ACES ON BRIDGE

“Marriage is a step so grave and decisive that it attracts light-headed, variable men by its very awfulness.”

— Robert Louis Stevenson

West is in the action on today’s deal, but North brushes aside the one-heart overcall with an unassuming cue-bid, showing at least invitational values and club support. South rebids two notrump, and North raises to game.

Realizing that he holds all of his side’s assets, West seeks to establish his own long suit with the heart-eight lead. Since he is the player with the entries, he should reject a spade lead, as that is unlikely to succeed unless partner has six spades or five pretty good ones. It seems natural for declarer to run the opening lead to his hand, ensuring two tricks in the suit, but to do so would allow

West to clear the suit from his side of the table by pinning the queen when he next obtains the lead. Since declarer has to give up two clubs in order to reach nine tricks, he should call for the heart queen from dummy. This way, if West has the club ace-king, he will not be able to force three heart winners. The heart eight looks a lot like fourth highest after all, doesn’t it?

So declarer puts up the heart queen and plays on clubs. West takes the first club and can do little else but continue hearts from the top. However, declarer has two stoppers remaining with his ace-10-low, and he can easily develop the clubs. The same play would be necessary if dummy had jack-doubleton of hearts, or even if declarer had king-10-low-low in hearts opposite jack-doubleton, with West having all the entries.