Dealer: West
Vul: E/W |
North |
|
| ♠ |
Q 9 |
| ♥ |
7 5 3 |
| ♦ |
K Q 4 2 |
| ♣ |
9 8 6 5 |
| West |
|
East |
| ♠ |
5 |
♠ |
8 7 4 2 |
| ♥ |
K J 8 6 4 2 |
♥ |
9 |
| ♦ |
10 9 6 |
♦ |
J 8 7 5 3 |
| ♣ |
Q J 10 |
♣ |
K 7 2 |
| |
South |
|
| ♠ |
A K J 10 6 3 |
| ♥ |
A Q 10 |
| ♦ |
A |
| ♣ |
A 4 3 |
| South |
West |
North |
East |
| |
2♥ |
Pass |
Pass |
| Dbl. |
Pass |
3♦* |
Pass |
| 6♠ |
All Pass |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
Opening Lead: ♣ Queen
“We never know what is hidden in each other’s hearts; and if we had glass windows there, we’d need keep the shutters up.”
— Charles Dickens
In today’s auction North had available an artificial response of two no-trump to South’s takeout double of two hearts to show a bad hand. Hence, the three-diamond call showed values and persuaded South to drive to slam.
Six spades is a splendid contract if the opponents have not come into the bidding; but on the auction shown, it was a good bet that the king and jack of hearts were reposing offside, in West’s hand. So declarer had to devise a line that would put that player under pressure, forcing him to lead hearts into the tenace or to give up a trick in a different way. It took some doing, but he had been painted a very clear picture by the opponents.
South won the club lead with the ace, then unblocked the diamond ace and crossed to the spade nine to take dummy’s diamond winners, pitching his club losers and crossing his fingers as he did so. When West was forced to follow to the top diamonds, South could see daylight. He ruffed a club high in hand, went back to the spade queen, and ruffed another club high. Now declarer drew two more rounds of trumps, reaching a three-card ending where West was reduced to his three highest hearts.
At this point, South triumphantly exited with the heart queen. West won the trick and was forced to lead from his heart jack into declarer’s tenace: contract made!
ANSWER: Most people these days play that a jump to three diamonds here is pre-emptive, the typical range being 3-7 points. Your hand may not be blessed with extra shape, but your good trumps suggest you want to get to the three-level, and it is always better to put the maximum pressure on opponents by competing as high as you dare as fast as you can. So bid three diamonds now.
BID WITH THE ACES
South Holds:
| ♠ |
Q 9 |
| ♥ |
7 5 3 |
| ♦ |
K Q 4 2 |
| ♣ |
9 8 6 5 |
| South |
West |
North |
East |
| |
1♣ |
1♦ |
1♠ |
| ? |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
For details of Bobby Wolff’s autobiography, The Lone Wolff, contact [email protected]. If you would like to contact Bobby Wolff, please leave a comment at this blog. Reproduced with permission of United Feature Syndicate, Inc., Copyright 2010. If you are interested in reprinting The Aces on Bridge column, contact [email protected].
June 25th, 2010 ~ admin ~ Comments Off on The Aces on Bridge: Friday, June 11, 2010
| Dealer: North
Vul: E/W |
North |
|
| ♠ |
J 5 3 |
| ♥ |
A K 8 4 2 |
| ♦ |
A K |
| ♣ |
Q 10 7 |
| West |
|
East |
| ♠ |
2 |
♠ |
10 9 8 7 |
| ♥ |
Q J 10 9 7 |
♥ |
3 |
| ♦ |
Q 8 5 2 |
♦ |
10 7 4 3 |
| ♣ |
K 9 4 |
♣ |
6 5 3 2 |
| |
South |
|
| ♠ |
A K Q 6 4 |
| ♥ |
6 5 |
| ♦ |
J 9 6 |
| ♣ |
A J 8 |
| South |
West |
North |
East |
| |
|
1♥ |
Pass |
| 1♠ |
Pass |
2NT |
Pass |
| 3♣* |
Pass |
3♠ |
Pass |
| 6♠ |
All Pass |
|
|
| *New Minor, asking for spade support |
Opening Lead: ♥ Queen
“I am not now in fortune’s power:
He that is down can fall no lower.”
— Samuel Butler
In today’s auction South can use the call of three clubs at his second turn as a relay, looking for three-card spade support from his partner. When he hits the jackpot, he knows that a grand slam rates to be out of reach, so he settles for simplicity by bidding what he thinks he can make.
As declarer in six spades, your first thought would be that you have decent play for 13 tricks. You can, you hope, ruff a diamond in dummy and take the club finesse for the overtrick. But the lead of the heart queen sets up some concerns about a defensive ruff in that suit.
