ACES ON BRIDGE

This hand demonstrates another opportunity for simple deception by declarer. On this one, he throws away a trick to encourage a continuation.

West leads the spade four against three no-trump, and South can see that he has avoided the most penetrating defense but is still not out of the woods. He can maximize his chances for the contract by winning the spade ace and cold-bloodedly throwing the queen underneath it! East’s spade eight is conveniently ambiguous, and West will have to find a good insight into South’s devious mind to get the play right at trick three when he is in with the club king. As the cards lie, he must switch to a heart when he wins his king if he is to set the game.

Perhaps West could reason that East cannot have four spades, since with J-9-8-3, he would drop the nine, not the eight, at trick one. West might therefore infer the spade position and declarer’s reason for the play. Yes, one should trust one’s partner, not declarer, but not every partner is capable of drawing such delicate inferences.

You should also note that if West has three clubs to the king, he might be able to outwit declarer anyway, by ducking the first club. Then he would get to see a discard from his partner, which would probably be a discouraging diamond. A Smith Echo (East’s trick-two card being attitude for a spade continuation) is unlikely to help in this situation, with the honor position known.

ANSWER: Jump to four spades. Trump fillers and quick tricks outside are useful opposite a pre-emptive call. Your long clubs could easily set up, and you do not appear to have three quick losers. Your raise to game might even give West a problem if he is looking at a decent hand with hearts; he does not know whether your action is strong or pre-emptive.