ACES ON BRIDGE

When this deal came up in the 2000 Venice Cup Round Robin match, it gave Liz McGowan of the British team a chance to demonstrate her virtuosity. She had escaped the killing trump lead against her four hearts, but still had to plan the play carefully on the lead of the diamond king. Try it yourself as South — even looking at all four hands, it is not so easy to make.

McGowan took the diamond king with the ace to lead a club at once. When East followed small without a flicker, South decided that East was unlikely to have ducked the ace, so she inserted the jack, losing to the ace. She won the trump shift in dummy and ruffed a diamond, ruffed a club and ruffed another diamond (dropping the queen), then drew trumps.

As she led the last trump, she was left with two spades and two clubs in hand, with dummy having three spades and the diamond jack; but what four cards was East to keep? Since she had to hold on to two clubs, she could keep only two spades. She retained the king and jack — discarding the jack would have been immediately fatal. McGowan now led a spade, giving the defenders a series of losing options. If East was left on lead after two rounds of spades, she would have to play a club, allowing declarer to finesse and take the last two tricks in hand. If West overtook her partner’s spade winner, she could choose whether to concede the last two tricks to dummy or declarer.

ANSWER:

East must surely have the spade king as well as a source of tricks in diamonds. The heart king is likely onside for declarer, so you must defend actively. Try the club ace. Hopefully, partner has the king and can put a spade through. If he discourages, you will probably have to try a spade.

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Women are like tricks by sleight of hand, Which, to admire, we should not understand. — William Congreve

BOBBY WOLFF