aces on bridge

“Every advantage in the past is judged in the light of the final issue.”

— Demosthenes

Today’s deal from Kansas City, Missouri, last year was initially reported by Daniel Korbel. Boye Brogeland on Richie Schwartz’s squad, partnering with Espen Lindqvist, was declarer, against John Diamond’s team.

Against five diamonds doubled, Kevin Bathurst led the fifth-highest spade two, to Justin Lall’s ace, ruffed. Brogeland unblocked the heart ace, crossed to the diamond king and ran the heart queen to East’s king, West and dummy both pitching spades.

After Lall returned a club — as good as anything, since declarer was planning to ruff a spade himself — Brogeland took his king and advanced the diamond jack, covered by the queen and ace.

Brogeland now paused to count the defenders’ hands. The combination of the play in spades and diamonds meant that West had started with precisely 5=1=4=3 pattern. Brogeland crossed to the club ace, ruffed a spade and cashed the club queen.

Though West had more trumps than either declarer or dummy, including the master 10, he had no answer when declarer played the heart jack. If West discarded, so would dummy, then South would continue playing top hearts. If West ruffed low, declarer would overruff in dummy and run clubs, holding West to one more trick. If West ruffed high and led a trump, dummy would be high.

That meant the Schwartz team had plus 550, for a 4-IMP gain, since five clubs had been bid and made at the other table. Had Brogeland not made his game, the Schwartz team would have lost the match.

ANSWER: Traditionally, your two-diamond cue-bid is forcing to suit agreement. This means that (for example) if you raised two hearts to three hearts here, it would be non-forcing. If, however, you bid two spades, that is natural and forcing for one round. Your partner could make a non-forcing call of two no-trump or three spades, but you will drive to game one way or another.