ACES ON BRIDGE

“Every public action which is not customary, either is wrong, or if it right, is a dangerous precedent. It follows that nothing should ever be done for the first time.”

— F.M. Cornford

In today’s deal, East-West did well not to sacrifice in five diamonds, which should certainly go at least two down, and might fare even worse from the East seat on an unlikely heart lead. East’s double of two spades showed cards but no obvious call, and West decided to take his chances on defense — a wise choice, with four spades a delicate contract.

When West quite naturally tried to cash two rounds of diamonds, South seized his opportunity by ruffing, then making the critical play of finessing hearts and eliminating that suit. Then he exited in trumps, and East was endplayed with his bare ace. He was forced to concede a ruff-sluff — in which declarer would pitch a club from hand and ruff in dummy — or lead a club himself, his actual choice.

That would have been good enough to set the game if the three and 10 of clubs were switched, but as it was, when West won his club king, he had no choice but to return a club, and declarer could claim the rest.

If a trump is led or a trump shift comes after the lead of the diamond king gets a count signal from East, the endplay no longer works. Declarer’s best play is to eliminate the red suits, then lead the club jack from dummy. This will work if either defender holds both the club king and queen or if West has a doubleton club king or queen. Of course, we have all seen sleepy defenders fail to cover an honor with an honor when they should ...

ANSWER: Another thorny problem! Does a takeout double of two spades focus on the minors ( because you’d bid hearts if you had them)? I think so, but I’d expect my partner to bid three clubs if he has both minors, at which point my correction to three diamonds must show hearts and diamonds — since I would have bid three diamonds the round before with just that suit.