ACES ON BRIDGE

“One man is as good as another until he has written a book.” — Benjamin Jowett

We continue our themed week with two problems taken from an online international event.

At his first turn, South discreetly passed over East's three spades, but when North balanced with three no-trump, South took a shot at six clubs, hoping the defenders would not negotiate a spade ruff.

When West kicked off with the heart jack, declarer's sure spade loser meant that it looked as if he would need to bring in the trumps. However, it was possible that the diamond king would ruff down in three rounds, or that South could engineer an endplay. Declarer could not realistically try both, though, because ruffing two diamonds could free up a diamond exit for the defense.

Since West was heavily favored to hold trump length, declarer decided to endplay that player with the trump queen, forcing him to open up the diamonds. South intended to finesse in hearts en route, picking up West's heart 10.

Declarer won dummy's heart king, dropping the eight from hand, and then took the club ace and king. He unblocked the diamond ace, finessed the heart seven, cashed the heart queen and ruffed a diamond. He then played the heart ace and exited in trumps. When West tried the diamond jack, South had already seen East follow to two rounds of each suit outside spades. He called for the diamond queen and could now discard his spade loser.

This line looks best, even though it fails if East has 7=1=2=3 shape without the diamond king, because he can ruff the second heart and exit in diamonds.

ANSWER: Your partner is unlikely to have a classic takeout double; after all, where have all the hearts gone? He probably has a hand too strong to overcall at the one-level, in which case he might bid on over a direct four-spade bid, expecting more from you. Start with one spade, intending to jump in spades if partner bids again. If a three-spade call shows this hand, you might try that.