ACES ON BRIDGE

The 2005 fall ACBL Nationals were held in Denver, Colorado. This week’s hands are all taken from that event. Beginning players learn all the aphorisms: second hand low, third hand high, etc. On this deal from the first final session of the Bobby Nail Life Master Open Pairs, playing by rote was costly to the defenders. South’s two-no-trump opening was a tad conservative, with a solid five-card suit and two ace-queen combinations, but North managed a raise anyway, when many would have passed because of the doubtful value of the unsupported queen and jack. The decision to deploy Stayman was not necessarily the best although many would do the same.

After the rather helpful lead of a low spade from West (surely not the right moment for all-in aggression), an interesting double-dummy possibility arose. Declarer won the spade queen and rattled off five rounds of diamonds as East pitched an encouraging heart, a club and two small spades. Then South cashed the spade ace to tighten the position.

When declarer next led a low heart from hand, West had to avoid the instinctive play of second hand low, instead winning the heart ace (putting in the jack would also do). He could then cash the spade king, allowing East to discard a club, and the defenders would end up with four hearts and a spade for one down.

At the table, West fell from grace and played low on the first heart. East captured dummy’s heart queen with the king, but the suit was blocked, and the defenders had to concede two club tricks at the end.