THE ACES ON BRIDGE

“Pride is a tricky, glorious, double-edged feeling.” -- Adrienne Rich ..................... This hand was reported as a missed opportunity rather than as a play actually found, suggesting it was too difficult to find at the table, though these things are often easier on paper than in real life. When this hand occurred in the Blue Ribbon pairs a few years ago, East’s weak two-spade bid provoked his opponents into overbidding to game.

In the typical auction shown here, South’s three-club bid showed values (without them he would have bid two notrump), and North then drove to three no-trump. South ducked the lead of the spade 10 and won the next spade. His natural play was to finesse the club queen, lay down the ace, and play a third round of clubs, achieving his aim of setting up the clubs without letting East get the lead.

However, at the end of trick two, West could perhaps have foreseen the location of all the high cards. What would have happened if West had contributed the club 10 on the first round of the suit?

Declarer knows that he is safe if this is a true card from the K-J-10; but what if West has K-10 doubleton? In that case, playing clubs from the top would let East win the third round of clubs and cash his spades. Therefore, South may well decide to duck the second club to keep East off lead. Of course, if South makes this play, East wins the club jack and can cash out for one down.