ACES ON BRIDGE

“As often as a study is cultivated by narrow minds, they will draw from it narrow conclusions.” — John Stuart Mill

In today’s deal, South’s three-diamond rebid showed extra values. When North agreed spades, South cue-bid his diamond control, prompting North to ask for key cards and then make a grand slam try. With the filling heart queen, two extra diamond tricks and the spade jack to boot, South reasonably bid seven rather than showing his king.

West found the incisive lead of a club, removing the late entry to dummy. Now declarer could not hope to bring the hearts in unless they were 3-3. Still, the original declarer pinned his hopes on a heart split. He unblocked the heart queen and then played the spade king and spade ace before cashing top hearts for club discards. If the hearts stood up, he could ruff a diamond for contract. This line would work if hearts split evenly or if a defender with four hearts held the missing trump(s). Alas, East ruffed the third heart, and the contract failed.

It must be better to play for ruffs in dummy, which merely requires a few reasonable splits. Declarer should cash the top diamonds for club discards, then ruff a club and return to the heart queen. Next, he ruffs another club before throwing a diamond on the heart ace. Then comes the spade ace, followed by another heart. Left with kingqueen-jack-seven in trumps, declarer might have to guess how high to ruff if East were to follow suit. It would seem logical to ruff high, hoping spades will split. However, when East discards, declarer can ruff low, and the contract is safe.

ANSWER: You have too much for two hearts, and the spade support is too good (and the heart intermediates too weak) for three hearts. The most flexible call is to start with two clubs. It is unlikely you will miss game if it is passed, and the call leaves space for your partner to do whatever he wants next. In situations like this, making an economical call tends to facilitate bidding game or slam.