ACES ON BRIDGE
When you study natural science and the miracles of creation, if you don’t turn into a mystic you are not a natural scientist. — Albert Hofmann
Today’s deal to continue our week’s theme of trump promotions comes from “On the Other Hand — A Bridge From East to West” by Martin Hoffman and Kathie Wei-Sender.
South, who had put himself in four hearts instead of letting his partner play three no-trump, won the opening diamond lead with the king, then cashed the spade queen. He next led the club two, and West took his ace, fearing the two was a singleton. West returned his remaining diamond, and South won with dummy’s ace, then threw his remaining diamonds on the spade ace-king.
The question now was whether the defenders could score three trump tricks. They did not, because South led dummy’s heart to his own queen, and East won the next heart lead with the 10. On East’s diamond lead, South thoughtfully ruffed with the heart king.
Then he led a heart and eliminated the remaining trumps to make the game.
Nicely played, but the defense would have prevailed if West had won the second trump trick with the jack. He could then lead a spade, allowing East to ruff with the heart ace. Then a diamond lead would promote West’s remaining heart as the setting trick.
Does that mean West was at fault here? Yes and no. East could have made the defense easier by playing the heart 10 on the nine. Then West would have been forced to win the second trump trick, and now the trump promotion would be much easier to find.
BID WITH THE ACES
ANSWER: You have some nice shape (albeit no great fit for partner) and some real extra values. Do you have enough to raise to two no-trump? I’d say so, but if I had the club 10, I’d be more optimistic about my partner’s chance to set up the suit for one or two losers.
If you would like to contact Bobby Wolff, email him at bobbywolff@mindspring.com