ACES ON BRIDGE

“Certitude is not the test of certainty.”

— Oliver Wendell Holmes .....................

South’s overcall would certainly not have been everyone’s choice, with such a poor suit at unfavorable vulnerability, but both the jump overcall and the Michaels cue-bid were even more unattractive. However, North-South almost surely would have reached four spades, come what may. Had West not raised hearts, he would have led his lowest to give count. (Here, since shortness was impossible, he led the eight.) East deceptively won his heart queen before shifting to the spade nine, on which West played the 10!

Consider the effect of this. Declarer, seeking to establish his club suit, led the club king from the dummy, East winning the ace and returning the suit. Declarer took the queen and led a low club to ruff, but how high should he ruff? Absolutely confident that West had the missing spade eight (otherwise, he might have won the ace and returned the suit, or East might have continued trumps), declarer ruffed low and lost his contract.

That was imaginative defense, first by West to withhold the spade ace, and by East not to continue trumps at trick four.

East could see the spade eight might pose an overruffing threat. Declarer should not be condemned too harshly for his losing line of play. If East had the same hand with a small diamond in place of the spade eight, the defense might have gone the same way quite easily. Declarer could not, of course, afford to play a second trump himself, lest West win and lead a third round to prevent a club ruff.

ANSWER: You should insist on game with so much distribution. While four spades might not be the best contract, it is almost impossible to bid this hand intelligently to five clubs. I would simply use a Texas Transfer by bidding four hearts. If I take a slower route, the opponents may find a sacrifice.