ACES ON BRIDGE

“Up in the morning’s not for me, Up in the morning early.”

— Robert Burns In today’s deal, another on the theme of attacking declarer’s communications, the necessary move for the defense is a preemptive one.

East’s uninspiring shape and moderate suit tilts him toward discretion facing a passed partner. So North-South have the auction to themselves, reaching three no-trump in no time. (Yes, South certainly could have rebid two diamonds, attempting to reach a 5-3 heart fit.)

West kicks off with a spade, a suit each opponent has all but denied length in. It should be clear to East that his partner cannot hold both top spades, as declarer would then have at most 10 points. It cannot be advantageous to put up the spade queen, as that may allow the jack to become an entry to the clubs, eventually.

If East inserts the spade eight at trick one, declarer will surely go down. Say he wins the spade 10, then plays four rounds of clubs to clear the suit, throwing two diamonds and a heart from hand. East wins and shifts to the diamond king, won by declarer, who advances the spade king, hoping to create an entry to dummy. But West can simply duck, and declarer is stuck.

If East makes the normal-looking play of the spade queen at trick one, declarer can glide home, able to win the king, establish clubs and later force an entry to dummy with the spade jack to run clubs.

There are double-dummy lines to succeed after trick one, but no one would find them at the table.

ANSWER: The modern trend is to double with flexible hands such as this at high levels. You could overcall in hearts, of course, but you would risk playing an inelegant fit when diamonds or spades (or even three clubs doubled) might be best for your side. Admittedly, double might miss a 5-3 heart fit, but that is a small price to pay.