ACES ON BRIDGE

“A man must make his opportunity, as oft as find it.”

-- Francis Bacon

At work today, from the Providence Nationals last fall, is Steve Garner, who took his best chance on this deal from a pairs game early in the tournament.

After East’s opening bid, West decided to try to construct an auction to allow himself to buy the hand in five clubs doubled. As you can see, this was well-judged, up to a point, since five clubs doubled goes for 500, less than the value of his opponents’ game.

But having failed in his devious maneuver to buy the contract, West then continued his imaginative play by leading the spade jack. This was indeed the most effective start for the defenders.

Garner won the spade ace, cashed the heart ace and king to get the bad news, ruffed a club and led a diamond to the ace. A second diamond picked up that suit without loss, then he carefully exited with a spade, not a trump.

East won the trick but had only clubs to lead, so he had to concede the ruff-sluff. Why was it important to lead a spade, not a heart? The point is that East could have set five hearts by pitching his spade honor at trick three on the second trump. Although he had failed to take advantage of his first opportunity, had Garner played a third trump, might East have woken up and taken his second chance? We’ll never know!

Double-dummy experts might care to look for the line that makes five hearts by force after a spade lead. Hint: Don’t draw all the trumps.

ANSWER: Were you tempted to jump to four spades, or make an even stronger call of four clubs? That last call shows short clubs and at least a raise to four spades. Both of those calls should be reserved for stronger hands (a balanced 18-19 count, and the same hand with an extra king, respectively). This is a raise to three spades; if partner passes, game is highly unlikely to be good.