The Aces On Bridge 2015 - Bobby Wolff.pdf

The Aces on Bridge: Thursday, January 1st, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on January 15th, 2015 “Oh, 'tis a glorious thing, I ween, To be a regular Royal Queen! No half-and-half affair I mean, But a regular Royal Queen!” — W. S. Gilbert

On this board from a recent US Women's trials Kerri Sanborn proved herself up to the task of bringing home a tricky game. Her call of two no-trumps was artificial, designed to sign off in a minor or invite in spades, and when she showed the invitational hand, Juanita Chambers had enough to raise to game. In the open room, four spades had also been bid, after East-West had bid up to four hearts. It was not doubled, and went two down. However, when Sanborn was declarer, the heart two was led to the ace. Sanborn then carefully played a spade to hand, getting the bad news. Now life looks very straightforward if you can find the club queen, but that is not so. Sanborn continued with a spade to the 10, then cashed the spade ace and had to take a view on the club position. East’s failure to raise to four hearts implied that she was not 6-5, accordingly she was more likely to hold three clubs.

Dealer: North North Vul: Neither ♠ A 10 6 ♥A4 ♦ K 10 9 7 ♣ A 10 7 6 West ♠J9832 ♥K72 ♦6432 ♣9 South ♠KQ754 ♥53 ♦J ♣KJ432 South

West

2 NT** 3♠ Pass

3♥ Pass Dbl.

East ♠— ♥ Q J 10 9 8 6 ♦AQ85 ♣Q85

North 1 NT Pass 4♠ All pass

East 2♥* Pass Pass

*Hearts and a minor **Lebensohl Opening Lead: ♥2

So Sanborn played an immediate club to the jack, and when it held, she could play off the spade king (discarding a blocking club from dummy, a move that is also critical to making the hand) and be one step ahead of the defense. East-West could take only their spade, heart and diamond tricks. Notice that if declarer plays ace and a second club at an early point in the hand, West gets two ruffs and beats the contract. BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: Despite the attractive prospects this hand held when you picked it up, the hand has turned to ashes. With no obvious spade or club fit having emerged, since you have neither aces, nor any fit for diamonds, you should pass two diamonds, and hope to make it.

South Holds: ♠KQ754 ♥53 ♦J ♣KJ432 South 1♠ ?

West Pass Pass

North 1♦ 2♦

East Pass Pass

The Aces on Bridge: Friday, January 2nd, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on January 16th, 2015 “We must change (our ideas) when they have served their purpose, as we change a blunt lancet that we have used long enough.” — Claude Bernard

Defense is a partnership effort, and suit preference is a way for the players to cooperate, by suggesting a line of play to your partner. Here, for example, as West you lead out the heart king and ace, partner playing the eight followed by the club two (discouraging and suggesting a five-card suit if he is signaling count). It is up to you to plan the defense from this point on when giving your partner the ruff.

Dealer: West North Vul: Both ♠62 ♥Q92 ♦9543 ♣ A K J 10 West ♠A4 ♥AKJ743 ♦Q76 ♣Q5 South ♠ K Q J 10 8 ♥ 10 6 5 ♦AKJ ♣64

A diamond play can never really help your side, can it, since declarer is marked from the auction with all the South West North missing high cards? When South balanced with two 1♥ Pass spades he showed that he surely has both high diamonds Dbl. 2♥ Pass 2♠ Pass 3♠ and relatively solid spades. So if you signal for a diamond and partner obediently plays one (which would be right if Opening Lead: ♥K you had the diamond and spade kings instead of your actual hand) declarer would win in hand and drive out the spade ace, then take the club finesse for his contract. There is nothing that you can do to prevent him from bringing clubs in for the discards he needs.

East ♠9753 ♥8 ♦ 10 8 2 ♣98732

East Pass Pass All pass

The correct thing to do is to play the heart three, asking partner to return a club. Then if you continue a club when in with the spade ace, declarer can never make more than two club tricks and you will score any diamond tricks to which your side is entitled. An alternative might be to shift to a club yourself at trick three…unless declarer started with a singleton! BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: The pessimistic options would be to pass two hearts, or give preference to two spades. This hand feels a little too good for those cautious actions. With three working cards for my partner, I would guess to raise to three hearts, as an invitation. Yes, I am a trump short, but I've done worse.

South Holds: ♠62 ♥Q92 ♦9543 ♣ A K J 10 South

West

1 NT ?

2♦

North 1♠ 2♥

East Pass Pass

The Aces on Bridge: Saturday, January 3rd, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on January 17th, 2015 “Vanity can easily overtake wisdom. It usually overtakes common sense.” — Julian Casablancas

Early last year eight pairs took part in the Belgium open team trials for the European Championships in Opatija, Croatia, which took place last July. The top three pairs would qualify through an exhaustive round robin process over a seven day period, and with one day to go, those top three places seemed decided. However, the thirdplaced pair (Philippe Coenraets and Steven De Donder) were overtaken at the death by Patrick Bocken and Olivier Neve. This was the decisive board in their individual encounter.

Dealer: East Vul: EastWest

North ♠A5 ♥ A K 10 2 ♦73 ♣AKJ94

West ♠Q7 ♥J854 ♦AKQ2 ♣ Q 10 5

East ♠KJ98643 ♥73 ♦J65 ♣3 South ♠ 10 2 ♥Q96 ♦ 10 9 8 4 ♣8762

After the lead of the diamond king and ace against Neve’s South West North five clubs (East showing an odd number), West switched Pass Pass Dbl. to the spade queen. Neve took the ace, and realized that 4♣ Pass 5♣ East rated to have seven spades and three diamonds; thus he would have to be short in one of hearts or clubs. Opening Lead: ♦K Since North-South had nine clubs and seven hearts between them, it was far more likely that East’s shortage was in clubs.

East 3♠ Pass All pass

So South cashed just one top club, then played the heart ace and queen, and finessed the heart 10 as East helplessly discarded. Now he could take the heart king to discard a spade, and ruff a spade back to hand. Finally he could take the marked trump finesse for an impressive plus 600. Note that if declarer uses his heart entry to take the early finesse in trumps he can never get back to hand to take the heart finesse. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠Q7 ♥J854 ♦AKQ2 ♣ Q 10 5 South 1♦ 1 NT ?

West Pass Pass

North 1♠ 2♥

East Pass Pass

ANSWER: There is a real temptation to raise to three hearts, but if you play New Minor Forcing (where a bid of two clubs is forcing and the way you start describing most invitational or game-forcing hands) then this sequence is weak and denies invitational values with both majors. North should have less than invitational values, and you should pass and hope to go plus.

The Aces on Bridge: Sunday, January 4th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on January 18th, 2015

Dear Mr. Wolff:

Dear Mr. Wolff:

What is your opinion on opening two notrump with a weak doubleton, or with a fivecard major, or indeed with both? I recently picked up ♠ A-Q-10-7-3, ♥ 9-5, ♦ A-Q-5, ♣ AK-J, and elected to open one spade. My partner disagreed with my perception of the hand's flaws for an opening of two no-trump. What do you think?

Holding: ♠ 10-8-6-5, ♥ K-2, ♦ Q-9-8-6-3 ♣ A 4 I heard my partner open one diamond, and my RHO overcall one heart. I thought all three of the choices of raising diamonds to the two- or three-level, doubling, or bidding one no-trump had merit. What do you say? — Spoiled for Choice, Boise, Idaho

— Looking Lively, Pleasanton, Calif. ANSWER: You should appreciate that all the alternatives to opening two no-trump are far more seriously flawed. You misstate the hand's strength by opening one spade — and also leave yourself without any sensible rebids no matter what partner does. Open two no-trump and settle for imperfection. The best is the enemy of the good. Dear Mr. Wolff: Do you favor an ace or king opening lead from length holding including both cards, and what is your rationale for the choice? — Robber Baron, Atlanta, Ga. ANSWER: The king from ace-king for me. The only real problem holding opposite an ambiguous king lead is something like jackthird (and this really only presents a problem with dummy holding neither the queen nor ace, and 3-plus cards. In other words, you generally know when to signal attitude and when not. Additionally, this method lets an ace lead deny the king. Dear Mr. Wolff: How much do you need to make a free bid in response to a take-out double? In second seat after hearing the auction start one diamond – pass — one no-trump double – two clubs, should I bid two spades holding: ♠ J-9-7-3, ♥ 7-5, ♦ 10-8-6-5, ♣ A-7-4, or is passing more discreet? — Entry-Level, Great Falls, Mont. ANSWER: This hand is on the cusp for acting. I probably would stretch to bid, buoyed by the fact that my failure to act initially or cuebid two diamonds now limits my hand a little. But make my side-suit shape flatter and I could be persuaded to pass, especially if the vulnerability was against me.

ANSWER: When you hold support for partner's minor and four cards in the other major you will normally double first, then support partner. Bidding one spade shows five here, of course. One no-trump looks wrong with only one heart stop, and if you raise diamonds you may never find spades. By the way, remember that a jump raise of diamonds in competition is frequently played these days as preemptive rather than invitational. Dear Mr. Wolff: I wonder if you could tell me what criteria one should use as to whether to pass or open (and if the latter, at what level) a hand like: ♠ Q-10-6-5-4-3, ♥ A-J, ♦ Q-J-5, ♣ J-3. How do position and vulnerability – or even the form of scoring – affect this question? — Careful Does It, Montgomery, Ala. ANSWER: Almost any 11-count without a vulnerable singleton honor is a one-level opening for me. Change the diamond five into a small club and I might open two spades in second seat. The most important piece of advice I can give is always to open when you have a good suit. No hand with a good suit falls between a weak-two and onelevel opening bid. You can pass a hand with a bad suit, of course. This applies at any form of scoring. In second seat be more disciplined than in first and surely in third seat.

The Aces on Bridge: Monday, January 5th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on January 19th, 2015 “To dry one's eyes and laugh at a fall, And, baffled, get up and begin again.” — Robert Browning

In today's deal the slip that declarer made was an elementary one, but the play seemed so straightforward that many players would relax, expecting to have 10 tricks on top, and would not see the significance of their mistake. Against four spades West decided to go for a forcing defense by leading the heart ace then queen. It looks normal for South to take this with the king and discard a club from hand, assuming that he would simply lose the two minor-suit aces in the fullness of time.

Dealer: South North Vul: East♠ Q 10 4 West ♥K72 ♦ J 10 9 5 ♣Q87 West ♠9863 ♥ A Q J 10 9 ♦A6 ♣54 South ♠AKJ72 ♥6 ♦KQ ♣ K J 10 3 2 South

West

North

This was what our declarer did, but he paid for his 1♠ 2♥ 2♠ carelessness by going down. He drew two rounds of 4♠ All pass trump to find the bad news, then advanced the diamond Opening Lead: ♥A king, and West won the first diamond (if he ducks, declarer reverts to clubs and survives unscathed) and played a third heart to reduce declarer to trump equality with him. Now declarer tried the club king. When East ducked, declarer played a second club and East won and gave his partner a club ruff. Had declarer drawn trump before playing a second club, the defenders could have run the hearts when in with the club ace.

East ♠5 ♥8543 ♦87432 ♣A96

East 3♥

The correct discard at trick two is a diamond. Declarer then draws trumps and continues by playing on clubs. The defenders can take their ace and force declarer again, but he runs his winners and concedes trick 13 to the diamond ace. In retrospect it is hard to imagine why one would take any other approach…and yet, the mistake is hardly an unreasonable one. LEAD WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠J72 ♥J4 ♦Q752 ♣8543 South All pass

West

North 1♥

East 1 NT

ANSWER: You might look for an alternative to leading a doubleton honor into a hand that has promised at least one heart guard. But here any choice looks just as dangerous, and the one thing you know about a heart lead is that you are planning to set up a long suit, to which partner will have an entry. So lead the heart jack.

The Aces on Bridge: Tuesday, January 6th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on January 20th, 2015 “No man can lose what he never had.” — Izaak Walton

Put yourself in East's shoes and see if you can do the math in today's deal. When South jumps directly to three no-trumps over one club, West leads the spade jack and your first question is what is South’s likely distribution? Very probably he has 33-3-4 pattern with a minor and 13-15 points — possibly a 12-count with good intermediates. Declarer wins the lead in dummy, and calls for the club queen. Your ace holds the trick.

Dealer: North North Vul: East♠AK West ♥J43 ♦Q65 ♣ Q J 10 9 7 West ♠J9732 ♥ 10 7 5 ♦32 ♣K62 South ♠Q86 ♥K62 ♦AKJ ♣8543

Now is the time for some more counting. Dummy has 13 South West North points; you expect declarer to have about the same, and 1♣ you have nine. Partner can have only one significant high 3 NT All pass card, thus the only suit that could produce three winners Opening Lead: ♠3 for your side is hearts. If you lead a low heart that will do the job at once if partner has the king, but if what declarer has that card and partner has the heart 10 plus an entry in the form of the club king? Now leading the heart ace won’t do the job, nor will the eight or nine, as declarer will run that to the jack.

East ♠ 10 5 4 ♥AQ98 ♦ 10 9 8 7 4 ♣A

East Pass

The only card to help your cause is the queen. If South covers with the king, partner is well-placed to play his heart 10 through dummy’s jack when in with the club king. And if South ducks, a low heart next will keep defensive communications open and lead to five tricks for the defense. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠Q86 ♥K62 ♦AKJ ♣8543 South ?

West Pass

North 1♣

East 1♥

ANSWER: Just as in today's deal you were all set to jump to three no-trumps, but the opposition intervention allows you to cuebid two hearts, and maybe reach the no-trump game from partner's hand. That would be a good idea any time partner had a positional heart stopper (such as queen doubleton or queen-third).

The Aces on Bridge: Wednesday, January 7th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on January 21st, 2015 “Nobody is smarter than you are. And what if they are? What good is their understanding doing you?” — Terence McKenna

Some of the clever plays found by experts are absurdly simple. Watch Zia Mahmood at work in his contract of six no-trump. West leads the spade 10, you play low from dummy, East contributes the jack and you win the ace. Plan the play before reading on. The obvious thing to do is lead a heart to your king, but can you see the extra chance spotted by Zia? At trick two he played the spade six from his hand and ran it when West twitched, then played low. That was his 12th trick immediately. Zia was confident that East would not have played the jack unless he had to, and West did not see the need to split his honors, but learned the hard way that it never pays to underestimate your opponents.

Dealer: North North Vul: North♠K32 South ♥73 ♦A4 ♣ A K Q 10 8 4 West East ♠ 10 9 8 5 4 ♠J ♥ A J 10 ♥Q9865 ♦ J 10 8 2 ♦Q95 ♣7 ♣9632 South ♠AQ76 ♥K42 ♦K763 ♣J5 South

West

1♦ 4♣ 4 NT 6 NT

Pass Pass Pass All pass

North 1♣ 3♣ 4♦ 5♦

Zia might still have succeeded had West split his spade intermediates. Ever the showman, he would have seen that he could make his slam by playing West for the heart Opening Lead: ♠10 ace. If he runs all his winners coming down to a threecard ending (where in his hand he holds the singleton heart king and spade Q-7) West either has to discard down to the singleton spade nine, allowing Zia to run the spades, or else come down to the singleton heart ace, in which case Zia could exit with a heart to endplay West into leading a spade.

East Pass Pass Pass Pass

We cannot be sure Zia would have played the hand this way, but in my experience it does not pay to bet against him. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠AQ76 ♥K42 ♦K763 ♣J5 South

West

North

1♦ 2♠ ?

Pass 3♣

1♠ Dbl.

East Pass 2♣ Pass

ANSWER: Your partner's double here suggests a balanced hand – and indicates the possibility of defending if you have the appropriate hand. Passing would be a reasonable gamble here but you seem to have too much in spades and not enough aces to want to defend. Accordingly, a retreat to three spades seems wise.

The Aces on Bridge: Thursday, January 8th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on January 22nd, 2015 “A brain of feathers, and a heart of lead.” — Alexander Pope

There are plenty of people at the Dyspeptics Club who would consider raising one spade to two as East, to muddy the waters for the opponents, but at unfavorable vulnerability today's East was not amongst them. Accordingly North-South had a relatively free run to four hearts, against which West cashed his two high spades and shifted to a passive trump. That left declarer free to tackle the hearts and clubs as best he could, without any help from the opponents. At the table he saw no need to look further than drawing trumps and advancing the club king. West took the trick and continued with his passive defense, by returning a club. Now South tested clubs first, then when they failed to behave he took the diamond finesse, and was more hurt than surprised when it lost.

Dealer: West North Vul: East♠ Q 10 West ♥ K J 10 6 ♦QJ ♣QJ764 West ♠AKJ92 ♥95 ♦K742 ♣A5 South ♠53 ♥AQ874 ♦A985 ♣K3 South 2♥ 3♦

West 1♠ Pass Pass

North Pass 2♠ 4♥

East ♠8764 ♥32 ♦ 10 6 3 ♣ 10 9 8 2

East Pass Pass All pass

Opening Lead: ♠K

South was about to start lamenting his bad luck when he noticed from his partner’s premature gloat that this would be inappropriate. Untypically, he asked his partner if there was anything he could have done, rather than trying to absolve himself from blame. What was the response? South should have drawn trumps ending in his hand then led a low club toward the dummy. West cannot gain by taking the trick and having his ace fall on empty air. But when he ducks, he is thrown in at the next trick with the club ace, to give a ruff-sluff or lead diamonds for declarer. Either way, 10 tricks result. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠AKJ92 ♥95 ♦K742 ♣A5 South 1♠ ?

West 2♣

North Pass

East Pass

ANSWER: It is normal to reopen with a double when you are short in the opponents' suit, in case partner was lurking with a penalty double. Here, though, your clubs seem too good for that to be possible and your hearts are too weak to welcome a response in that suit. So simply bid two diamonds now – with passing a viable if pessimistic alternative, in case the opponents have missed the boat in hearts.

The Aces on Bridge: Friday, January 9th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on January 23rd, 2015 “We never do anything well till we cease to think about the manner of doing it.” — William Hazlitt

When this deal occurred at my local club, I was interested in the variety of play and defense that took place. At my table West led the club king, requesting count. East showed a doubleton so I won the second club and led the diamond jack from my hand. East won this, to play a heart, and I took the trick in hand and led the diamond queen. When East shrewdly ducked, I cashed two hearts ending in dummy, took the spade finesse, then threw East in with a diamond. He could cash his long heart but I took the last three tricks with two spade winners and a diamond. At other tables West was allowed to hold the first two club tricks. A third club now was pointless, so West looked to try to set up a trick for his partner. The heart nine turned out to be the winner, since East was able to get in twice more in diamonds, and establish a fifth winner for his side.

Dealer: South North Vul: Both ♠9642 ♥Q76 ♦932 ♣863 West ♠ 10 7 ♥984 ♦865 ♣KQJ92 South ♠AQJ ♥AKJ ♦ Q J 10 7 ♣ A 10 4 South 2♣ 2 NT

West Pass Pass

North 2♦ 3 NT

East ♠K853 ♥ 10 5 3 2 ♦AK4 ♣75

East Pass All pass

Opening Lead: ♣K

But note that to defeat the hand East still needs to keep declarer out of dummy for the second spade finesse. So he must duck either declarer’s first or second high diamond, or declarer can come to three spade tricks, three heart tricks, two diamonds and a club. (As an aside, it is very useful against no-trump to have the specific leading agreement that one of the ace or king asks for attitude, the other shows a good suit and requests the unblock of an honor, or a count signal – high for even, low for odd.) BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠K853 ♥ 10 5 3 2 ♦AK4 ♣75 South ?

West 1♣

North 1♦

East Pass

ANSWER: To bid a major here requires either five cards or a four-card suit where you would not be unhappy to be raised with three. Neither of your majors meets that criterion so settle for a simple raise to two diamonds – in my opinion a cuebid raise should either have a fourth trump or should be a little better put together than this hand. It never hurts to have a maximum for your bidding once in a while.

The Aces on Bridge: Saturday, January 10th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on January 24th, 2015 “Man is the only kind of varmint that sets his own trap, baits it, and falls into it.” — John Steinbeck

Gunnar Hallberg is not only one of the best players around, he is also a fine analyst, with a good eye for a deal. He sent me this apparently simple board from an online teams game, telling me that both his partner and his opponents could have done better. But now you are warned, you won't fall into the traps, will you? At the table the contract of four hearts received a top club lead. Declarer won the ace and drew trumps, then stripped off the clubs, and led a diamond to the king and ace. Back came a spade to the jack and queen and West cashed his diamond winner then played a second spade; 10 tricks made.

Dealer: South North Vul: East♠843 West ♥KJ7643 ♦K2 ♣A4 West ♠KQ62 ♥— ♦QJ85 ♣ Q J 10 7 3 South ♠ A J 10 ♥ A Q 10 8 5 2 ♦93 ♣K8 South 1♥

West Dbl.

North 4♥

East ♠975 ♥9 ♦ A 10 7 6 4 ♣9652

East All pass

Opening Lead: ♣Q The defensive error is easy to spot; had West underled his diamond queen, East would have won his 10 and played a second spade, for down one. But declarer’s slight slip is far harder to spot. He could surely have made the defenders’ life more difficult if he had given up on the overtrick after winning the club king at trick one. After taking out the trump and leading a club to the king, a low diamond from dummy would have made East’s life VERY hard. He needs to go in with the 10 to have any chance to set the hand. Be honest, would you have found the play? I suppose one could argue that the play is unlikely to cost; but I’m not sure I would see the position coming unless I was very wide awake. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠843 ♥KJ7643 ♦K2 ♣A4 South 1♥ 2♥ ?

West Pass Pass

North 2♣ 2♠

East Pass Pass

ANSWER: Having rebid hearts (which suggests five good ones or a six-card suit) you do not need to re-emphasize that suit. The choice is to rebid two no-trump to show the diamond stopper, or to give preference to clubs on a doubleton. Though this sequence would, traditionally promise three trumps. I prefer to give preference now rather than later. We can always get back to no-trump if partner simply needs a single stopper.

The Aces on Bridge: Sunday, January 11th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on January 25th, 2015

Dear Mr. Wolff:

Dear Mr. Wolff:

When one plays Drury is there not the risk of losing the club suit as a passed hand? If so, how does one combat that?

I always read your column daily, but occasionally, like today, I am at a loss to understand the bidding. How in the world can authors keep any credibility by writing a book for beginners and say it is acceptable to jump raise your partner in a major with only nine high cards points? Your question was "After reviewing dummy, what should your plan be?" the plan is obvious. Get a new partner!

— Passed Over, Sioux Falls, S.D. ANSWER: Drury (in which the passed hand response of two clubs to a major-suit opening, showing a maximum pass, and a fit) keeps you low on occasions, and lets you explore for the right game efficiently. You minimize the risk you describe if you stretch to open one club with 11 points and six clubs in first or second chair. With fewer points, pass, then respond one no-trump (or three clubs to show real clubs and no major-suit fit, if necessary). Dear Mr. Wolff: I know this sounds like a very basic question, but to preempt do I open two or three? I realize that to preempt in clubs I would have to say three, but for the other suits is a preempt bid at the two- or threelevel? — Learning Fast, San Antonio, Texas ANSWER: Please do not apologize for asking questions. The game is hard enough, and if you cannot learn by asking, it is even harder. Both calls are preempts, showing less than opening values; two-level bids show six, three-level bids show seven-card suits. Dear Mr. Wolff: I never know what to do when partner opens and I have a four-card major with a five-card minor, and 10 points or more. Holding ♠ K10-4-3, ♥ J-5, ♦ K-6, ♣ A-10-6-4-3, what should I bid in response to an opening bid of one diamond or one heart? — Humble Pie, Madison, Wis. ANSWER: With four spades and a five-card minor, one tends to bid the major if the hand is not worth a force to game. On stronger hands, as here, bid two clubs then two spades, and plan to force to game. However, if you would be happy to play a 4-3 spade fit (on the example hand shift the club ace into the spades) so that you had a chunky fourcard suit, and a weak five-carder in clubs, then you can sensibly respond one spade.

— Fifth Beatle, Seneca, S.C. ANSWER: Not all nine-counts are created equal, and while with scattered values and four trumps I'd raise a major to two, the hand in question in the article had soft working trump honors, and a useful four-card sidesuit. It was ♠ Q-J-4-2 ♥ A-Q-6-3 ♦ 10-4-2 ♣ 43 and was surely not a million miles from a limit raise. And would holding an additional value such as the club jack really make a real difference to you? Dear Mr. Wolff: Did you watch the junior bridge tournament in Istanbul this summer, live or online? And if so what was your impression of the standard of bridge played? — Keen Spectator, Phoenix, Ariz. ANSWER: I did watch some of the bridge online at Bridge Base, and I was especially impressed by the under-21 players from Sweden and the USA who played with maturity well beyond their years. I expect to see many of them in Open World Championships, sooner rather than later.

The Aces on Bridge: Monday, January 12th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on January 26th, 2015 “What we have here is failure to communicate.” — Donn Pearce and Frank Pierson (Cool Hand Luke)

A recent deal from the Gold Coast Congress in Australia presented some interest to me. With South declarer in three no-trump on a top club lead from West, how challenging a deal do you think this is? I was surprised to see that no fewer than a quarter of the field went down in three no-trumps after a club or diamond lead. If that doesn’t tickle your curiosity, it should, since this is almost a sure trick problem (you can’t guarantee the contract since the opponents might have four hearts and a spade to cash, and 5-2 diamonds might embarrass you).

Dealer: South North Vul: East♠962 West ♥ 10 8 7 2 ♦AK92 ♣QJ West ♠A84 ♥KJ ♦753 ♣ 10 9 8 5 4 South ♠KQ73 ♥654 ♦QJ ♣AK32 South 1 NT

West Pass

North 3 NT

After a club lead by West, the hand with the entry Opening Lead: ♣10 problems is clearly North rather than South — the spade honors should always allow you to reach the South hand late in the day. So win the club lead, unblock diamonds, then cross to the club honor in dummy, and cash your two remaining diamond tricks. When you lead a spade toward South, the defenders can win but they cannot cash their four heart tricks because of the blockage.

East ♠ J 10 5 ♥AQ93 ♦ 10 8 6 4 ♣76

East All pass

Just for the record, if North is declarer on an initial spade lead by East, life is far harder. South covers the jack, and West does best to duck. Now the only way to make the game is for declarer to play on hearts at every turn to cut the defenders’ communications in hearts. That way, the defenders will eventually have to allow declarer into one hand or the other. LEAD WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: Lead the club nine, playing your partner (who needs to have decent values to have any chance to beat the game) to have clubs rather than spades. If he had a decent hand with spades, he might well have taken the opportunity to act at his first or second turn to speak.

South Holds: ♠A42 ♥ 10 7 5 2 ♦ 10 9 3 ♣982 South

West

Pass Pass

1♥ 3 NT

North Pass Pass All pass

East 1♦ 1 NT

The Aces on Bridge: Tuesday, January 13th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on January 27th, 2015 “There is not a fool can call me friend.” — W. B. Yeats

Bob Scott and my old friend John Wignall were the early leaders of the pairs tournament at the Gold Coast last year in Brisbane Australia, form where all this week's deals come. The first board out of the box certainly didn't hurt. When East led a trump against Scott’s ambitious game, (one could hardly argue with the choice of any card in his hand) that was one hurdle over. Scott’s spade seven held, and he played a second trump. East won and should surely have exited with a low club, but he cashed his club ace, receiving encouragement, then erred again by taking his heart ace before playing a second club. Scott rose with the king and led the heart 10 from hand, ducked smoothly by West. Scott overtook and ran the trumps, to reduce to a four-card ending with a trump, two hearts, and a diamond in dummy, and the ace-queen of diamonds, a heart and the club 10 in hand.

Dealer: South North Vul: Neither ♠ K 10 9 8 7 5 ♥KQ73 ♦8 ♣J2 West ♠64 ♥J862 ♦ K 10 6 3 ♣Q96 South ♠Q3 ♥ 10 9 5 ♦AQJ94 ♣ K 10 7 South 1 NT 4♠

West Pass All pass

North 4♥*

East ♠AJ2 ♥A4 ♦752 ♣A8543

East Pass

*Texas Transfer to spades Opening Lead: ♠6

Best now would have been to cash the last trump and pitch the heart from hand. West gets caught in a triple squeeze where he must pitch the diamond king or club queen, or unguard the hearts. Scott erred when he pitched his club 10 instead on the last trump, and now West could pitch the club queen, which he did after much squirming. Scott then cashed the heart queen, and decided the tempo indicated he should play East for the diamond king. So he led a diamond to his ace for his 10th trick. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠AJ2 ♥A4 ♦752 ♣A8543 South

West

North

1♣ ?

Pass

1♦

East Pass 1♥

ANSWER: You might feel the need to act (by bidding no-trump or raising partner) but surely now is not the moment to do so. One can raise diamonds with three — but not with such feeble trumps. And you could bid no-trump with a real source of tricks and one heart stopper such as the doubleton king — but not with these clubs and a heart holding where you might want to protect an honor in partner's hand. Pass seems right, when you have nothing to say.

