THE ACES ON BRIDGE

“You are my companion Down the silver road, Still and many-changing, Infinitely changing.” -- Edith Wyatt .....................

One of the most difficult decisions as a defender is to know when to switch the point of attack when your opening lead appears to have been successful. Take this deal, from the 2008 European Championship match between Iceland and Norway.

In response to his partner’s overcall, West, Norway’s Terje Aa, led a heart, and declarer, Sverrir Armannsson, correctly allowed Jorgen Molberg’s nine to hold, expecting the suit to be divided 5-2 or 6-1. Had East continued hearts, declarer would have prevailed. So long as East held no more than one club honor, Armannsson would have had time to set up two club tricks. Although East could establish his hearts, he wouldn’t have the entry to enjoy them.

But Molberg found the killing switch to a spade. With a heart trick in the bag, the defenders were able to establish two spade tricks before declarer could establish his clubs.

In the other room, Norway’s Geir Helgemo, North, opened one notrump and East did not overcall. After a Stayman sequence, North ended in three no-trump and East led the heart queen. Without an overcall to warn him, declarer had no indication that hearts divided 5-2. The most likely heart division was 4-3, so the odds favored winning the first trick rather than ducking and risking a spade switch. But luck was with Helgemo. When declarer led a low club from dummy, West did not work out to fly with his king, and East won the trick (yes, ducking would have been better), allowing declarer to prevail.