THE ACES ON BRIDGE

“The blazing evidence of immortality is our dissatisfaction with any other solution.” -- Ralph Waldo Emerson

Today’s deal came from a correspondent who supplied me with his missed chance for immortality, as usual identified a day too late.

West’s bid of three clubs was an improvisation, designed to confuse, and in a sense he was right; his side had a cheap sacrifice in spades, but the question was whether five hearts would make.

My correspondent ducked the opening spade lead, hoping East would contribute the ace; when this failed, he drew trumps in two rounds and ruffed out spades for a diamond discard. However, the 5-0 club break was too much for him, and he ended up losing three tricks in the minors. It was only on the next day that one of his opponents pointed out that he had missed his chance.

When the chance at trick one failed, declarer should have used trump entries to ruff out the spade ace, and then pitched a club -- not a diamond -- on the top spade. Since East was almost guaranteed to have 5- 2- 1- 5 shape, he must therefore have a singleton diamond honor, given West’s failure to lead a top diamond at trick one. So the play is to exit from dummy with a small diamond, felling East’s ace, then ruff the spade return and play a second diamond, catching West in a Morton’s Fork coup. If he takes his diamond king, there are two discards for the clubs; if not, the only losers are a club and a diamond.

ANSWER: These days, Leaping Michaels is a popular treatment after your opponents open with a weak two-bid. Here a jump to four clubs would show clubs and a major, which would seem ideal. However, you need a better hand than this to take such action. A simple call of two spades (hoping to get another chance) is the most sensible course of action.