ACES ON BRIDGE

“It was very prettily said that we may learn the little value of fortune by the persons on whom heaven is pleased to bestow it.”

— Sir Richard Steele

This board occurred in a knockout match where North- South were behind and in need of a swing. Accordingly, after North cue-bid to show a high-card spade raise and South discolsed some extras with his jump to four spades, then admitted to a first-round heart control by bidding five hearts, North went for the grand slam.

Against seven spades, West went passive with the lead of the trump six; declarer took this with the jack and drew the remaining trump by leading to dummy’s ace. At this point, he could be confident neither minor suit was going to behave, but next he cashed the diamond ace followed by the club ace and king, throwing the queen and nine of hearts from hand. A club ruff confirmed that West had started with 1=5=5=2 shape.

So declarer next led the diamond queen from hand, hoping that East’s two-card diamond suit was anything but the doubleton king. To his relief, West covered the queen with the king, which cheered up South considerably.

Declarer ruffed the diamond in dummy, ruffed a club back to hand and led a confident diamond nine. West covered with the 10, and this was again ruffed in dummy.

After a second club ruff to get back to hand, declarer led the diamond eight. A disconsolate West covered this with the jack and, after the third ruff in dummy, declarer claimed his contract. He had eight trump tricks, four tricks in aces and kings, and the diamond seven for trick 13.

ANSWER: It seems logical to raise to four hearts now. Anytime your partner has six hearts (or five good hearts), your hand will offer the opportunity to ruff some diamonds. If you bid three no-trump, you will probably find that you need to set up the clubs, one way or another.