The Aces on Bridge: Wednesday, January 14th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on January 28th, 2015 “Success always occurs in private, and failure in full view.” — Anon

The Gold Coast congress is very different from a US event, in that they have separate categories of open, novice, intermediate and seniors but everyone plays the same deals. In round eight of the Intermediate Teams qualifying, Ian Lisle sensed that his foursome was behind in the match against the squad captained by Margie Knox. The action he took here made the difference between winning and losing. Lisle was playing with his wife, Vicky. In six diamonds he took the opening spade lead with dummy’s ace and ruffed a spade. He played a diamond to dummy’s queen and ruffed another spade. He then cashed two more trumps, leaving dummy with one.

Dealer: South North Vul: East♠5 West ♥ J 10 9 ♦AK8632 ♣AK4 West ♠ K Q J 10 8 ♥K5 ♦5 ♣ Q 10 9 6 3 South ♠A97 ♥AQ8 ♦ Q 10 9 4 ♣J87 South 1 NT 3♦ 4 NT 6♦

West 2♠ Pass Pass All pass

North 3♣* 4♠ 5♥

East ♠6432 ♥76432 ♦J7 ♣52

East Pass Pass Pass

The contract makes with a successful heart finesse, but *Diamonds Lisle didn’t think that this would work. There were only 11 Opening Lead: ♠K high-card points out and West was likely to have most of them for the two spades overcall, which was known to be on only a five-card suit. Lisle decided to forget about the heart finesse and hope that West held a singleton or doubleton heart king. Accordingly, at trick seven, Lisle played a heart to the ace and followed with the heart queen. West won the heart king and had two bad options: to lead away from the club queen or give declarer a ruff-sluff. He chose to play a club, which Lisle ducked round to his jack. Slam made for plus 920 and a big swing to his side instead of an equal swing away, since the other table played the diamond game. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠6432 ♥76432 ♦J7 ♣52 South ?

West

North 1♥

East Pass

ANSWER: This is as much a tactical problem (how to make the opponent's life hard) as it is a constructive one of getting to your side's best contract. My inclination would be to respond with a call of one notrump, planning to raise hearts at my next turn. This typically suggests weak preference; your hearts are better than partner might expect, unlike the rest of your hand…

The Aces on Bridge: Thursday, January 15th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on January 29th, 2015 “There are things known and there are things unknown, and in between are the doors of perception.” — Aldous Huxley

At the Gold Coast congress in Brisbane, Australia, last year, four hearts was clearly the best game for NorthSouth. However Howard Melbourne found the killing trump lead, and declarer won in dummy to lead a spade to the eight and jack. After much thought Melbourne kept up the good work when he found the shift to a low club. Declarer rose with the ace to play a second spade and Barbara Travis won to lead a second heart. Now declarer won in hand and advanced the spade queen, ruffing it in dummy when West followed low without pause for thought. That was one down when spades did not break — but declarer had been guilty of careless play. When East produced the spade king after having ducked the first spade, who had the spade ace? It was dollars to doughnuts, as one of my journalist colleagues is fond of saying, that West had the spade ace.

Dealer: South North Vul: Both ♠32 ♥QJ8 ♦K93 ♣AJ854 West ♠AJ75 ♥742 ♦ 10 7 5 4 ♣K7 South ♠ Q 10 9 8 4 ♥AK953 ♦QJ ♣Q South 1♠ 2♥ 3♥

West Pass Pass Pass

North 2♣ 2 NT 4♥

East ♠K6 ♥ 10 6 ♦A862 ♣ 10 9 6 3 2

East Pass Pass All pass

Opening Lead: ♥2

Meanwhile the blame was not all with South. East could and should have settled the issue in favor of the defense by rising with the spade king at trick two to play a second trump. This might not she been enough to defeat the contract had the cards not lain as they did. Still, looking at the doubleton trump, East should know that it could hardly be wrong to let partner win the second spade in order to give them the chance to lead a third trump – a play East knows she cannot perform for herself. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠32 ♥QJ8 ♦K93 ♣AJ854 South ?

West 1♣

North 1♦

East Pass

ANSWER: There are two sensible approaches here. One is to ignore the weak spades and focus on the suit named by your opponents, by bidding one no-trump. This gets your values across but exposes your partner's spade holding to immediate attack. A better idea would be to raise diamonds. A simple raise to two diamonds would be undercooking it, so make a limit raise by cuebidding two clubs now.

The Aces on Bridge: Friday, January 16th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on January 30th, 2015 “It was begotten by despair Upon impossibility.” — Andrew Marvell

Sometimes you end up in a contract that seems to have no chance. It is vital not to give up under such circumstances. At the Gold Coast Congress last year when North found his partner with a weak hand and long hearts, it was sensible not to commit the hand to no-trumps. Tony Burke realized that with no entries to his partner’s hearts and holding weak spade spots opposite likely shortage, neither suit could easily be set up at no-trumps. He therefore bid four clubs to get his partner to pick a game and Peter Gill selected hearts — the least worst of the possible games. West, Warren Lazer, naturally if unfortunately led a club, and Gill won the queen, led a spade to the king and ace, took the club return and pitched his club loser on the top spade.

Dealer: North North Vul: East♠KQ632 West ♥Q ♦ A K 10 5 ♣A87 West ♠ 10 9 5 ♥J9 ♦Q743 ♣ K J 10 6 South ♠7 ♥K86543 ♦J82 ♣Q53 South

West

1 NT 3♥ 4♥

Pass Pass All pass

North 1♠ 3♦ 4♣

East ♠AJ84 ♥ A 10 7 2 ♦96 ♣942

East Pass Pass Pass

Opening Lead: ♣J

Now came the heart queen to Pauline Gumby’s ace, and she returned a spade, instead of the killing club. Gill ruffed, cashed the heart king, noting the fall of the jack, and sensibly decided to play East for both the heart 10 and seven. So Gill led a diamond to the ace, ruffed a spade to establishing dummy’s fifth card there, then took the diamond finesse. Now when declarer led the fifth spade from dummy Gumby could ruff in at once and lose her second trump trick or discard and be held to one trump trick by the lead of a plain card from dummy at trick 12. BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: Your partner's call of two hearts suggests no clear direction, and you have a clear raise of clubs. But your extras make a call of four clubs the most descriptive; you have no plan to stop in three no-trump under any circumstances, so you might do well to get your shape and values across at one go.

South Holds: ♠KQ632 ♥Q ♦ A K 10 5 ♣A87 South 1♠ 2♦ ?

West Pass Pass

North 2♣ 2♥

East Pass Pass

The Aces on Bridge: Saturday, January 17th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on January 31st, 2015 “Mathematics is the science which draws necessary conclusions.” — Benjamin Peirce

In this deal from last year's Gold coast congress in Brisbane, the defenders extracted their pound of flesh from Kim Morrison, who had overreached to play four hearts. Michael Whibley led the trump nine to the eight and king. Declarer tried the spade king next; Whibley won, and pressed on with trumps, and now declarer ducked in dummy and won his ace, then led a diamond toward the king. Normal defense sees West win the diamond ace and exit in diamonds, and declarer can win the king, cross to the spade jack, and ruff a diamond in dummy. He can now exit in hearts to East.

Dealer: South North Vul: East♠Q632 West ♥ 10 7 6 ♦K9 ♣5432 West ♠ A 10 8 4 ♥95 ♦AQ4 ♣ K J 10 9 South ♠KJ9 ♥AK432 ♦ 10 8 6 ♣AQ South 1♥ 4♥

West Dbl. All pass

North 2♥

East ♠75 ♥QJ8 ♦J7532 ♣876

East Pass

Whatever suit that player returns, declarer can arrange to Opening Lead: ♥9 run his trumps and squeeze West in the black suits to make his game. On the last trump West must either unguard his club king or pitch down to one spade to set up a spade winner in dummy. But Whibley crossed him up by inserting the diamond queen on the first round of the suit! When Morrison took the king and played a second diamond Ashley Bach hopped up with the jack and drew the last trump then played a third diamond. When declarer misguessed the ending he eventually went two down, and the defenders had a shared top instead of stone-cold bottom. The play of the diamond queen is one well worth adding to the repertoire; it is a desperate move, admittedly, but sometimes the situation demands it. BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: You are not a dead minimum for the auction and your spade fit also improves your hand. If you do bid on, the best way to describe your assets would be to bid three spades now. This shows your secondary spade support, and lets partner chose which game he would like to play.

South Holds: ♠KJ9 ♥AK432 ♦ 10 8 6 ♣AQ South Dbl. 2♥ ?

West 1♦ Pass Pass

North Pass 1♠ 3♥

East Pass Pass Pass

The Aces on Bridge: Sunday, January 18th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on February 1st, 2015

Dear Mr. Wolff:

Dear Mr. Wolff:

What is your opinion about the suit length delivered by the jump raise of a major, or an overcall, where in each case a five-card suit has been promised by the bidder. Can one jump-raise with three trumps and side-suit shape?

Recently I picked up ♠ 10-9-3, ♥ A-Q-10-5-2, ♦ Q-5, ♣ 8-4-3, and heard the auction start one club-one diamond-two clubs, round the table, to me. Should I bid two diamonds or two hearts with this hand? Incidentally over my choice of two diamonds my LHO bid two hearts and my partner bid two spades. What do you recommend now?

— The Giddy Limit, Lakeland, Fla.

— Out of the Frying Pan, White Plains, N.Y. ANSWER: Once in while the limit raise of a major-suit opening may be made with three trumps and a side-suit shortage, but I would say that this is the exception, especially if playing the forcing no-trump response. Jump raises of overcalls tend to be shapely and distributional not high cards, so one can use a cue-bid raise with limit values and either three or four trumps. Dear Mr. Wolff: Is it correct that one tends not to respond to a preemptive bid with less than opening values? — Silent Sleeper, Santa Fe, N.M. ANSWER: Yes and no. You tend to pass rather than try for game unless you have a fit and values equivalent to a strong no-trump, since game is unlikely to make if you have fewer high cards than that. But the more fit you have, the more you bid; you may be making the opponents' life harder if you can steal their bidding space. A simple raise of a preempt therefore tends to be either highcards or preemptive, and only the shadow knows which! Dear Mr. Wolff: Playing pairs, when I held ♠ 10-9-7-3, ♥ J-86, ♦ A-9-5, ♣ Q-10-3 I heard my partner open one club, I wondered if it was ever right to suppress a four-card major in response to an opening bid in order to raise partner or bid no-trump? What if the opponents overcall or double – does that change the picture? — Under Wraps, Elkhart, Ind. ANSWER: In uncontested auctions you may occasionally bypass a weak four-card major to respond one no-trump with 8-10 HCP and 4-3-3-3 pattern. By contrast, if your RHO overcalls (and especially if he doubles) it is often more attractive to respond one notrump, sometimes bypassing even a moderate four-card major, if the rest of the hand looks appropriate. You might even raise a minor with four good trumps and a bad four-card major, to take up a level of bidding.

ANSWER: At any form of scoring I'd risk two hearts directly. My spots are so strong, I can't afford to let the suit get away. If I bid two diamonds and partner volunteered two spades over two hearts, he should surely deliver some extras – but my values do not seem well placed. I'd retreat to three diamonds now, I think. Dear Mr. Wolff: If I open one no trump I always assume that I am fundamentally showing my high-card points and may not have every suit covered. Therefore, shouldn't my partner tend to act whenever they have a weak doubleton or a singleton, not leaving me to play in no-trump with a potentially uncovered suit? — Running Scared, Jackson, Tenn. ANSWER: The answer here is emphatically no. Your partner can't know what your weak suit is – if any. Don't remove from no-trump to a four-card suit from weakness, though you may of course transfer (or bid) a fivecard major. Equally, you should transfer into or bid a six-card minor unless you have values and are balanced in the other suits, when three no-trump may be easier.

The Aces on Bridge: Monday, January 19th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on February 2nd, 2015 “I do not wish to count the cost. I do not wish to consider whether it is good.” — Bertolt Brecht

A nice point on defense came up in this deal, which was played in the finals of a matchpoint event at a national championships. Reaching four hearts is far from easy here, though if North could have been sure that a call of three hearts would be forcing over the rebid of two no-trumps, that might have got his side to the perfect spot. At the table nobody did anything really foolish when North-South bid the hand to three no-trumps, but the contract was not a favored one when West elected to lead spades.

Dealer: North North Vul: Neither ♠ J ♥ K 10 9 8 7 ♦87 ♣KQ843 West ♠A9652 ♥A632 ♦9 ♣652 South ♠ Q 10 4 3 ♥QJ ♦ A K 10 6 3 ♣AJ South

West

1♦

1♠

North Pass Dbl. 3 NT

After the first spade went to the jack and king, East 2 NT Pass returned the spade eight, covered by the queen and ace. Opening Lead: ♠5 Now West exited with a low spade and declarer, Eric Leong, alertly ducked East’s spade seven. After that play the spade suit was dead, so Leong had time simply to knock out the heart ace, losing three spades and a heart to emerge with plus 400 for a somewhat above average result. Some pairs managed to play the heart game, and a sizeable percentage of the field did not overcall with the West cards, and allowed North to play the no-trump game, which handled far better than by South.

East ♠K87 ♥54 ♦QJ542 ♣ 10 9 7

East Pass Pass All pass

Note that once West has decided to play a third spade, it can surely cost nothing to lead back the spade nine, which would have the effect of scooping up his partner’s seven and would allow West to retain the lead to clear the spades. Now the defenders take four spades and the heart ace for down one. LEAD WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠K9432 ♥J2 ♦86 ♣ Q 10 3 2 South

West

4♠

5♥

North 1♠ Dbl.

East 2♥ All pass

ANSWER: Attacking either minor might be right but could be equally disastrous if you guess wrong. The choice, it seems to me, boils down to what is likely to be a passive trump or a spade, and in the latter case it is clearly right to lead the spade king not a small one. The point is that if you hold the lead it should be clear what to do next; and partner can always overtake if a shift seems right to him.

The Aces on Bridge: Tuesday, January 20th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on February 3rd, 2015 “It was as true…as turnips is. It was as true…as taxes is. And nothing's truer than them.” — Charles Dickens

Everyone knows the maxim second hand plays low, and third hand plays high. Like all old wives’ tales, there is a certain amount of truth to the maxim, but it needs to be applied with caution, and an equally sound philosophy is that one needs to take one’s aces before they get away. Equally, aces were made to take kings! With such conflicting philosophy how can a defender ever know what to do?

Dealer: South North Vul: East♠ Q 10 9 8 6 3 West ♥ 10 ♦A86 ♣A95 West ♠4 ♥J963 ♦KQJ4 ♣J742 South ♠AKJ5 ♥KQ7 ♦975 ♣863

Take today’s deal, where after South has opened a weak no-trump, an invitational transfer sequence leads to him South West North becoming declarer in four spades. When your partner 1 NT* Pass 2♥ leads the diamond king you immediately know that you 2♠ Pass 3♠ 4♠ All pass have one or two tricks to come in that suit. Declarer takes *12-14 balanced a good 30 seconds to plan the play – during which time you should be thinking yourself. Then he ducks the Opening Lead: ♦K opening lead and wins the continuation of the diamond jack to play a heart. If you aren’t ready to follow small, your best chance of defeating the contract, and to make the play in good tempo, you haven’t been using your thinking time. Declarer rates to have about 13 points with no honors in diamonds. Whether his heart suit is the king-queen, the queen-jack, or king-jack, you must surely be best off to duck the heart. Your soft club cards make it likely (though not guaranteed) that declarer will be able to set up the hearts to pitch his clubs if you take your ace.

East ♠72 ♥A8542 ♦ 10 3 2 ♣ K Q 10

East Pass Pass

Duck the heart ace and you get two club tricks instead of one heart trick. Result: happiness. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠72 ♥ A 10 8 5 4 ♦ 10 3 2 ♣KQJ South ?

West

North Pass

East 1♣

ANSWER: Your suit is not exactly gilt-edged but you should nonetheless overcall one heart, since your own hand strongly suggests that a heart lead is best for your side. It is less clear that you should overcall one heart over one diamond, since now your values in clubs would argue that a heart lead is less clearly best for you, and that the overcall might lead partner to do the wrong thing.

The Aces on Bridge: Wednesday, January 21st, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on February 4th, 2015 “Everything is not gold that glisters and everything is not a tear that glistens, And one man’s remorse is another man’s reminiscence.” — Ogden Nash

I confess that some days when I play bridge I tend to do what first comes into my head as the instinctively correct thing to do. This means that when alternatives might have presented themselves to me, I do not give them enough thought. So the best line goes begging. And indeed, that was what happened on today's deal. Against two spades West led the club ace and switched to ace and another heart. I won in hand perforce, then played a diamond to dummy’s king and led a spade from the board. When East followed small, the thought that it might be right to play the nine did enter my mind, but left it again just as quickly and I played the queen.

Dealer: West North Vul: North♠2 South ♥ 10 5 4 2 ♦K9 ♣ Q J 10 9 3 2 West ♠A65 ♥AJ983 ♦ 10 8 6 4 ♣A South ♠KQ9874 ♥KQ ♦A7 ♣854 South 2♠

West took his trump ace and played a third round of hearts, which East ruffed with the spade 10. I could overruff and play another trump, but East won, cashed the club king, then gave West a club ruff.

West 1♥ All pass

North Pass

East ♠ J 10 3 ♥76 ♦QJ532 ♣K76

East 1 NT

Opening Lead: ♣A

In retrospect, I concluded that I should have given that thought about putting in the spade nine a little more house room. Here it would have forced the ace, but even if it had not, the best the defense might have done would have been for West to win cheaply. From that point on, he is powerless ever to get his ruff, since I would have won whatever he returned and now played the spade king. He could take his ace, but he gets only the five tricks he started with. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠A65 ♥AJ983 ♦ 10 8 6 4 ♣A South 1♥ ?

West Pass

North 1♠

East Pass

ANSWER: Despite your excellent controls, you have a minimum opening bid in an unbalanced hand, with three-card spade support. The simple way to describe your hand is to raise to two spades immediately. The problem with bidding two diamonds and raising spades later is that (depending on the auction) it should promise extras with three trumps or suggest a doubleton spade.

The Aces on Bridge: Thursday, January 22nd, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on February 5th, 2015 “Where is the wisdom we have lost in knowledge? Where is the knowledge we have lost in information?” — T. S. Eliot

When opponents employ a gadget that defines a particular distribution, the information given can often be turned to your advantage. But South missed the point here, and suffered the consequences. The defenders started by leading clubs, setting up a winner for themselves. South won and returned the suit, and West hopped up with the jack to play a diamond, knowing from his own holding that there was little benefit to having his partner play the suit through declarer. East took the ace and played back the suit, and South now knew that East had 10 cards in the minors, so the spade finesse was odds on to succeed. When he lost to the doubleton queen, a heart loser was inevitable later on, and that was down one.

Dealer: South North Vul: Neither ♠ A J 7 2 ♥ K 10 7 6 2 ♦75 ♣83 West ♠53 ♥QJ84 ♦643 ♣QJ54 South ♠ K 10 9 8 6 ♥A53 ♦KQ2 ♣A2 South 1♠ Dbl. 4♠

West Pass 3♣ All pass

North 2♠ 3♥

East ♠Q4 ♥9 ♦ A J 10 9 8 ♣ K 10 9 7 6

East 2 NT Pass

Opening Lead: ♣Q It was only later, much later, that South realized he had misplayed the hand. After coming on lead with a diamond, what he should have done was take his last diamond winner, then play a heart to dummy’s king, and another heart towards his ace. If East had ruffed the second heart, he would only have been ruffing a loser; if East followed suit, declarer could be almost certain that East held at most a singleton spade and West could be finessed with greater certitude. Note that declarer cannot embark on this information-gathering process before cutting the defenders’ communications in the minors. Otherwise East might ruff the second heart and cross to his partner in clubs for a second ruff. BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: One possibility is to cuebid three clubs to set up a game force. But since you really do not know what strain you belong in – even facing a club stopper, it is best to start with a card-showing double to save a round of bidding. You can cuebid three clubs at your next turn if you want.

South Holds: ♠ K 10 9 8 6 ♥K53 ♦KQ2 ♣A2 South

West

1♠ ?

2♣

North 1♦ Pass

East Pass Pass

The Aces on Bridge: Friday, January 23rd, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on February 6th, 2015 “Education is…hanging around until you've caught on.” — Robert Frost

In today's auction you are defending against an expert, and aggressive, declarer. Dummy comes down with a satisfyingly weak hand, although the presence of two aces as its assets argues strongly that declarer must have a very powerful black two-suiter. You lead the heart king: this goes to the ace, eight, and five. Declarer now plays a spade to his jack. Plan the defense.

Dealer: South North Vul: East♠83 West ♥A42 ♦A8743 ♣983 West ♠K7 ♥KQJ763 ♦Q95 ♣72 South ♠ A Q J 10 6 5 ♥5 ♦6 ♣ A K J 10 5

It looks normal to win the spade, and try to cash a heart, reasoning that no harm can come if declarer ruffs the trick. True enough, but from your partner’s signal to the first trick (yes the eight ‘looks’ big but it must be his smallest South West from three) declarer surely has a singleton heart, so his 1♠ 2♥ 3♥ Pass exuberant bidding is probably based on a two-suiter with 6♣ Pass 11-cards in the black-suits. If you win the spade king he will probably go back to dummy later with the diamond Opening Lead: ♥K ace and finesse in clubs. If you duck the spade (smoothly, of course), he will surely use up his entry to retake the finesse he ‘knows’ is working!

North Dbl. 4♦ 6♠

East ♠942 ♥ 10 9 8 ♦ K J 10 2 ♣Q64

East Pass Pass All pass

If declarer’s clubs are solid there is nothing you can do, and there is surely no way declarer’s spades can be so weak that he has two losers if you take his jack with your king. Your partner rates to have one of the spade nine or 10, or possibly both. But he can hardly have better trumps, or declarer would have tackled the spades differently. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠K7 ♥KQJ763 ♦Q95 ♣72 South Pass

West ?

North

East

ANSWER: It is rare that I feel very strongly about taking a different action when vulnerable to when non-vulnerable. This hand is one such example, though; when non-vulnerable, I would open one heart despite the low controls, but if vulnerable in second seat this looks like a maximum weak-two bid to me. In any other seat I might open one heart.

The Aces on Bridge: Saturday, January 24th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on February 7th, 2015 “It's discouraging to think how many people are shocked by honesty and how few by deceit.” — Noel Coward

Today's deals from an international trials held in the US nearly 20 years ago. The declarer was the late Bill Root, one of the great players and teachers of an earlier generation, who is not remembered these days as well as he should be. Root was declarer here, playing with Richard Pavlicek, an expert who is still with us and who has done much to contribute toward making bridge teaching online more educational and enjoyable. Root ran into an interesting variation on an old trick here, playing against some New York experts. After reaching the normal spot of four spades on a club lead, he won the trick in hand, and played a diamond to the ace, to run the spade jack.

Dealer: South North Vul: North♠J82 South ♥K853 ♦AJ4 ♣876 West ♠K754 ♥7642 ♦K96 ♣52 South ♠ A Q 10 9 6 3 ♥ A J 10 ♦75 ♣AJ South 1♠ 4♠

West Pass All pass

North 2♠

East ♠— ♥Q9 ♦ Q 10 8 3 2 ♣ K Q 10 9 4 3

East 2 NT

Opening Lead: ♣5

West won, and the defense cleared clubs and tried a third round of the suit. Root ruffed high, preparatory to drawing trumps and trying to locate the heart queen. On the auction, the fact that East appears to have two hearts would probably have led declarer astray. The percentages would have indicated that he play West, the man with heart length, for the missing queen. However when Mike Kopera underruffed the third round of clubs as West, he made declarer’s task even harder. Now Root was convinced that Kopera was protecting something in hearts, and confidently played West for the missing queen. One down. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠ A Q 10 9 6 3 ♥ A J 10 ♦75 ♣AJ South 1♠ ?

West Pass

North 2♥

East Pass

ANSWER: Your action here depends on whether you play the two heart call as game forcing. If you play the call as game-forcing I would bid two spades before raising hearts, but if a simple rebid of two spades or a raise to three hearts would not be forcing, you may feel obliged to jump to three spades to set up a game force. A jump to four hearts feels premature since strain and level are still in doubt.

The Aces on Bridge: Sunday, January 25th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on February 8th, 2015

Dear Mr. Wolff: My partner sometimes leads a singleton trump on opening lead. I thought it was a bridge maxim to avoid such leads. What are your thoughts here? — Guy Fawkes, Pottsville, Pa. ANSWER: A singleton trump lead is occasionally the least of all evils, but one steers clear of trying to pick up partner's vulnerable queen or jack. So it isn't a lead one would seek out. Still, some auctions suggest a trump lead regardless of one's hand. 1 ♠ -1 NT-2 ♦ – Pass would call for a diamond lead, almost no matter what one had in the suit. Dear Mr. Wolff: Could you please give me your advice on the following hand. My partner opened one spade, and my RHO overcalled two clubs. I made a negative double holding ♠ 7-5, ♥ A-J10-7-2, ♦ Q-10-4-3, ♣ 8-4. My partner rebid two no-trump with a balanced hand, and went two down. Do you agree with my call? — Ray-Gun, Montreal ANSWER: I absolutely agree with your call. You are minimum but have the perfect shape for your action; nothing your partner can do could upset you except rebid two no-trump. But the odds surely favor him taking some other call, since even if he only has five spades he may be able to rebid his suit. Dear Mr. Wolff: My partner and I play keycard Blackwood. But are there situations where a jump to four no-trumps should show the minors, or be ace-asking as opposed to keycard? — Aces and Spaces, Cleveland, Ohio

ANSWER: Some people play the opening four no-trumps as asking for specific aces rather than regular Blackwood. You cue-bid an ace if you have one, and bid five-clubs if you don't. Five no-trumps shows two aces, six clubs shows the club ace. Equally, if you play inverted minors or Jacoby two notrumps, you can use the direct response of four no-trumps as an ace-ask not keycard, if you want. Dear Mr. Wolff: Where do you stand on the spectrum of responding to an opening bid with fewer than six HCP? What are the issues about the form of scoring, vulnerability and position to take into account? — Fast and Loose, Laredo, Texas ANSWER: You may stretch to respond light to a minor-suit opening, either to keep the opponents out or to find a better fit. You'd be less inclined to respond light facing a fourthin-hand opener, or a major-suit since you at least know that partner has length in the suit bid. Generally, when in doubt, bid, I say. Dear Mr. Wolff: Can you tell me whether you recommend playing a different defense against strong and weak no-trumps? And what is the cut-off for one as opposed to the other? — Coming through the Rye, Springfield, Mass. ANSWER: Any defense to a weak no-trump, one promising no more than a minimum of 13 HCP, must start with a penalty double. Landy is as good as most but Hamilton — also known as Cappelletti — works fine too. Against strong no-trump one can consider giving up the penalty double – except against third-seat strong no-trumps. Visit Bridge Guys for more information about the options.

The Aces on Bridge: Monday, January 26th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on February 9th, 2015 “I never resist temptation because I have found that things that are bad for me do not tempt me.” — George Bernard Shaw

When declarer is clearly short of entries either to his hand or the dummy, sacrificing a trick to avoid providing declarer with the communications he needs may be a good investment. In today’s deal North had just enough to raise his partner’s non-forcing response to game, against which West led the heart queen. Declarer needed to bring in the club suit to make his contract. All would be well if the club ace was doubleton. But what if one defender held the ace twice-guarded? Could he perhaps be persuaded to release his ace prematurely?

Dealer: South North Vul: Both ♠764 ♥62 ♦874 ♣K8532 West ♠953 ♥ Q J 10 9 ♦ Q 10 6 ♣ A J 10 South ♠AK2 ♥AK83 ♦AKJ ♣Q64 South 2♣ 2 NT

West Pass Pass

North 2♦* 3 NT

East ♠ Q J 10 8 ♥754 ♦9532 ♣97

East Pass All pass

*0-1 controls South ducked the heart lead, won the heart continuation, and at trick three led the club queen. West pounced with Opening Lead: ♥Q the ace and returned another heart. Declarer won and continued with a second club. West played his 10, and of course South allowed it to hold. West could cash his fourth heart, but that was the fourth and final trick for the defense. West must resist the urge to capture the club queen, surrendering a trick in the interests of killing the clubs. East will signal his doubleton, and South will no doubt continue with a club, perhaps ducking West’s low card in dummy, in the hope that East had begun life with ace-doubleton in clubs. But even if South decides that West holds the club ace and rises with dummy’s king, declarer is likely to come to no more than eight tricks unless he can see through the backs of the cards. LEAD WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠KQ6 ♥Q73 ♦Q75 ♣J432 South All pass

West

North Pass

East 1♦

ANSWER: The choice is between leading a top spade (less attractive than usual because it involves leading into a strong hand, and thus the risk of losing a trick is somewhat increased) or of going passive with a club lead. The fact that partner rates to have values and has passed out one diamond is a slight suggestion his values are in the minors, so I would lead a club.

