ACES ON BRIDGE

He doesn’t have an enemy in the world, but all his friends hate him.

— Oscar Wilde, on George Bernard Shaw Today’s exhibit was played in an international friendly match between Great Britain and Iceland in Brighton, in 1996. The protagonist was Andrew Robson, and the deal was reported by another English international, Brian Senior.

West’s opening bid of two clubs showed a weak hand with the majors, and thereafter the auction proceeded naturally if aggressively. It appears to be difficult for Robson to make five clubs, since he needs to dispose of his heart loser. If he ruffs it in dummy, he will apparently lose a trump trick, unable to finesse against East twice.

West led a spade, and the defense played two rounds of the suit. Robson ruffed, and at this point decided to play West for precisely a doubleton diamond and a singleton club, making the first key play of letting the diamond 10 run to

East. Now a heart came back, and Robson carefully won it in hand. Then he played a diamond to the ace.

At this point, Robson played the club jack, which East had to duck, or else it would have been easy to ruff a heart in dummy. Robson next ruffed a diamond, crossed back to the heart king and played the diamond queen. Again, if East ruffed, declarer could afford a heart ruff in dummy. When East discarded instead, Robson threw his last heart away, correctly judging that West was out of trumps. Once the diamond queen held the trick, he could simply draw the last two trumps via the club finesse and claim the balance.

ANSWER: Most pairs have relaxed standards for Michaels cue-bids that show both majors, but this would be taking it too far. Cue-bidding would only serve to give up vital information, since you are likely to lose the auction anyway. I recommend a pass. If partner suggests one or both majors, you can come to life with a vengeance.