aceS on bridge

“People who like this sort of thing will find it the sort of thing they like.”

-- Abraham Lincoln

The following example of a double throw-in is not especially complex, but the satisfaction that derives from being able to offer both opponents an unpalatable choice is a rich one.

If you had reached three notrump after West’s weak-two opening bid, there would have been no story of course, since nine tricks are easy enough. But in four hearts on a spade lead, you win in hand and play a heart to the ace, then take two more rounds of trumps. West exits with another top spade, which you take in dummy. What now?

Since West has nine cards in the majors, you are actually guaranteed to make your contract in very straightforward fashion. The solution is very simple: just cash the ace-king in both minor suits. If West follows twice in both minors, you can take your choice of plain-suit cards to lead now -- they all work. But if, as here, West turns up with a singleton club, you exit by leading a diamond (and vice versa).

If West is allowed to score his diamond jack, he can also cash a spade trick, but must then play another spade and allow your club loser to vanish. If East overtakes the diamond jack to cash a club, then he is left with only minor-suit cards to play, and the defenders never get their spade winner. Either way, one opponent is going to be left feeling very irritated!

ANSWER: Cue-bid three spades, planning to follow up with a bid of four diamonds over a three-no-trump rebid from your partner. You are certainly going to get to at least six diamonds, but you would like partner to take control. Your holding is much better suited for answering questions than for asking them, since your hand is all controls.