The Aces on Bridge: Tuesday, January 27th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on February 10th, 2015 “All men are liable to error; and most men are, in many points, by passion or interest, under temptation to it.” — John Locke

Today's deal, from the semi-finals of the American trials 15 years ago featured a remarkable consistency amongst the four defenders sitting in the East seat. Put yourself in their position and see if you can do any better. At all four tables South reached four hearts after West had opened the bidding. South won the top spade lead and played a diamond to the ace and a heart to the queen, then ducked a heart to East’s jack. Should you play a third round of spades, assisting in the elimination, or try a club?

Dealer: West North Vul: East♠A75 West ♥Q32 ♦ K J 10 2 ♣AQ6 West ♠ K Q 10 3 ♥ A 10 5 ♦984 ♣KJ2 South ♠4 ♥K9764 ♦A73 ♣ 10 9 7 5

Best is to play a club, trying to take partner off a later South West North endplay, so long as his clubs are as good as K-J-7. If you 1♣ Dbl. exit passively with a spade, declarer ruffs and takes a 3♥ Pass 4♥ losing diamond finesse, then ruffs the next spade and Opening Lead: ♠K runs the club 10, covered by the jack and queen. Now he cashes the diamonds, forcing West to throw a spade, and finally a third heart endplays West to lead a club at trick 12. At one table East did find the club exit, but declarer put in the seven, and the game came home.

East ♠J9862 ♥J8 ♦Q65 ♣843

East 1♠ All pass

However, all four tables had already missed the critical play on the deal – which was to unblock the heart jack under the queen, a play that experience has shown me to be one of the hardest “routine” plays in Bridge. If you do unblock, it allows West to cash his second heart trick, and exit in spades. Now declarer must go down. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠4 ♥K9764 ♦A73 ♣ 10 9 7 5 South

West

1♥ ?

2♣

North 1♦ 2♦

East Pass Pass

ANSWER: It feels right to raise to three diamonds, not so much because you expect a diamond game to be excellent but more because this is a courtesy raise. Your club holding argues that partner will be short there – and the possibility that four hearts may be a playable spot seems quite a reasonable one.

The Aces on Bridge: Wednesday, January 28th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on February 11th, 2015 “Observe due measure, for right timing is in all things the most important factor.” — Hesiod

Game on the North-South cards is a perfectly reasonable contract, though it is not mandatory for you as South to break the transfer here, despite your excellent trumps. There are plenty of weak hands with scattered values opposite where game will have no chance. Give yourself a small doubleton club and an extra heart and it would be a whole different story. The lead of the club queen to trick one dramatically reduces your hopes of making game. You might as well cover, and East wins his ace to return a low club. When West shifts to a trump you must win the spade 10 in dummy. Next you must finesse in hearts rather than diamonds.

Dealer: South North Vul: Both ♠ Q 10 8 6 4 ♥754 ♦754 ♣K8 West ♠752 ♥863 ♦K86 ♣ Q J 10 9 South ♠AKJ9 ♥AQJ ♦ A J 10 ♣652 South 2 NT 4♠

West Pass All pass

North 3♥*

East ♠3 ♥ K 10 9 2 ♦Q932 ♣A743

East Pass

*Transfer to spades Now the spade ace, followed by the spade jack to the Opening Lead: ♣Q queen allows you to take another heart finesse. Then you cash the heart ace, ruff a club in dummy and now a diamond to the 10 endplays West for a diamond lead or a ruff and discard. It may not be immediately obvious, but if you play it through you will see that should you take a diamond finesse at trick four, West will win and exit in trumps again, leaving you an entry short for all the finesses you need to take. The key to the deal is that when you give up the lead, you must force the opponents to give you some help – and that means removing all their black-suit exit cards before allowing them to regain the lead. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠3 ♥ K 10 9 2 ♦Q932 ♣A743 South

West

1 NT 3♦ ?

Pass Pass

North 1♠ 2♦ 3♥

East Pass Pass Pass

ANSWER: You may not make three notrump despite your club stopper. Partner rates to have a strong doubleton heart or a three-card heart fragment, angling for notrump, but the eight-card diamond fit and singleton spade argue that a trump contract will play better. There are hands where four hearts might make, I suppose but this doesn't feel like one of them.

The Aces on Bridge: Thursday, January 29th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on February 12th, 2015 “Alas, regardless of their doom The little victims play! No sense have they of ills to come Nor care beyond today.” — Thomas Gray

When this deal arose South's preempts, especially when non-vulnerable, were known to be frivolous. Hence he elected to open four diamonds, and was raised to game by North – not without some trepidation. West hit on a spade lead, and East took his ace and returned a low spade. West won his king and attempted to cash a third spade.

Dealer: South North Vul: East♠ J 10 5 West ♥AK4 ♦K5 ♣AQ963 West East ♠K63 ♠AQ872 ♥J972 ♥ Q 10 5 ♦642 ♦7 ♣874 ♣ K J 10 5 South ♠94 ♥863 ♦ A Q J 10 9 8 3 ♣2

Declarer ruffed in hand, and needed to establish a club winner on which to pitch his losing heart. The club finesse would have been a 50% chance, but declarer did better. South West He played to the club ace and ruffed a club high, then took 4♦ Pass a high diamond and went to the diamond king to ruff Opening Lead: ♠3 another club high and draw the last trump. Now a heart to dummy allowed a third club ruff, and the second high heart in dummy afforded the final entry to allow him to cash the club queen.

North 5♦

East All pass

The key to the defense is for West to establish that the third spade is not standing up, and it is East’s responsibility at trick two to make that clear to him. With two cards left he plays the higher of his spot-cards, from three left he plays the lowest. From four, as here, he plays back the highest spot-card he can afford, the eight. At that point West can infer the precise layout of the suit, given the auction and play thus far. West must therefore shift to a heart at trick three, thereby dislodging a critical entry from dummy prematurely. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠ J 10 5 ♥AK4 ♦K7 ♣AQ963 South 1♣ ?

West Pass

North 1♦

East 1♠

ANSWER: Were it not for the overcall by East, you were planning to jump to two notrumps, planning to show a balanced 18-19, upgrading your hand into that range. The overcall makes this very dangerous; but is it more desirable now to reverse into two hearts or rebid that feeble club suit? Nothing is attractive, but I¹ll lie with two hearts and hope to get to no-trump later.

The Aces on Bridge: Friday, January 30th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on February 13th, 2015 “My name is Sherlock Holmes. It is my business to know what other people don't know.” — Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Today's theme is one that was first created by Terence Reese, in one of his outstanding collection of deals where he encourages you to play 'over his shoulder' and experience the problems in real time. When West leads a low trump against four spades, your first thoughts should be to win in hand and continue drawing trumps. If they broke 3-2, you could knock out the diamond ace and end up taking 10 tricks by losing one diamond and two clubs. But you knew the hand couldn’t possibly be that simple; and it isn’t – the 4-1 trump break rears its head. Now if you ruff a heart to dummy to draw the fourth trump you run yourself out of trumps and let the defenders cash hearts when in with the diamond ace.

Dealer: South North Vul: North♠A9875 South ♥3 ♦8742 ♣ 10 7 3 West ♠3 ♥ K 10 8 7 6 ♦A93 ♣Q852 South ♠KQJ ♥AJ5 ♦ K Q J 10 ♣AJ6 South 2 NT 3♠ 4♠

West Pass Pass All pass

North 3♥ 3 NT

East ♠ 10 6 4 2 ♥Q942 ♦65 ♣K94

East Pass Pass

Opening Lead: ♠3

You might consider drawing just three rounds of trumps, then playing on diamonds. Alas, that doesn’t work. West ducks the first diamond, wins the second and gives East a diamond ruff, which again results in four losers for your side. The problem is: how to draw trumps and not end up losing too many hearts? The solution is to draw three rounds of trumps, then lead a low heart from hand. Either defender can win, and the best defense is another heart. Ruff that in dummy, draw the last trump, then play on diamonds. You have retained the heart ace, and the three losers are one heart, one diamond and one club. Your other club loser can be discarded on the heart ace. BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: This is one of the rare positions with 4-4 pattern where in responding to a double you should bid the higher suit first. By bidding spades then competing in hearts if necessary, you get both suits in efficiently and make sure you find the best fit possible in the major suits, and at an efficient level.

South Holds: ♠ 10 6 4 2 ♥K642 ♦65 ♣K94 South ?

West 1♣

North Dbl.

East Pass

The Aces on Bridge: Saturday, January 31st, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on February 14th, 2015 “Woman begins by resisting a man's advances and ends by blocking his retreat.” — Oscar Wilde

In today's deal South played in three no-trump on a low heart lead. Declarer won cheaply and was about to try to run the club suit when he noticed an inconvenient fact about his high spots in hand. Because of his nine and 10, the suit appeared to be irretrievably blocked even if the suit was about to divide 21. One possibility was to try to lose a club to West, (which he might be able to do if West had any doubleton, or if he had the bare queen). But if South lost the club to East, a second heart would come through him and that would be curtains for the contract.

Dealer: East Vul: Both

North ♠74 ♥53 ♦54 ♣K876432

West ♠K95 ♥AQ742 ♦KJ72 ♣5

East ♠ J 10 8 2 ♥ 10 8 6 ♦9863 ♣QJ South ♠AQ63 ♥KJ9 ♦ A Q 10 ♣ A 10 9

South

West

North

2 NT

Pass

3 NT

East Pass All pass

South found an alternative solution when he exited Opening Lead: ♥4 immediately with the heart king, knowing from the spot card led, the four, that West could not hold more than five hearts. At the table West somewhat naively ran his hearts, which allowed declarer to shed one of his clubs and unblock the suit. Effectively, declarer emerged with seven clubs, a heart and one of the pointed aces. However, despite declarer’s ingenious maneuver, the defense had a riposte available. Imagine that West shifts to a spade – let us say the king, for the sake of argument. Declarer can win and play back a third heart (if he gives up a club, East still has a heart left). But West wins the third heart and plays a second spade, setting up two winners for East if a club is ducked to him. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠K95 ♥AQ742 ♦KJ72 ♣5 South 1♥ ?

West Pass

North 2♥

East Pass

ANSWER: No matter how you cut it, your hand is only a 13-count, and you need more excuse than some nice shape to find another call when partner has shown 7-10 HCP. Just to put it on record: I would probably bid on with 5-5 pattern, or you could tempt me to a try for game of two spades, if I held A-10-5 in that suit, for example.

The Aces on Bridge: Sunday, February 1st, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on February 15th, 2015

Dear Mr. Wolff:

Dear Mr. Wolff:

Holding: ♠ 7-6-2, ♥ A-6, ♦ A-9-8-5-4-2, ♣ K-9, what is your response after partner, dealer, opens one spade, and your RHO doubles? Do you raise partner, bid your suit, or redouble to show strength — or does the redouble show tolerance for spades? Also, what bid would you recommend without the intervening takeout double?

In fourth seat you hold: ♠ A-K-Q-3, ♥ 10, ♦ A, ♣ A-K-Q-J-7-3-2. Peacefully minding your own business, you hear a weak two diamonds to your left and a theoretically forcing response of two hearts to your right. I just blasted into six clubs, but alas, our opponents took the save in six hearts, for just 300. At the other table our teammates took the save in seven hearts over the making six spades for -500. How would you bid this hand?

— Double Trouble, Charlottesville, Va. ANSWER: Without a double the least lie here would be to bid two diamonds — even if you play it as forcing to game. All those aces and kings look like an opening bid, don't they? Over a double, redouble shows 10+ and tends to be made on hands without spade support. Two diamonds should be played as natural and non-forcing, unlike a one-level response after a double, which should be a one-round force by an unpassed hand. Since a spade raise would be a distortion, the redouble wins hands down, to be followed by a spade raise. Dear Mr. Wolff: Is partner obliged to accept a Jacoby Transfer or can he bid something else and if so must this be alerted? — Quatre Saisons, Montreal ANSWER: Having methods where some other call than completing the transfer is allowed is a good idea. Any transfer-break must be alerted if it has an agreed meaning. Simplest is to break to three of your major with four trumps and a non-minimum. Bidding a new suit will happen very rarely; but simplest is to play such bids as a doubleton ace or king with a big fit. A more complex answer is to add a break to two notrumps as three good trumps and a maximum. Dear Mr. Wolff: Is it ever acceptable to overcall into a fourcard suit? Would you pass, overcall, or double, when your RHO opens one diamond and you have: ♠ K-Q-10-7, ♥ K, ♦ A-J-5, ♣ K10-7-5-3? — Logophile, Janesville, Wis. ANSWER: Double looks wrong with a singleton major and these values, while passing feels cowardly. That leaves an overcall of one no-trump, two clubs or one spade. I marginally prefer bidding the good four-card major to introducing a weak club suit, although I could live with either action. One no-trump with a bare ace, rather than the king might be possible?

— Monster Mash, Houston, Texas ANSWER: A double of two hearts is one of those areas even well-established partnerships don't agree on, so three diamonds may be a safer cuebid, planning to bid six clubs next, then maybe six spades over six hearts next time. This is a gamble, I admit, but not an unreasonable one. I hate to defend lower than seven hearts with this hand. Dear Mr. Wolff: Playing strong twos, our general agreement is that we open two clubs with four or fewer losers. But we have had strong disagreement as to whether or not that should be a one-suiter, since my partner insists on doing it with a two-suiter, even if her best suit is my artificial diamond response. Is there a best theoretical approach? — Powerhouse Pat, Grand Forks, N.D. ANSWER: The problem with opening two clubs when you hold long diamonds is that the action gets too high too fast. I say open one diamond with marginal hands, but another possible fix after the two-club opener is as follows. Use a jump to three of a major over the two diamond negative as four in that major and five or more diamonds, unbalanced. Thus a rebid of three diamonds is one-suited in principle.

The Aces on Bridge: Monday, February 2nd, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on February 16th, 2015 “Nothing can stop you moving forward, unless you yourself surrender under pressure.” — Anil Sinha

The North hand provides a problem over a one club opening bid. If you play inverted minor raises, then the hand is far too strong for a three-club bid, and a one notrump call seems misdirected and an underbid. So maybe it is best simply to raise to two clubs, pretending you have a limit raise. South can jump to three no-trumps, to end the auction. West will lead the spade four against three no-trump and now the spotlight switches to East. If East plays the ace followed by the queen, declarer will hold up the spade king until the third round of the suit. Then, after taking the losing club finesse, he can make 10 tricks painlessly.

Dealer: South North Vul: Both ♠96 ♥ 10 8 3 ♦A53 ♣AJ863 West ♠J8542 ♥Q92 ♦J84 ♣75 South ♠ K 10 7 ♥AKJ ♦ K Q 10 ♣ Q 10 9 2 South 1♣ 3 NT

West Pass All pass

North 2♣

East ♠AQ3 ♥7654 ♦9762 ♣K4

East Pass

Instead, East must play the spade queen smoothly at trick Opening Lead: ♠4 one. Declarer is really forced to take this with the king, since otherwise he runs the risk that West holds five spades to the ace-jack and the club finesse is working, or that spades are 4-4 with the club finesse losing. In either scenario, ducking the spade queen would look incredibly foolish. In practice, though, when the club finesse fails the defenders can run their four spade tricks today. Note: the key to this play is that East can see that he has the critical entry in clubs, and that his partner will not be confused by the play to the first trick. If East were looking at a weaker hand without a side entry, he should win the spade ace and return the queen. LEAD WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠K53 ♥87 ♦Q743 ♣J954 South All pass

West 2 NT

North Pass

East 3 NT

ANSWER: Your approach might vary depending on whether you are playing pairs or teams. At pairs you might go for the most passive option, the top of your doubleton heart. At teams I'd guess a spade lead might be the lead most likely to set the game. Of course leading from either four-card suit might work, but neither suit is attractive on this auction.

The Aces on Bridge: Tuesday, February 3rd, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on February 17th, 2015 “It is necessary to relax your muscles when you can. Relaxing your brain is fatal.” — Stirling Moss

In today's deal West led the heart six against three notrump. After winning with the king, East returned the jack, and declarer worked out that if the lead was a genuine fourth highest, there was no prospect of blocking the suit. So he did well to let the jack win, and was delighted when East switched to a spade. But South was so pleased at having guessed right that he took his eye off the ball, in what appeared to have become an easy contact. He tried the minor suits in succession by cashing them out from the top, and, ended with only eight tricks when both suits refused to behave.

Dealer: South North Vul: Both ♠842 ♥ 10 3 ♦ K 10 4 2 ♣K643 West ♠65 ♥A98652 ♦5 ♣ J 10 8 7 South ♠AK ♥Q74 ♦AQ83 ♣AQ52 South 2 NT

West Pass

North 3 NT

How should South have continued after winning the switch at trick three with a top spade? He should start by Opening Lead: ♥6 cashing the club ace and queen (the suit in which he has no flexibility) making sure to leave himself an entry to dummy, and discovering the bad break. The critical play comes next, which is to cash the second top spade before trying the diamonds. By so doing, he will find out that West had started with six hearts, four clubs and at least two spades, and therefore, at most, one diamond.

East ♠ Q J 10 9 7 3 ♥KJ ♦J976 ♣9

East All pass

Now, after crossing to the diamond king, he leads the diamond 10, with the intention of running it if it is not covered. If East does cover, South has retained the club king in dummy as an entry to repeat the finesse against the diamond nine. BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: The hand is absolutely maximum for a jump to two no-trumps here, which is not unusual but shows a balanced 19-21 in protective seat. With only a doubleton spade, it feels right to make this call rather than double, since spades are not really on the agenda from your perspective.

South Holds: ♠AK ♥Q74 ♦AQ83 ♣AQ52 South ?

West 1♥

North Pass

East Pass

The Aces on Bridge: Wednesday, February 4th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on February 18th, 2015 “Think what our Nation stands for, Books from Boots’ and country lanes, Free speech, free passes, class distinction, Democracy and proper drains.” — John Betjeman

The South hand has enough slam potential for it to be right to open two clubs, and after the temporizing response of two diamonds, North can bid two no-trumps to show scattered values, (using three clubs as a second negative) then raise three spades to four. He might consider cuebidding four clubs with the ace instead of the king, or better trumps. After the club queen is led to the ace, declarer cashes the spade ace to find the bad news. Next he plays a low spade from hand. East takes the spade jack with his queen and tempts declarer by shifting to the heart two. If declarer finesses, a heart return will sink him, leaving him with two diamond losers at the end. But South has a sure trick play if he is careful. He rises with the heart ace, rather than finessing, then draws trump (throwing clubs from the table) and exits with the heart jack.

Dealer: South North Vul: East♠J5 West ♥Q65 ♦ 10 7 5 2 ♣K843 West East ♠— ♠Q983 ♥K9743 ♥ 10 8 2 ♦K93 ♦Q64 ♣ Q J 10 7 6 ♣952 South ♠ A K 10 7 6 4 2 ♥AJ ♦AJ8 ♣A South 2♣ 2♠ 3♠

West Pass Pass Pass

North 2♦ 2 NT 4♠

East Pass Pass All pass

Opening Lead: ♣Q

If this holds, he has 10 tricks. If it loses, the defenders must give him a 10th trick one way or another. A heart or club is clearly fatal, and leads to his making an overtrick. Equally, though, if they touch diamonds, declarer makes his 10th in that suit, since he can hold his losers to just one trick there. This play would almost certainly be right even if South did not have the heart jack – East would have exited with a trump rather than lead away from the heart king, would he not? BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: In third seat I can see the logic of opening one heart, or even preempting to two hearts. It does feel right to bid though. Yes, you have only a nine-count but quite a lot of offense, and no reason to assume your side cannot get into the auction and make your opponents' life more difficult.

South Holds: ♠— ♥K9743 ♦K93 ♣ Q J 10 7 6 South ?

West

North Pass

East Pass

The Aces on Bridge: Thursday, February 5th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on February 19th, 2015 “If all the good people were clever, And all clever people were good, The world would be nicer than ever We thought that it possibly could.” — Elizabeth Wordsworth

It may seem unlikely that a series of world titles could have been decided by a single hand, and even more so if that hand came from a game of rubber bridge. However that is the way it was told by Carl-Alberto Perroux, the Italian non-playing captain of the all-conquering Blue Team from the fifties and sixties. He was sitting North when this hand was played in a high stakes rubber. The bidding may look a little antiquated, but on the lead of the spade three declarer, the then relatively unknown Camillo Pabis-Ticci set about the play in confident style. He won the ace, drew a round of trump, then cross-ruffed the minor-suits. After taking two club ruffs in hand and two diamond ruffs in dummy he had reached a six-card ending with the lead in North. Dummy consisted of four losing spades, a trump and the club king, while he had two spades and four trump in hand.

Dealer: North North Vul: North♠ A 10 7 6 2 South ♥KJ93 ♦7 ♣KJ6 West East ♠3 ♠KQJ4 ♥ 10 ♥2 ♦KQ854 ♦ J 10 9 6 ♣ A Q 10 9 5 4 ♣8732 South ♠985 ♥AQ87654 ♦A32 ♣— South

West

3♥ 5♥ Pass Rdbl.

4♣ Pass Dbl. All pass

North 1♠ 4 NT 6♥ Pass

East Pass Pass Pass Pass

Opening Lead: ♠3

At this point Pabis-Ticci led the club king and discarded a spade from hand, forcing West to win and concede a ruff and discard, so both spades went away from the South hand. Not the most difficult play in the world perhaps, but Perroux was very impressed with the way that his partner had played the hand. When Avarelli was temporarily unavailable to play with the Blue Team, Perroux (who had complete control of the team selection) brought in Pabis-Ticci, for the start of a glittering International career over the next two decades. BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: Your partner's cuebid asks you to bid no-trump with a club stopper and you are more than generously provided for in that department. If your partner is coming in either spades or hearts he can raise you at your next turn, but for the time being the notrump game looks the most likely to make.

South Holds: ♠ A 10 7 6 2 ♥KJ93 ♦7 ♣KJ6 South

West

1♠ 2♥ ?

2♣ Pass

North 1♦ 2♦ 3♣

East Pass Pass Pass

The Aces on Bridge: Friday, February 6th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on February 20th, 2015 “It's the little details that are vital. Little things make big things happen.” — John Wooden

In today's deal the route to 12 tricks required some very careful manipulation of the trump spots to manage the entry position to best effect. Against six hearts, reached after a somewhat optimistic final call by South, West led the spade king to South’s ace. Declarer realized he would need to try to establish dummy’s diamonds to get close to his slam. So he cashed the diamond ace then led a careful heart eight to dummy’s jack, gaining a bonus when the nine dropped, as now there was a firm third entry to dummy even if trumps failed to break 2-2. Next came the diamond queen. The idea was, that so long as the missing diamond honors were split between the defenders, or East held both the king and jack, South would be able to jettison his black suit losers. When East played low, South’s losing spade departed. West won and returned a spade, more in hope than expectation.

Dealer: South North Vul: North♠42 South ♥ J 10 6 ♦ Q 10 9 8 4 ♣872 West ♠KQJ7 ♥532 ♦K32 ♣ 10 9 4 South ♠A9 ♥AKQ874 ♦A ♣AK53 South 2♣ 2♥ 6♥

West Pass Pass All pass

North 2♦ 4♥

East ♠ 10 8 6 5 3 ♥9 ♦J765 ♣QJ6

East Pass Pass

Opening Lead: ♠K

Declarer ruffed the spade return with a top trump, then returned to dummy by overtaking the trump seven with the 10. Now South called for the diamond 10, on which he discarded a club. The diamond nine, covered with the jack, was once again ruffed high. Finally, the heart four was overtaken with the six and the diamond eight provided a parking spot for South’s second club loser. And for all you double-dummy analysts, a trump lead would beat the slam; maybe West might have considered it? BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠ 10 8 6 5 3 ♥9 ♦J765 ♣QJ6 South Pass 1♠ ?

West 1♦ 2♣

North Dbl. 3♠

East Pass Pass

ANSWER: Your minor-suit values aren't likely to be pulling their full weight, but your partner has shown a really strong hand and your additional shape entitles you to bid game here – with one important caveat. The better your partner, the more likely he is to have what he has shown. With a weak player, I might pass and apologize later.

The Aces on Bridge: Saturday, February 7th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on February 21st, 2015 “Half the failures in life arise from pulling in one's horse as he is leaping.” — Julius and Augustus Hare

In today's deal, from a knock-out at a regional tournament, the defenders at one table had no idea of the missed opportunity until it came to the scoring up. What happened at the table where the successful declarer was situated was that a strong club opening led South to declare three no-trump after showing his hearts. The defenders led the diamond queen, ducked round to the king, whereupon declarer claimed his nine tricks and moved on. In the other room North-South had also done well to avoid playing the hopeless four heart contract. On the action shown, where South had promised a good 17-19 and a balanced hand, West led the diamond queen and East paused for refection before playing to trick one.

Dealer: South North Vul: North♠J532 South ♥Q74 ♦ 10 8 6 ♣KJ9 West ♠K94 ♥ 10 6 3 ♦QJ9 ♣8542 South ♠ 10 8 ♥AKJ98 ♦K75 ♣AQ3 South 1♥ 2 NT

West Pass Pass

North 1♠ 3 NT

East ♠AQ76 ♥52 ♦A432 ♣ 10 7 6

East Pass All pass

Opening Lead: ♦Q

With West having no more than a six-count, three of the points being in diamonds, the defenders could surely take no more than four tricks if they ducked the first trick, or won it and pressed on with diamonds. East could see declarer’s quick tricks looming, so desperate measures were surely called for – and that meant finding his partner with the spade king. To cover all the bases East won the diamond ace and shifted to a subtle spade queen. When the eight appeared from South West woke up to the significance of his blocking spade nine. He worked out to signal with it on the first spade, whereupon a low spade to the king saw West play a third spade, and the defenders could now take the first five tricks. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠ 10 8 ♥AKJ98 ♦K75 ♣AQ3 South

West

North

1♥ ?

Pass

Pass

East 1♦ 1♠

ANSWER: The auction has timed out perfectly for you. You can double one spade for take-out, showing extra values with a real heart suit and a hand that is at least playable in clubs. You were right not to double at your first turn, by the way, since if the opponents had bid spades you might have found it hard to get your hearts in conveniently.

The Aces on Bridge: Sunday, February 8th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on February 22nd, 2015

Dear Mr. Wolff:

Dear Mr. Wolff:

Can you define what is meant by a responsive double? Do they only apply after opening bids are doubled, or do they apply after overcalls?

You recently ran a hand where you held: ♠ 65-2, ♥ 7-5-4-2, ♦ A-10, ♣ K-J-7-6. You heard one diamond to your left, doubled by your partner. What I would need, in addition to my eight points and the diamond doubleton, to bid two hearts, rather than one? Does the fact that I am a passed hand have any bearing, or do I still need 10 points or so?

— Granny Smith, Rockford, Ill. ANSWER: Since you asked a technical question, I'll define the terms precisely. A responsive double applies only after an opening bid is doubled and that suit is raised. Fourth hand's double suggests both majors if a minor is raised, and it suggests hearts if spades have been raised. But it denies spades if hearts have been raised, since you would bid them if you had them. After the opponents raise a suit around an overcall, double is takeout, just not technically a responsive double. Call it fourth suit or competitive. Dear Mr. Wolff: What would you bid when you hear one club to your left, passed round to you, and you hold: ♠ A-Q-3-2, ♥ Q-5-3, ♦ K-10, ♣ J-9-4-2? — Keeping Mum, Troy, N.Y. ANSWER: I would balance with a call of one no-trump, despite the possibility that my LHO is very strong, or that we are rescuing the opponents from an embarrassing spot. More often, either we or they could make a contract here – and sometimes both sides might make their contracts, or you can make game. The range for a balancing one notrump is 11-14 here. Dear Mr. Wolff: My partner and I are trying to establish what is the best way to continue after our weaktwo gets doubled for take-out. We have heard of a convention called McCabe, but what does a redouble mean, and should new suits be rescues, promise a fit, or be leaddirecting? — Having a Fit, Peru, Ind. ANSWER: After your partner's weak-two is doubled – so that you do not rate to be on lead — redouble is strong, new suits to play at the two level, but are lead-directing at the three-level with at least a partial fit. Raises remain preemptive, while jumps show real suits plus a fit for partner. That lets a call of two no-trumps transfer to three clubs. This lets you get out in your own suit, or invite in partner's suit if followed by supporting partner. Incidentally, I suggest that after your partner opens or overcalls with a preempt, new suits by you should also be fit and leaddirecting. Don't rescue yourself till they double for penalty.

— Gail Warning, Saint John, New Brunswick ANSWER: A two heart response to the double is a real invitation – so using this hand as a template I'd jump with two hearts with the same hand but hearts such as J10xx or better. Use a nine-count with either a five-card suit or chunky intermediates or a second suit as a typical sound minimum. Dear Mr. Wolff: What guidelines do you suggest for when you should use Stayman in response to a one no-trump or two no-trump opening? What if you have a four-card major and the values for game but a fully balanced hands? — Goal Tender, Palm Springs, Calif. ANSWER: When you have a balanced hand, especially in a 4-3-3-3 pattern, with surplus values for game and a poor fourcard major, consider playing no-trumps not a suit. The tipping point may be if you have soft values (typically the minor honors) in your short suits. The logic for this is that your hand may offer no ruffing values, since your queens and jacks may solidify partner's holding.

