ACES ON BRIDGE
“To see what is in front of one’s nose needs a constant struggle.”
— George Orwell
This week’s deals will revolve around fit-showing bids in competitive auctions. The most common example is a fit jump, showing length in the suit bid while agreeing partner’s suit. The purpose is to help your side decide whether to play or defend.
If South were to jump in hearts as an unpassed hand over partner’s one-club opening, that would show a single-suited hand. When East intervenes with one spade, the situation is entirely different. Now, South’s jump to three hearts shows good hearts plus club support. A two-heart call would leave South guessing what to do if the opponents bid to four spades.The three-heart call communicates the entire hand at once.
When West raises to four spades, North has an easy fiveheart call. With two aces and decent values, East doubles, not just to protect his plus score, but also to guide the defense. If so,
West may deduce that he should lead a club. He hopes to find his partner with shortness and eventually give him a ruff. The best lead is the club six in case East has a singleton honor.
Declarer wins the club and starts on trumps. East holds off and then wins the next trump to get a discard from West. When West pitches the spade king, East knows it is safe to underlead his ace for the club ruff.
Without South’s fit jump, his side might have had to defend against four spades. Similarly, though, without East’s double of five hearts, West would have led the spade king and conceded 11 tricks.
ANSWER: Lead the diamond 10. You are not going to open up either of the major suits, and a diamond lead is safer than a club away from the jack-10, especially with the supporting seven-spot in diamonds. By contrast, I’d lead a club if I had the eight instead of the four, so the decision is a close one.