ACES ON BRIDGE

*Hearts

Opening Lead: Spade king

Another situation where the impossible suit shows up is when one player first opens in no-trump but then, after responder has shown a suit, bids a different suit above three no-trump. If he had his own suit, South would not have started with a one-no-trump opener. So such calls should agree responder’s suit.

At his third turn, South can cue-bid for hearts with his four-club call. North cooperates with four diamonds, which shows interest in slam since he could sign off in four hearts if he wanted to. South presses on with four spades, and now North can go for six hearts.

Declarer wins the spade king lead and must immediately draw trumps. Since he has plenty of entries to hand in the club suit and the all-important heart seven in dummy, he should start the suit by cashing the heart king. If all follow, he will play a heart to the ace on the next round, then cross back to hand if necessary to pick up jack-fourth in West.

The edge for this line is that when hearts are 5-0, as here, this play allows declarer to play trumps for no loser. At trick three, declarer advances the heart nine, covered by the jack and ace. Now declarer leads the club 10 to his ace, unblocking the suit, and takes the marked trump finesse. After extracting West’s remaining hearts, declarer cashes the club queen. When West shows out, it is a simple matter of finessing the club nine and running the suit. The diamond ace remains for declarer’s slam-going trick.

ANSWER: Do not pass for penalty with such poor spades and so little in the way of values. You should bid two diamonds so you can follow up with clubs at an economical level if partner takes strong action, or if the opponents compete in hearts.

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