The Aces on Bridge: Monday, February 9th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on February 23rd, 2015 “Suspicion is the company of mean souls, and the bane of all good society.” — Thomas Paine

All the deals this week come from the NEC tournament held last year in Japan. The tournament is one of the strongest of the invitation teams event in the world, but also includes a large number of local Japanese teams. In today’s deal, which was duplicated and played all round the room, it was common to play three no-trump from the North seat and to make it on a heart lead. With the diamond king-queen onside, declarer could eventually establish an extra trick in each minor. By contrast, in Shanghai Financial versus China Shanghai both Wests (who had opened one spade playing a strong club system) led a top diamond against three no-trumps. Both Souths won the diamond lead, but there the paths diverged. The trusting declarer went after clubs, and the defenders cleared diamonds, letting East cash out when he got in with his surprise heart queen.

Dealer: South North Vul: Neither ♠ A Q 2 ♥ A K 10 9 ♦AJ5 ♣Q65 West ♠J8743 ♥73 ♦KQ8 ♣A73 South ♠ K 10 9 5 ♥J82 ♦ 10 6 4 ♣ J 10 9 South Pass 1 NT

West 1♠ Pass

North Dbl. 3 NT

East ♠6 ♥Q654 ♦9732 ♣K842

East Pass All pass

Opening Lead: ♦Q

By contrast, the suspicious declarer, Liu Ning, found a very neat alternative after winning the diamond ace. He cashed one top spade and led the heart 10. East won and played back a diamond. West won his king, on which declarer unblocked dummy’s jack, then cleared diamonds, but declarer won the third diamond in hand and ran the spade 10. Now he cashed North’s top spades, then crossed to the heart jack, took the long spade, and ran the hearts for nine tricks. The defense could still have prevailed in unlikely fashion had West simply covered South’s diamond at trick three. That deprives declarer of a critical entry to his hand. LEAD WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠J92 ♥J632 ♦ 10 8 4 ♣J86 South

West

Pass

6 NT

North Pass All pass

East 2 NT

ANSWER: All four suits look like they will or may cost a trick. My best guess would be that a diamond is least likely to be expensive; partner may have no honors in the suit or you may not do anything for declarer that he could not do himself. I'd lead the four – your partner will have a shrewd idea you won't be leading from a vulnerable honor, and once in a while the eight may be too valuable to waste.

The Aces on Bridge: Tuesday, February 10th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on February 24th, 2015 “Sometimes we focus so much on what we don't have that we fail to see, appreciate, and use what we do have!” — Jeff Dixon

All the deals this week comes from last year's NEC tournament in Yokohama. In three clubs Willie Whittaker received repeated spade leads, and ruffed, then unblocked the diamond king and led a heart to the queen and ace. Back came a heart, after which declarer can succeed by cashing his winners, taking a trump finesse, then ruffing two diamonds in dummy to score the acequeen of clubs and four red-suit winners, plus three ruffs. Instead Whittaker played to ruff a diamond before cashing the second heart trick and that let West get a heart away. Better defense for West would have been to lead the third top spade when in with the heart ace, which promotes an additional trump winner and ensures the defeat of the contract. In the other room the contract of three diamonds looked more playable; but again, if the defenders play three top spades early on, it may let East discard a heart loser.

Dealer: South North Vul: Neither ♠ J 7 5 4 ♥K432 ♦K ♣J732 West ♠AKQ983 ♥A95 ♦43 ♣95 South ♠6 ♥QJ8 ♦AJ9762 ♣AQ6 South 1♦ 2♦ Dbl. 3♣

West 1♠ 2♠ Pass All pass

North Dbl. Pass 2 NT

East ♠ 10 2 ♥ 10 7 6 ♦ Q 10 8 5 ♣ K 10 8 4

East Pass Pass Pass

Opening Lead: ♠K

In fact, though, after a top spade lead West shifted to trumps. Declarer voluntarily ruffed a spade to hand, and that let West subsequently play a third spade without setting up dummy’s jack. Declarer subsequently misjudged the play to go down two. By contrast, when Ashley Bach for team Lorentz played three diamonds, he ruffed the spade at trick two and led the heart queen to the ace. He won the trump return, crossed to the heart jack and played three rounds of trumps. East could take two trump tricks but then had to lead a heart or club, allowing declarer to test both suits, and come home with nine tricks. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠J754 ♥K432 ♦K ♣J732 South Pass 1♥ ?

West Pass Pass

North 1♣ 2♦

East Pass Pass

ANSWER: There is no single best treatment after opener's reverse, but I recommend that raising either of opener's suits is gameforcing. A rebid of your own suit (two hearts here) shows at least five cards and is a oneround force. The cheaper of fourth-suit and two no-trumps is an artificial negative, the other call being forcing. So here preference to three clubs is natural and forcing; perfect!

The Aces on Bridge: Wednesday, February 11th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on February 25th, 2015 “Fame is no plant that grows on mortal soil.” — John Milton

In today's deal from the NEC tournament last year both Wests led their doubleton diamond against four spades. Both declarers pitched three club losers as West ruffed, then exited with the spade jack. Here the two lines of play diverged slightly. In both rooms South won, and here the paths changed. One declarer led out the second top spade, and when the queen did not drop he played the heart king to try to arrange a heart ruff in dummy. The other declarer tried the more subtle approach of leading the spade eight from hand first, but East ducked, to deny declarer an entry to dummy with the spade nine. After that trick, declarer also played the heart king to arrange a ruff in dummy, but he too was unable to take more than nine tricks.

Dealer: South North Vul: East♠962 West ♥8 ♦AKQJ643 ♣ 10 5 West East ♠J5 ♠Q73 ♥ A Q J 10 ♥976 ♦87 ♦ 10 9 5 2 ♣AQ876 ♣K94 South ♠ A K 10 8 4 ♥K5432 ♦— ♣J32 South 1♠

West 2♣

North 4♠

East All pass

Opening Lead: ♦8

At a third table Sue Picus found the way to come to 10 tricks. She too won the diamond lead in dummy and continued with top diamonds, pitching her clubs, as West ruffed the third round and tried the club ace. Picus ruffed and got out with a heart. West won the heart and continued clubs, so Picus ruffed again, and cashed the spade ace, deciding from the fall of the jack to play West for no more spades. She ruffed a heart, cashed the diamond jack, pitching a heart, then continued diamonds. East could ruff in whenever he wished, but Picus could overruff and ruff another heart in dummy for her 10th trick. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠ A K 10 8 4 ♥K5432 ♦— ♣J32 South 1♠ 2♥ ?

West Pass Pass

North 2♦ 3 NT

East Pass Pass

ANSWER: There are many bridge players who would propel themselves into a dicey 52 fit and bleat in apology "But I had 5-5 partner!". Don't be that guy; if your partner cared about your fifth heart he had many forcing actions available to him to find out about it. Pass three no-trumps and hope your partner is in good declaring form.

The Aces on Bridge: Thursday, February 12th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on February 26th, 2015 “Minorities are individuals or groups of individuals especially qualified. The masses are the collection of people not specially qualified.” — Jose Ortega y Gasset

Today's deal determined who would take the vital eighth qualifying spot in the NEC tournament last year and advance to the knock-out phase. In one room where declarer was part of a Dutch-Russian team the opening lead of the heart ace did not paralyze declarer, and South made 11 tricks in a canter. In our featured room clubs were an unbid suit, so Bas Drijver led one, and the defense played two rounds of clubs. Declarer elected to draw a couple of rounds of trump and take a diamond finesse, allowing the defenders to take the club ruff, which left declarer with just nine tricks, and no qualifying place. Declarer should have come home by simply taking the diamond finesse at trick three. Although the defenders can take a ruff, you get to ruff a diamond low and a diamond high when the suit breaks 4-3 long on your right. When the outstanding trumps are 2-2 you can now draw them all without loss.

Dealer: East Vul: Neither

North ♠KQ765 ♥— ♦AQ74 ♣ J 10 9 5

West ♠J82 ♥AJ532 ♦J86 ♣76

East ♠94 ♥ Q 10 6 4 ♦K932 ♣A43 South ♠ A 10 3 ♥K987 ♦ 10 5 ♣KQ82

South 1♦* Pass 4♠

West 1♥ 3♥ All pass

North Dbl.** 4♥

East 3♦ Pass

*Two plus cards **4 or 5 Spades Opening Lead: ♣7

Declarer still had a chance after drawing two rounds of trumps. Instead of playing diamonds, cash the two clubs — if West ruffs he will be endplayed. But if he doesn’t ruff what does he discard? If he pitches two hearts you play to ruff a diamond in hand. If he pitches a heart and a diamond to stop threaten an overruff, take the diamond finesse, ruff the heart return, then draw the last trump. When you cash the diamond ace, dummy’s diamond 7-4 will be worth a trick against East’s 9-3! BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠ A 10 3 ♥K987 ♦ 10 5 ♣KQ82 South 1♣ ?

West Pass

North 1♠

East Pass

ANSWER: This is partly a matter of style. From my perspective, raising partner with three trumps is perfectly acceptable, so long as you have a ruffing value, and the alternative of one no-trump is unattractive. Here raising to two spades looks best, since your small doubleton diamond looks antipositional.

The Aces on Bridge: Friday, February 13th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on February 27th, 2015 “Teach us that wealth is not elegance, that profusion is not magnificence, that splendor is not beauty.” — Benjamin Disraeli

At last year's NEC tournament In the round six encounter between Down Under and Hinden both pairs had an opportunity to show off their skills. Had Graham Osborne opened a weak two spade bid he might have gone quietly plus in that spot. But he opened one spade, and Francis Hinden was obliged to make a try for game. Of course two no-trump was a considerably more testing spot than two spades would have been, after Peter Newell’s lead of the diamond nine. After this lead, Hinden made the first nice play of the deal when she put up the diamond queen from dummy. If West ducks that, Hinden’s plan would have been to unblock the heart suit then play a second diamond toward her king and come home with eight tricks.

Dealer: North North Vul: Both ♠QJ8765 ♥J ♦ Q 10 7 ♣A83 West ♠ 10 3 ♥9843 ♦92 ♣KQ965 South ♠2 ♥AKQ75 ♦K54 ♣ 10 7 4 2 South

West

2♥ 2 NT

Pass All pass

North 1♠ 2♠

East ♠AK94 ♥ 10 6 2 ♦AJ863 ♣J

East 2♦ Pass

Opening Lead: ♦9 Martin Reid therefore won the diamond ace and responded to declarer’s coup with one of his own. He played back the diamond jack at trick two, forcing declarer to win the diamond in her hand, and cutting her off from the heart suit. From that point on declarer had only six winners. This was a much admired play in the reports of the time. But note that if the spade 10 and two were reversed, declarer would have been able to succeed. She could have won the diamond, unblocked the heart jack, then cashed the club ace and played a spade towards her 10. So perhaps winning the diamond and playing the club jack at trick two might have covered all the bases equally efficiently? BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠2 ♥AKQ75 ♦K54 ♣ 10 7 4 2 South 1♥ 2♣ ?

West Dbl. 2♠

North Rdbl. Dbl.

East 1♠ Pass

ANSWER: When you bid two clubs in front of your partner, you indicated your unsuitability for defending to spades. Your partner heard you, and indicated that he really wanted to defend two spades. You should pass, and my guess would be to lead trumps to the first trick. Yes, you saw that right!

The Aces on Bridge: Saturday, February 14th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on February 28th, 2015 “(His) dispatch of business was extraordinary, his maxim being 'The shortest way to do many things is to only one thing at once.'” — Samuel Smiles

Today's deal from last year's NEC tournament comes from Hinden's successful semi-final match against an Australasian team. Francis Hinden’s one spade call would surely be a unanimous choice here as South. This argues that since game is nothing special here, maybe the North hand is worth nothing more than a strong invitation? Be that as it may, Hinden was forced to play four spades on a heart lead, and when she put up the queen, the hand was over. East covered the queen with the king and declarer could scramble two club ruffs in her hand while drawing trumps, but had to lose four red tricks at the end.

Dealer: West North Vul: East♠AKQ2 West ♥Q43 ♦J5 ♣AQ93 West ♠J6 ♥2 ♦ K 10 8 7 6 ♣KJ864 South ♠ 10 9 7 5 ♥A85 ♦Q943 ♣75 South 1♠

West 1♦ 2♣

North Dbl. 4♠

East ♠843 ♥ K J 10 9 7 6 ♦A2 ♣ 10 2

East 1♥ All pass

Better is to win the first heart in hand while preserving Opening Lead: ♥2 dummy’s queen. Then you can take the club finesse, cash the club ace, ruff a club, cross to the spade king, ruff a second club and take the two master trumps. In the five-card ending the key is now whether to play West to have opened so light, or for South to have responded one heart with only a four-count. If you can read the location of the high cards, you can succeed now by leading the low diamond from dummy. If East ducks, he will eventually be endplayed with the second diamond to lead hearts. If he rises with the ace, declarer builds his game-going trick either from dummy’s heart or her own diamonds. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠ 10 9 7 5 ♥A85 ♦Q943 ♣75 South Pass ?

West Pass

North 1♣

East Pass

ANSWER: It might be worth emphasizing that with one-bid hands like this, the normal response is to bid spades, rather than diamonds. The logic is that if your side has a game it is far more likely to be in spades than diamonds. If your partner has clubs and diamonds with reversing values, you will hear about it soon enough.

The Aces on Bridge: Sunday, February 15th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on March 1st, 2015

Dear Mr. Wolff:

Dear Mr. Wolff:

I opened one heart in first seat with: ♠ A-Q-97, ♥ A-Q-8-6-5, ♦ 10-5, ♣ K-3 and heard my partner raised to two hearts and RHO now joined in with three clubs. How would you rate my options of pass, double, three diamonds, and three hearts?

Yesterday I played in a rubber group for the first time, and opened one no-trump on 17 points with a doubleton heart ace. My partner responded three hearts and when I played safe and raised to game we made six. Although they play transfers, she thought her bid showed a game force with six hearts. I thought it was better to make the strong hand declarer, and that the transfer would have given more room for the exchange of more information.

— Big Game Hunter, Richmond, Va. ANSWER: Passing is unduly pessimistic while double should be strong and extra values, not quite what you have. Your real extra distribution makes bidding three hearts as a purely competitive maneuver logical enough, but slightly pessimistic. Meanwhile a call of three diamonds is an unspecified game-try (one does not have space to make the call about diamonds). I'd settle for that action. Dear Mr. Wolff: My partner and I want to establish a firm agreement about what is the significance of discarding an honor at your first opportunity. Equally, when you follow with an honor under a high-card lead from your partner, or an honor from dummy, what should that mean? — Fever Pitch, Newark, N.J.

— Chatty Kathy, Grenada, Miss. ANSWER: One does not have to play conventions here but if playing transfers (and especially if playing Texas Transfers as well) then a two-level transfer and jump to game can be used for a mild slam try. Now we can get sophisticated and use the threelevel bids for some of the awkward hands such as hands with both minors, or even 5-5 hands with both majors. Dear Mr. Wolff: I have the feeling you like to get into auctions quickly, but would you make a takeout double after hearing one club to your left, and one spade to your right holding: ♠ Q-105, ♥ A-K-7-5, ♦ K-7-5, ♣ A-8-3? — Trouble City, Bellevue, Wash.

ANSWER: If you drop an honor on partner's high-card lead, it suggests either at most a doubleton, or a suit solid down from that card, denying a higher honor. Similarly discarding a queen would suggest the jack and maybe the 10, but no king. Warning: very occasionally playing an unnatural honor might be suit-preference, or a wake-up call to find an unusual play. Dear Mr. Wolff: Holding ♠ A-7-3-2, ♥ A-5-3, ♦ Q-9-5, ♣ A-4-2, I opened one club and heard my partner respond one heart. What is my best rebid now, one spade, one no-trump or two hearts? — No Second Chance, New Orleans, La. ANSWER: I prefer a rebid of one no-trump – I might even try two hearts, though that would be very rare on a 4-3-3-3 pattern. I'd be unhappy to make a call of one spade, which to my mind guarantees shows at least four clubs. If you buy in to the idea that rebidding one spade then raising hearts would show a 4-3-1-5 pattern and a nonminimum, you have to go some way other than bidding one spade at your second turn. Otherwise you never get to show delayed heart support without promising extras.

ANSWER: I consider action here mandatory. I think direct action safer than passing and then balancing. But I would refer to bid one no-trump showing a strong balanced hand, rather than double, despite my four-card holding in the other major. You should not play one no-trump as unusual, except by a passed hand – you have double and a call of two no-trump for the unbid suits.

The Aces on Bridge: Monday, February 16th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on March 2nd, 2015 “People say that life is the thing, but I prefer reading.” — Logan Pearsall Smith

Today's deal exemplifies the idea that reading bridge books will improve your technique so as to benefit your performance at the table. Some elements of technique that are really too hard to work out the first time you meet them. See if you agree! Defending three no-trump you lead the heart three, to the queen, king and ace. Declarer crosses to dummy with the diamond ace, and finesses a diamond to the jack and your queen. You take the heart jack, which collects the two and nine. Over to you.

Dealer: South North Vul: East♠Q64 West ♥ Q 10 ♦A32 ♣KJ753 West ♠AJ9 ♥J643 ♦ Q 10 6 ♣ Q 10 8 South ♠ 10 8 2 ♥A98 ♦KJ974 ♣A4 South

West

North

Declarer has tried to persuade you that he had only two 1♦ Pass 2♣ hearts originally, and that your partner started life with five 2 NT Pass 3 NT hearts. However, East’s play of the heart two at his Opening Lead: ♥3 second turn should be giving you standard remaining count, thereby suggesting that at the time he made the play of the two your partner had only three hearts left, and thus that it is declarer who has the heart eight.

East ♠K753 ♥K752 ♦85 ♣962

East Pass All pass

It looks necessary to take three tricks quickly to set the hand, and your best bet is to find partner with the spade king. So shift to spades now; but that in itself will not suffice; you must shift to the spade jack to surround dummy’s spade queen. Now, whatever declarer does, he has to go down. Just to clarify: If your partner had started life with K-8-7-5-2 of hearts left he should play the eight or seven at his second turn, and give you the count. LEAD WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠J54 ♥K83 ♦965 ♣A962 South Pass Pass

West 1♦ 4♥

North Pass All pass

East 3♥

ANSWER: Dummy rates to be pretty strong, since West doesn't seem to have that many hearts. Since your partner didn't overcall, you could make a good case for underleading the club ace to the first trick. Much depends on your partner's ability to take a joke, though. If he is the sort of person who has never underled an ace and doesn't expect you to do that, maybe lead a low spade or start with the club ace.

The Aces on Bridge: Tuesday, February 17th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on March 3rd, 2015 “There is nothing to winning, really. That is, if you happen to be blessed with a keen eye, an agile mind, and no scruples whatsoever.” — Alfred Hitchcock

John Solodar (a Bermuda bowl winner in 1981) was the hero on this hand from an early round of the Vanderbilt knock-out teams a few years ago. Plan the play in four spades, a spot you have reached on an unopposed auction. The opening lead is the diamond queen. Before you start the play, remember that a little learning is a dangerous thing, and that this hand is full of what Alfred Hitchcock called McGuffins, distractions to lead you away from the real theme of the deal.

Dealer: South North Vul: Neither ♠ K J 6 ♥J5 ♦K83 ♣A9654 West ♠Q54 ♥A9874 ♦QJ7 ♣J2 South ♠ A 10 9 8 3 2 ♥6 ♦ A 10 5 ♣ K 10 7

The first thing your mind may turn to is the idea of an endplay in the club and/or the diamond suit. The declarer South West (a many time world champion) in the other room took the 1♠ Pass 2♠ Pass diamond ace and tackled trumps early to find that he had a loser. When declarer led a heart from dummy East rose Opening Lead: ♦Q with an honor and played a diamond through South’s 10. Now South’s fate was sealed, since he had to lose a trick in every suit. However, actually an incredibly straightforward hand — if you see the point.

North 2♣ 4♠

East ♠7 ♥ K Q 10 3 2 ♦9642 ♣Q83

East Pass All pass

this is

Solodar took the diamond ace, cashed the spade ace, played a club to the ace, then led another club to the king and played a third club. East won the trick and cashed a top heart, then shifted back to diamonds. But John simply won, cashed the spade king and played a winning club to discard his diamond loser. 10 tricks made. BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: Since you have already denied four spades at your last turn, it feels right to raise three spade to four spades. Even if you are playing a 4-3 fit, this will surely be the game with the best chances for your side.

South Holds: ♠KJ6 ♥J5 ♦K83 ♣A9654 South

West

North

Dbl. 3♣ ?

Pass Pass

2♥ 3♠

East 1♥ Pass Pass

The Aces on Bridge: Wednesday, February 18th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on March 4th, 2015 “In small proportions we just beauties see; And in short measures life may perfect be.” — Ben Jonson

It is often overlooked in the heat of battle, that when you have to make a discard you should part with a card that cannot possibly be of any use, rather than one that might conceivably take an active part. This deal is a good example of the theme, although the mistake is one that many players might have made. Defending against four spades East overtook his partner’s lead of the club jack with his queen. When this was allowed to hold, he attacked hearts by leading out the king ace, and a low one. Declarer ruffed high and West, who was sure his hand could play no further part in the deal, parted with a low diamond.

Dealer: South North Vul: Neither ♠ J 9 8 ♥J654 ♦AJ87 ♣83 West ♠532 ♥ 10 7 ♦642 ♣ J 10 9 4 2 South ♠ A K Q 10 7 ♥98 ♦K53 ♣A75 South 1♠ 4♠

West Pass All pass

North 2♠

East ♠64 ♥AKQ32 ♦ Q 10 9 ♣KQ6

East Dbl.

In view of East’s take-out double and West’s discard, the Opening Lead: ♣J diamond finesse looked a poor bet, so declarer cashed the club ace and ruffed a club, then played off four rounds of trump, discarding two diamonds from dummy. East had to retain the heart king and so parted with a diamond. Now the diamond ace and king left South with the winning five. In retrospect, maybe West should have seen that if he had held on to all of his diamonds, he would have made the setting trick with his six at the end. In summary, when discarding, the weak hand should make life easy for the strong hand. But beware of telling partner information he already knows, and also of helping declarer more than your partner. Additionally, keeping winners rather than losers never goes out of style. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠J98 ♥J654 ♦AJ87 ♣83 South Pass ?

West Pass

North 1♦

East Dbl.

ANSWER: My views here may seem somewhat sacrilegious amongst the 'Majors first at all costs' but I would raise to two diamonds rather than bid one heart. The former preempts a level of the auction, and tells partner where you live. Bear in mind that in third seat partner with limited values will tend to bid suits he wants led. So you shouldn't worry about facing three small diamonds here.

The Aces on Bridge: Thursday, February 19th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on March 5th, 2015 “The most dangerous of our calculations are those we call illusions.” — George Bernanos

North's bid of three clubs showed a limit-raise or better in spades facing South's five-card major. You lead the club king, for the three, four, and ace. Declarer plays the spade ace and a second spade, partner contributing the five and six. You are on lead; where to go now? Partner’s play in trump is suit-preference, asking for a shift to the lower (or lowest) of the options. Which minor to play? Well, you surely cannot beat the hand by playing a diamond if partner has three clubs. There is very unlikely to be any way to collect more than a spade, heart and diamond trick since your partner can hardly have more than six points, can he?

Dealer: South North Vul: East♠Q94 West ♥ Q 10 6 2 ♦AQ2 ♣J53 West ♠ K 10 ♥874 ♦ J 10 ♣KQ9862 South ♠A8732 ♥K3 ♦K84 ♣ A 10 7 South 1♠ 4♠

West 2♣ All pass

North 3♣

East ♠J65 ♥AJ95 ♦97653 ♣4

East Pass

On balance, it is far better is to hope that your partner has Opening Lead: ♣K a singleton club. Play the club queen, and then give partner a ruff, then hope that your partner can come through with enough in the red-suits to beat the hand. (South might have done better to look for three no-trump here, a far safer contract today.) You should also calculate that if everyone follows to the second club, (unlikely, I know) it looks right to play a third club and kill declarer’s discard while hoping for the trump promotion. Just for the record: this is the sort of hand where the old-fashioned trump echo to request a ruff might appear to make life simpler. But you can still convey the same message, as well as many others, by Suit Preference in trumps. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠Q94 ♥ Q 10 6 2 ♦AQ2 ♣J53 South Pass ?

West 1♦

North Pass

East Pass

ANSWER: Your inclination might be to let sleeping dogs lie, and pass out one diamond. That might work out well for you, but the percentage action is surely to balance with a call of one no-trump, showing a maximum pass with a diamond stop. Unless your LHO has a moose, this rates to play well enough for your side.

The Aces on Bridge: Friday, February 20th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on March 6th, 2015 “Nothing encourages creativity like the chance to fall flat on one's face.” — James D. Finley

Put yourself in East's shoes here, and cover up the South and West cards to make the problem a fair one. South shows his clubs, then rebids three no-trump when his partner indicates that he has fewer than five HCP. Against this game West leads the heart 10 and declarer takes the trick with the king. Next he plays the ace, king and another club. East takes his club jack while his partner discards two hearts, up the line. How should the defense go from here? West’s original lead of the heart 10 was ambiguous, but his decision to discard two cards from the suit suggests, perhaps, that he has led from a four-card suit. With five hearts he would surely have pitched a discouraging card from one of the other two suits – and that in turn might indicate he has minor honors in both the other suits. And what of West’s original pattern?

Dealer: South North Vul: East♠ 10 7 6 4 West ♥853 ♦873 ♣ 10 7 5 West ♠J832 ♥ 10 9 6 2 ♦ Q 10 5 2 ♣Q South ♠K ♥AKQ ♦AK64 ♣AK932 South 2♣ 3♣ 3 NT

West Pass Pass All pass

North 2♦ 3♦*

East ♠AQ95 ♥J74 ♦J9 ♣J864

East Pass Pass

*Second negative Opening Lead: ♥10

As it is a safe assumption that West would probably have led from a five-card suit on a blind auction of this sort, his discards perhaps suggest that he began with three four-card suits. On this logic, cashing the spade ace is the indicated play, giving the defenders four tricks in the suit and five winners, before declarer can take his nine tricks. One other possibility for the defense is that East might learn more by ducking the club 10. Now declarer has to come back to hand and reveal more about his hand. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠J832 ♥9862 ♦ Q 10 5 2 ♣Q South ?

West Pass

North 1♠

East 1 NT

ANSWER: The value call here is to bid three spades, showing a preemptive not a limit raise. If the vulnerability discourages you from that action then you might bid just two spades. Incidentally, with limit raise values you should either double one no-trump or bid two no-trumps, which is an artificial call, guaranteeing support. You cannot want to invite in no-trump – you would surely double them instead.

The Aces on Bridge: Saturday, February 21st, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on March 7th, 2015 “His imagination resembled the wings of an ostrich. It enabled him to run, though not to soar.” — Lord Macaulay

When West leads the club queen against six spades how do you plan to make 12 tricks? Cashing the trump ace-king loses out to 4-1 spades. The ideal way to avoid taking the diamond finesse is by ruffing two clubs in dummy and pitching your diamonds on dummy’s hearts. You need to play the spades in such a way that you can draw all of East’s trump before running the hearts. The best way to do this is to lead the trump 10 at trick two. If the 10 holds, play a spade to the ace, ruff a club, play a trump to the jack if necessary and cash the trump king. However, in today’s layout East will surely cover the spade 10 with the queen. This is the key moment: you must duck in hand or you won’t be able to draw all of East’s trump before you turn your attention to hearts, and will go down when the diamond king is offside.

Dealer: North North Vul: Both ♠ 10 8 6 2 ♥AQJ76 ♦ Q J 10 ♣A West ♠3 ♥ 10 9 5 ♦K763 ♣ Q J 10 9 4 South ♠AKJ4 ♥K42 ♦A95 ♣762 South

West

1♠ 4 NT 6♠

Pass Pass All pass

North 1♥ 3♠ 5♥*

East ♠Q975 ♥83 ♦842 ♣K853

East Pass Pass Pass

*Two keycards and no trump queen Opening Lead: ♣Q

After winning the trump queen, East will almost certainly shift to a diamond. You will take this with the ace, ruff a club, cross back to hand with the heart king and ruff a second club. Now you will draw all the trump, discarding dummy’s remaining diamonds on the king and jack of trumps. Note that a trump lead defeats the slam. Also if it was West who had four trumps headed by the queen, plus the diamond king, he has to duck the spade 10 to defeat the slam. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠ 10 8 6 2 ♥AQJ76 ♦ Q J 10 ♣A South 1♥ ?

West 2♣

North Pass

East Pass

ANSWER: It bears repeating that the flipside of playing negative doubles is that you are compelled to re-open in these sequences with shortage in the opponents’ suit. Here you have the perfect shape to double, and anything your partner does will be fine by you (though you are of course hoping for a penalty pass from your partner).

