ACES ON BRIDGE

North-South reached a thin game on today’s hand, when North made a light negative double, prompting South to rebid three spades. North then overbid when he added one more for the road.

When West led the heart king against four spades, declarer could see he needed to establish dummy’s diamonds for club discards, using the club ace for entry.

It seemed natural to win the heart ace and start on trumps. West took his ace and naively led out two more top hearts, declarer ruffing. Now it was child’s play to draw the remaining trumps and tackle diamonds, first leading the king out of hand to prevent the suit from blocking. 10 tricks made.

The defense should have seen the danger dummy’s diamonds would pose and attacked the club entry to dummy before the diamonds were set up. West should have played the club king after taking his spade ace. Known as the Merrimac Coup, this would force out dummy’s club ace at the cost of a trick in the suit. However, later on, East could withhold his diamond ace for one round, leaving declarer with no way to score dummy’s diamonds. He would have a club to lose at the very end.

Another, less sure defense would also have worked. If West had ducked the first spade and won his ace to play a diamond at trick four, East would in theory have been able to win his ace and shift to the club jack, dislodging dummy’s entry. Declarer would then be unable to reenter his hand to draw trumps and run the diamonds.

ANSWER: If you play double as takeout, this hand is ideal, showing a smattering of values with length in the unbid suits. I prefer double to show four spades, so I would bid two diamonds. In general, a 4-3 fit in diamonds looks like it will play fine; you cannot say that with any confidence about a 4-3 club fit. Whether or not you compete over two of a major is not clear; I would rely on partner to bid if appropriate.