ACES ON BRIDGE

“But, friend, to me He is all fault who hath no fault at all. For who loves me must have a touch of earth.”

— Alfred, Lord Tennyson

Some players might have raised a weak two spades to game, but this North knew his partner and merely invited game, then passed the minimum rebid.

Declarer put up the ace on the heart nine lead and cashed the top diamonds to pitch a heart. He then went about ruffing clubs, leading one from the table. East erred by taking the ace, allowing declarer to establish the threat of the ruffing finesse. East continued with the heart king and another heart, but declarer simply discarded a club. Now, although West could ruff in, he could prevent declarer from ruffing his last club in dummy only by playing the spade ace and another spade. If he did that, the heart queen would provide a home for declarer’s club loser.

Had East played a trump after winning his club ace, declarer would have held his losses to one trick in each major, plus two clubs.

Strangely, though, both declarer and defense had erred already. If East could have steeled himself to duck the first club, West would have won and led a heart through to East’s jack. At this point, a low heart from East forces declarer either to ruff high (on which West must pitch a diamond), or to discard. In that case, West ruffs low and plays the spade ace and another spade.

Declarer, for his part, needed to lead a top diamond from dummy at trick four, discarding his heart whether or not East ruffed in. That prevents any trump promotion by the defense today.

ANSWER: One does not preempt over a preempt. Like it or not, you must pass for now. If you are making any contract, partner will surely act in balancing seat. If you bid now, very bad things can happen, no matter who has the balance of high cards. I might stretch to bid two spades if the heart two were the king. You might balance when you hold a little less than an opener, but do not do so when in direct seat.

BOBBY WOLFF