The Aces on Bridge: Sunday, February 22nd, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on March 8th, 2015

Dear Mr. Wolff:

Dear Mr. Wolff:

When you open one no-trump and partner responds with Stayman, how do you deal with intervention? Can you ever bid at the three-level?

In fourth seat, not vulnerable, I held ♠ J-10-97-6-5, ♥ J-5-3, ♦ A-4, ♣ 6-4. My LHO, vulnerable, opened with one spade, which my partner doubled. My RHO passed, and after some thought so did I. We set the contract two tricks, for 500 points. My partner insists I should have bid one no trump, allowing him to bid at the two-level. My argument is that even plus 110 or 140 versus the 200 that I considered probable was a poor return.

— Coping Mechanism, Texarkana, Texas ANSWER: If the opponents double, the simple option is to redouble to show very good clubs, while two diamonds shows real diamonds, and pass is the default call with nothing to say. A more sophisticated approach is to pass without a stopper and use any action to show a stopper. Over higher intervention, bid at the two-level if you can, with double penalties. Bids at the threelevel show a five-card major and a maximum. Dear Mr. Wolff: I got criticized for opening the following hand: ♠ A-Q-3-2, ♥ Q-J-3, ♦ 10, ♣ Q-9-4-3-2. Where do you stand on this, and would your position change depending on position or vulnerability? — Light Brigade, Bremerton, Wash. ANSWER: 5-4 hand patterns with easy rebids are tempting to open. I'd be much happier with a little more in my long suit or chunkier intermediates; but non-vulnerable I don't need much convincing to get in there. This is especially so in first or third seat. Dear Mr. Wolff: I picked up: ♠ 10-7-4, ♥ Q-10-8-5, ♦ A-Q-9-5, ♣ A-Q and opened one diamond in second seat. My LHO overcalled one spade, partner made a negative double, and my RHO raised to two spades. Should I bid three hearts now or pass? — Lone Granger, Fresno, Calif. ANSWER: I think your weak spade length is favorable for action. Bidding three hearts is certainly reasonable here, but there is a conventional gadget that might allow you to distinguish between a real invitation and a purely competitive action. Details of how to use a call of two no-trump as artificial (the so-called good-bad two no-trump) can be found here.

— Hair Gel, Albuquerque, N.M. ANSWER: I like your reasoning – it is the 97 of trumps that persuade me! If your partner cannot be convinced by the result that you achieved at the table, he is indeed a hard nut to crack. Dear Mr. Wolff: In yesterday's Casper Wyoming Tribune, the partner used Blackwood, but opener's response was five spades with only one ace. Why wasn't the response five diamonds? — Goodnight Irene, Casper, Wyo. ANSWER: My apologies for losing the footnote that should have gone with the Roman Keycard Blackwood response. Bridge Guys’ definition sets out how this version of Blackwood allows you to find out about the trump king and queen. This is by no means an essential part of modern bidding but honesty compels me to admit that more and more players do use a gadget of this sort when asking for aces.

The Aces on Bridge: Monday, February 23rd, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on March 9th, 2015 “Misery still delights to trace Its semblance in another’s case.” — William Cowper

It was easy enough for North-South to bid to a slam on this deal from the Nationals at Vancouver — particularly if East had doubled a heart cuebid, making South's hand even more valuable. The North hand is difficult to value over an opening bid of one spade. Most experts these days have a way to show a game-forcing hand in support of spades — and that should be enough to excite South enough to drive to the six-level. However making the slam was a tougher matter; it required some accurate card reading, together with a knowledge of technique. On a heart lead, South does best to win dummy’s ace and finesse the diamond queen at once. If the diamond king is onside, he has 12 tricks at once by ruffing dummy’s heart losers in hand. However, when the diamond finesse loses, declarer seems to be almost out of chances — not so. Put yourself in South’s position and see if you can spot your slim residual chance.

Dealer: South North Vul: Neither ♠ A J 10 7 4 ♥A95 ♦42 ♣Q64 West ♠3 ♥Q8762 ♦K83 ♣ J 10 7 2 South ♠KQ9862 ♥4 ♦ A Q 10 5 ♣A5 South 1♠ 3♥ 4 NT 5 NT

West Pass Pass Pass Pass

North 2 NT 3♠ 5♥ 6♠

East ♠5 ♥ K J 10 3 ♦J976 ♣K983

East Pass Pass Pass All pass

Opening Lead: ♥6

The answer is that you must play East for the club king and four diamonds to the jack. Ruff the likely heart return, (a diamond does not disrupt the timing although it leads to a slightly different ending) and cross to dummy with a trump to ruff another heart. Now comes the key for producing certainty in the ending; cash the club ace, — the Vienna Coup — and run all your trumps, reducing everyone to three cards. Dummy’s three cards include the club queen and a diamond, and on the last trump, East has to reduce to only two diamonds since he cannot discard his club king. Now you can bring in the diamond suit for the last three tricks via the finesse of the 10. You cash the ace, and your last diamond wins trick 13. LEAD WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠ A 10 6 5 ♥964 ♦85 ♣AQ43 South Pass Pass All pass

West 1♦ 2♣

North Pass Pass

East 1♥ 2♥

ANSWER: I don't particularly like the trump lead here (dummy rates to be very short and we might be pickling partner's vulnerable honor. So though I am not a fan of leading doubletons in declarer's suit, I will start off with the diamond eight, knowing that the auction has suggested to my partner that declarer won't be overloaded in diamonds, and thus he may work out not to give me a ruff.

The Aces on Bridge: Tuesday, February 24th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on March 10th, 2015 “If you care enough for a result, you will most certainly attain it.” — William James

There are enough inferior plays and cutting comments at the Dyspeptics Club to provide splendid entertainment – though a significant portion of the discussions might carry an R-rating.

Dealer: South North Vul: East♠85 West ♥A6 ♦AQ754 ♣8643 West ♠ J 10 9 3 ♥J8 ♦ K 10 8 6 ♣QJ9 South ♠AK ♥K7543 ♦J93 ♣A75

In three no-trumps one might have expected South to make a play first, and start thinking about what he should have done later. Instead, declarer captured the spade lead in hand, and actually paused to consider what might go wrong. The only danger that he could envisage was a 4-1 diamond break, so he improved on the simple finesse by leading to the diamond ace. Had East held a significant South West North singleton or West the diamond king, this line would have 1 NT Pass 3 NT worked, but in fact the shortage of entries to dummy Opening Lead: ♠J would have left declarer awkwardly placed against anything but a singleton king. And today with East having a small singleton, his line failed. When South complained about his bad luck he received the verbal equivalent of raspberry from his partner. Can you see why?

East ♠Q7642 ♥ Q 10 9 2 ♦2 ♣ K 10 2

East All pass

Leading the nine to the ace might have covered the situation where East had a singleton king, eight or 10, but it is possible to do even better. Best of all would have been to lead the diamond jack from hand at the second trick. If West covers with the king declarer can win the ace and lead to his nine to ensure four diamond tricks. This line works against any singleton in East bar a singleton king, and also against a singleton king or 10 in West. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠Q7642 ♥ Q 10 9 2 ♦2 ♣ K 10 2 South

West

2♥ ?

2♠

North 1♥ 3♣

East Pass 3♠

ANSWER: You have more than enough to bid on here, given your double fit plus the knowledge of partner being really short in spades. But bidding four hearts would be lazy; you must bid four clubs to keep partner in the picture and to help him judge the fiveor six-level. Would it amaze you if you were cold for slam in either clubs or hearts? It certainly wouldn't surprise me!

The Aces on Bridge: Wednesday, February 25th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on March 11th, 2015 “To see what is in front of one's nose requires a constant struggle.” — George Orwell

Today's deal focuses one of those suits that seem to feature remarkably often in the bridge problems – but which cause just as many problems in real life. The auction features the forcing no-trump response by an unpassed hand to a major-suit opening bid. This allows North to raises one of a major to three with a shapely hand (typically four-card support)and invitational values, and to go through one no-trump to suggest about an 11count with three trumps in a balanced hand. For the record: playing the forcing no-trump is a good idea if you play two over one forcing. Otherwise it is certainly hard to differentiate between the various invitational hands. As you can see, South has 10 top winners in four spades – at first, if not at second glance. When West begins with two top hearts against the spade game, declarer ruffs the second round then cashes the ace and king of trumps.

Dealer: South North Vul: Neither ♠ J 8 5 ♥ 10 9 7 2 ♦J52 ♣AKQ West ♠9763 ♥AKJ4 ♦ A 10 6 ♣73 South ♠ A K Q 10 2 ♥3 ♦K7 ♣ J 10 9 8 6 South 1♠ 2♣ 4♠

West Pass Pass All pass

North 1 NT* 3♠

East ♠4 ♥Q865 ♦Q9843 ♣542

East Pass Pass

*Forcing Opening Lead: ♥K

If trumps break, the hand is over, since declarer can draw trumps and then unblock clubs, and still have a trump left to reach his hand. But the 4-1 trump break is a little awkward for declarer, since he has to deal with unblocking dummy’s clubs before he can make 10 tricks. He cannot do this if he draws all the remaining trumps straight away. Instead he must cash two of dummy’s clubs, and only then can he draw the remaining trumps. On the last trump he discards dummy’s remaining club. He makes five trumps and five clubs. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠852 ♥ 10 9 7 2 ♦J52 ♣AKQ South ?

West Pass

North 2 NT

East Pass

ANSWER: To me this is a textbook raise to three no-trumps without going through Stayman. Factors in favor of this approach are the combination of your excellent values coupled with square side-suit shape and weak hearts, all of which argue that finding hearts might be the only way to go minus. And the simple raise gives far less away about your and your partner's shape to the opening leader.

The Aces on Bridge: Thursday, February 26th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on March 12th, 2015 “No man who is correctly informed as to the past will be disposed to take a morose or desponding view of the present.” — Lord Macaulay

This deal came up nearly 50 years ago and, at the time, nobody blamed West too much for his defense, but if the hand were played today, the result might well have been different. Against three no-trump West led the spade seven to the three, 10 and king. The contract seemed to depend on the diamond finesse, but declarer did well to lead the heart 10 to dummy’s jack and ran the diamond jack to West’s king. From West’s point of view, South might have started with king-queen-third of spades, in which case another spade lead could well give declarer his ninth trick. So West shifted to a club, hoping that his partner held an entry, and now declarer had 10 tricks.

Dealer: South North Vul: Both ♠43 ♥KJ9 ♦ J 10 6 4 ♣9862 West ♠A9875 ♥874 ♦K7 ♣ 10 4 3 South ♠K62 ♥ A Q 10 3 2 ♦AQ3 ♣AJ South 2 NT

West Pass

North 3 NT

East ♠ Q J 10 ♥65 ♦9852 ♣KQ75

East All pass

Opening Lead: ♠7

Let us advance in time – firstly, North might well have enquired for four or five card majors by bidding three clubs over two no-trumps – this would have led to a contract of four hearts which, although defeated on best defense, might easily scramble home. Secondly, this was before the days of Smith Peters, so East could not suggest by his play to the first diamond trick whether or not he liked his partner’s opening lead. Thirdly, technique has improved – against three no-trump East will contribute the jack, not the 10, to the first trick. Then West will know that it is safe to lead another low spade for, from his point of view, either his partner holds the queen or declarer still has the queen and 10. BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: Your partner's double is take-out, suggesting real extras, but your hand seems eminently suitable for defense. I would pass expecting partner to have a strong hand with maybe 4-4-2-3 pattern and 18+ points, and that the opponents would have nowhere to run.

South Holds: ♠43 ♥KJ9 ♦ J 10 6 4 ♣9862 South Pass 2♣ ?

West 1♠ 2♦

North Dbl. Dbl.

East Pass Pass

The Aces on Bridge: Friday, February 27th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on March 13th, 2015 “Personally I think that competition should be encouraged in war and sport and business, but that it makes no sense in the arts. If an artist is good, nobody else can do what he or she does and therefore all comparisons are incoherent.” — Edward St. Aubyn

In today's deal declarer plays four hearts, after having created a game-forcing auction at the second turn. Maybe South should bid three no-trump at his third turn, but the defenders could take four spades and a club against that game. Still, four hearts is no picnic. Declarer has to choose which minor suit to go after, once the defenders lead three rounds of spades against four hearts. South ruffs, and could draw trumps and play ace and another diamond, planning to finesse. This requires finding queen-third of diamonds onside, or finding the diamond queen favorably placed, and the doubleton club queen with East. The combined chances for this line is less than one in four.

Dealer: South North Vul: Neither ♠ Q 7 5 ♥ 10 8 ♦KJ642 ♣ 10 8 5 West ♠ J 10 9 6 ♥7642 ♦ 10 5 3 ♣A7 South ♠42 ♥AKQJ9 ♦A8 ♣KJ93 South 1♥ 3♣ 4♥

West Pass Pass All pass

North 1 NT 3♥

East ♠AK83 ♥53 ♦Q97 ♣Q642

East Pass Pass

Playing on clubs first offers a much better chance, since it Opening Lead: ♠J works most of the time that the club queen is favorably located (though the defenders will sometimes be able to defeat you by ducking the club ace, then taking a ruff). Best is to ruff the spade high at trick three, then to play the heart nine to the 10 and run the club eight. You can now ruff the fourth spade in dummy rather than in hand, to preserve control of the trump suit. And by running the club eight, hopefully losing to the ace, you plan to regain the lead, draw trumps, then cross back to the diamond king and run the club 10. This retains the lead in dummy to repeat the club finesse as many times as necessary. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠42 ♥AKQJ9 ♦A8 ♣KJ93 South Dbl. 2♥ ?

West Pass 1♠ 3♦

North Pass Pass Pass

East 1♦ Pass Pass

ANSWER: Painful as it may be to sell out here, it seems to me that your best chance to go plus here is to pass. You showed an extremely good hand and could not get your partner interested in bidding on. Surely he would have acted with any weak hand with heart support, so your best chance here may be to pass and hope to beat three diamonds.

The Aces on Bridge: Saturday, February 28th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on March 14th, 2015 “Thinking to me is the greatest fatigue in the world.” — Sir John Vanbrugh

When ducking an ace it is generally a good idea to have planned the play in advance to make the play effective. Consider this deal, from a rubber bridge game in the United Kingdom. When West leads the diamond king, declarer wins, cashes the club ace and crosses to dummy with a trump to discard a diamond on the club king. Are you still up with the hand? Declarer now leads the spade 10 from dummy; what should you play after winning the ace? That is the question most players would ask themselves, and a trump seems obvious enough – but that is too late. Declarer can simply ruff his remaining spade loser in dummy, and has the rest.

Dealer: South North Vul: Neither ♠ 10 ♥QJ3 ♦ J 10 9 4 2 ♣K752 West ♠J742 ♥52 ♦KQ87 ♣Q96 South ♠KQ96 ♥ A K 10 8 6 4 ♦A5 ♣A South 1♥ 6♥

West Pass All pass

North 2♥

East ♠A853 ♥97 ♦63 ♣ J 10 8 4 3

East Pass

Opening Lead: ♦K

Maurice Weissberger was East and he found a much better defense when he ducked his spade ace rather than taking it. As you will see from the full deal, below, when Maurice played low on the spade 10, declarer made the natural play of running it to West’s jack. Back came a second trump and declarer won in dummy, ruffed a diamond to hand, and now took a ruffing finesse against the spade ace to go one down. Declarer could have made the hand had he hopped up with the spade king initially, but his play catered for every lie of the cards – except the actual one. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠ 10 ♥QJ3 ♦ J 10 9 4 2 ♣K752 South ?

West 1♣

North 1♠

East Pass

ANSWER: It is tempting to advance with a call of one no-trump, but this hand seems generally too weak for that call. Yes, spades may not be our side's best spot, but the risks associated with bidding and getting the auction too high are surely more significant. If the opponents decide to double one spade for penalty, you may change your mind as to where to play.

The Aces on Bridge: Sunday, March 1st, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on March 15th, 2015

Dear Mr. Wolff: Assuming you need five tricks with no outside information, holding the doubleton queen in dummy, and A-K-10-3-2 in hand, after playing the queen, is the percentage play to play for the drop or to finesse the 10?

ANSWER: There is a general rule — with one common exception. When following suit or winning a trick, play the higher of equals, which will generally help to confuse opponents about the location of the lower honor. But at no-trump, when winning the first trick when holding either the ace-king or ace-king-queen, take the trick with the king.

— Witch of Eastwick, Trenton, N.J. Dear Mr. Wolff: ANSWER: The answer is a tossup. The math says the chance of a 3-3 break is just over one third, and the chance of a doubleton jack is one in six. So the chance of playing from the top is just fractionally over one half. Just for the record, with Q-10 facing A-K-4-3-2 the best line is to lead low to the 10, rather than playing for the drop. Dear Mr. Wolff: After you hear your partner open one heart, and the next hand overcalls two clubs, would you start with a negative double, as I did, holding: ♠ A-Q-3-2, ♥ 5-3, ♦ K-Q-3, ♣ J-9-42? If so, partner responds two spades, and you have to make a rebid. What would be your choice now? — Finding Nemo, Asheville, N.C. ANSWER: You are by no means guaranteed to have an eight-card spade fit, as partner may have been forced to bid a three-card suit, so it would be premature to raise to four spades. I would bid two no-trumps, suggesting invitational values with a club stopper, surely holding four spades, else you would not have doubled in the first place. Your partner can now choose the strain and level he wants to play at. Dear Mr. Wolff: I'm trying to learn how to make my opponents' life more difficult as declarer. Is there a general rule as to whether declarer, as fourth hand, should win the trick with the bottom or the top card from a sequence of equals? Similarly, when following suit, should one follow with the top or bottom of a sequence? — Harry Houdini, Seattle, Wash.

Were you at the recent world championships in Sanya, China? Do you have any comment on how the events were run? — Grocer Jack, Chicago ANSWER: I was not at the tournament, which seems to have been less popular than many of the recent big championships. Perhaps this was the distance of Sanya from Europe and most major cities? I know there were Internet problems and logistical problems at the event, but I fear these are the norm rather than the exception nowadays. Dear Mr. Wolff: As opener I was unsure how forcing a new suit by responder should be at his second turn. I was recently dealt ♠ K-4, ♥ J-7-2, ♦ Q3, ♣ A-Q-9-7-5-4, and opened one club, then rebid two clubs over my partner's response of one spade. What was I supposed to bid over my partner's call of two diamonds — is that call forcing, encouraging or weak? — Trumpet Voluntary, Elmira, N.Y. ANSWER: A new suit by responder is forcing, even by a passed hand. Your duties are to support partner's first suit with three trumps or a strong doubleton, to rebid notrump if you have the fourth suit controlled, or otherwise to make any other natural and descriptive call. Here supporting to two spades seems right — partner should not expect you to have three good trumps, since you might already have raised him.

The Aces on Bridge: Monday, March 2nd, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on March 16th, 2015 “Criticism is easy, art is difficult.” — Philippe Destouches

Nobody ever pretended that bridge is a simple game, and all too often what makes it especially complicated is the inability to see the wood for the trees. Very few deals boil down to a simple analysis of requiring a specific number of tricks from one suit -there are all too often complicating factors which require you to play off one suit combination against another.

Dealer: South North Vul: East♠98 West ♥ 10 5 2 ♦AK864 ♣543 West ♠KJ74 ♥J863 ♦ 10 ♣ J 10 9 6 South ♠AQ65 ♥AK4 ♦952 ♣AKQ

However, today’s deal is one where, if playing teams or rubber bridge, we can focus on a single theme and not worry too much about the other suits. Playing three notrump on a top club lead from West, we can win in hand South West North and should concentrate our energies on making nine 2 NT Pass 3 NT tricks. With six sure winners outside diamonds, and no Opening Lead: ♣J obvious danger suit, we simply require to take three diamond tricks. If we only need three tricks in the suit we can afford to lose two tricks, so at trick two we simply duck a diamond. East might do best to overtake his partner’s 10 and shift to a spade. If he does so, we duck his play of a low spade, and cover his 10 with the queen. On regaining the lead we can advance the diamond nine, planning to cover an honor from West, or duck again if West discards on this trick. Whatever happens after that, we can ensure our nine tricks against any lie of the cards.

East ♠ 10 3 2 ♥Q97 ♦QJ73 ♣872

East All pass

Note that if you take either the first or second round of diamonds, the contract becomes unmakable. LEAD WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠ 10 5 4 ♥K763 ♦Q5 ♣ J 10 3 2 South All pass

West Pass

North Pass

East 2 NT

ANSWER: Your partner is marked with at least scattered values and close to a maximum pass. The question is whether to go aggressive; if you did, you would probably lead a club rather than a heart, since even though dummy rates not to have long majors, your club holding is relatively safe. Or you could try to go passive with a spade. I vote for clubs, but make the club 10 the nine and I might change my mind.

The Aces on Bridge: Tuesday, March 3rd, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on March 17th, 2015 “Beauty in things exists in the mind which contemplates them.” — David Hume

Almost every bridge player has a decent chance to score their aces and kings when they get the chance. But what distinguishes the better bridge player from his counterpart is the ability to score his small cards at the right time. For example consider today’s deal, where after East-West have competed in spades, South has to make 12 tricks in diamonds. On winning the lead of the spade king with the ace, declarer should eliminate trumps, to make sure the defenders do not score a trump promotion by a ruff or overruff. So play a middle trump to dummy’s king, followed by the two of trumps to your ace. Next comes ace and another heart to West’s king, marking the suit as no worse than 42.

Dealer: East Vul: Both

North ♠94 ♥J7632 ♦K42 ♣AK6

West ♠KQJ875 ♥K5 ♦Q7 ♣J72

East ♠ 10 6 3 2 ♥ Q 10 9 4 ♦ 10 ♣Q943 South ♠A ♥A8 ♦AJ98653 ♣ 10 8 5

South

West

North

1♦ 4♦ 6♦

2♠ Pass All pass

3♥ 5♦

East Pass Pass Pass

Opening Lead: ♠K After ruffing the spade continuation with a middle trump, the heart suit needs two entries to establish a long card and another to enjoy the long heart. As you have kept the precious three of trumps in hand, and the four in dummy, you have one entry to the North hand in the trump suit and two in clubs. 12 tricks made! For the record, if you switch the club king and 10, you can still make six diamonds after the spade lead. But you have to be VERY careful. At trick two you must lead the low heart from hand. Then you can ruff the spade return, unblock the heart ace, draw two rounds of trumps ending in dummy, and go about establishing hearts as before. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠94 ♥J7632 ♦K42 ♣AK6 South Pass ?

West Pass

North Pass

East 1♣

ANSWER: Just because you rate to be outgunned doesn't mean you shouldn't overcall. But when your partner doesn't open in third chair, a good case can be made for passing when you really do not want to direct your partner to a heart lead if your RHO finishes up in spades. You are quite likely to be on lead against no-trump, so you don't have to tell yourself what to lead.

The Aces on Bridge: Wednesday, March 4th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on March 18th, 2015 “The concept of two people living together for 25 years without a serious dispute suggests a lack of spirit only to be admired in sheep.” — A. P. Herbert

Today's deal, from the Open Teams in San Remo, really succeeded in sorting out the men from the boys. Cover up the East and West hands before reading on. The deal was played at many tables but East/West never entered the auction. South opened the bidding with one spade, North made some sort of limit raise to three spades and South went on to game. Plan the play on the lead of the heart jack. Where the ‘boys’ were declaring, South won the lead and played a trump. But West went in with the ace and switched to the club king and another club, East winning with the ace and delivering West a club ruff for the setting trick. Well defended.

Dealer: East Vul: Neither

North ♠ Q 10 5 4 ♥K976 ♦ A 10 ♣J32

West ♠A6 ♥ J 10 8 5 3 ♦J976 ♣K8

East ♠83 ♥Q42 ♦Q43 ♣A7654 South ♠KJ972 ♥A ♦K852 ♣ Q 10 9

South

West

North

1♠ 4♠

Pass All pass

3♠

East Pass Pass

Opening Lead: ♥J The ‘men’ were more alert to the possible danger. They won the heart ace, crossed to dummy with the diamond ace and discarded a club on the heart king before touching trumps. According to the Daily Bulletin, the board was played 32 times in the Open Teams, and on 30 occasions the contract was four spades. On 14 occasions the result was down one, but on five of those the opening lead was the club king, so there was nothing declarer could do. So we can be reasonably confident that at least nine declarers failed to cater for the potential club ruff. Sixteen declarers succeeded, but we don’t know if any of them were also careless but went unpunished. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠KJ972 ♥A ♦K852 ♣ Q 10 9 South ?

West 2♥

North Pass

East 3♥

ANSWER: It might seem the height of aggression to come into an auction at the three-level with a minimum opener, but you simply cannot afford to be stolen from in auctions of this sort. Even if you find yourself in game, when partner plays you for a little more than you have, they haven't doubled you yet. And there are other ways for your opponents to go wrong when you keep the auction open.

The Aces on Bridge: Thursday, March 5th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on March 19th, 2015 “To smooth the ice, or add another hue Unto the rainbow.” — William Shakespeare

As Eddie Kantar wrote, if you have any ambition to be an expert defender, count, count, count! Against four spades West led his singleton heart to the queen and ace. A low diamond was led toward dummy and West hopped up with the ace and shifted to a low club. Declarer won, and pitched a club on the diamond king, then led a heart from dummy. East took his king, then played the spade ace and another spade but South had the rest easily enough. What happens if East ducks the heart at trick five? West ruffs declarer’s jack and gets out with a trump. East wins the ace and returns a spade, and South can only trump one heart in dummy, thus has to lose the setting trick to the heart king.

Dealer: East Vul: Neither

North ♠J86 ♥54 ♦KJ75 ♣ A J 10 6

West ♠53 ♥2 ♦ A Q 10 8 4 ♣Q9853

East ♠ A 10 2 ♥KQ876 ♦962 ♣K7 South ♠KQ974 ♥ A J 10 9 3 ♦3 ♣42

South

West

North

1♠ 3♠

2♦ Pass

2♥ 4♠

East 1♥ Pass All pass

Opening Lead: ♥2

Can East find this defense? He knows that South rates to have started life with precisely one diamond and two clubs. If he had more than two clubs, he would surely have finessed the club jack. Equally, West’s lead of the lowest outstanding card in partner’s suit shows real length or a singleton. As West never supported hearts, his partner’s suit, he could hardly have heart support. The lead therefore rates to be a singleton. If it is a singleton, it is much wiser to let partner ruff the second heart and get out with a trump. Conclusion: experts count; the rest don’t count — in more ways than one. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠J86 ♥54 ♦KJ75 ♣ A J 10 6 South ?

West 1♦

North Dbl.

East Pass

ANSWER: A jump to two no-trump should definitely be a better put-together hand than this. I'd say if your diamond five was the 10 you might stretch to make that call. But as it is, your honors do not seem particularly wellplaced, so a simple call of one no-trump looks enough. I prefer that action to introducing a minor. If you have a game, it rates to be in no-trump not clubs.

The Aces on Bridge: Friday, March 6th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on March 20th, 2015 “There are more ways of killing a cat than by choking it with cream, but I'm not sure that it's not the best way.” — (Saki) H. H. Munro

There was scope for more than one successful line of play in four hearts on this deal from the Seniors' Pairs in San Remo. French star Christian Mari reached that spot after West had overcalled two spades. West led the spade king, which declarer won and immediately returned a spade. West now helpfully switched to a diamond. This was won by the jack and declarer now led a low heart to the queen and king, and East returned a trump. Declarer now cashed the diamond king and ace, and led a spade. East discarded a club and declarer ruffed. Next came the club ace and king and the fourth spade. Whatever East did, Mari was home, the winning trump and winning club falling together on the last trick.

Dealer: South North Vul: North♠ A 10 8 3 South ♥Q52 ♦A85 ♣K85 West ♠KQJ74 ♥ 10 ♦ 10 9 4 ♣Q964 South ♠96 ♥AJ643 ♦KJ3 ♣A72 South 1♥ 3♣

West 2♠ Pass

North Dbl. 4♥

East ♠52 ♥K987 ♦Q762 ♣ J 10 3

East Pass All pass

Opening Lead: ♠K

At another table Paul Hackett declared four hearts on an uncontested auction after South had opened one no-trump. Here West led the spade king and Hackett won and finessed in hearts, West playing the 10. Hackett now exited with a spade and West won and switched to a club. Declarer took all his minor-suit winners, including finessing in diamonds, then led a third spade from the dummy. When East discarded, declarer ruffed and exited with a club to West. At this stage North held the doubleton heart Q-5 plus a spade, while East held K-9-8 in hearts and South A-6-4. West exited with a spade which East ruffed with the eight. South underruffed, and East had to concede the last two tricks. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠52 ♥K987 ♦Q762 ♣ J 10 3 South 2♥ ?

West 2♦ Pass

North Dbl. 2♠

East Pass Pass

ANSWER: I think you have enough to bid two no-trump, trying for game. In context your hand is certainly not a dead minimum, and you have already denied as much as a decent nine-count, so you could argue that you are close to a maximum for the bidding thus far. With the spade queen instead of the five you would drive your hand to game here.

