ACES ON BRIDGE

Opening lead: Diamond king

I am tired. Everyone’s tired of my turmoil.

— Robert Lowell

In today’s deal South was a solid performer, but one who believed that the cards always conspired to gang up against him. After he had finished declaring four hearts here, he could add another plaint to his long litany of woes. Was he entitled to whine? You be the judge.

Against his game, West led out the three top diamonds. South ruffed and announced he was not going to risk a defensive ruff. So saying, he led out the heart ace and jack. West ducked this, and now declarer found himself in trouble. If he played a third trump, West would win and force dummy with more diamonds, whereas if he played on the side-suits, West would score both his trumps for down one.

It may be unlikely that four trumps will lie with the long diamonds, of course, but the point of the deal is still a valid one. If you can protect yourself against a bad break, you should do so. After declarer ruffs, he must play the heart 10 — otherwise, West will prevail. When this holds, South continues with the heart jack, leaving the defense powerless. If West wins his king, he can play another diamond, but South ruffs in hand, crosses to the club queen, and can use dummy’s high trumps to draw West’s last two hearts.

Incidentally, declarer cannot afford to cross to dummy to take the trump finesse. He might run into an unexpected ruff.

ANSWER: It’s very tempting to double to show the unbid suits, but what are you attempting to achieve? Your partner rates to have a Yarborough, and you have no real shape. So all you are doing is setting yourself up for a large penalty. Let the opponents bid to their game and hope to beat it. If the opponents stop low, you may change your mind, of course.