ACES ON BRIDGE

“The universe is not hostile, nor yet is it friendly. It is simply indifferent.”

— John Haynes Holmes

Forcing passes can occasionally be set up at low levels, usually when your side has established the balance of power. Here is an example of a low-level penalty double setting up a forcing pass.

When South doubles the no-trump overcall, which establishes that his side has more than half the deck, North-south cannot pass the hand out at the two-level in a suit below opener’s suit. West runs to two clubs, and North passes, denying a penalty double. South must bid now. He chooses two spades, promptly giving it one more for the road when North raises.

Declarer wins the lead of the diamond queen in dummy and tries to establish his long side suit by leading to the diamond king and ruffing the third round with dummy’s spade eight. If East were to overruff and return a trump, declarer would win the spade king, preserving dummy’s ace, then ruff the fourth diamond and give up a club.

East does better to discard on the third diamond, preserving his trump length. Declarer should then come to hand with the club queen (it does East no good to take his ace and set up an extra winner for declarer) and ruff a fourth diamond low. East can overruff if he wishes, or he can discard and let South unblock the spade ace. Declarer can eventually ruff something to hand, then cash the spade king-queen, putting nine tricks in the bank. He next plays his long diamond, scoring his 10th trick with the last trump when East finally ruffs in.

ANSWER: Re-raise to at least three hearts — indeed, unless at unfavorable vulnerability, consider bidding four hearts. Your lack of high cards doesn’t matter. With three-card support, a singleton and useful combining honors in a side suit, you certainly have enough playing strength to raise. Even if you cannot make anything, try to hinder the opposition; they surely have play for game in spades.