The Aces on Bridge: Saturday, March 7th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on March 21st, 2015 “Treat people with understanding when you can, and fake it when you can't until you do understand.” — Kim Harrison

Against four hearts, in an expert game, West led the club queen, and South saw that if diamonds were three-three and hearts three-two, the route to a 10th trick would be straightforward enough. After playing ace, king and another diamond, he could duck a spade return and win the next spade. He would continue by cashing the ace and king of trumps then discarding dummy's last spade on the good diamond. Whether the defender with the good trump ruffed or not, South's last spade would be ruffed in dummy.

Dealer: South North Vul: Both ♠632 ♥A97 ♦972 ♣A752 West ♠K974 ♥J6 ♦J5 ♣ Q J 10 9 8 South ♠ A 10 8 ♥ K 10 5 3 2 ♦AK63 ♣6

But declarer saw there was an additional chance when South West North East had four diamonds too. If he could force an opponent 1♥ Pass 2♥ 3♦ Pass 4♥ to lead a trump, he might play the suit without the loss of a trick. For that to work, he had to remove the defenders’ Opening Lead: ♣Q exit cards. So, he ruffed a club at trick two, then played ace, king and a third diamond to East’s 10, while West discarded a spade. East returned the spade queen, and South ducked. After taking the spade 10 continuation with the ace, South led a fourth diamond, on which West correctly discarded a second spade.

East ♠QJ5 ♥Q84 ♦ Q 10 8 4 ♣K43

East Pass All pass

Declarer ruffed the diamond in dummy, ruffed another club and exited with a spade. East won and did his best when he returned the heart queen but declarer took the trick with the ace and returned a heart to his king. This was smart play by South, who reasoned that, with two small hearts, West might have ruffed in on the third spade to lead a heart. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠QJ5 ♥Q84 ♦ Q 10 8 4 ♣K43 South 3♣ ?

West 1♠ Pass

North 2♣ 3♦

East 2♠ Pass

ANSWER: Your partner has made a gametry, and you are certainly not minimum for the auction thus far. It is not so likely that notrump has nine running tricks on a spade lead; but the diamond game might easily play much better than the club game (imagine partner with a strong hand and 1-34-5 pattern for example). Raise to four diamonds and let partner make the final decision.

The Aces on Bridge: Sunday, March 8th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on March 22nd, 2015

Dear Mr. Wolff: Can you tell me about the forthcoming National tournament in New Orleans? Are there games that might be suitable for nonexperts?

ANSWER: Different people will produce different rules here. How about the following simple one? Play the lower card from the bottom of a sequence of two, and the higher card from a sequence of three. Note that any partnership agreement is far better than none!

— Archie and Veronica, Shreveport, La. Dear Mr. Wolff: ANSWER: What a good question! Not only should there be games for complete beginners (there are classes to try to teach bridge in a day) but also for all levels of intermediate and advancing players. For more details check out the ACBL’s New Orlean’s tournament page here. Dear Mr. Wolff: I held: ♠ 10-6-3-2, ♥ Q-5, ♦ K-10, ♣ A-9-7-42, and chose to respond one no-trump to my partner's opening bid of one heart, since I thought that my partner was unlikely to hold four spades. He passed and I made eight tricks in my contract. However, many others responded one spade instead of one notrump, and found the 4-4 fit and scored better than we did. Was I correct in responding one no-trump or should I have opted for the major? — Rumblefish, Wausau, Wisc. ANSWER: I would respond one spade if not playing Flannery – expecting that my partner could bid no-trump for himself if he wants. If he bids anything else than one no-trump, I won't feel any worse off. But I do understand your action as a passed hand (I'd be worried about partner passing, and playing one spade in a weak 4-3 fit). Dear Mr. Wolff: One of the basic rules of defense is that as third hand one plays lowest from a sequence of honors when following suit. But as a defender when you have to split honors in second seat, do you split from the top or the bottom — or is there no general rule? — Albert Hall, Carmel, Calif.

The concept of a Mixed Raise has come up from time to time in your columns and in the ACBL magazine. What sequences does this bid apply in – and should I consider adding it to my convention card? — Juggernaut, Spokane, Wash. ANSWER: The Mixed Raise lets you use a jump raise facing an overcall to be weak and distributional (say, fewer than seven points, with four trumps). When one hand overcalls, if his partner makes a jump cuebid in the opponent's suit, that shows 7-9 points, with four trumps: too much too pre-empt, but not enough for a limit raise. A Mixed Raise may also be used after your partner opens a major, and the next hand doubles. A jump in the other major can then be subverted to a Mixed Raise. Dear Mr. Wolff: I held: ♠ 7, ♥ K-9-5-3-2, ♦ A-Q-9-2, ♣ K-Q-4 and opened one heart, and heard my partner raise to two hearts over my LHO's one spade overcall. My RHO competed to two spades. What would you do now? — Phillie Fanatic, Philadelphia, Pa. ANSWER: With a singleton spade the odds strongly favor bidding. Since you do not have quite enough to make a game try, a simple call of three hearts seems to be enough. Change the heart two to the jack and I think you have just enough for a game try (plus lead director) of three diamonds.

The Aces on Bridge: Monday, March 9th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on March 23rd, 2015 “The Government of the United States gives to bigotry no sanction, to persecution no assistance.” — George Washington

One of the recurring themes in my articles is that the opposition bidding frequently leads declarer to the winning line. This was true today, but only in theory, not practice. Against three no-trumps West led a low spade to the 10 and queen, and now with six top tricks, declarer hoped that a 3-3 heart break, might provide the other tricks he needed. If not, the clubs were favorite to come in for no loser. A heart to the jack lost to the ace and back came a spade, removing declarer’s last stopper in that suit. When hearts proved to be 4-2, South entered dummy with the diamond ace and ran the club 10. It lost, and the spade return saw the speedy demise of the game.

Dealer: East Vul: Both

North ♠743 ♥KJ4 ♦A9763 ♣ 10 4

West ♠962 ♥ 10 9 7 2 ♦42 ♣Q872

East ♠ K J 10 8 5 ♥A6 ♦ Q J 10 8 ♣63 South ♠AQ ♥Q853 ♦K5 ♣AKJ95

South

West

North

Dbl. 2 NT

Pass Pass

2♦ 3 NT

East 1♠ Pass All pass

Opening Lead: ♠2 In view of East’s opening bid, South was unlucky to find the club queen offside. But, unless East’s opening bid was an out and out psyche, declarer could have guaranteed his contract by entering dummy with the diamond ace at trick two, and leading the heart four. If East rises with the ace, declarer has three heart tricks, to bring the trick count up to the requisite nine. And if East plays low, the queen will win, whereupon declarer can go after clubs. Four tricks are always available in this suit by playing low to the 10. (At pairs one might cash the ace and king, playing for an overtrick if the queen were singleton or doubleton, but this line does not cater for most 5-1 breaks.) LEAD WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠K986 ♥763 ♦AQ3 ♣J65 South

West

Pass 2♠ All pass

2♦ Pass

North Pass Dbl. Pass

East 1♦ Pass 3♦

ANSWER: Your partner has done a good job of forcing the opponents up a level, and it looks simple enough to lead a spade. But I would, I think, lead the diamond ace to have a look at dummy, and gauge whether a better line of defense is necessary. The defense are surely never going to take a ruff here so leading the trump ace rates not to be costly.

The Aces on Bridge: Tuesday, March 10th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on March 24th, 2015 “Never do today what you can put off till tomorrow.” — Punch magazine

One of the plays that separates the expert from the intermediate player, is that while both of them take finesses when they must, somehow the expert’s finesses ether work more often – or good things happen when the finesse loses. Let’s see a deal that reflects that theme. Consider the play in six spades in today’s deal, where East-West have competed in diamonds and West leads the diamond king. How would you set about catering for unfortunate lies of the cards? After ruffing the first trick, declarer must draw trump in two rounds to avoid nasty accidents. At this point the stage is set for an elimination play, which requires two entries to dummy to ruff away the remaining diamonds from the North hand, to remove the defenders’ safe exit cards.

Dealer: South North Vul: Neither ♠ 7 6 3 ♥AQ3 ♦J65 ♣K986 West ♠84 ♥652 ♦AKQ32 ♣432 South ♠ A K Q J 10 9 ♥ 10 9 8 ♦— ♣AQJ5 South 1♠ 6♠

West 2♦ All pass

North 3♦

East ♠52 ♥KJ74 ♦ 10 9 8 7 4 ♣ 10 7

East 4♦

Opening Lead: ♦K

South starts with the club ace then queen. This brings the good news that the suit divides 3-2, and now declarer leads the club jack to dummy’s queen and ruffs a diamond. Dummy is reentered with the club nine and the diamond suit is finally eliminated with another ruff. Declarer now passes the heart 10 to East, who finds himself endplayed into leading a heart back into dummy’s tenace or conceding a ruff-and-discard. Either choice gives declarer 12 tricks. Obviously, a heart at trick one breaks up this endplay. But note that if you do not make the effort to strip off the diamonds, East wins the first heart cheaply, exits in diamonds, and sits back to wait for his second heart winner. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠763 ♥AQ3 ♦J65 ♣K986 South ?

West 1♣

North Dbl.

East 1♠

ANSWER: Bid one no-trump now. You do not need a spade stopper for this auction but you do require a club stopper, and you have this to perfection. Remember your partner should have spades relatively under control because of his double, and your side has enough high cards to suggest the no-trump partscore.

The Aces on Bridge: Wednesday, March 11th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on March 25th, 2015 “There are things known and there are things unknown, and in between are the doors of perception.” — Aldous Huxley

Knowing your opponents’ leading methods is often critical to finding the best line as declarer. In today’s deal West leads the diamond seven against three no-trump, and as South you duck East’s diamond king and capture his six with your ace as West plays the eight. You have to find the best route to nine tricks. Since your opponents play fourth-highest leads, the combination of West’s lead of the seven, plus East’s leading back the six, strongly suggests that West has five or more diamonds and has deviously concealed his small diamond. So if you knock out the spade ace the defenders will be in position to cash out the diamonds for down one. In other words, playing spades seems like a bad idea.

Dealer: South North Vul: East♠J74 West ♥8642 ♦932 ♣AJ5 West ♠A92 ♥953 ♦QJ874 ♣Q3 South ♠KQ8 ♥ A Q 10 ♦ A 10 ♣ K 10 6 4 2 South 1♣ 1 NT 2♦

West Pass Pass Pass

North 1♦ 2♣ 3 NT

East ♠ 10 6 5 3 ♥KJ7 ♦K65 ♣987

East Pass Pass All pass

Opening Lead: ♦7 A different approach would be to find the club queen with West, as well as East holding both the heart king and jack. Not a good chance — in that you need three cards well placed for you, but it is not an entirely hopeless prospect. Yes you might expect the club queen to be to your right, but you do not have enough entries to dummy to take all the finesses you want against East. So you play a club to the jack, and when it holds, next comes the crucial play of a heart to the 10. A second club finesse brings good news in that suit. Then, after a heart to the queen, all that remains is to claim nine tricks. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠KQ8 ♥ A Q 10 ♦AJ ♣ K 10 6 4 2 South ?

West

North Pass

East Pass

ANSWER: You could, I suppose, sell me on opening two no-trump, but this is not an especially attractive 19-count and bidding your long suit may get you to a more sensible partscore if your partner is weak. If he has enough to respond to one club you will surely be able to get to game as easily as if you had opened two no-trump.

The Aces on Bridge: Thursday, March 12th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on March 26th, 2015 “The more things change, the more they remain the same.” — Alphonse Karr

The Dyspeptics Club membership changes as time passes, but one thing that never alters is South’s capacity to pick up strong hands. Indeed when a member had been away for six months he said that he didn’t feel properly home until he walked through the door and heard South pick up his cards and heard him open two notrumps. In today’s deal South barreled his way to the best game, when North found a temporizing call at his second turn and thereby uncovered the spade fit. Against four spades the diamond jack was led to the ace. Declarer cashed the two top trumps, and when he found the bad news started running the clubs, discarding hearts from dummy. East carefully pitched a diamond on the third club, but ruffed the fourth and drew another round of trumps, and declarer had just nine tricks.

Dealer: South North Vul: East♠ 10 8 7 5 West ♥Q74 ♦7532 ♣Q4 West ♠6 ♥9852 ♦ J 10 9 4 ♣ 10 8 3 2 South ♠AK42 ♥K63 ♦A ♣AKJ96 South 2♣ 3♣ 3♠

West Pass Pass Pass

North 2♦ 3♦ 4♠

East ♠QJ93 ♥ A J 10 ♦KQ86 ♣75

East Pass Pass All pass

Opening Lead: ♦J

As North pointed out, East had indeed defended well by delaying ruffing in, but South should not have given the defenders the chance to make a nice play. A far better approach would have been to take just one top spade, then to lead a heart to the queen. East can win and play a second diamond. But declarer ruffs, cashes the spade king then plays a club to the queen, ruffs another diamond and now runs the clubs. Dummy can discard its last diamond on the third club, and regardless of when East ruffs in, declarer will take 10 tricks. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠ 10 8 7 5 ♥Q74 ♦7532 ♣Q4 South

West

Pass ?

1♦

North 1♣ Dbl.

East Pass 2♦

ANSWER: You should not pass now. Yes, you have an uninspiring hand, but remember, you passed one club. Your partner won’t play you more than five points, and probably not for a long suit either. Once you limited your hand so violently at your first turn, you are well worth a call of two spades now, after partner invited you back to the party.

The Aces on Bridge: Friday, March 13th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on March 27th, 2015 “This shows how much easier it is to be critical than to be correct.” — Benjamin Disraeli

When you reach the wrong strain, and at the wrong level, there is a special incentive to play it well, or partner will be more than usually unhappy. It was remarkably unlucky that six diamonds was not a claim – but there again, in a perfect world North-South would have played in seven hearts. At the table South won the opening lead, discarding a spade on the club ace, and led to the diamond jack to get the bad news. Undaunted, he ran the spade queen, East ducking his king, and then played three more rounds of trumps, leaving West with the high trump. Now declarer went after hearts, but it was easy for West to delay ruffing in until the fourth round of the suit (if he mistimes his ruff, declarer will get his spade away, either sooner or later). Then he exited with a club, and South had a spade loser at the end.

Dealer: West North Vul: Neither ♠ Q ♥AKQJ9 ♦AJ7 ♣A742 West ♠43 ♥— ♦ 10 8 6 4 2 ♣ K Q 10 8 6 5 South ♠ A J 10 2 ♥7643 ♦KQ953 ♣— South 4♠ 6♦

West 3♣ Pass All pass

North Dbl. 5♥

East ♠K98765 ♥ 10 8 5 2 ♦— ♣J93

East 4♣ Pass

Opening Lead: ♣K

To make the slam legitimately, South must ruff the opening lead in hand and cross to the diamond jack. Then he runs the spade queen and draws three more rounds of trumps, discarding a club from the table. Next he cashes the spade ace, discarding dummy’s last small club, and starts on the hearts. Whenever West ruffs, he must return a club and dummy will be high. Declarer knows West has no more than two spades, since he has five trump and at least six clubs. So he will not have a spade left to lead when he ruffs in. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠ A J 10 2 ♥7643 ♦KQ953 ♣— South ?

West

North

East 1♥

ANSWER: Whatever you do, please do not make a take-out double or you may find yourself raised to the moon in clubs, and regretting your impetuosity. A one spade overcall is out, because you really ought to have five for that action, and a bid of two diamonds might lose spades for good, as well as being an overbid. Pass and hope to get a second shot later when you have learned more.

The Aces on Bridge: Saturday, March 14th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on March 28th, 2015 “Life is a long preparation for something that never happens.” — W. B. Yeats

In today’s slam South saw at once that he was very well placed to make 12 tricks. All he needed was four spade tricks, so he intended to cash the spade queen and finesse the 10 as a safety play on the second round of the suit, protecting himself against a five-one spade break with West having the length. Accordingly he won the opening lead in hand and took the spade queen and led a second spade toward dummy. When West discarded, it was time for a new plan. South took the spade king, then played off the king and queen of clubs, followed by the king and queen of diamonds. East followed suit both times in each suit, so now South had to commit himself.

Dealer: South North Vul: North♠ A K 10 7 2 South ♥75 ♦AK3 ♣A73 West ♠6 ♥QJ982 ♦J764 ♣952 South ♠Q4 ♥AK643 ♦Q82 ♣KQ6 South 1 NT 2♠ 6♥

West Pass Pass Pass

North 2♥ 5 NT* 6 NT

East ♠J9853 ♥ 10 ♦ 10 9 5 ♣ J 10 8 4

East Pass Pass All pass

*Pick a slam Since his combined holding in hearts was longer than in Opening Lead: ♥Q either minor, and West’s opening lead had suggested length there, South mentally crossed his fingers and took his remaining high heart, which had the effect of squeezing East into letting go something he did not want to part with. Not surprisingly he chose a small diamond, which seemed safe enough. But South now took the diamond ace, forcing East to pitch a club. That allowed South to play off dummy’s remaining club honor, reducing dummy and East down to just three spades each. At this point declarer led a low spade from the board, forcing East to win and lead into dummy’s spade tenace at trick 12. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠ A K 10 7 2 ♥75 ♦AK3 ♣A73 South 1♠ ?

West 1♣ 2♣

North Pass Pass

East 1♥ Pass

ANSWER: You should re-open with a double here, showing extra values with at least tolerance for the unbid suit, diamonds. There is, I admit, a possibility that your partner may believe you have better hearts than you do, but if your partner bids two hearts you can worry about that on the next round of the auction.

The Aces on Bridge: Sunday, March 15th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on March 29th, 2015

Dear Mr. Wolff: What is your view on which card to lead from three, four or five small — and do circumstances alter cases as to what to lead? — Small Fry, Grand Junction, Colo. ANSWER: At trick one I low from three or four small in partner’s suit if he might read a high card as shortness. I’d lead the highest card I could afford if I had bid the suit or supported partner. I hate leading middle from three cards. From four or five small cards I normally lead fourth, unless I’d already shown my length, or could see that partner might need to shift to another suit, in which I had a good holding. Second highest might then be the indicated choice. Dear Mr. Wolff: When I opened one heart holding: ♠ 10-3, ♥ K-Q-7-5-3, ♦ K-2, ♣ A-Q-3-2, my partner responder with a call of one no-trump. Naturally I rebid two clubs and my partner now emerged with two spades. After the deal was over he told me this could not be natural, and must be a club raise – but why not simply raise clubs with that hand?

ANSWER: A double of three spades implies this sort of shape and values. You might bring home 10 tricks in any one of your side’s possible fits — and you can only make allowances for your partner just so far! He could have quite a good hand and still be unwilling to commit to the four-level, since you do have an ace more than you have yet shown. Dear Mr. Wolff: I was playing with my rubber bridge group and made a three heart response to a one club opening with seven hearts and a ninecount. We played in a somewhat hopeless game as my partner did not understand what I was trying to tell her, namely that I had 7-11 points and a proper seven-card heart suit — a preemptive response. Everyone at the table said I could not make such a bid — preempts were for opening bids only. — Flown the Coop, Cedar Rapids, Iowa ANSWER: You are right and your colleagues are wrong. But typically the range for a preempt would be 4-8 points, so not invitational except facing extras and a fit. With nine or 10 points I’d bid one heart then jump in hearts and mean it as invitational, not forcing.

— Striking Out, Anchorage, AK. Dear Mr. Wolff: ANSWER: As your partner did not respond one spade initially, two spades can be used to show a club raise with a maximum in high cards. That allows a direct raise to three clubs to be based on distribution not high cards – say five trumps and 6-8 HCP. Dear Mr. Wolff: I had a rebid problem when I dealt myself: ♠ 9-3, ♥ Q-3, ♦ K-Q-8-2, ♣ A-10-7-3-2. I passed and heard my partner bid one heart at favorable vulnerability, over which my RHO overcalled one spade. I made a negative double, and my LHO jumped to three spades, passed back to me. Should I pass, perhaps playing my partner to be light or even subminimum for his initial action? — Hubble Bubble, Monterey Calif.

I picked up: ♠ 3, ♥ A-Q-4-3, ♦ A-Q-9-5-3-2, ♣ K-J, and opened one diamond. What would you recommend as the rebid after partner responds one no-trump? I considered passing, and also various bids in either of my long suits, or even raising no-trumps, and could not make up my mind. — Groundling, Miami, Fla. ANSWER: Passing does not look right — the hand has potential for game, but one notrump might go down on a bad day! I’d recommend a simple call of two hearts, intending to rebid three diamonds. A perfectly reasonable alternative would be to jump to three diamonds, ignoring the hearts, to get across your invitational values.

The Aces on Bridge: Monday, March 16th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on March 30th, 2015 “Man needs to suffer. When he does not have real griefs he creates them.” — Jose Marti

At last year’s spring nationals in Dallas the Swiss Teams event threw up this technical problem, on what looks like everybody’s four spade contract. Incidentally, the auction featured a Texas Transfer. Yes, everything is bigger in Texas, but on this occasion North was playing a style where a transfer and raise to game would have been a mild slam-try. The defenders lead a top club and shift to the heart jack — a normal if unchallenging defense. You win the queen, then play the spade ace and a second spade. West follows with the 10 then discards a club. How should you take it from there?

Dealer: North North Vul: Both ♠KQ9843 ♥974 ♦KJ4 ♣3 West ♠ 10 ♥ J 10 6 5 ♦Q872 ♣AK52 South ♠A5 ♥AQ2 ♦ A 10 9 6 ♣ J 10 8 4 South

West

1 NT 4♠

Pass All pass

North Pass 4♥*

East ♠J762 ♥K83 ♦53 ♣Q976

East Pass Pass

It looks natural to try to find West with the diamond queen, *Texas transfer to spades but this is not very much better than a 50% chance. If you misguess diamonds, (imagine the same layout as in the Opening Lead: ♣K diagram but with the diamond queen and five switched) the defenders will clear hearts, and then East may be able to ruff the third diamond, to prevent you from getting the discard you need of dummy’s heart loser. The solution is simple: cash the third top trump, to prevent accidents, then take the diamond king and lead towards the diamond ace. If East ruffs in, you have no diamond loser. If East follows suit, you win the diamond ace and play a third diamond. The defenders cannot stop you from winning the heart ace and pitching the heart on the remaining high diamond. Even though they can ruff in, the loser has gone away. LEAD WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠K854 ♥85 ♦Q54 ♣ K 10 7 4 South Pass 2♦ All pass

West 1♣ Pass

North 1♦ Pass

East 1♠ 2♥

ANSWER: It feels right to lead trumps here, as dummy will surely be very short in spades, and you may get the opportunity to prevent declarer scoring his trumps separately. Because you have the clubs under control, declarer is relatively unlikely to be able to obtain too many discards on that suit.

The Aces on Bridge: Tuesday, March 17th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on March 31st, 2015 “Scenery is fine — but human nature is finer.” — John Keats

It’s hard to imagine not getting to three no-trump on this deal from the Dallas spring national tournament. Typically, after North had shown the red suits South got to play the no-trump game, leaving West an awkward opening lead. Let’s say he leads the heart seven. Declarer wins the heart queen, East encouraging, then plays a diamond to the queen, on which East if using the Smith Echo can play low to suggest that he is happy for his partner to make the obvious shift. Now declarer leads a low spade from hand, and to defeat the contract, East must win the first or second spade and shift to the club queen – a play that was rarely found, although world champion Ricco van Prooijen of the Netherlands did exactly that.

Dealer: North North Vul: Both ♠ 10 9 3 ♥AKQ3 ♦AKJ72 ♣3 West ♠A6 ♥ 10 7 6 5 ♦9654 ♣ A J 10 South ♠QJ74 ♥98 ♦Q ♣K97542 South

West

1♠ 2 NT

Pass Pass

North 1♦ 2♥ 3 NT

East ♠K852 ♥J42 ♦ 10 8 3 ♣Q86

East Pass Pass All pass

Opening Lead: ♥5 But say West hops up with the spade ace at trick three to play another heart, forcing declarer to win and run his diamonds. The last diamond forces West (who has one spade, two hearts and three clubs left) to reduce to five cards, and whatever he does is fatal. If he pitches his spade, he is endplayed with the heart ace and another heart to lead clubs for declarer. If West throws a heart, declarer can cash two heart tricks. And if West lets go of a club, declarer plays a spade, unblocking the queen when East wins the king. Now the defenders can only take two club tricks, whatever they or declarer do, so dummy takes a spade and a heart at the end. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠QJ74 ♥98 ♦Q ♣K97542 South Pass ?

West 1♦

North 1♥

East Pass

ANSWER: With such shortage in diamonds, you would assume your LHO is about to repeat his diamonds. It feels right to get involved as soon as you can do so, by introducing your club suit now. Yes, you would rather have a better suit, but as a passed hand your partner ought not to play you for the earth.

The Aces on Bridge: Wednesday, March 18th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on April 1st, 2015 “There are always loose ends in real life.” — Robert Galbraith

The problem with being given a play or defend hand is that you are automatically put on notice to bring your ‘A’ game. Well, you have been warned! At the table, during the Dallas spring nationals, can you spot the best line to make the optimistic contract of six hearts after a diamond lead? Would you play a round of trumps or do something else? Best is to ruff a diamond with the trump ace at once, then draw a round of trumps with the king. If they split, you will cash the spade ace, draw trumps in three rounds ending in dummy, and take the spade finesse. But trumps are 4-0; West having four. So you lead a club to the queen, forcing an entry to dummy in that suit. You then ruff a second diamond with a high trump, draw trumps ending in dummy, and now run the spade jack. This ensures the contract against five-one spades when West has a small singleton.

Dealer: West North Vul: Neither ♠ J 9 5 ♥J863 ♦ A J 10 7 ♣KQ West ♠8 ♥7542 ♦K942 ♣ A 10 8 4 South ♠ A K 10 4 ♥ A K Q 10 9 ♦6 ♣932 South 1♥ 4♦ 6♥

West Pass Pass Pass All pass

North 1♣* 2♥ 5♣

East ♠Q7632 ♥— ♦Q853 ♣J765

East Pass Pass Pass

*Two-plus cards Opening Lead: ♦2

As declarer discovered to his cost at the table, if you play to ruff a club in dummy you cannot draw all the trumps before playing on spades, and West can ruff in on the second spade. (And even if West was 2-4-5-2 he could discard his second spade on the third club). For the record: if you play a heart to your hand at trick two the contract becomes unmakeable — and a low club opening lead beats the contract by force. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠J95 ♥J863 ♦ A J 10 7 ♣KQ South

West

1♦ ?

Pass

North Pass 1♠

East Pass Pass

ANSWER: When you have opened on skinny values and are facing a passed hand, there is always a temptation to pass partner’s response. Here the attractions of doing so are that you have a reasonable fit and are not especially worried about keeping the opponents out. You have the other major under control, so simply pass and hope to stay low.

The Aces on Bridge: Thursday, March 19th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on April 2nd, 2015 “There are occasions when it is undoubtedly better to incur loss than to make gain.” — Plautus

On this deal from a regional knockout at the spring nationals at Dallas last year it might seem a little unfair to write up the only board on which Ishmael Del’Monte’s team lost IMPs. But it did feature outstanding play by the Australian star, who was South on the following deal. Against six hearts West led the spade eight, suit preference for diamonds. Del’Monte won the spade ace and played a club to dummy’s ace, followed by a heart to the king. Then came a club ruff, the heart ace and heart queen. On the second and third round of trumps, East had to pitch first a diamond then his remaining spade to keep the club king and five diamonds. Now a diamond to the queen brought the bad news for declarer.

Dealer: North North Vul: Neither ♠ 9 5 ♥AQ852 ♦AK973 ♣A West ♠ J 10 8 6 4 3 2 ♥J73 ♦— ♣J83 South ♠A7 ♥ K 10 6 4 ♦Q5 ♣Q9652 South

West

1♥** 4 NT 6♥

2♠ Pass All pass

North 1♣* 3♥ 5♦

East ♠KQ ♥9 ♦ J 10 8 6 4 2 ♣ K 10 7 4

East Pass 3♠ Pass

A further club ruff brought about a five-card ending where *Strong dummy had a losing spade and four diamonds, while **8-11 high-card points declarer had a trump, diamond two losing clubs and a small spade. Since West was down to all spades, Opening Lead: ♠8 Del’Monte could safely exit in that suit. West won and had no choice but to return a spade now, squeezing his partner in the minors! Declarer could ruff and depending on West’s discard, either cash his clubs or take the winning diamonds in dummy. Beautifully played, but why did Del’Monte’s team lose IMPs? At the other table, North played six hearts doubled on a diamond lead. West got his ruff but declarer claimed 12 tricks in a canter. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠KQ ♥9 ♦ J 10 8 6 4 2 ♣ K 10 7 4 South ?

West

North

East

ANSWER: I am all for preempting when I have a reasonable excuse, and especially in first seat, which is the ideal moment to put the cat amongst the pigeons. But here you have no excuse to bid, with tricks galore outside your weak long suit. It might work to preempt, but the odds are against it, and you destroy partnership trust that way.

