ACES ON BRIDGE

There will always be a part, and always a very large part of every community, that have no care but for themselves, and whose care for themselves reaches little further than impatience of immediate pain, and eagerness for the nearest good. — Samuel Johnson

At the NABC in Toronto last July, John Rengstorff was partnering Geoff Brod in the finals of the Von Zedtwitz Life Master Pairs.

Against four hearts, Rengstorff led a third-and-fifth diamond seven to the jack, queen and three. (Yes, the lead of the two would have avoided all subsequent problems, but that was not this partnership’s leading method.)

Brod now played the club king, ducked by declarer, then continued with the club queen instead of reverting to diamonds, though in retrospect the diamond play might have made declarer’s life more awkward. Declarer won the club ace and led a third club; Rengstorff ruffed with the six and made the key play of the diamond nine. Declarer finessed the diamond 10, playing the eight from his hand, then ran trumps to come down to a three-card ending as he led his last trump, with the diamond five and a losing club in hand. Dummy had the spade king and two diamonds, West also had two diamonds, and East had the spade ace and a master club.

On the last trump, Rengstorff and dummy each pitched their last spade. Rengstorff refrained from covering when declarer played the diamond five, so declarer had to concede the last trick to one defender or the other.

Declarer made not one but two slips at trick one. He might have played low from the board, but more to the point, he needed to unblock the diamond five! Then he would have had a diamond finesse at trick 12.