aceS on bridge

Today’s deal from the 2012 NEC tournament in Yokohama shows how illogical bridge can sometimes be. Both tables reached three no-trump on the lead of the heart three. With five diamonds and two hearts in the bag, you need two more tricks. However, as soon as you lose the lead, you know a heart will come back, and you will not be able to lose the lead again without the defenders cashing out to beat you.

It looks normal to play on clubs, the long suit, and leading low toward the king-queen feels like the natural play. However, David Bakhshi won the heart, crossed to a high diamond, and instead correctly played a spade to the king. When that held, he led the club king to the ace, won the heart return, and claimed nine tricks. Even if East had won the club ace and played back a spade, declarer would have put in the 10 and the defense would surely have been able to cash at most three tricks there, since West was highly unlikely to have started with five good spades.

Of course, it wouldn’t have helped East to fly up with the spade ace at trick three (if he had the ace). And if the spade king had lost to the ace and a heart had been returned, declarer would still have come home if the spade jack was onside. Only the spade ace with West and the spade jack with East beats the hand. By contrast, playing on clubs is only a 50 percent chance.

ANSWER: I’m as much in favor of light opening bids as the next man (though maybe it depends a little on just who my neighbor is), but this is emphatically NOT a one-diamond opening bid. I hate opening bad suits in subminimum hands, and here my kings are in my short suits and I’m directing my partner to lead my worst suit. Not for me, thanks; I’ll pass and bide my time.