ACES ON BRIDGE

Modernists like South open one no-trump here because of the rebid problems after a oneclub opening, plus the desire to prevent competition in the majors. North transfers, then pushily invites game, and South accepts.

West attacks in the unbid major, choosing the spade seven, and declarer can see only seven top tricks, even if hearts split. He needs to block the spades while setting up diamonds, so he should try the spade 10 from dummy. East must cover with the queen, and now the spades are indeed blocked. To play low from dummy would see an on-form East contribute a small card, as West never would have led low from ace-king-fourth here.

Declarer wins the spade ace and advances the diamond queen, won by East. The defenders cash three spades, as declarer lets go of two clubs from his hand, along with a club and a heart from dummy. South wins the diamond exit in hand and follows the percentages in hearts (a finesse being better odds than a 3-3 break), by crossing to the diamond king to finesse the heart 10. Then he unblocks the heart ace and takes the red-suit winners plus the club ace.

West’s low spade lead was unlucky, but the real fault lies with East, who should have ducked the diamond queen. Declarer would need two diamond entries to dummy to take advantage of the heart finesse, but he would probably lead to the king rather than playing the diamond jack next, a necessary precaution if West had ace-third of diamonds.

With dummy limited to one diamond entry, hearts can no longer be brought in.