ACES ON BRIDGE

In today's deal from the 1998 Mcconnell Cup, essentially the women's world championships, a tough grand slam went down every time it was reached.

When Doris Fischer and Terry Weigkricht bid to seven no-trump, South won the opening club lead in hand (maybe not the best line as the cards lay) and cashed the heart kingqueen, hoping to be able to claim. The 4-1 break offside was fatal.

As the cards lie, the unnatural route to success is to unblock the diamond king at trick two and then cash one top heart (in case they are 5-0). Then run spades, discarding a club from hand. Two rounds of hearts ending in the South hand will then be more than West can bear.

In the other room after a diamond lead, declarer had a far easier task (though she mistimed the play and went down). Test hearts with the kingqueen, take one more diamond, pitching a heart from dummy, and cash the spades. Once West has shown only three major-suit cards, the minor-suit squeeze is heavily favored to succeed. Cash the heart ace, and West concedes. If West has the long spades, though, you might instead play for a heart-club squeeze on East.

At a third table, South bid to the grand slam in hearts. On the play of the heart king, West followed with the heart eight while East dropped the seven. Declarer knew one of the defenders was up to something, but she could not tell which one, and hearts could have been 3-2 all along. She too took a second top honor from dummy and went down.

ANSWER: Pass. Without a fit for partner's suit, and with only two aces, you cannot hope to make much. In three no-trump, you would probably be unable to set up the diamonds since the suit would likely be blocked. Partner probably lacks the side-suit strength for four hearts or five diamonds to be any better than a finesse — and it might be much worse.

“Most of our misfortunes are more supportable than the comments of our friends upon them.”

— Charles Colton