ACES ON BRIDGE

“To give an accurate and exhaustive account of that period would need a far less brilliant pen than mine.”

— Max Beerbohm

Today’s hand was played by Richard Budd and written up by Richard Colker. It was justly nominated for an IBPA award.

Budd bid a practical four spades over East’s heart preempt, doubled by West, who led the heart three — which Budd could read as a singleton. Declarer won the ace and led out the spade queen. The spade king was surely not singleton in either hand, and this might force a beneficial switch from West if that player had all the outstanding trumps.

West took the spade king and exited safely with the club king. Had declarer now won the ace, pitching a heart, he would have gone down. It is often better to keep a major tenace than a minor one, so Budd played low from dummy and ruffed in hand before placing West back on lead with trump ace and another trump.

West now found himself lacking an exit card. A club continuation would cede two tricks to dummy’s ace-jack, while a low diamond would allow declarer to steal a trick and an entry by putting up the diamond 10.

That defense would at least require declarer to guess, though, as inserting dummy’s eight would be necessary if East had been dealt jack-three doubleton.

West tried the diamond ace, but Budd was not about to fall at the final hurdle. He unblocked an honor to endplay West a third time. Declarer won the diamond continuation with dummy’s 10 and finally pitched his heart on dummy’s club ace. West’s double, albeit reasonable, had painted the picture for declarer.

ANSWER: A double would be for takeout, inviting partner to bid four spades almost whenever he had length there. You would not particularly relish that here, and your defensive potential against four hearts doubled would be questionable if partner were to pass. You could argue for going quietly — and though I would double reluctantly, I might pass opposite a passed hand. Whatever you do, make up your mind fast so you don’t bar partner.