ACES ON BRIDGE

If people do not believe that mathematics is simple, it is only because they do not realize how complicated life is. — John von Neumann

Steve Bloom is one of the best players you may not have heard of. Steve is a professor of mathematics in New York and rarely plays outside the national tournaments.

This is a deal where he asked me and my readers to plan the play in three notrump on the lead of the diamond three. Since you may need two entries to develop the clubs, it seems natural to win the diamond in hand, then play the ace and another club. If the defenders hold up, cross to the diamond queen and drive out the club king. What could go wrong?

Well, maybe the defenders will win the second club and lead a heart, removing your entry to your ninth trick. It won’t necessarily be obvious to them to win that second club, but if they do, the winning defense should be easy.

So maybe you should win the diamond queen and start on clubs, cashing the ace, then overtaking the club jack if West plays low? This works if clubs are 3-3, the club nine is doubleton, or if West started with king doubleton — reasonable, but hardly a guaranteed route to success.

Let’s start again. Win the diamond in hand and advance the club jack. If it is ducked, cash the club ace, cross to the diamond queen and clear clubs, then claim nine tricks. If they win the club jack and lead a heart, you win, cross to the diamond queen, then come back to the club ace to cash the diamond king before returning to dummy in spades and running the clubs.

ANSWER: I’m always reluctant to go past three no-trump by raising a (possibly dubious) minor suit. I think temporizing with three diamonds has a lot to recommend it. If partner bids three hearts or three spades, you can bid three no-trump; if he bids three no-trump, you will pass. In such auctions, partner will be aware that you may give false preference to keep the auction low.