ACES ON BRIDGE

Techniques for defending against possible squeezes can be found in the literature, but less has been written about the concept of persuading declarer that you have been squeezed when, in fact, you have not. This deal is an amusing example.

After the Stayman sequence, North showed diamonds and a major, game-forcing, then jumped to slam when the fit came to light. Six diamonds was not a bad contract, of course, superficially depending on the heart suit yielding four tricks, but with considerable extra chances if the spade king was onside.

Declarer covered the spade jack with dummy’s queen, then ducked the spade king, won the spade continuation, and ruffed a spade high in dummy. Then he cashed the club ace (a maneuver known as the Vienna Coup, catering for the possibility of either defender’s holding the guarded heart jack as well as the club king and queen) and followed by running five rounds of trumps.

From West’s point of view, it seemed sure that declarer held the heart queen but not the jack (for then he would have claimed). It was essential to try to persuade South that the heart jack was guarded. West discarded first the spade 10, then the club nine, 10 and king (carefully preserving the club four and his three low hearts).

Convinced that West had shed all his clubs in order to keep four hearts, declarer cashed the heart king and queen, then finessed the 10 — only to lose the last two tricks.

Answer: This is one of the awkward hand patterns best solved by opening one no-trump because of the honors in the short suit. You aren’t strong enough to open one diamond and reverse to two hearts over a one-spade response, though add the heart jack and you might do that. Equally, if your doubletons were two small spades and the club A-Q, you might open one diamond and rebid one no-trump over one spade.