ACES ON BRIDGE

“Patience is not passive; on the contrary, it is active; it is concentrated strength.” -- Sir Edward Bulwer Lytton

When North bid three diamonds after his partner transferred to hearts, it showed a non-minimum with heart fit. That got South to four hearts, against which West led his singleton trump. That turned out to be his least damaging lead.

Declarer next led out a second high trump, discovering the 3-1 break. He ran the club jack to West, who was now caught in an endplay. If he returned a club, declarer would get a free finesse. If West instead returned a diamond, declarer would let it ride around to his queen. West chose the least of the evils by leading the ace and another spade.

Declarer could now infer that West has the missing club honor, or he would surely have exited in clubs. He could reach dummy with a third round of trumps, to ruff the spade jack in hand. Next he cashed the club ace and threw West in once more with a third round of clubs.

Caught in a second endplay, West could no longer get out safely. If he led another spade, dummy would ruff while South discarded his losing diamond. It is for this reason that dummy must still hold a trump when the endplay takes place. This in turn explains why declarer left a trump outstanding at trick four when he took the first club finesse.

Since West knew that a spade return would be absolutely hopeless, he finally had to open up diamonds in the four-card ending, and South could run the lead to his queen and claim 10 tricks.

ANSWER: Your partner has shown the equivalent of an Acol Two opening: eight to nine playing tricks in hearts. This is not 100 percent forcing, but the next best thing to it, and despite your notable lack of high cards, your doubleton club and spades are just enough to raise your partner to game. Don’t expect any overtricks.