ACES ON BRIDGE

The solution to today’s problem may be slightly counterintuitive, but once you’ve seen it, you’ll know it is clearly the best play. The deal was played a few months ago in the Common Game all around the U.S. When I checked the frequencies, remarkably few players had brought home their game. At the table I was watching, South declared three notrump after an auction that strongly suggested that bad breaks could be expected, since East-West had bid to the three-level on a wing and a prayer while vulnerable. West led the heart five to East’s ace. Back came a second heart, which declarer won, discarding a spade from dummy. He led a club to the king and ace, won the next heart, pitching a second spade from dummy, and visibly gulped when diamonds broke 4-0 on him. He tried cashing out the clubs, but East simply threw away his small spade and a heart winner, and declarer could set up — but not reach — his spade winner in hand. The winning line is to test diamonds at trick three. When the 4-0 break comes to light, South knocks out the club ace, wins the heart return, pitching a diamond from dummy, and then runs the clubs. He comes down to a five-card ending where both he and dummy have three diamonds and two spades and he has lost only two tricks so far. East must keep three diamonds and one spade winner, so he can keep only one heart. Declarer drives out the spade ace, pitches the diamond loser on East’s heart winner, and has the rest.