ACES ON BRIDGE

In today’s deal, declarer combines his chances skillfully; he is rewarded when the favorite would fall, but the dark horse comes in.

Many would pass South’s hand in first chair. But the vulnerability tempts him to try to push the opponents around, since there is a good chance that it is the opponents’ deal. Not today: North raises the preempt to game, and all South has managed to do is get the contract played by the weak hand. Had South passed, North would have opened two no-trump and declared the hand after a transfer sequence. So South had better make his game or feel his partner’s wrath.

The defenders begin by taking two top clubs and a club ruff, then getting off play with a trump. South needs the rest now, and game seems to depend on the heart finesse, but South should not neglect his second chance of ruffing out the diamond king and establishing the queen.

Instead of drawing a second round of trumps at once, declarer should start on the diamonds. He cashes the diamond ace and ruffs a diamond high, then returns to dummy with a trump to ruff another diamond. Luck is with South, since the diamond king falls. Had it not dropped, declarer would have fallen back on the heart finesse.

A good player should always be on the alert for free extra chances. The odds may be slim on setting up the diamond queen, but South loses nothing by trying, since he can fall back on the heart finesse if nothing wonderful happens in diamonds.

“Will is to grace as the horse is to the rider.”

— Saint Augustine of Hippo

ANSWER: It looks like the hearts are breaking, and the spade and diamond honors do not appear to be lying badly for declarer. So now is the moment to go active with a club lead. This is an exception to the rule of not leading from kings: When nothing else is attractive, take your only chance.