AceS On briDge

“Men might be better if we better deemed

Of them. The worst way to improve the world

Is to condemn it.”

— Philip James Bailey

Today’s deal is from a knockout match with very similar auctions in both rooms, both reaching a final contract of four spades by South on the lead of the diamond queen. At the first table, declarer took the lead in hand and went after trumps at once, leading to the spade king, followed by a second spade. When East showed out, South had no way to avoid losing a trick in each suit, for one down.

The second declarer noticed the possibility that he might survive the loss of a trump trick if he was careful, thanks to the strength of his heart spots. At this table, he also won the diamond lead in hand and cashed the trump ace. However, when both opponents followed with small cards, he continued with the heart ace, then the two. West followed small, and South carefully ducked, confident West did not have both top heart honors, and playing for this precise position — if the suit is 3-3, the play is irrelevant, while if East has four cards, you cannot ruff out the suit in one round.

When East won with the queen and returned a club (a diamond would have been no better), declarer hopped up with the ace, then crossed to the spade king to lead the heart jack, on which he discarded his losing club.

On taking the heart king, West tried to cash a club. South ruffed, then crossed to dummy’s diamond ace. Declarer could now throw his remaining diamond loser on the heart 10 and lose just one trump trick and two hearts.

ANSWER: I would rarely suggest passing a 12-count, but if ever such a hand has come along, this would be it. No aces, a 4-3-3-3 pattern and no good suit to open — these all combine to make a pass the sensible action. Move the heart king into the diamond suit, and at least you get to open your long and strong suit.