THE ACES ON BRIDGE

“It is a folly to expect men to do all that they may reasonably be expected to do.” -- Archbishop Whately .....................

The 2010 Richard Freeman Junior Deal of the Year prize went to Carole Puillet of France for her play of today’s deal during the European Junior Pairs in Opatija, Croatia, and originally written up by Brian Senior of England.

The defense to two hearts began with three rounds of diamonds, which saw East ruff low and South overruff. A low club to dummy’s ace allowed Puillet to play the heart queen, and when that held, a second heart drew trump.

She now knew that West had started with eight red cards. If clubs broke 3-3, then declarer could play king and another club. The defense would now either have to broach spades, giving declarer a winner in that suit, or give a ruff and discard. However, if clubs were 4-2 or worse, then East, the likely length holder, would return the suit, and declarer would probably have three spade losers.

There was a small extra chance, which Puillet spotted. Hoping that one player had started with precisely the doubleton club queen, she exited with the club nine. That was West’s holding; so at the next trick she had no option but to play a spade, hoping that East held the king and jack. No joy there.

Note that had clubs broken 3-3, then on winning South’s club nine, the defense could have returned a club to the king. But under these circumstances, West could only have held two spades; therefore, leading toward the spade queen would have held declarer’s spade losers to two.