ACES ON BRIDGE

Everything happens to everybody sooner or later if there is time enough. — George Bernard Shaw

In today’s deal, you may want to take West’s cards. Cover up declarer’s hand and your partner’s to see if you can find the critical play to break an apparently cold contract.

With a heart lead looking very unattractive against three no-trump, West elects to lead the diamond three to the five, nine and queen. (Incidentally, the play to this first trick marks declarer with either the eight or 10, plus surely the ace.) South leads a low heart from his hand, and West allows dummy’s queen to take the trick.

South now plays two more rounds of hearts, and you win the third heart cheaply to shift to a low club, more in hope than in expectation. Dummy wins the ace and returns a second club to South’s

10 and your jack.

It would seem that declarer is in excellent shape, since he surely

BOBBY has the diamond ace

WOLFF with an initial 0-5-3-5 shape. It looks as if he is about to set up hearts and finish with three heart tricks, four clubs and two diamonds, which all adds up to nine.

But, in fact, you have reached the critical moment in the defense; only one play will set the game, and that is to cash the spade ace. What might declarer discard? If he lets go of a diamond, you exit with a diamond and can cash the king when in with your heart winner. If he pitches anything else, you cash your heart winner and exit with a club. You will collect the diamond king at trick 13 to beat the game.

ANSWER: Even though the opponents seem prepared to go quietly, it is worthwhile to invest a small amount to make their lives more difficult in case West plans to re-open the bidding. You should raise to three spades to force his next action to come at a more uncomfortable level. This may turn a plus score into a minus, but overall, the investment looks sound to me.