ACES ON BRIDGE

“The problem in defense is how far you can go without destroying from within what you are trying to defend from without.”

-- Dwight D. Eisenhower

On this deal from the final of the Baze Senior Knockout Teams in Providence, Rhode Island, last November, Matt Granovetter made a nice defensive play to earn a swing for his team.

In one room, West had led the heart king, ducked by Fred Stewart, who had set up clubs and taken the diamond finesse for nine tricks.

At the other table, Jeff Meckstroth took the opening heart lead in dummy. He played a low club at trick two, his jack losing to Granovetter’s king. At trick three, Granovetter played the spade jack, pinning Meckstroth’s singleton 10 and threatening communications between the East and West hands.

Meckstroth took the spade ace and played another club, winning the queen when Dan Morse played low. Meckstroth exited with a club to dummy’s nine and Morse’s ace. The heart nine came next. Meckstroth played the jack, and Granovetter ducked. Granovetter won the next heart with the king, cashed the heart seven and got out with a diamond. Meckstroth won the diamond king with the ace and cashed the queen, but had to give up the setting trick on the final play. North-South took two clubs, two hearts and a diamond for one down.

Double-dummy, Meckstroth could have survived West’s clever play by winning the spade and playing another club from dummy, unblocking the club queen if Morse rose with the ace. If Morse played low, Meckstroth could have won the club queen and exited with a low heart. Whether West won or ducked, there would be a route to nine tricks on careful play thereafter.

ANSWER: On the right day, a cautious pass or a somewhat distorted raise to three hearts might win out. But my preference is for a rebid of two no-trump, suggesting invitational values and no particular fit. If partner shows five hearts, you will play that suit, of course. Otherwise, no-trump looks as good as anything to me.