ACES ON BRIDGE

At his first turn, East has cuebids available in each minor and is close to a three-diamond call to show a good spade raise. (It is best to use the highest available cuebid below partner’s suit to show this.) The other cue-bid should show length in the fourth suit, with at least a sound invitation in high cards.

For some pairs, two no-trump does not promise many high cards. South elects to leap to game anyway, as a two-way shot. It could make, or it could prove a worthwhile sacrifice, and it forces EastWest into an immediate guess.

West leads the spade king against five clubs, and declarer sees that he must get rid of his spade loser at once. He wins the ace and plays three rounds of diamonds, East ruffing the last one small. Declarer overruffs, returns to dummy with a heart ruff and ruffs the long diamond good. A further heart ruff follows, with West unable to ruff high lest dummy’s spade go away; then comes the fifth diamond. Whatever happens, declarer intends to discard his spade. East can ruff with the club king, or West can ruff it small, but then the high trumps will fall on the same trick. Either way, the three defensive winners collapse into two. Declarer can later ruff dummy’s spade in hand.

The position would not be the same if East began with three trumps and four or five hearts. East could ruff the fifth diamond small, holding the trick, and give West a heart ruff, allowing the defenders to score their trumps separately.

“Surrender is essentially an operation by means of which we set about explaining instead of acting.”

— Charles Peguy

ANSWER: Partner has guaranteed at least six hearts, so four hearts is likely to be the best game. You may want to play in four spades facing a doubleton, but unless you have a waiting move available, such as a forcing two no-trump, it will be difficult to find a fit there. Four hearts is the more practical call.