THE ACES ON BRIDGE

“Aye, you’re neither one thing nor yet quite t’other. Pity, but there ‘tis.” -- Eloise Jarvis McGraw .....................

Today’s deal comes from a headto-head match, where both declarers faced the identical lead in their game contract of four spades, after West had produced a vulnerable two-level overcall.

The unsuccessful declarer thought he saw the danger of this hand coming from the possibility that the defenders might get diamond ruffs -- and he was right, but not in the way he had predicted. He imagined he was playing safely by rising with the diamond ace to protect against West’s having a singleton. He discovered his mistake when East ruffed away the diamond ace and led a heart to his partner, cashed the diamond king, and gave East a second diamond ruff, for down one.

The second declarer knew that West was a heavy favorite to hold the heart ace, so he was not worried about East’s giving his partner two diamond ruffs. So he put in the diamond jack at the first trick. This turned out to be equally disastrous when East ruffed, crossed to the heart ace, and saw West play back the diamond king. Dummy had to cover, and East ruffed again, leaving West with the diamond 10-8 and a sure diamond winner. Down one again!

Declarer could have virtually ensured his contract by playing low from dummy at trick one. All he is relying on is that West has the heart ace. If that is so, then no matter how the diamonds lie, the defenders can take only three tricks.