ACES ON BRIDGE

Continuing with our theme of giving declarer a losing option, this deal shows how a defender with nerves of steel can pull the wool over the eyes of even a competent declarer.

West leads the normal diamond five against three no-trump. Declarer sees seven top tricks and finesse positions in each major suit. He imagines that West has long diamonds and calls for the diamond nine, hoping to steal an extra entry. When that holds, East must be kept off lead. So declarer finesses spades into the safe hand first, running the spade nine to pick up queen-fourth onside.

If West were to take his queen and shift to clubs, declarer would have to take a successful finesse of the heart 10. West cannot know the whole layout at trick two, but he can divine the spade position. Declarer would hardly tackle the suit like this if he did not hold the spade ace and also the spade 10, so West can afford to hold off. This causes havoc for declarer. He naturally repeats the spade finesse and is shocked to see West win and attack clubs. Declarer must win the club ace lest a diamond come back through his king-jack, but then what? He is forced to take the heart finesse to bring his total to nine, but he cannot unravel all his winners. He needs the hearts as an entry to the spade king, but the spade ace is required as entry to the long hearts; so down he goes. Note that declarer’s communications would have remained intact if West had taken the first spade.