ACES ON BRIDGE

The Dyspeptics Club membership changes as time passes, but one thing that remains constant is South’s capacity to pick up strong hands. Indeed, when a member had been away for six months, he said that he didn’t feel quite at home until he walked through the door and heard South pick up his cards and open two no-trump.

In today’s deal, South barreled his way to the best game when North found a temporizing call at his second turn and thereby uncovered the spade fit. Against four spades, the diamond jack was led to the ace. Declarer cashed the two top trumps, and when he found the bad news, started running the clubs, discarding hearts from dummy. East carefully pitched a diamond on the third club, but ruffed the fourth and drew another round of trumps, leaving declarer with just nine tricks.

As North pointed out, East had indeed defended well by delaying ruffing in, but South should not have given the defenders the chance to make such a nice play.

A far better approach would have been to take just one top spade, then to lead a heart to the queen. East can win and play a second diamond. But declarer ruffs, cashes the spade king, then plays a club to the queen, ruffs another diamond and now runs the clubs.

Dummy can discard its last diamond on the third club, and regardless of when East ruffs in, declarer will take 10 tricks.

ANSWER: You should not pass now. Yes, you have an uninspiring hand, but remember, you passed one club. Your partner won’t imagine you have more than five points, and probably not a long suit, either. Once you limited your hand so violently at your first turn, you are worth a call of two spades, now that partner has invited you back to the party.