ACES ON BRIDGE

This may seem like a “heads I win, tails you lose” hand, but it is often easy to overlook sure- trick lines. Will you fall into the trap?

When West overcalled one spade over South’s one- heart opener, North judged that a negative double was his best way to compete. East made a pre- emptive jump raise, and South competed to four diamonds, allowing North to convert to four hearts.

South knew that his partner likely held only a doubleton heart, since North would have raised his partner directly with three hearts. But he had no reason to overrule his partner.

When South ruffed away the spade king at trick one, he could see the real risk of

The person who goes farthest is generally the one who is willing to do and dare. The sure- thing boat never gets far from shore. — Dale Carnegie

his being forced. His next move was to cash the diamond ace and king, then exit with a third diamond, taken by West with the queen as East pitched a club. West persisted with a second spade, ruffed by South again, which left East with the long trump. South could not draw that trump now, but he had a neat alternative approach, thanks to dummy’s heart spots.

After ruffing the second spade, he trumped one of his established diamonds in dummy. Then he returned to hand with the club ace, ruffed his last diamond, and still had three trump tricks in hand to bring his total to 10 tricks.

Incidentally, if West had returned a trump at trick five, declarer would have drawn trumps, then cashed the long diamonds and club ace to come to 10 tricks a different way.

ANSWER: Your partner’s three- heart call suggests length there, so your hand should fi t your partner well. Your ace in the side suit is bound to be useful, and your fourth trump and useful doubleton in hearts should be enough to jump to four spades. You may have a minimum in high cards, but not all minimums are created equal.