THE ACES ON BRIDGE

“I am glad daylong for the gift of song, For time and change and sorrow; For the sunset wings and the worldend things

Which hang on the edge of tomorrow.” -- William Braithwaite .....................

In Scotland’s match against the Netherlands in the 2002 European Championships, Derek Diamond opened two hearts to show a weak two-suiter. It reached four hearts in two bids, freezing the opponents out altogether.

When Jan Jansma led the club king, Louk Verhees contributed the nine, using upside-down signals. With declarer known to have 10 cards in two suits, East was trying to show his five-card suit. (By contrast, the play of the club queen would have suggested a high card in spades.)

When Jansma misread the position and played another club, Diamond ruffed, then played a heart to the jack. Verhees took his ace and returned his second trump. Declarer continued with ace and another diamond. In with the king, East returned a spade. South was sure, from the lack of a spade switch at trick two, that West held the king, so he played low and brought home his contract.

If West switches to a diamond at trick two, he should defeat the contract. Does declarer have any chance? Yes, but not a good one. He does best to rise with dummy’s ace, followed by leading the heart jack, trying to look like a man about to take a trump finesse.

If this fools East into playing low, declarer can ruff out the clubs and endplay East to lead spades for him. However, East does best to rise with the heart ace, cash his diamond king, then return a trump. He thus avoids the endplay and leaves South with a spade loser.