ACES ON BRIDGE

Intelligence … is the faculty of making artificial objects, especially tools to make tools.

— Henri Bergson

For a change, today’s deal is a lowly part-score, and it shows how different bridge can be with the ability to see all four hands — unlike bridge at the table, where one cannot see through the backs of the cards.

In the English Premier League, West led a third-and-fifth club four against South’s two hearts, which went to the queen and five. East naturally shifted to a diamond, to the jack and queen, and West sharply returned the club jack in an effort to create an entry to the East hand. Declarer won that, drew trumps and gave up another diamond, but that was not enough. West crossed to his partner’s club king, and a spade came back, establishing West’s spade king as the setting trick.

Declarer would have done better to duck the club jack continuation as an avoidance play. He knew the suit could not be breaking 5-2. He would then be able to keep East off play for the spade shift.

So far, so good, and I think one could reasonably expect declarer to have made this play.

Now for the unreasonable part! Yes, the defense could have set the hand earlier, had East switched to a spade at trick two, but finding this is no easy feat when you can see only the dummy (and only sensible if declarer had a spade doubleton).

At double dummy, declarer can always make the contract by winning the first trick. He runs four rounds of trumps, forcing West to pitch down to a doubleton in either black suit. A club exit will then stymie the defense.

ANSWER: You should pass. This transfer sequence is not one where the opponents have confirmed a fit, thus making it less attractive to come in with a takeout double. Indeed, West is unlimited, so you might get carted out on a stretcher if you make a call. However, if you had this hand in the balancing seat, you might reopen with a double, because at least now your righthand opponent would be limited.