ACES ON BRIDGE

Better is the life of a poor man in a mean cottage, than delicate fare in another man’s house.

— Book of Ecclesiasticus

Let’s see how the field played a ticklish four-heart game in the quarterfinals of the 2002 women’s World Championships in Montreal. In one match, each South received the defense of three rounds of spades. One declarer ruffed and took the diamond finesse, then played a heart to the king — down one. In the other room, South ruffed the third spade and played a heart to the ace, then eventually a heart to the king. So both also lost two trump tricks. In each of the other three matches, one table succeeded, and one failed. Heather Dhondy received the defense of three rounds of spades. She ruffed in hand and took a diamond finesse, then led the heart ace and another heart to the nine. Success! Catherine D’Ovidio played four hearts as North on the less-testing defense of the spade aceking, followed by a club shift. She finessed in diamonds, then safety-played hearts to make the hand. Disa Eythorsdottir also declared four hearts as North after a Precision auction. That defense also led two top spades and shifted to a club. Eythorsdottir cashed the club ace-king to pitch her spade, took the diamond finesse, then decided she could afford the safety play in hearts to bring home her game. At the other table in that match, Valerie Westheimer (as East) led the spade tops and deviously shifted to the diamond three, trying to look like a player with a singleton. Declarer could hardly be blamed for cashing the heart king and ace. Down one!

ANSWER: It is close, but I would raise to two spades. If you do not support partner now, but instead rebid your diamonds, it is possible you may miss a spade fit, either lingering in the wrong part-score or even missing a game. A hand with three trumps and a ruffing value is almost as good for suit play as a balanced hand with four trumps.