You should leave the spade jack in dummy till you have ruffed your diamond loser — just in case. Accordingly, you win the opening heart lead, cash the two top diamonds, come to hand with the spade ace (noting that both hands follow), then ruff a diamond low in dummy. When you lead the spade jack, you observe West’s discard, a play that increases the risk of a bad break in hearts against you.
Taking no chances, you lead the club queen from dummy to encourage a cover; but when East plays low, you go up with the ace, draw trumps, and concede a club.
Note that if you had finessed in clubs, West would have taken the club king and given his partner a heart ruff; so your caution was justified.
ANSWER: You have already shown your hearts and your club support. Should you bid three no-trump when your partner asks you for other features? I feel that your club support is good enough for you to repeat the suit. A 5-2 heart fit might be right, but if so, partner can get there by raising you at his next turn.
BID WITH THE ACES
South Holds:
| ♠ |
2 |
| ♥ |
Q J 10 9 7 |
| ♦ |
Q 8 5 2 |
| ♣ |
K 9 4 |
| South |
West |
North |
East |
| |
1♦ |
2♣ |
Pass |
| 2♥ |
Pass |
2♠ |
Pass |
| 3♣ |
Pass |
3♦ |
Pass |
| ? |
|
|
|
For details of Bobby Wolff’s autobiography, The Lone Wolff, contact [email protected]. If you would like to contact Bobby Wolff, please leave a comment at this blog. Reproduced with permission of United Feature Syndicate, Inc., Copyright 2010. If you are interested in reprinting The Aces on Bridge column, contact [email protected].
June 24th, 2010 ~ admin ~ Comments Off on The Aces on Bridge: Thursday, June 10, 2010
| Dealer: South
Vul: All |
North |
|
| ♠ |
8 7 6 |
| ♥ |
7 |
| ♦ |
K Q 10 9 5 |
| ♣ |
K J 9 8 |
| West |
|
East |
| ♠ |
J 5 4 2 |
♠ |
Q 10 9 3 |
| ♥ |
J 10 9 6 2 |
♥ |
Q 8 5 3 |
| ♦ |
8 6 |
♦ |
A |
| ♣ |
6 3 |
♣ |
Q 10 5 2 |
| |
South |
|
| ♠ |
A K |
| ♥ |
A K 4 |
| ♦ |
J 7 4 3 2 |
| ♣ |
A 7 4 |
| South |
West |
North |
East |
| 1♦ |
Pass |
3♦* |
Pass |
| 3♥ |
Pass |
4♣ |
Pass |
| 6♦ |
All Pass |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
Opening Lead: ♥ Jack
“Fate, Time, Occasion, Chance and Change? To these
All things are subject but eternal Love.”
— Percy Shelley
At the Dyspeptics Club, South has admitted, under duress, that he carries a rabbit’s foot for luck. He says that this has no influence on what cards he holds; it is just that he gets more out of them. When confronted with this theory North snorted loudly and commented that South’s ability to throw tricks away almost rivaled his ability to be dealt more high cards than he deserved. Today’s deal is an example.
In six diamonds South won the opening heart lead, drew trumps, and stalled around for a while before taking the club finesse, unsuccessfully.
Because South was trying to use this deal to demonstrate that he was actually an unlucky player, North stopped him.
“If you had bothered to take advantage of all your chances, you would have made the slam instead of going down,” he said. Do you see why?
After the heart lead, declarer takes his other top heart to pitch a spade from dummy, ruffs a heart, cashes the two top spades, and leads a diamond to the king. East can win his singleton ace but must then give declarer a ruff-sluff or play a club back into the tenace.
Even if it is West who has the singleton diamond ace, he will be forced to lead a club, and thus increase declarer’s chances of playing the club suit for no loser.
And if a defender does have ace-doubleton of diamonds, declarer can fall back on the club finesse as a last resort.
ANSWER: In this position a double from you would be card-showing, not penalties, because it is made under the trump suit. So there is no real likelihood of your partner passing for penalties. That being so, settle for simplicity and bid one no-trump, which rates to be the best part-score for your side.
BID WITH THE ACES
South Holds:
| ♠ |
Q 10 9 3 |
| ♥ |
Q 8 5 3 |
| ♦ |
A |
| ♣ |
Q 10 5 2 |
| South |
West |
North |
East |
| |
|
1♦ |
Pass |
| 1♥ |
1♠ |
Pass |
Pass |
| ? |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
For details of Bobby Wolff’s autobiography, The Lone Wolff, contact [email protected]. If you would like to contact Bobby Wolff, please leave a comment at this blog. Reproduced with permission of United Feature Syndicate, Inc., Copyright 2010. If you are interested in reprinting The Aces on Bridge column, contact [email protected].
