aceS on bridge

“’Tis the good reader that makes the good book.”

-- Ralph Waldo Emerson

I always appreciate receiving deals from my readers. Here is one from Orville St. Clair, who pointed out the elegance of the possibilities in the deal, which he had played in four diamonds, making 11 tricks. Let’s consider, instead, that he had been in five diamonds, to appreciate the full beauty of the play.

If you look at all four hands, you will see that there are two inescapable aces for declarer to lose in five diamonds, so the key to the deal is to avoid losing a second spade trick. After a top heart lead, declarer would like to find a way to force the defenders to open up his vulnerable suits. Remember, there is no suit that you can play to more advantage by yourself, compared to having the opponents tackle it for you.

So win the heart lead and advance the club queen. East will no doubt cover, but no matter what he does, you play the ace and ruff a club, ruff a heart, ruff a club, and ruff another heart before leading a high trump from your hand. When East wins, he could lead either a club or heart to let you pitch a spade from hand and ruff in dummy, or he can shift to a spade. You put in the 10 and this is covered by West’s jack and won by the queen. Next a spade toward the king means East will win just one spade trick, whether he takes the ace now or later.

ANSWER: You have the perfect shape and high-cards to double two hearts, although you are at the minimum end of the range. Double suggests short hearts and playability in both the unbid suits. Why rebid three diamonds when you have no guarantee of a fit? Ask partner what he has, rather than repeat your story.