ACES ON BRIDGE
South’s balancing double of one spade followed by the two-heart call suggests a good hand, but not necessarily a great one. He rates to be in the 15-18 range with five or more hearts, so he certainly has enough in hand to accept North’s invitation to game.
When West starts with three rounds of spades against four hearts, South ruffs the third and must make a plan. Since East has produced the spade queen, declarer knows he is unlikely to have much else in the way of high cards.
Declarer’s task is to limit his minor-suit losses to one trick. If he could count on the diamond finesse to win, he could simply concede a club. But the diamond king is almost certainly in the West hand.
The better plan is therefore to try to develop two diamond tricks in dummy for the discard of
South’s two low clubs. At trick four, South should lead the diamond three from hand. If West wins his king, declarer is almost home. He unblocks diamonds, then draws trumps ending in dummy to cash two more rounds of diamonds and pitch his clubs.
If West can steel himself to duck his diamond king, which would be the best defense today, declarer must still reckon with the possible two club losers. He should cash the club ace and king and lead a third round of clubs.
If the clubs break 3-3, declarer is home free. If the clubs split 4-2, declarer can arrange to ruff his fourth club high in dummy.
ANSWER: This is basically the same auction as in today’s deal; however, the takeout doubler is in direct seat, not balancing seat, so his call guarantees a better hand than in that auction. (A balancing double starts a king lower in the protective seat.) So you should drive to game now; either cue-bid two spades or just jump to four hearts.