June 23rd, 2010 ~ admin ~ Comments Off on The Aces on Bridge: Wednesday, June 9, 2010
| Dealer: South
Vul: All |
North |
|
| ♠ |
K J 10 6 4 2 |
| ♥ |
K J 9 8 |
| ♦ |
9 5 |
| ♣ |
A |
| West |
|
East |
| ♠ |
Q 7 5 |
♠ |
3 |
| ♥ |
2 |
♥ |
7 6 4 3 |
| ♦ |
K 7 3 2 |
♦ |
J 10 8 4 |
| ♣ |
K Q J 5 2 |
♣ |
8 7 6 3 |
| |
South |
|
| ♠ |
A 9 8 |
| ♥ |
A Q 10 5 |
| ♦ |
A Q 6 |
| ♣ |
10 9 4 |
| South |
West |
North |
East |
| 1 NT |
Pass |
2♥ |
Pass |
| 2♠ |
Pass |
3♥ |
Pass |
| 4♦ |
Pass |
4 NT |
Pass |
| 5♣* |
Pass |
6♥ |
All Pass |
Opening Lead: ♣ King
“We stumble and we do not understand.
You only saw your future bigly planned.”
— Charles Sorley
In today’s bidding sequence, North showed the majors and game-forcing values. If South wanted to play in spades, he would have raised that suit to the appropriate level, so his bid of four diamonds was an advance cue-bid, showing a diamond control and good heart support in a nonminimum hand. He cannot have the club ace or he would have cue-bid that first. Now North can take control by asking for key cards, then bidding the heart slam.
(Incidentally, though it may be obvious, the four-diamond bid cannot be natural once South has opened one no-trump; diamonds are no longer a possible trump suit.)
In the play West leads a top club to dummy’s ace, and declarer draws two rounds of trump with the king and ace. If trumps had split, declarer would have drawn them all, then hope to guess spades for the overtrick. But once the 4-1 trump break comes to light, declarer needs to pause before taking out all the trumps. Otherwise, if he loses a spade trick, the club suit will be ready to run against him.
Instead, declarer cashes the spade ace and leads a spade to the jack. While declarer is sure to lose this trick, the maneuver guarantees the contract against any lie of the cards. Whether this loses to the queen or East ruffs in, declarer will be able to win the diamond return with the ace, ruff a club, and draw trumps by overtaking the jack if necessary, then run the spades.
ANSWER: Your side may or may not have more than half the deck, but you surely have no decent trump fit, and the cards appear to be splitting badly. It would be supreme optimism to double now (you do not actually have a sure winner in your hand). Pass and hope to beat it.
BID WITH THE ACES
South Holds:
| ♠ |
Q 7 5 |
| ♥ |
2 |
| ♦ |
K 7 3 2 |
| ♣ |
K Q J 5 2 |
| South |
West |
North |
East |
| |
1♣ |
1♥ |
Pass |
| 1 NT |
2♠ |
Pass |
Pass |
| ? |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
For details of Bobby Wolff’s autobiography, The Lone Wolff, contact [email protected]. If you would like to contact Bobby Wolff, please leave a comment at this blog. Reproduced with permission of United Feature Syndicate, Inc., Copyright 2010. If you are interested in reprinting The Aces on Bridge column, contact [email protected].
June 22nd, 2010 ~ admin ~ Comments Off on The Aces on Bridge: Tuesday, June 8, 2010
| Dealer: South
Vul: E/W |
North |
|
| ♠ |
K 9 7 5 2 |
| ♥ |
9 7 5 |
| ♦ |
K 7 3 |
| ♣ |
K 4 |
| West |
|
East |
| ♠ |
Q J 8 |
♠ |
— |
| ♥ |
A J 2 |
♥ |
Q 10 8 6 3 |
| ♦ |
9 6 2 |
♦ |
Q J 10 5 |
| ♣ |
Q J 9 3 |
♣ |
10 8 5 2 |
| |
South |
|
| ♠ |
A 10 6 4 3 |
| ♥ |
K 4 |
| ♦ |
A 8 4 |
| ♣ |
A 7 6 |
| South |
West |
North |
East |
| 1♠ |
Pass |
3♠ |
Pass |
| 4♠ |
All Pass |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
Opening Lead: ♣ Queen
“The ruling passion, be it what it will,
The ruling passion conquers reason still.”
— Alexander Pope
Today’s deal is another from the fertile imagination of Patrick Jourdain in his book “Problem Corner” (published by Master Point Press).
A mundane line in four spades would be to win the lead of the club queen and eliminate the trumps and clubs. If trumps do not split, you hope to hold your losers to one trick in each red suit by finding the heart ace onside – surely not too much to ask.
However, you can see before you touch a card that the only real danger is that the trumps are 3-0 and the heart ace is wrong. Don’t just hope for the best in situations of this sort — plan how to overcome the problem!
