THE ACES ON BRIDGE

“Oh, how shall I help to right the world that is going wrong!

And what can I do to hurry the promised time of peace!” -- Richard Gilder .....................

When you hold a long strong major facing a balanced hand, the nine-trick game may prove easier to make. Today’s deal was just such an example though one can hardly blame North here for insisting on playing hearts, after East’s two-diamond bid, which was explained as weak with diamonds, often only a five-card suit nonvulnerable.

In four hearts, declarer won the lead of the diamond king, drew trump, and played a club. When West had the ace and East did not have both spade honors, declarer had no real chances left.

South should have ducked the diamond king at trick one, the right play even if the lead was a singleton. If West switches to a club and East has the ace, that player can continue with the diamond queen, but declarer ducks again. Then he ruffs the diamond continuation and, after drawing trump, discards dummy’s two spades on his diamond ace and club king.

Best defense after the diamond king holds is to switch to a spade to the king and ace. Declarer draws trump with the jack and queen of hearts, and plays another diamond. East must split his honors so declarer wins the ace and gives up a diamond to East’s queen, establishing a trick for his seven. If West did not find the spade switch earlier, declarer is now home. If West did switch to a spade at trick two, East can play another spade now, but declarer should guess this correctly by running it to dummy’s nine.