ACES ON BRIDGE

“I inherited Rome as brick and left it Marble.” — Emperor Augustus

Today’s deal comes from a bridge magazine and was created more than 60 years ago. Put yourself in South’s seat and see if you can find a way to conjure up a 12th trick from the remarkably few straws that can be put together to make a brick.

You declare six no-trump on the lead of the club jack and can see at once that you have 12 easy tricks if diamonds break. Your best subsidiary chance comes at trick one: If East wastes his ace, you will have a finesse position in clubs to allow you to come home. But no, East thoughtfully plays low, and you win your club king. You then cash the diamond ace to get the bad news. Are you going to take your ball and go home?

The winning line requires a misdefense, but when you see it, you might ask yourself if you would have fallen for it. You cross to a spade in dummy and advance the heart jack. When East covers — wouldn’t you? — you win, unblock your last heart winner and run the spades.

You reduce to a four-card ending, where West needs to keep his heart 10 and three diamonds, or concede at once. You exit with a heart, and West must win, only to be endplayed into giving you the three diamond tricks you need for your slam.

Because covering the heart jack with the king is probably right if declarer began with three hearts, it is hard to criticize East too much for failing to find the winning defense of ducking the heart jack.

ANSWER: You may be able to construct hands where four spades plays better than three no-trump, but most of those hands are ones where your partner might have raised spades, with three-card support and an open suit. In practice, you will belong in game...