ACES ON BRIDGE

Today’s hand, from the final of the Mixed Teams at the 2011 Open European Championships, sees a difference in evaluation.

At the first table, South opened a strong no- trump, and North passed. Admittedly, it was not the best eight- count you have ever seen, but this being teams, where a vulnerable game has high significance, trying for game was hardly unreasonable.

In the other room, Sylvie Willard reached game on the auction shown, against which West led a spade. ( Had West attacked in diamonds, the game would have failed.)

Willard won in dummy, came to hand with the club ace and lost no time in pitching two of dummy’s diamonds on her master spades. Then came a diamond to the king and ace. East returned the heart five, looking to cut down on ruffs. Willard won with the ace and played a club, East winning. South rose with the king on the heart- fi ve return, then set about the crossruff. The defenders could only come up with the jack of trumps, and that was plus 620 to the eventual winners of the event.

Even after the spade lead, there was still a defense. When in with the club king, East must return a diamond rather than a trump. This is ruffed in dummy, but now, when a club is played, East ruffs in. If South overruffs, the next diamond can be trumped by West’s queen — with the jack still to come for the defense. If South discards, East plays a diamond. Now West’s queen scores the setting trick.

ANSWER: Normally, one starts from the assumption that all bids in the fourth suit are artifi cial. This is one of the rare exceptions. Since you have already shown some club length and values at your second turn, the two- club call suggests a three- suiter with short hearts. Your hand could hardly be better now. I could just barely live with a threeclub call, but I think a bid of four clubs would be closer to the value of the hand.