ACES ON BRIDGE

Absence of occupation is not rest, A mind quite vacant is a mind distressed.

— William Cowper

West’s two-heart opening challenged North here. He doubled, then cue-bid over South’s two no-trump, a Lebensohl puppet to three clubs. South obediently bid three no-trump.

West reasonably might have led his own suit. Had South volunteered a notrump bid, there might have been an inference of his holding heart length, but West still might have hoped the suit could be set up painlessly. Still, his actual choice of the club 10 was both imaginative and potentially more rewarding.

Declarer finessed the club queen, East ducking to try to shut that suit out. Declarer’s next move was a low spade off the deck. East chose to split his honors and shifted to his heart. Winning in hand with the ace, declarer led a spade to the king and ace, then cashed the club ace and three rounds of diamonds, extracting

East’s exit cards. Then he ducked a diamond to East, meanwhile discarding his last spade.

East could cash a second diamond and his club king but then had to lead spades into dummy’s tenace for nine tricks.

It might seem East can beat the contract by winning the first club and returning the heart 10. Playing the ace is clearly hopeless, but similarly, if South puts in the jack, West prevails by winning and returning his remaining heart honor! South is given a second heart trick but has lost his entry to the clubs. That isn’t the end of the story, though; at trick two, South can duck the heart 10! Now the defense is over.

ANSWER: Your partner has transferred to spades, but you should bid four clubs rather than accept the transfer.You have a maximum with excellent support for spades, so show this with a cue-bid. If partner cooperates with four hearts, you can check for key-cards. If not, you can subside in four spades, having gotten the hand off your chest.