ACES ON BRIDGE

“The future is what happens while we are busy planning for it.” — Hebrew Proverb

The original declarer did not make the most of his chances in today's deal. Can you do better?

Some would prefer to open one heart here, but one no-trump is the value bid. North bid Stayman, then followed up with two spades, showing an invitational hand with four spades, and his side ended up in three no-trump.

West's diamond lead was taken by dummy's jack, East following to show an odd number.

With eight tricks in the bag, declarer looked no further than the club suit for the rest. When West showed out on the third round, declarer had no way to develop the game-going trick.

One idea for South would have been to finesse the club 10 at trick two, hoping West would take the jack from a four- or five-card holding, but that would not necessarily work against a wary defender. Moreover, if the club 10 held, South would not yet be home. Declarer would fare no better working on hearts since he would almost certainly lose five tricks in the majors one way or another.

The best line is to go after the weaker seven-card fit before the clubs. This way, declarer might be able to take advantage of an even spade division. Say East rises with the spade king at trick two. Can he realistically deduce that he should shift to a heart? If he does, and the defenders set up hearts, declarer may be forced to fall back on the clubs. However, if East makes the mistake of returning his partner's suit, declarer will have time to test spades before clubs.

ANSWER: As a passed hand, you have to guess whether to make a simple raise or a jump raise. With only three trumps, the simple raise is probably enough, especially facing an imaginative partner. Many, however, play that the response of two clubs in an uncontested auction here shows a maximum pass (a good 9-11) and three-card trump support or better: the Drury convention. This hand would be ideal for that call.