ACES ON BRIDGE

“The first Degree of Folly, is to conceit one’s self wise; the second to profess it; the third to despise Counsel.”

— Benjamin Franklin

In this deal, from a recent English trials, the key defensive move to discourage declarer from the true path is a very simple one. Without a way to show his weak two-suiter, North passes as dealer. South bids one spade over East’s one-heart opening, and with spades ranking higher than hearts, the boss suit wins out again, South arriving in four spades.

West leads his top heart, East winning the ace to shift to diamonds right away, leading ace and another before dummy’s diamond losers can be discarded on declarer’s heart winners. South puts the jack up to try and smoke out an honor, and West wins deceptively with the king before shifting to the club 10. Declarer wins in dummy and calls for the spade jack, tempting a cover. When none is forthcoming, declarer goes up with the ace. He must then lose a trump trick, along with his contract.

The diamond king is the crucial play here. The club 10, superficially denying the jack, is designed to push declarer further in the wrong direction. The idea is to convince declarer that West has room for the spade queen. If West wins the diamond queen, declarer will know the diamond king was also on his left, for East would not underlead it without a good reason, of which there would be none when he subsequently follows to the first club. Declarer might then be able to place East with the spade queen for his vulnerable opening bid in second seat, and negotiate the trumps for no loser.

ANSWER: A Michaels cue-bid of two hearts, to show spades and a minor, should show more than this. If you did not catch a spade fit, you would be forcing your side to the three-level. Having said that, bidding one spade is consistent with your values and might let you bid your clubs later. But might it get partner on lead and see him do something foolish? Maybe the Michaels cue-bid is best when nonvulnerable.