The Aces on Bridge: Friday, March 20th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on April 3rd, 2015 “In a serious struggle there is no worse cruelty than to be magnanimous at an inopportune time.” — Leon Trotsky

Vlad Isporski (a regular player and also non-playing captain on the Bulgarian national team) spotted the winning line in five diamonds. Yes, three no-trump would have been far less dramatic, but who cares about efficiency when we can have the aesthetic delight of a squeeze? Isporski told me that East had implied good values and a spade suit. In five diamonds, you get a spade lead and observe that if the diamond queen doesn’t fall you need something good to happen in hearts. You win the spade ace, cash the club ace and club queen then lead a heart from dummy. East wins the heart queen and is endplayed. He has nothing better to do than exit with the spade king, and you ruff, cash the top diamonds (both follow but no queen appears) then lead a third club.

Dealer: South North Vul: East♠A West ♥A942 ♦AK753 ♣Q64 West ♠ 10 8 7 2 ♥ 10 7 6 ♦92 ♣ J 10 8 5 South ♠Q64 ♥J53 ♦J86 ♣AK73 South 1♦ 2 NT 4♣ 5♦

West Pass Pass Pass All pass

North 2♦ 3♠ 4♦

East ♠KJ953 ♥KQ8 ♦ Q 10 4 ♣92

East 2♠ Pass Pass

Opening Lead: ♠2

East must discard rather than ruff in. so you win the club king, cash the spade queen, and have now reached a four-card ending — three spades, one heart, two diamonds and three clubs having been played. When you ruff the club seven in dummy, East is squeezed in three suits, one of which is trumps. If he overruffs, he can lead a heart and surrender his trick there, or play a spade for a ruff-sluff and let you discard your heart loser. So East must discard, but pitching a heart will unguard his king, while letting a spade go allows him to be endplayed with a trump to lead hearts at trick 12. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠A ♥A942 ♦AK753 ♣Q64 South ?

West

North 1♣

East Pass

ANSWER: The general rule in responding to one club is to bid majors first on any hand that is invitational or weaker in strength. But with any game-force you should bid your suits in their natural order. So here, with such good diamonds and relatively weak hearts, you do not want to distort your hand by bidding your weaker and shorter suit first. Respond one diamond.

The Aces on Bridge: Saturday, March 21st, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on April 4th, 2015 “I am a mystery wrapped in an enigma wrapped in a pita. Why the pita? That counts as another mystery.” — Demetri Martin

In his team’s loss to the Monaco team at the Vanderbilt tournament last spring, Jeff Aker confronted his world champion opponent with an interesting problem. Have a look at the West cards, and see how you would have dealt with it? Your low club lead goes to the eight and declarer’s queen. At trick two, the heart king appears on the table. Make a play, and a plan. Would you win or duck – and what will you do next? At the table, West ducked the heart king, then won the next heart as East discarded the club jack. West next led a low club. Declarer ducked the trick, won the next club, then cashed the diamond ace and diamond queen, followed by the top two spades, and put West on lead with a heart.

Dealer: West North Vul: Neither ♠ 5 4 2 ♥ J 10 9 7 ♦K653 ♣74 West ♠Q ♥AQ842 ♦ 10 7 2 ♣K653 South ♠AK863 ♥K63 ♦AQ ♣AQ2 South Dbl. 2 NT

West 1♥ 2♣ Pass

North Pass Pass 3 NT

East ♠ J 10 9 7 ♥5 ♦J984 ♣ J 10 9 8

East 1♠ Pass All pass

Opening Lead: ♣3

At this point West could cash his heart and club winners, but then had to give dummy the lead. That meant nine tricks for declarer: three diamonds and two winners in each of the other suits. The key to the defense is that West has to see the endplay looming. He must win the second heart and cash the heart ace before exiting in clubs. Then he cannot be subsequently endplayed in hearts. This is particularly hard to see, since it appears that you are building tricks for declarer, but if the diamond king is an entry to dummy you will not prevent declarer establishing the hearts. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠542 ♥ J 10 9 7 ♦K653 ♣74 South Pass ?

West 1♠ Pass

North 2♣ Dbl.

East 2♠ Pass

ANSWER: Your partner’s double is take-out, but does not guarantee perfect shape — he might have only two diamonds or be 3-3 in the red-suits. Still, you do not want to select clubs and miss an eight-card fit. I would bid two no-trumps as a scramble rather than as an attempt to play there, expecting partner to pick his better minor in context. I can then correct three clubs to three diamonds to let him pick a red suit.

The Aces on Bridge: Sunday, March 22nd, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on April 5th, 2015

Dear Mr. Wolff: Could you give me your instinctive reaction as to whether, or when, defenders ought to signal their length in the suit declarer is playing on? I have encountered partners who insist on being given such information, and those who claim to know better than me what is in my hand.

ANSWER: I assume you do not play Flannery (a two-diamond or two-heart opening to show four spades and five hearts) when a response of one spade would almost guarantee five. You should not bid a four-card spade suit when you have three hearts, in any range up to a limit bid, since otherwise when you support hearts, your partner will expect you to have a doubleton heart.

— Helping Hans, Lorain, Ohio Dear Mr. Wolff: ANSWER: My feeling is that while one must give count when helping partner work out when to win or duck an honor, those situations are the exceptions. And one tends to know them when one sees them without needing to make a firm agreement on when to give count. The weaker the declarer, the more inclined you should be to give count. And the weaker your partner, the less information you should give him; he will not notice anyway!

I assume you would not open this 11-count in first or second seat: ♠ A-9-4, ♥ J-3, ♦ K-J7-2, ♣ Q-9-5-3? What about in third or fourth seat? And would the vulnerability affect your decision? — Quicksilver, Nashville, Tenn. ANSWER: I see no reason to open in first or second seat. But in third seat a one diamond lead directing opening bid seems to make reasonable sense – at any vulnerability.

Dear Mr. Wolff: In third seat I held: ♠ A-Q-7-3, ♥ Q-8-6-5-3, ♦ 2, ♣ Q-10-2. I responded one heart to my partner’s one diamond opening bid. When he raised to two hearts was I supposed to invite game by bidding three hearts? I can see arguments for doing both more or less! — Levelling Out, Casper, Wyo. ANSWER: The hand is not good enough to drive to game, but passing seems a little tame. Rather than pass the buck to partner with a call of three hearts, you might bid two spades. That suggests this sort of handpattern, and lets partner look at his cards and evaluate his range and degree of fit. Dear Mr. Wolff: What is your view on concealing a four-card spade suit in response to a one heart opening bid? Under what circumstances might this be acceptable? — Rose Red, Tempe, Ariz.

Dear Mr. Wolff: Several of our bridge group are elderly and reneges do happen from time to time. Would you list the different possibilities for penalties after a renege happens? — Slippery Sam, Durango, Colo. ANSWER: If you did not take the trick and your side won no others, there is no penalty. If you took the revoke trick and no others, the penalty is one trick. If you did not take the trick but subsequently won one or more tricks, then the penalty is one trick. If you won the revoke trick with the illegally played card, (typically by trumping or overtrumping in error) AND your side won a subsequent trick, the penalty is two tricks. A tournament director may always adjust the score if equity has not been restored by the penalty.

The Aces on Bridge: Monday, March 23rd, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on April 6th, 2015 “Judge not according to the appearance.” — The book of John

Sometimes a slam will be easy to play, while at other times things do not quite work out as planned. Here when West overcalls in diamonds, North stretches a little to show his diamond shortage, and South guesses to bid slam in competition. When West leads the diamond king against your six hearts it appears you have an easy route to 12 tricks. You ruff the lead, and opt for simplicity, when you play the heart king and jack, expecting to take five trump tricks, six clubs and one spade in due course. But when you play the second top trump from dummy, East shows out. What now?

Dealer: West North Vul: Both ♠Q65 ♥KJ42 ♦— ♣ A K Q J 10 2 West ♠ A 10 4 ♥ 10 9 5 3 ♦KQ932 ♣6 South ♠K82 ♥AQ87 ♦ J 10 5 4 ♣75 South 1♥ 6♥

West Pass 2♦ All pass

North 1♣ 4♦

East ♠J973 ♥6 ♦A876 ♣9843

East Pass 5♦

Clearly if you draw trumps the defenders will be ready to cash out the diamonds when they get in with the spade Opening Lead: ♦K ace. If you play a spade toward your king, you will survive if East has the spade ace. But as the cards lie today, West will win and return a diamond, and the hand falls to pieces, since you can no longer draw trump. The solution is easy when you see it, though. What you must do is to lead the spade queen from dummy at trick four. If it holds, draw trumps and run for home with one spade trick, five hearts, and six club winners. Meanwhile if the spade queen loses to the ace, and West plays another diamond, you ruff and can cross to your spade king to draw the last trumps. LEAD WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠9754 ♥AQ73 ♦752 ♣J6 South

West

3♦ All pass

Dbl.

North 2♦ Pass

East Dbl. 4♠

ANSWER: Since you have raised diamonds, and are relatively unlikely to hold two small cards in that suit, it feels right to lead the seven. By suggesting no honor in that suit, you make it easier for your partner not only to prevent declarer sneaking through a singleton honor, but also to find a shift if necessary.

The Aces on Bridge: Tuesday, March 24th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on April 7th, 2015 “He who desires but acts not, breeds pestilence.” — William Blake

When you bid them up you have to play them well. A pushy bidding sequence (North is really worth no more than an invitation to game) saw South arrive in four spades, against which West led the diamond jack. Declarer rose with dummy’s ace then ran the spade jack, which held. East did well to break the rules by not covering, as the chances of West having the spade 10 was relatively low. A finesse of the trump queen was also successful, and declarer pulled East’s last trump before leading a club to dummy’s king. However, he now had no convenient way to exit dummy.

Dealer: South North Vul: Both ♠J6 ♥A864 ♦A7 ♣KQ985 West ♠53 ♥K92 ♦ J 10 8 5 2 ♣ A 10 2 South ♠ A Q 10 9 7 4 ♥Q53 ♦63 ♣74 South 2♠

West Pass

North 4♠

He tried a heart to the queen, but West took the king then Opening Lead: ♦J played a diamond to East’s queen. East played the heart jack, ducked by declarer, then astutely returned a club for West to take with the ace – on any other return South’s club loser vanishes on the 13th heart.

East ♠K82 ♥ J 10 7 ♦KQ94 ♣J63

East All pass

Having won the diamond lead South should have played the spade jack, and have overtaken with the queen, then led a club towards dummy. If West ducks, the king wins, and another spade finesse puts South back in hand, ready to lead another club, after cashing the trump ace. The best West can do is duck smoothly, but declarer has no real option but to go up with the queen, hoping that the ace is onside. Assuming he does so, he will mae his contract in comfort. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠J6 ♥A864 ♦A7 ♣KQ985 South 1♣ ?

West Pass

North 1♠

East Pass

ANSWER: An easy one this morning. Rather than rebid a five-card club suit, however chunky it might appear, it is almost always better to rebid one no-trump, and since you do have a quasi-balanced minimum with stoppers in both red suits, that shouldn’t be too painful. And just for the record, a call of two hearts is a reverse, since it forces partner to the three-level to give preference to clubs, and shows 17+ with this shape.

The Aces on Bridge: Wednesday, March 25th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on April 8th, 2015 “From recovery to rags and rags to recovery symbolizes art — a perfect compilation of human imperfections.” — Chris Jami

While North-South would have made four hearts here, pre-emptive action by their opponents steered South to a contract where he needed a little help from the defense. When West showed a long broken minor at his first turn, East took the advance sacrifice in five clubs. South was jockeyed by the vulnerability into trying for the diamond game rather than defending, and collecting 500. West led the club eight, and South won East’s queen with his ace. Next he crossed to the spade king, and led the diamond queen to the king and ace. The 4-0 trump break was bad news. It looked as though, unless the heart finesse was right, there would surely be at least three losers in the form of two hearts and a trump.

Dealer: West North Vul: North♠AK87 South ♥AQ53 ♦Q63 ♣43 West ♠642 ♥J2 ♦— ♣KJ987652 South ♠Q5 ♥9764 ♦ A J 10 5 4 2 ♣A South 5♦

West 3 NT* All pass

North Dbl.

East ♠ J 10 9 3 ♥ K 10 8 ♦K987 ♣ Q 10

East 5♣

*A minor-suit preempt

But from the bidding it seemed very likely that the heart Opening Lead: ♣8 finesse was wrong, so South tried a different tactic. He cashed the spade queen, and crossed to dummy with the heart ace. Then he cashed the third top spade, discarding a heart, and ruffed dummy’s last club. Finally came a low heart from hand. West had made an expensive, if pardonable mistake earlier on, because he had followed to the first heart lead with his two. As a consequence he was left on lead with his heart jack, and was obliged to concede a ruff and discard. One of declarer’s hearts from hand went away, as the club was ruffed in dummy, and the game was home. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠Q5 ♥9764 ♦ A J 10 5 4 2 ♣A South 1♦ ?

West Dbl.

North Rdbl.

East 1♠

ANSWER: Despite the two aces I’m not sure I want to defend here. Immediate action suggests a minimum hand and a minimum in high cards and defense, so I guess I would bid two diamonds. (Yes, if you pass and partner doubles now, you might elect to defend, but you may not be able to describe your hand accurately if he does anything else.)

The Aces on Bridge: Thursday, March 26th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on April 9th, 2015 “You have to keep a watch on the Swiss.” — Anonymous

In important events these days you can watch the experts on the internet, but you can also attend the tournament and watch them play live on close-circuit TV, with commentators watching the players’ every move. Today’s deal was played under just such conditions 50 years ago by Montreal expert Sam Gold. He was able to outplay the analysts, who of course could see all four hands. Gold had done well in the auction, since he reached a vulnerable game with decent chances rather than trying for a penalty double of two spades, a contract that is hard to defeat by more than one trick, even after a trump lead. But while Gold was planning his play in three no-trumps, the commentators said that finding the right line to bring home nine tricks would be beyond most people. But Sam proved them wrong.

Dealer: East Vul: NorthSouth

North ♠A ♥ A 10 8 4 ♦K74 ♣AJ765

West ♠862 ♥KJ752 ♦J8653 ♣—

East ♠ K J 10 5 3 ♥6 ♦A ♣ Q 10 9 4 3 2 South ♠Q974 ♥Q93 ♦ Q 10 9 2 ♣K8

South

West

North

Pass Pass 1 NT 2 NT

1♥ Pass 2♦ Pass

Pass Dbl. Dbl. 3 NT

East 1♣ 1♠ Pass 2♠ All pass

Opening Lead: ♠8

After winning dummy’s spade ace, a low diamond went to East’s ace, more or less confirming him to have singletons in each red suit. East returned the spade jack to Gold’s queen, and Sam next ran the diamond 10 through West. When this held the trick, a diamond was led to the king, and the heart ace cashed, removing East’s lone heart. Now Gold came back to his hand with a top club, and took his master diamond for his seventh trick. When he exited with a high spade, East could score his three remaining spades, but then had to lead into the club tenace in dummy and concede nine tricks. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠Q974 ♥Q93 ♦ Q 10 9 2 ♣K8 South ?

West 1♣

North 1♥

East 2♣

ANSWER: You have a choice here. You can simply raise to two hearts, a relatively wideranging action in competition, or you can double for take-out. With three hearts and limited values, I think I will settle for the raise. Switch the hearts and clubs and the double stands out, and equally, with an extra king, doubling gets the high cards across nicely.

The Aces on Bridge: Friday, March 27th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on April 10th, 2015 “The old know what they want; the young are sad and bewildered.” — Logan Pearsall Smith

The central idea on the deal below is one that has been around for a while, but I think it deserves another airing. Imagine you play three no-trump, on the predictable lead of the heart 10 to dummy’s king. It is hard to see much prospect of making your game if you cannot get the diamonds going, so you lead a diamond to your king, which holds. So far so good – but what next? I suspect the majority of declarers would cross to a club in dummy and play a second diamond. If East gets it right he will hop up with his ace and clear the hearts. Now declarer has no entry to dummy’s fourth diamond and only has eight tricks. Whenever he gives up the lead, defenders will cash three hearts to put the contract down one.

Dealer: South North Vul: Both ♠ 10 9 3 ♥AK ♦ 10 8 7 4 ♣K764 West ♠J74 ♥ 10 9 7 4 ♦963 ♣ Q 10 3 South ♠AK62 ♥J6 ♦KQ2 ♣A952 South 1 NT

West Pass

North 3 NT

East ♠Q85 ♥Q8532 ♦AJ5 ♣J8

East All pass

Opening Lead: ♥10

Instead declarer must rely on the hearts being 5-4 (as they are heavy favorite to be) and should cross to dummy with a heart at trick three to lead a second diamond. The point is that he has to keep the club king as the entry to cash the long diamond, after East has played the diamond ace on the second round of diamonds, and temporarily blocked that suit for declarer. The difference is that the defenders can cash three hearts, but now the diamonds play for three tricks; the point being that the club king can no longer be dislodged from dummy as the eventual entry to enjoy the long diamond. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠J74 ♥ 10 9 8 4 ♦J93 ♣ Q 10 3 South ?

West 1♦

North 1♥

East Dbl.

ANSWER: The modern style (which I certainly would not insist you play) is to use all jump raises facing an opening or overcall in competition as shapely, not based on an invitation in high cards. But I would not bid three hearts here at any vulnerability. You are not just weak with a square distribution, you have all your assets – such as they are – in the side suits. A simple raise to two hearts should more than suffice.

The Aces on Bridge: Saturday, March 28th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on April 11th, 2015 “The secret of genius is to carry the spirit of the child into old age, which means never losing your enthusiasm.” — Aldous Huxley

Jeff Meckstroth has been one of the world’s great players for 35 years. And here is one of his early and favorite declarer play hands. Against one no-trump Billy Rosen led the diamond two and Meckstroth made the first of many good decisions, to run this to his 10 as Milt Rosenberg played small. Then declarer followed up with the diamond three and when West split his honors Meckstroth did well again, ducking to force East to win his bare ace. Rosenberg returned a low club, and Meckstroth won the king and led the spade jack from his hand to West’s king. He ducked the next club, won the third round of the suit, and ducked another spade to East, who cashed the master club as both West and South threw hearts and dummy pitched a diamond.

Dealer: South North Vul: Both ♠ 10 9 2 ♥J9 ♦K9854 ♣654 West ♠K5 ♥ Q 10 8 7 ♦QJ72 ♣QJ2 South ♠AJ64 ♥A632 ♦ 10 3 ♣AK8 South 1 NT

West All pass

North

East ♠Q873 ♥K54 ♦A6 ♣ 10 9 7 3

East

Opening Lead: ♦2

Back came a heart to South’s ace, and declarer crossed to dummy with a spade; on this trick Rosen was squeezed. He had to discard a heart or declarer could cash two diamonds, so he was forced to reduce to the bare heart queen, and now declarer led a heart from table. East could duck – in which case West would win and surrender the last two tricks to dummy — or he could take his king, and concede the last two tricks to South with the heart six and spade ace. The purists would probably refer to this as some sort of a Vise or a Winkle or a Steppingstone. Most of us would just call it magic! BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠AJ64 ♥A632 ♦ 10 3 ♣AK8 South

West

North

Dbl. ?

Pass

1♥

East 1♦ 2♦

ANSWER: Without the competition to two diamonds your raise to two hearts would suggest extras (maybe 16-18 and four trumps). In competition the call could easily be made on any shape-suitable double with four trumps. Does that mean you should do more here? No it does not. You are close to a maximum for your call but certainly within range – and partner can bid on with hopes of game.

The Aces on Bridge: Sunday, March 29th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on April 12th, 2015

Dear Mr. Wolff: What does the Sandwich no-trump mean — and would you advocate playing it? — Dave in the Deli, Macon, Ga. ANSWER: Bidding in sandwich seat refers to being in fourth seat when both opponents have acted. Some play that a one no-trump call shows the two unbid suits. But since you could double or jump to two no-trump to show hands of this general shape, the bid of one no-trump here should be reserved for balanced hands of, say, 16-19 points. As a passed hand, one no-trump must be unusual. Dear Mr. Wolff: I disagreed with my partner who held: ♠ K-Q10, ♥ A-10-9-8-6, ♦ —, ♣ A-10-9-5-3, when a weak two diamonds opening was passed round. He bid two hearts, and I passed, holding five small spades and a singleton diamond. My sole assets were king-queenfifth of diamonds! What are the merits of two hearts as opposed to double? — Soupy Susan, Salinas, Calif. ANSWER: I took a small sample here. My panel is split between pass and double. The downside of double is that we play spades when we belong in a round-suit; any other action from partner will be more than welcome. So I vote for double, but I think it is close. Dear Mr. Wolff: I am never confident what to do as opener when my partner raises my second suit. For example, holding: ♠ K, ♥ K-Q-7-3-2, ♦ A-5-2, ♣ K-9-7-2, I heard my partner respond one spade to my one heart opening, then raise my two club rebid to three. Was I supposed to pass or drive to three no-trump? — Jack Sprat, North Bay, Ontario

ANSWER: Partner sometimes produces a courtesy raise with four trumps and nine HCP or so, but you should not assume that to be the case. Rather than going to three no-trump, I’d temporize with the fourth suit, three diamonds, hoping partner can produce heart support. Or perhaps he can bid three no-trump himself — which might be a good idea if he had the doubleton diamond queen or the king-jack of diamonds. Dear Mr. Wolff: When your partner opens a major-suit and the next hand doubles, how do you deal with all the hands in the range of 4-10 HCP with three or four trumps? The vocabulary of raising or jump raising seems a bit impoverished! — Dromedary, Tupelo, Miss. ANSWER: Simplest is to play the jump raise as rather weaker than normal. However, with a high-card limit raise or better, jump to two no-trump, a scheme known as known as “Jordan” or “Truscott”. Incidentally, some people also play a two-club response after the double as purely artificial, showing 7-9 points and three trumps, thus letting the simple raise suggest 4-6 points. I like this idea. Dear Mr. Wolff: After you hear one heart to your right you hold: ♠ A-K-Q-2, ♥ 5-3-2, ♦ K-Q-5-3, ♣ 9-4, and have to decide on a call. My partner said I must pass because I don’t have a five-card suit for an overcall, can’t bid NT because I have no stoppers in hearts and clubs, and can’t double because I can’t support all unbid suits. What’s the best solution? — Side-show Bob, Muncie, Ind. ANSWER: Double is not perfect but certainly almost palatable. Sometimes partners don’t bid clubs, sometimes they have six of them. Overcalling one spade is also acceptable, but switch the diamonds and spades and double is clear — for me. There are many who require the perfect hand to double but as I get older and the number of deals left for me to play goes down, I bid when I can. I may not get another chance…

The Aces on Bridge: Monday, March 30th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on April 13th, 2015 “To most people nothing is more troublesome than the effort of thinking.” — James Bryce

As declarer, you should delay committing yourself until you can find out as much information as possible. Here, after East opened with a weak two spade bid, South passed initially, then jumped to three no-trump at his next turn. When North invited slam, South felt he had a maximum for his first two calls, and jumped to slam. Against six no-trump West led the club jack, won in dummy. Once the spade ace was dislodged South could count 11 tricks and knew he had to look to the minors to furnish the 12th. However, there was no reason to hurry, so at trick two declarer played dummy’s spade king. When East won and returned a spade, South cashed all his major suit winners, West discarding a heart and a club on the spades, and East a spade on the third heart. Declarer now knew East had six spades, two hearts and a club. South continued with the club queen, and when East showed out, his shape was revealed as 6-2-4-1.

Dealer: East Vul: Neither

North ♠K54 ♥ Q 10 8 ♦AK62 ♣AK5

West ♠3 ♥J5432 ♦54 ♣ J 10 9 8 6

East ♠ A 10 9 8 7 2 ♥76 ♦J987 ♣7 South ♠QJ6 ♥AK9 ♦ Q 10 3 ♣Q432

South

West

North

Pass 3 NT 6 NT

Pass Pass All pass

Dbl. 4 NT

East 2♠ Pass Pass

Opening Lead: ♣J

Whereas the bidding and early play might have suggested that West was the likelier candidate to have diamond length, South had now the evidence to come to the opposite conclusion. Since East had twice as many diamonds as West, it was twice as likely that East had the jack. So declarer led a diamond to dummy for a successful finesse of the diamond 10; then the diamond queen followed by a club to the king saw the diamond king represent the 12th trick. LEAD WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠Q73 ♥A852 ♦J63 ♣ Q 10 2 South Pass Pass All pass

West Pass 1♦ 2♣

North Pass Pass Pass

East 1♣ 1♠ 2 NT

ANSWER: Declarer rates to have the top end of a strong no-trump with four spades and most likely five clubs, with either two cards in each red suit or a singleton diamond and three hearts. Meanwhile, dummy rates to have only three clubs, as he did not revert to three clubs, perhaps with five diamonds. Since West did not try one no-trump at his second turn, I’d go after hearts as our most likely source of tricks.

The Aces on Bridge: Tuesday, March 31st, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on April 14th, 2015 “When people will not wed their own minds, they are apt to be overrun with nettles.” — Horace Walpole

There are plenty of reasons to delay the drawing of trump, such as playing a crossruff, but a bad trump break may also necessitate an indirect route to the goal. In that case, a trump coup, such as in today’s exhibit, may achieve the desired result. Against four hearts East took the lead club 10 with the king, cashed the ace, and exited with the club five. After discarding the diamond two from hand and winning the trick with dummy’s club jack, declarer played the heart ace then led a heart to the 10. So far so normal; but when West discarded a spade, South had only nine sure tricks with the best chance of achieving a 10th trick coming from a trump coup. For this to work, an opponent would have to be on lead when declarer’s trump length had been reduced to that held by East.

Dealer: North North Vul: Neither ♠ A 9 6 3 2 ♥A3 ♦A95 ♣J63 West ♠ K 10 8 7 5 ♥6 ♦ Q 10 7 4 ♣ 10 9 8 South ♠Q ♥ K J 10 9 7 5 ♦KJ32 ♣Q2 South

West

2♥ 3♥

Pass Pass

North 1♠ 2♠ 4♥

East ♠J4 ♥Q842 ♦86 ♣AK754

East Pass Pass All pass

Opening Lead: ♣10

So, South played a spade to the ace and ruffed a spade. Had he now played a diamond to the ace and then led a third spade, East would have discarded a diamond and would then have been able to ruff away the diamond king. But declarer first played the diamond king, then a diamond to the ace, before playing another spade. Now East could only discard a club and declarer ruffed. Since South now held the heart K-J and the diamond jack, he could exit with the latter, and could not be prevented from taking the last two tricks. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠A9632 ♥A3 ♦A95 ♣J63 South

West

1♠ ?

2♣

North 1♦ 3♣

East Pass Pass

ANSWER: The three club call should be a very good hand — and it should not be a limit or game-forcing hand in spades, since with that you would bid spades or jump descriptively to the four-level. Initially I’d expect partner to want me to bid three notrump with a diamond stopper, but you are way too good for that action. Cuebid four clubs and find out what your partner wants to do next.

The Aces on Bridge: Wednesday, April 1st, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on April 15th, 2015 “His life was gentle and the elements so mixed in him that nature might stand up and say to all the world, this was a man.” — William Shakespeare

The death of my good friend Ernesto d’Orsi three months ago came as a terrible shock. Ernesto had been president of the World Bridge Federation directly before my term in the job. I valued him as an adviser and a friend, and when my late wife, Debbie became seriously ill in the early 1990’s, he traveled to our home, with many hours of music, and presented her with a selection of songs he had put together from the current Broadway shows. He also performed as an unpaid disk jockey in Sao Paulo on Saturday mornings at a popular local radio station playing exclusively, Broadway Show musicals.

Dealer: South North Vul: Both ♠J8 ♥ J 10 3 ♦ K 10 5 4 2 ♣987 West ♠Q643 ♥86 ♦83 ♣ A Q J 10 3 South ♠AK97 ♥AK74 ♦QJ7 ♣K5 South 2 NT

West Pass

North 3 NT

On this deal from the round of 32 match between the Campos and Cayne teams in the Vanderbilt, West started Opening Lead: ♣Q with the club queen, taken by d’Orsi with the king. At trick two, he played the diamond jack, then the diamond queen, overtaken by the king as East ducked twice to prevent declarer running the diamonds.

East ♠ 10 5 2 ♥Q952 ♦A96 ♣642

East All pass

Given a second chance, d’Orsi ran the heart jack, then led the heart 10, covered by East. After cashing his third heart winner, d’Orsi exited with a club, and West ran the suit. Dummy discarded a diamond and a heart, East two spades, and d’Orsi a diamond, a spade then a heart. At trick 10 West could do no better than exit with a low spade, and d’Orsi put up the jack and claimed the rest when it held. Had West exited with the spade queen, d’Orsi’s nine would have won trick 13. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠J8 ♥ J 10 3 ♦ K 10 5 4 2 ♣987 South ?

