ACES ON BRIDGE

At a European Youth Bridge Team Championships match between Russia and Italy, Maria Kelina had to conjure a ninth trick via an unusual club finesse. The play earned her a nomination for the IBPA junior award.

Both tables played three no-trump here. In the closed room, West led the heart queen, taken by declarer’s ace. Against silent opponents, declarer wanted to locate the spade king before deciding how to play the clubs, so he began with a spade to the queen. This lost to the king, and the defense cleared the diamonds. Now declarer needed four tricks from the clubs and guessed to play the ace and king. When West showed out, declarer had only seven tricks.

In the open room, the lead was also the heart queen, but declarer had extra information from East’s pointless opening of one club, together with the fact that West had chosen a heart lead and not a club. Kelina won the heart ace and immediately played a heart to the 10, which held. Then she tried the club jack from dummy, which was covered by the queen and king. Noting the fall of the club eight from West, declarer returned to dummy with a heart. When East showed out, declarer knew the whole club layout. East would not open one club with 4=2=4=3 shape, after all, so he had to have four clubs. Of course, the stylish play was obvious now; declarer led the club four, and East smoothly played the three. Kelina let it run! When the four held, she had her nine tricks.

ANSWER: Converting the double to penalties would be very aggressive, though I admit it may work if you are facing a powerhouse. You have no reason to suspect your side even has the balance of power, and your hearts are poor. What is more, you have a spade fit. Bid two spades.

To achieve harmony in bad taste is the height of elegance.

— Jean Genet

If you would like to contact Bobby Wolff, email him at bobbywolff@mindspring.com