ACES ON BRIDGE

(The pragmatic method is) the attitude of looking away from first things, principles, ‘categories,’ supposed necessities; and of looking towards last things, fruits, consequences, facts.

— William

James When the World Youth Bridge Team Championships started exactly a year ago today in China, Phillip Alder pointed out that on the first board of each session, players often aren’t warmed up; while on the last they are in a hurry to dash out and score. But Giovanni Donati of Italy proved that he needed no wake-up call.

Against four hearts, West’s lead of the spade king went to the ace. Donati led the club nine to the jack and ace. When West shifted to the heart jack, South took that with his king and played a diamond to the seven and nine. Back came a spade, ruffed in dummy, and now declarer made the key play, leading dummy’s diamond king. When East covered, Donati ruffed, drew trumps and conceded a diamond to East’s jack to make his game.

Why did Donati find this play? Bridge at this level is played with screens bisecting the table, and on his side of the screen

East had paused over four hearts. Clearly, he was thinking about making a penalty double. Since he did not have a trump stack, the only reason to justify that decision would be good diamonds.

Finally, did you notice that East could still have set the game, even after declarer’s excellent decision? The contract still would have gone down if East had not covered the diamond king with his ace. Then, if declarer had drawn trumps, he would have lost one club and three diamonds. Alternatively, if he had tried to ruff another diamond in hand, West would have been able to overruff declarer.

ANSWER: Lead the club five. Dummy is prepared for a diamond lead, given his drive to slam. There is a good chance declarer’s clubs are going to be discarded on the heart suit.Your best hope may be to attack clubs, and if so, your best shot is to lead a low one. If partner does not have the king, you must hope he has the queen with the king in dummy, and that declarer guesses wrong at trick one.