ACES ON BRIDGE

Steve Weinstein and Bobby Levin won the 2007 Cavendish pairs, one of their triumphs coming when Weinstein played three no-trump on a top spade lead (ducked) and a top spade continuation, both East and North discarding hearts. Declarer Weinstein won, advanced the heart 10 (ducked) and then cleared clubs. East took the third round as West unhelpfully threw two spades away.

Since East-West were playing reverse signals, West could have played the heart four with either a singleton or a doubleton. If South had begun with a 4=2=2=5 shape, attacking diamonds (leading the queen at some point to pin the jack) would leave declarer with only eight tricks, but any other defense would allow him to establish the hearts.

However, if declarer had a 4=1=3=5 pattern, a low diamond now would leave declarer unable to unravel his tricks, and dummy would wind up being endplayed to continue diamonds. Note that ducking the second club was vital on this layout.

East had several indications to help him get this right, as well as some to steer him wrong. Weinstein was much more likely to have two-card support for his partner’s suit than only a singleton to justify forcing to game on an 11-count, and West might have pitched a heart to clarify the count there if he had another. Also, if declarer really had only one heart, wouldn’t he have played a second heart when in dummy after the second club?

When East returned a low diamond, Weinstein put up the jack and knocked out the heart ace, after which he could claim nine tricks.

ANSWER: Open three spades when non-vulnerable, aiming to get in the opponents’ way as much as possible. A few hotheads might even open four spades at favorable vulnerability since the extra shape and lack of defense make this a more offensively oriented hand. When vulnerable, I would chicken out and pass, feeling that the hand is not strong enough to open three and just wrong for a two-spade opener.