ACES ON BRIDGE

“Mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the midday sun.”

— Noel Coward

Today’s deal from a past Nationals event comes from the last day of the National Swiss Teams, and shows Zia Mahmood in an unfamiliar role as the victim, being the reporter of a fine play against him, rather than the perpetrator, this time.

Both tables in the match between Mahaffey and Schwartz reached six spades with East-West silent. In one room, East doubled the slam, making the play somewhat easier after a heart lead, though, in fact, declarer lost his way when he played clubs in routine fashion for down one.

In the other room, Jim Mahaffey was not doubled by Mahmood, since it sounded as if North-South were looking for a grand slam, as indeed they were.

Michael Rosenberg still found the heart lead, and Mahmood ruffed, then exited with a diamond. Declarer won, drew trumps ending in hand in two rounds, cashed the heart king, then advanced the club queen. When West played low, Mahaffey decided that since neither opponent had bid, East was relatively unlikely to have more than six diamonds. Accordingly, the club finesse was heavily favored to be offside, but the double club finesse had suddenly become an excellent chance. He needed to find West with only small clubs or the doubleton 10.

He overtook his club queen with the ace, cashed dummy’s two top hearts to pitch his club losers, and ran the club jack, prepared to repeat the finesse if Mahmood covered. Mahmood ducked the club jack, but Mahaffey ran it anyway and brought home his slam.

ANSWER: This hand seems a little too good for a raise to three no-trump. The only safe way to explore is to bid three clubs, which in this context just implies doubt about strain or level. It is easy to imagine that your side has a seven-card fit that might play well in slam, or that there is a better game than three no-trump.