ACES ON BRIDGE

Larry Cohen, one of the best-known American experts, had a chance to test his own mettle on the following deal, where his slam-try took him just above the comfort level.

His partner, David Berkowitz, had suggested his actual shape with the redouble of three hearts, but Cohen was hoping that he might buy a better diamond suit — in which case six diamonds might have play — hence his quantitative jump to four no-trump. As it was, the bad breaks made his contract a highly challenging one.

Norberto Bocchi, as West, led a heart to the king and ace. Cohen returned a heart, and Bocchi won and led a third round of the suit, leaving declarer unsure who had the 13th heart. Anyway, he won the heart 10 and unblocked in diamonds, prepared to claim at least 10 tricks against a

3-3 or 4-2 diamond break.

He was disappointed when

Bocchi pitched a spade.

However, Cohen could infer from this discard that

Bocchi must have started with five spades. So, he crossed to the spade king, happy to see East’s 10 appear, and passed the diamond eight to Michael Polowan as Bocchi pitched a club. Cohen won the club return with the ace and went back to the spade ace.

Cohen cashed the diamond ace, throwing a club from hand, and Bocchi was squeezed in three suits. Since a discard in either major would be immediately fatal, he pitched his club king.

That was not good enough: Cohen threw Bocchi in with his heart winner to force a spade lead into his tenace. Contract made! ?

ANSWER: Open one club.You have an easy rebid of one spade, and your honor structure may be better suited to a trump contract than no-trump. The alternative of one no-trump is a distortion even if it gets your high cards across in one go. Sixteen-counts may prove hard to handle after a suit opener, but you maximize your chances of finding game or slam in a black suit this way.

If you would like to contact Bobby Wolff, email him at

bobbywolff@mindspring.com