ACES ON BRIDGE

Today’s deal comes from the Common Game, but I have changed a spot card to focus the point of the hand. It is from a pairs game played all over the U.S.

The auction was highly unusual, with North lying in the bushes at his second turn, apparently prepared to play three clubs facing a weak hand, then driving to slam in no-trump when South showed four spades and a maximum pass.

West did well to lead a diamond, and declarer won in hand to lead a heart to the king. When it held, he cashed the club ace and king; and when West showed out, South decided that West was very unlikely to be short in spades. He made the excellent decision to cross to hand with the spade queen and lead a second heart. This time,

West won the heart ace and continued the accurate defense by returning a diamond. That meant declarer was reduced to just one re-entry to hand, and thus had to commit himself in spades right now. All declarer knew was that West had six hearts and one club and had led high then low in diamonds. But since the spots in diamonds had suggested that West had a doubleton and East had five, declarer took his life in his own hands and advanced the spade nine, running it when West played low.

Had West covered the spade nine, declarer would have been able to cross to the club jack and take the marked finesse in spades to bring home the slam without any guesswork. South

?

ANSWER: One of the old wives’ tales that still circulates from time to time is that a two-no-trump opener must have every suit properly guarded. The problem is that the only way to show a balanced 21-count is to open two no-trump. If you do anything else, you cannot accurately describe your hand at your second turn.

BOBBY WOLFF