The solution is counterintuitive because it involves losing a trick in a suit where you do not have to surrender one so you can increase your chances for a later endplay. You should let the club queen win the first trick!
Your next move will be to win the next club lead (no defense is any better), then draw two rounds of trumps, leaving West with the master trump. Now you take the two top diamonds ending in hand and follow with the club ace, throwing a diamond from dummy. You ruff the third diamond in dummy and finally exit with a trump. West, forced to win the trick, is endplayed.
Incidentally, if East ruffs the second round of clubs at trick two, you will justifiably be able to complain about your bad luck!
ANSWER: Your partner has made a slam-try for spades, showing short hearts, and your decent hand has become spectacular, with no wasted values facing his shortage. Use Blackwood and drive to slam unless two key-cards are missing.
BID WITH THE ACES
South Holds:
| ♠ |
K 9 7 5 2 |
| ♥ |
9 7 5 |
| ♦ |
K 7 3 |
| ♣ |
K 4 |
| South |
West |
North |
East |
| |
1♥ |
Dbl. |
Pass |
| 2♠ |
Pass |
4♥ |
Pass |
| ? |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
For details of Bobby Wolff’s autobiography, The Lone Wolff, contact [email protected]. If you would like to contact Bobby Wolff, please leave a comment at this blog. Reproduced with permission of United Feature Syndicate, Inc., Copyright 2010. If you are interested in reprinting The Aces on Bridge column, contact [email protected].
June 21st, 2010 ~ admin ~ Comments Off on The Aces on Bridge: Monday, June 7, 2010
| Dealer: South
Vul: E/W |
North |
|
| ♠ |
A 6 4 2 |
| ♥ |
A K 8 |
| ♦ |
A 6 |
| ♣ |
K Q 7 5 |
| West |
|
East |
| ♠ |
— |
♠ |
K 10 9 7 |
| ♥ |
9 7 6 3 |
♥ |
10 5 2 |
| ♦ |
J 10 9 7 4 3 |
♦ |
K Q 8 5 2 |
| ♣ |
9 4 3 |
♣ |
6 |
| |
South |
|
| ♠ |
Q J 8 5 3 |
| ♥ |
Q J 4 |
| ♦ |
— |
| ♣ |
A J 10 8 2 |
| South |
West |
North |
East |
| 1♠ |
Pass |
2♣ |
Pass |
| 3♦* |
Pass |
3♠ |
Pass |
| 4♠ |
Pass |
4 NT |
Pass |
| 5♦ |
Pass |
6♠ |
All Pass |
| *Club fit, short diamonds |
Opening Lead: ♦ Jack
“Curiosity is one of the permanent and certain characteristics of a vigorous mind.”
— Samuel Johnson
In today’s deal, North was looking for greater things, but when he discovered his side was missing a key card, he settled for the small slam. Note South’s jump to three diamonds to agree clubs. With a good hand consisting of spades and diamonds, South would have made a simple call of two diamonds, since that would have been forcing.
Now consider the hand as a play problem. If you declared six spades on the lead of the diamond jack, how would you play the hand? It looks natural to advance the spade queen, hoping to find the trumps 2-2 with the king well placed. At pairs that might even be a defensible approach. At rubber bridge or teams scoring, where the objective is to make the contract and overtricks are far less important, following that line would be a major error.
South should be aware that the chance of a defensive ruff has evaporated after the opening lead. The only danger is a 4-0 trump split. If West has the length, nothing can be done; his trump spots are just too good. If East has the length, the correct approach will be to cash the ace and lead a low spade to the jack. When East ducks, declarer will take the trick in hand and can get back to dummy with a heart to lead a spade toward his queen.
If declarer makes the right play, then whatever East does, declarer will lose no more than one trump trick.
ANSWER: It looks tempting to lead trumps to try to stop spade ruffs in dummy, but there are two flaws with this approach. The first is that the spades and clubs look to be lying so well that this is unlikely to work. The second is that leading a trump from this holding will frequently give up a trick. Instead, attack with a small diamond.
LEAD WITH THE ACES
South Holds:
| ♠ |
10 5 3 |
| ♥ |
J 4 2 |
| ♦ |
K 5 3 2 |
| ♣ |
Q 8 4 |
| South |
West |
North |
East |
| |
1♣ |
Pass |
1♠ |
| Pass |
2♣ |
Pass |
2♥ |
| Pass |
3♥ |
Pass |
4♥ |
| All Pass |
|
|
|
For details of Bobby Wolff’s autobiography, The Lone Wolff, contact [email protected]. If you would like to contact Bobby Wolff, please leave a comment at this blog. Reproduced with permission of United Feature Syndicate, Inc., Copyright 2010. If you are interested in reprinting The Aces on Bridge column, contact [email protected].
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