DAILY BRIDGE CLUB ACBL Spring Championship hand

In March, the ACBL staged its Spring Championships in Memphis. Former world champion Peter Weichsel was declarer in today’s deal (reported by Barry Rigal) in the Platinum Pairs. The Blue Ribbon Pairs at the Fall NABC was once the ACBL’s premier pairs event, but qualifying became so easy that the league established the Platinum for players who have done well in major events.

West’s jump to three clubs attests to the devilmay-care state of modern preempts. Against four spades, West led the jack and a second club. East won and led a low trump. Weichsel won and returned a trump, and East took his ace and got out with a third trump.

South ran his trumps. After nine tricks, he had A-Q-7 of hearts and a diamond. Dummy had two hearts and the A-Q of diamonds. East was stuck. When he kept K-x in both red suits, Weichsel led a diamond to dummy’s ace and finessed in hearts. His seven won the 13th trick, making four.

Perhaps West should have shifted to diamonds at Trick Two.

DAILY QUESTION: You hold: A98 K963

K93 A K 6. Your partner opens one diamond, you respond one heart and he bids two clubs. What do you say?

ANSWER: A grand slam is possible. Partner might hold 7, A Q, A Q J

8 6 2, Q 10 7 2. Since you don’t know enough to place the contract, bid two spades — a forcing “fourth-suit” action — and let partner make another descriptive call. If he bids three diamonds, suggesting extra strength, you can take over with 4NT, Blackwood.