West

North 1♥

East Pass

ANSWER: I tend to respond one no-trump for both strategic and tactical reasons with hands like this. We will occasionally get too high, but I feel the necessity to keep the opponents from getting their act together is well worth the occasional investment. Using a forcing no-trump is helpful here, since when followed with a heart preference it is entirely consistent with these values.

The Aces on Bridge: Thursday, April 2nd, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on April 16th, 2015 “The subject of oratory alone is not truth, but persuasion.” — Lord Macaulay

When this deal came up at a club duplicate the field was divided between those recording nine tricks in three notrump, and those who fared somewhat less well. The auction almost always took this form, and West was blessed with an easy lead of the heart jack. The unsuccessful declarers led a diamond to one of dummy’s honors. East won the trick and returned a heart, and got in with the club king to play a third heart. Now West had a sure entry in the form of the club ace, plus two hearts to cash. By contrast, the successful declarers won the opening lead and played the diamond queen from their hand. Some Easts took the trick to return a heart, but declarer could win, then duck a diamond, and come to five tricks in the majors and four diamonds.

Dealer: South North Vul: Both ♠843 ♥62 ♦KJ7654 ♣86 West ♠9652 ♥ J 10 9 7 3 ♦— ♣A753 South ♠AK ♥AKQ ♦Q83 ♣ Q J 10 9 4 South 2 NT

West Pass

North 3 NT

East ♠ Q J 10 7 ♥854 ♦ A 10 9 2 ♣K2

East All pass

Opening Lead: ♥J

The more cautious defenders ducked the diamond queen. Now declarer could change tack, realizing the futility of trying to set up more than one further trick in diamonds. He played on clubs, and East won the first club and played back a heart. But declarer, with one diamond trick in the bag, simply drove out the club ace, and had his five major-suit tricks, three clubs, and one diamond winner, for nine tricks. You could argue that the defenders who led a low diamond from hand at trick two were unlucky, since against anything but the 4-0 diamond break their play would not cost. I say fortune favors the prepared mind. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠ Q J 10 7 ♥854 ♦ A 10 9 2 ♣K2 South

West

North

Pass ?

Pass

2♥

East 1 NT Pass

ANSWER: I’m not going to tell you that you will never miss game if you pass two hearts. Very occasionally your side will be able to make game. But once you have a strong notrump to your right, game can hardly be laydown, and additionally you don’t want to stop partner from balancing in these auctions. Pass, and apologize later if you are wrong.

The Aces on Bridge: Friday, April 3rd, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on April 17th, 2015 “In life we have to size up the chances and calculate the possible risks and our ability to deal with them and then make our plans accordingly.” — Freya North Dealer: West North Vul: Both ♠98 ♥J63 ♦ 10 7 5 4 2 ♣K84 West ♠ 10 6 5 4 ♥9 ♦A ♣AQJ9532 South ♠AKQJ3 ♥ A 10 4 ♦KJ63 ♣7

While the world junior championships were being played in Bali in 1995, a tournament to celebrate Indonesia’s 50th anniversary was being run simultaneously. Today’s problem meant the difference between qualifying for the finals or going home, so it turned out to be an expensive slip for South. South handled his very powerful hand sensibly enough in the auction, but North might have passed three spades, reasoning that the club king was not likely to be pulling its full weight. Indeed, the final contract looks next to impossible, even after the lead of the diamond ace.

South

However, at trick two, after a lot of thought, West switched to the club ace, then played the heart nine, to East’s queen and declarer’s ace. What next? The line chosen at the table by declarer was to draw four rounds of trump and try the heart 10, but East ducked that and declarer had lose one further trick in each red suit.

Dbl. 3♠

West 1♣ 3♣ Pass

North Pass Pass 4♠

East ♠72 ♥KQ8752 ♦Q98 ♣ 10 6

East 1♥ Pass All pass

Opening Lead: ♦A no chance now. He had to

Can you spot the winning line? It is not so bizarre; West’s auction and opening lead suggest he has seven clubs and the bare diamond ace. You need to win the first heart and play West to be 4-1-1-7. You can test the theory by playing three top trump, and then throwing West in by leading your low trump, to force him to play a club for you. Now you have an entry to dummy to take the diamond finesse, and eventually a second parking place for your losing hearts. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠72 ♥KQ8752 ♦Q98 ♣ 10 6 South 2♥ ?

West Pass

North 3♣

East Pass

ANSWER: Unless you have specifically agreed to the contrary, a new suit here is natural and forcing, so you cannot pass. One option is to rebid three hearts (which I would do with better heart intermediates) but as it is, I think it is better to temporize with a call of three diamonds. That might be what partner needs to hear to bid no-trump, or it might allow him to suggest heart tolerance.

The Aces on Bridge: Saturday, April 4th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on April 18th, 2015 “Pray for the repose of his soul. He was so tired.” — Baron Corvo

For many years the three major US tournaments, the Vanderbilt, Spingold, and Reisinger were used as qualifying events for the US trials, so the fields effectively consisted only of American players. When the trials opened up to everyone, about 20 years ago, foreign players started to come in greater numbers to the US national tournaments. As the events got stronger (they are basically the equivalent of world championships now) foreign winners started to emerge. But it took until 2008 for a Polish team to win the Vanderbilt, and their performance was even more impressive when you consider that they played throughout as a team of four.

Dealer: North North Vul: North♠754 South ♥9 ♦AQJ62 ♣ K Q 10 9 West East ♠QJ32 ♠K986 ♥Q7 ♥A54 ♦K973 ♦85 ♣765 ♣A832 South ♠ A 10 ♥ K J 10 8 6 3 2 ♦ 10 4 ♣J4 South

West

4♥

All pass

North 1♦

East Dbl.

Opening Lead: ♠Q But, of course, when you play every board, you will not get everything right. Krzysztof Martens showed me this deal to indicate how tiredness can get the better of everybody. Four hearts is not a great spot — especially on a spade lead. Martens took his spade ace and played on diamonds by taking the finesse. East ruffed the third round, so Martens overruffed and played a club to the king, which held the trick. Then a heart towards the king left the defenders no chance. The defenders could and should have prevailed by winning the club ace and underleading in spades to allow the lead of the fourth diamond, ruffed with the heart ace. That promotes the heart queen to the setting trick. And declarer could and should have countered that by discarding his spade on the third diamond. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠K986 ♥A54 ♦85 ♣A832 South

West

1♣ ?

Dbl.

North Pass Pass

East Pass Pass

ANSWER: When passed for penalties on an auction of this sort, you should run, rather than sit it out. One possibility is to bid one spade, but you have no real certainty this will be much better. One alternative is to redouble, planning to sit for one heart if partner bids it, or to redouble one diamond if that is where he escapes to.

The Aces on Bridge: Sunday, April 5th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on April 19th, 2015

Dear Mr. Wolff: We play two over one, and recently I was criticized for my handling of this collection. I held: ♠ 10-7-2, ♥ Q-8-3, ♦ A-K-J-7-3-2, ♣ Q, and responded with a forcing one no-trump to one spade, then jumped to three spades over my partner’s two club call. I was told later that I should force to game with 12 points – but the comical denouement to this deal is that with trumps 4-1 the limit of the hand was eight tricks. Down one was a shared top!

ANSWER: Taking your second question first: a card called for declarer but retracted in the same breath can be changed. The director should make that a high hurdle to cross, though. A dropped card – one that was clearly not intended to be played — should be retracted without penalty, though a defender may create unauthorized information for his partner in the process. Finally: to simplify what the laws says, a card held by a defender such that it can be seen by his partner should be deemed played, whereas a card is played by declarer when it touches the table.

— Yellow-Bellied Sap-Sucker, Dayton, Ohio Dear Mr. Wolff: ANSWER: I think you used good judgment not to force to game, since the bad trump and singleton honor make this worth less than the high cards suggest. At teams I might drive the hand to game notwithstanding that, but at pairs use your judgment, and assume your partner will understand, even if he doesn’t agree. Dear Mr. Wolff: With what range hands should one make a splinter-raise of one’s partner? This question applies both to responder to an opening bid, and by opener to his partner’s response.

Do you like the use of coded nines and tens in suit or no-trump play by the defense? By this I mean that both on opening lead and in mid-play, tens and nines show zero or two high honors. — Rosetta Stone, Levittown, Pa. ANSWER: On opening lead my experience has been that declarer gains more from these methods than third hand. Conversely, in mid-play a defender should be able to work out when not to give away unnecessary information to declarer, so that their use makes reasonable sense.

— Love Lorn, Spartanburg, S.C. Dear Mr. Wolff: ANSWER: In the absence of complex agreements a splinter in response to an opening shows the equivalent of an opening bid. One should not do it with a really strong hand but should start with a Jacoby Two notrump or the equivalent. As opener, splinter in response to a one-level response with 17+, shortness, and four-card trump support. In rebidding after a one-level opening and two-level response, assuming you are already in a game force, you do not need real extras to make a splinter-bid. Dear Mr. Wolff: Can you tell me what are the rules relating to played cards by the defenders or declarer (or dummy for that matter)? The two common issues that seem to create problems are dropped cards, or cards called by declarer then retracted. — Legal Seagull, Richmond, Va.

How can I differentiate between the times to overcall in a moderate five-card suit and when to double or pass? The hand that triggered this issue was that I held: ♠ K-10-3, ♥ K-9-6-5, ♦ K-10-9-8-5, ♣ 3, and was not sure what to do over an opening call of one club on my right. — Wonder Woman, Durham, N.C. ANSWER: Your hand poses an awkward problem. With minimum values and a fivecard suit, I am happy to overcall, especially in a major. But with five diamonds and 4-3 in the other suits I would lean towards doubling if I had another queen. Action here is surely right; get in while you can – the quick and dirty approach is safest and most effective.

The Aces on Bridge: Monday, April 6th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on April 20th, 2015 “But what’s the odds, so long as you’re happy?” — George du Maurier

Since the Yeh Bros Invitation teams is about to start in Shanghai, this week’s deals all come from past Yeh Bros Cup events. This deal is simply an exercise in percentages. How should you play the diamond suit for one loser in that contract? Both tables in the match I was watching bid to the diamond slam here, in one case after a strong club and contested auction, in the other on an uncontested sequence. What are the three sensible options here? The first, selected by both Souths, is to run the diamond queen, planning a second finesse if appropriate. This loses when West has both honors – and therefore pays off to an original East holding of: void, either of the two small singletons and the small doubleton. The second line is to cash the ace; this loses when East began with a void or all four cards, or K-J third.

Dealer: South North Vul: Both ♠AJ3 ♥Q7 ♦Q92 ♣AK876 West ♠K976 ♥632 ♦KJ74 ♣ 10 4 South ♠— ♥ A K J 10 ♦ A 10 8 6 5 3 ♣Q32 South 1♦ 2♥ 3♣ 4♦ 5♥

West Pass Pass Pass Pass Pass

North 2♣ 2 NT 3♦ 4 NT 6♦

East ♠ Q 10 8 5 4 2 ♥9854 ♦— ♣J95

East Pass Pass Pass Pass All pass

Opening Lead: ♠6

Better than either of these two lines is to run the eight from your hand, planning to finesse against East for the king, should the eight lose to the jack. This line of play loses when East has jack-singleton, or to jack-doubleton (assuming that West ducks stoically from his doubleton king — don’t we all?) and you misguess, but does not lose out to either void. Accordingly this is the best line, and it works today. If you have a 5-4 as opposed to the 6-3 fit, playing the ace no longer loses to a void in East, but psychologically running the eight is still the best play. LEAD WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: Since partner is marked with scattered values, I can see a good case for leading the diamond king. I agree it could cost a trick, but it might turn your heart queen into a winner via a ruff or overruff. My second choice would be a club as the most passive option, rather than a spade, I think.

South Holds: ♠K942 ♥Q5 ♦K3 ♣J8643 South All pass

West

North

East 2♥

The Aces on Bridge: Tuesday, April 7th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on April 21st, 2015 “A thing long expected takes the form of the unexpected when at last it comes.” — Mark Twain

In the Yeh Bros Cup, this was the last board of a very close semi-final between the two undefeated teams. Consider what you would expect to happen at a normal table. South will open one club, West will double, and East will happily respond one diamond. West now bids one spade, and there the matter rests; it will all be about overtricks. No need for drama. Ah, but what if South opens a Precision one diamond ? Now after West’s double what do you do as East? You probably bid one heart now in fear and trembling; try and stop low now with the East-West cards. That was what happened to Joe Grue; he did bid one heart, and ended up in three hearts. Since he could never reach his hand to take a heart finesse the defenders scored their four plain tricks and could lead the 13th club to promote the heart nine.

Dealer: South North Vul: North♠J52 South ♥954 ♦A974 ♣874 West ♠ A Q 10 8 7 ♥AKJ2 ♦5 ♣A53 South ♠K3 ♥ Q 10 3 ♦Q863 ♣ K Q J 10 South 1♦ 1♥ 2♣

West Dbl. Dbl. Dbl.

East ♠964 ♥876 ♦ K J 10 2 ♣962

North Pass Pass All pass

East Pass Pass

Opening Lead: ♥K

In our featured room Meckstroth also opened one diamond and Bjorn Fallenius as West also doubled. Eric Rodwell passed as North, and Peter Fredin produced the sort of call that makes him such good reporting material. He passed one diamond doubled, gambling that Meckstroth would never sit for it even with moderate diamond length. It worked like a charm. Meckstroth escaped from his best contract, and eventually declared two clubs, doubled and down 800. Even on best declarer play in one diamond Meckstroth would surely have gone down 200 – so Fredin’s pass was right in both theory and practice. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠ A Q 10 8 7 ♥AKJ2 ♦5 ♣A53 South 1♠ ?

West Pass

North 2♠

East Pass

ANSWER: Your hand is obviously worth a drive to game, but is it possible that your side can make slam? Yes it is, though you will need some fairly specific cards opposite, which partner never seems to have. Maybe if you bid three hearts and get raised to four hearts (or hear a four club cuebid from your partner) you might consider going past game.

The Aces on Bridge: Wednesday, April 8th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on April 22nd, 2015 “For everything you have missed, you have gained something, and for everything you gain, you lose something.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson

Today’s deal from the Yeh Bros qualifying saw the meeting of two squads who were on the verge of qualifying, and a missed opportunity for one of them. In one room Jack Zhao showed the minors as East and bought an exceptionally poor dummy in three clubs doubled. The defenders took pity on him and never played trumps at all, allowing a diamond ruff in dummy. Still, minus 300 was not a great position for East-West with four spades so awkward. Zejun Zhuang received the lead of the diamond 10 and ducked it to East’s queen. Back came a club and he won in dummy, led a low trump to the queen and ace, and guessed well when he next led a heart to the nine and king. A second club came back, so he won in hand and played a third club, planning to pitch a diamond and cross-ruff.

Dealer: East Vul: Neither

North ♠ J 10 6 3 ♥AQ97 ♦A83 ♣K4

West ♠K742 ♥ J 10 4 3 2 ♦ 10 7 ♣J2

East ♠Q ♥K ♦KQ964 ♣ 10 9 7 6 5 3 South ♠A985 ♥865 ♦J52 ♣AQ8

South

West

North

1♦* 1♠

Pass Pass

1♥ 4♠

East Pass Pass All pass

*Precision Opening Lead: ♦10

Alas for declarer, when West could ruff in, declarer was left with an inevitable trump and diamond loser. At trick six, had declarer taken a second heart finesse, by running the eight, covered by West, he would have been much better placed. He next leads out the spade jack then 10, which West must duck or declarer can draw trump and cash the club winner then take a third heart finesse. When both trumps are ducked, declarer changes tack and plays the diamond ace, ruffs a heart to hand and leads the club queen to pitch dummy’s diamond, leaving West with just the master trump. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠A985 ♥865 ♦J52 ♣AQ8 South 1♠ ?

West Pass Pass

North 1♦ 2♣

East Pass Pass

ANSWER: Your hand is worth an invitation to game, and the obvious suit in which you should play is diamonds (notwithstanding the fact that your clubs are better than your diamonds, your partner rates to have longer diamonds than clubs). So bid three diamonds, and let your partner decide where, if anywhere, to go from here.

The Aces on Bridge: Thursday, April 9th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on April 23rd, 2015 “Scenery is fine – but human nature is finer.” — John Keats

In this deal from the Yeh Bros Cup, on which North-South declared four hearts, the normal but unsuccessful line was to lead a heart to the jack then play heart ace and another heart, which failed today. Agustin Madala played four hearts and received a diamond lead to the king, a spade shift to the ace, and a second diamond. He rose with the ace, pitched his diamond on the top spade, finessed the heart jack, then played a club to dummy. Next came a diamond ruff on which East discarded a club, a second top club, and the master spade to pitch his last club. Now came a second diamond ruff as East pitched his last spade. Declarer could then safely exit with the heart jack, to endplay East in trumps, knowing that if East won and had a spade to lead he would be able to ruff low and not be over-ruffed.

Dealer: North North Vul: East♠KQ8 West ♥4 ♦ A 10 7 2 ♣AKQ75 West ♠AJ943 ♥97 ♦Q853 ♣J3 South ♠2 ♥ A J 10 8 6 2 ♦J64 ♣862 South

West

1♦* 2♥ 4♥

Pass Pass All pass

North 1♣ 2♦ 2 NT

East ♠ 10 7 6 5 ♥KQ53 ♦K9 ♣ 10 9 4

East Pass Pass Pass

*Hearts Opening Lead: ♦5

East should have pitched a spade on the third diamond, retaining his losing club. Declarer would have led the fourth diamond from dummy on which a club discard or low ruff by East would be hopeless. But East might have given declarer a losing option by ruffing high. Declarer has to overruff and then has to read whether to exit with a high or low trump, depending on whether East’s remaining heart honor is bare, or if the nine is falling. I think declarer should play West for the bare nine, assuming that West has not false-carded earlier in trumps. BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: You do not have to do more than raise to three spades now. While you surely will not sell out if your partner bids just four spades, you should let your partner take control. He can ask you for aces or controls as he sees fit, and he will be better placed than you to know how far to go.

South Holds: ♠ 10 7 6 5 ♥KQ53 ♦K9 ♣ 10 9 4 South Pass 2♦ ?

West Pass Pass

North 2♣ 2♠

East Pass Pass

The Aces on Bridge: Friday, April 10th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on April 24th, 2015 “Men were not intended to work with the accuracy of tools, to be precise and perfect in all their actions.” — John Ruskin

At the Yeh Bros Cup the match between the Sweden and Italy teams produced a splendid example of card-reading plus playing for the best chance to make an unlikely game. Antonio Sementa was the declarer here in an extremely delicate minor-suit game. Presumably Sementa’s double of the spade-showing one heart showed hearts and a minor. It seems best to play the double and cuebid here as each showing a specific minor along with the unbid major, in this case hearts. Giorgio Duboin drove to game when confident he was facing short spades, and Sementa had to play five diamonds on a spade lead.

Dealer: West North Vul: North♠J62 South ♥Q6 ♦KJ74 ♣AK98 West ♠ Q 10 8 7 ♥K2 ♦A32 ♣ Q 10 7 4 South ♠A ♥ A 10 7 5 4 ♦Q865 ♣J65 South Dbl. Pass 5♦

West 1♣ 2♠ Pass All pass

North Pass Dbl. 4 NT

He took an uncharacteristically long time to play to trick two, but came to the right conclusion that East’s decision *Spades to compete to three spades marked him with extra shape. Since Sementa needed trumps to split, it was right for Opening Lead: ♠7 declarer to play him to hold heart length, because if he had club length Sementa would be left with three fairly sure losers. By contrast, if East had short clubs, the club and heart finesses might both work.

East ♠K9543 ♥J983 ♦ 10 9 ♣32

East 1♥* 3♠ Pass

Eventually, declarer led a trump to dummy to run the heart queen. Nystrom won and also took his time before playing ace and another diamond. Declarer won in hand, passed the club jack, covered all round, finessed in hearts, set up the hearts, ruffed a spade back to hand, and finally took the second club finesse for 11 tricks. This was a fine example of placing the cards where they needed to be, to find a route to success. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠A ♥ A 10 7 5 4 ♦Q865 ♣J65 South ?

West 3♠

North Dbl.

East 4♠

ANSWER: It would be simple just to bid five hearts here. But this hand has quite significant slam potential, so it might be more discreet not to commit your hand to a single contract. Try a bid of four no-trump, suggesting two places to play, planning to convert a response of five clubs to five hearts, making a slam-try for hearts.

The Aces on Bridge: Saturday, April 11th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on April 25th, 2015 “There are two sides to every question.” — Diogenes

This is the last board this week from a past Yeh Bros Cup event. Reaching slam is not so hard; making it is another matter, but here are the lines chosen by a couple of successful declarers. Bauke Muller of the Netherlands played six spades on the lead of the club four (third from an even number, low from an odd number). He won and drew trump, ending in hand, then took a diamond finesse. When the defenders continued the attack on clubs, West let go the club two – confirming an original four-card suit. Now declarer played three rounds of hearts, ruffing the third, then ruffed a club. In the three-card ending he knew East had begun with precisely three spades, two hearts and four clubs so it was marked to finesse against the diamond 10. Had West tried to conceal the club distribution, the count might have been far harder to confirm.

Dealer: South North Vul: Both ♠AQ98 ♥K983 ♦AQ4 ♣ 10 3 West ♠ 10 6 ♥J7654 ♦76 ♣J742 South ♠K743 ♥ A 10 ♦J983 ♣AK8 South 1 NT 2♠ 4♥

West Pass Pass Pass

North 2♣ 4♣ 6♠

East ♠J52 ♥Q2 ♦ K 10 5 2 ♣Q965

East Pass Pass All pass

Opening Lead: ♣4

Paul Hackett of England also played slam here, from the North seat, on a trump lead. He won in hand and went to the club ace to take a losing diamond finesse. Back came a trump (yes, a club makes declarer’s task harder) so Hackett won and played three rounds of hearts ruffing in dummy. Then he played the last trump and took the diamond jack, and led a diamond to the ace. Now the last trump executed a double squeeze: with East guarding diamonds and West guarding hearts, neither player could keep the clubs; so trick 13 was scored by the club eight. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠ 10 6 ♥J7654 ♦76 ♣J742 South Pass 1♥ 2♥ ?

West 1♦ Pass Pass

North Dbl. 2♦ 3♥

East Pass Pass Pass

ANSWER: You showed a poor hand at your first turn and a really bad one at your second turn. But your partner is still interested in game, so he must have at least a 20-count or the equivalent. I’d raise him to game, albeit without a great deal of confidence, assuming I really trusted him. I certainly wouldn’t redouble!

The Aces on Bridge: Sunday, April 12th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on April 26th, 2015

Dear Mr. Wolff: I’m not sure what the technical merits of having the ranges of my two no-trump opening call as 20-21 or 20-22 might be. The same applies for the range of the two notrump rebid after opening two clubs. — Stepping Out, Tupelo, Miss. ANSWER: I think one cannot get too delicate here. Use the range for the two notrump opening as 20 to a bad 22 with the two club opening and two no-trump rebid as 22+ to 24. There are too many hands and not enough ways to describe them, and driving to game singlehandedly with fewer than 25HCP feels wrong to me. Dear Mr. Wolff: I have recently been converted to playing the forcing no-trump in response to major-suit openings. My partner wants to play it in response to an opening in third and fourth seats too. Is that sound? — Carol Singer, Hartford, Conn.

ANSWER: Normally when you hold four cards in the unbid major you will double first, then support partner if you can. One notrump looks wrong with only one spade stop, and if you raise diamonds you may never find hearts. Incidentally, a jump raise of diamonds in competition is frequently played these days as preemptive rather than invitational. Dear Mr. Wolff: What is your opinion on how one should signal at the first trick? I use attitude signals, but cannot ever agree with my partner about when suit preference and count signals should be more relevant. — Laid Back Larry, Mason City, Iowa ANSWER: Join the club, Larry. Attitude signals are sometimes of relevance even when dummy has a singleton, and you can usefully signal count when you know partner already knows your attitude. But when a shift appears mandatory (or when your holding is already precisely defined) suit preference has its place. But it not only can be overdone, it frequently is.

ANSWER: This approach is not one I would recommend. The forcing no-trump is designed to allow you to invite at no-trump or in partner’s major. These are not hand-types one need to show as a passed hand. Drury deals with invitational hands, while with the balanced hand one can bid one no-trump then two no-trump. Playing one no-trump as non-forcing lets you stop right there with two balanced hands facing one another.

Dear Mr. Wolff:

Dear Mr. Wolff:

ANSWER: With the heart ace surely facing a void, I would double at pairs, and hope to beat them. If my partner has eight solid spades we may not do so, but he is at liberty to pull the double with a real freak, I think. He can trust the opponents to have a lot of hearts, plus something more. At teams, I might well bid on, unprepared to suffer a double-game swing.

I was in fourth chair with: ♠ K-3, ♥ Q-8-6-5, ♦ J-6-5-4-2, ♣ K-J. I heard my partner open one diamond, and my RHO overcall one spade. I thought there was some merit in raising diamonds, whether to the two- or three- level, or doubling, or even bidding one no-trump. What do you say? — Pick and Shuffle, Monterey, Calif.

My unremarkable hand was: ♠ J-8-2, ♥ A-53-2, ♦ J-5-3, ♣ K-9-4. The auction proceeded round the table: two hearts to my left, four spades from my partner, five hearts to my right. What would you do now with nobody vulnerable, and why? Would the form of scoring matter? — Under the Gun, Newark, N.J.

The Aces on Bridge: Monday, April 13th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on April 27th, 2015 “I only ask for information.” — Charles Dickens

In today’s deal you have to defend against a slam. It is sometimes easier to play against opponents you trust, as opposed to those whose bidding or play might be more eccentric. The auction has been natural enough, the five diamond response to the straight Blackwood ace-asking bid shows one of the four aces. First you must consider your opening lead. With a likely trump trick, the singleton lead is both dangerous and pointless. You are much more likely to cost your side a diamond trick than to get a ruff, so you lead the heart king. This produces the heart ace, the three from partner, and the nine from declarer. Declarer now runs the spade queen, (partner producing the two and declarer the four). You decide to win the trick, and the ball is now in your court.

Dealer: West North Vul: East♠QJ6 West ♥A5 ♦ K 10 8 6 5 2 ♣J3 West ♠K9 ♥KQ872 ♦7 ♣98762 South ♠ A 10 8 7 5 4 ♥9 ♦AQJ ♣KQ4 South 1♠ 4 NT 6♠

West Pass Pass Pass All pass

East ♠32 ♥ J 10 6 4 3 ♦943 ♣ A 10 5

North 1♦ 2♠ 5♦*

East Pass Pass Pass

*Regular Blackwood; one ace

There is a real danger that partner’s club ace or your Opening Lead: ♥K heart winner (if you have one) might vanish on dummy’s diamonds, unless you cash it right now. A diamond loser will never go away. So the question is whether declarer is off an ace, or whether he has a slow heart loser. The only clue that you have is that declarer’s jump to six spades over the Blackwood response without checking for kings might suggest he is missing an ace. Additionally, partner’s small heart at the first trick shows an odd number. Against a slam or five-level contract one should signal count on the lead of a king. Could declarer really have three small hearts and have enough to use Blackwood? I say no, a small additional clue perhaps being that partner’s spade two at his first opportunity is suit-preference for clubs (if he has more than one trump!). All of those three things point in the same direction, of trying to cash a club. Note partner’s play of the heart three at trick one. All you asked for was the count, and despite his beefy hearts, he followed orders. LEAD WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠J92 ♥AJ753 ♦J3 ♣Q82 South

West

North

1♥ Pass

Dbl. 2♠

Pass All pass

East 1♣ 1♠

ANSWER: A trump lead looks highly dangerous here — partner rates to have two or three cards to an honor since declarer might easily have only three spades. The best approach to a passive lead that I can find is the diamond jack, and since your partner is marked with scattered values, it is as good as anything else.

The Aces on Bridge: Tuesday, April 14th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on April 28th, 2015 “The liar’s punishment is, not in the least that he is not believed, but that he cannot believe anyone else.” — George Bernard Shaw

The most difficult hands to lead from are those where the opponents have a blind auction to a no-trump contract, leaving you three or four possible suits to choose from. Without an attractive or safe sequence, I’ll attack from a five-card suit, and often look to go passive rather than lead from four to an honor, especially four to an ace. Where faced with an equal choice of a major or a minor, you might prefer to lead a major if the opponents have not explored for a major-suit fit.

Dealer: South North Vul: Neither ♠ 8 4 2 ♥KQJ ♦ K Q 10 9 ♣853 West ♠ A Q 10 6 ♥976 ♦4 ♣J9762 South ♠KJ9 ♥A842 ♦AJ863 ♣K

In today’s deal both Souths elected to open one no-trump, treating their hand as balanced rather than making a light South West North reverse into hearts. Whether you agree or not (I’m not 1 NT Pass 3 NT sure I do) in one room against three no-trump West was a Opening Lead: ♣6 believer in leading majors against no-trump. South won in hand and cashed his nine red winners, to make ten tricks. In the other room West led the club six, taken by East with the ace. When declarer followed with the club king, the layout of the suit was known. East cashed the club queen and West dropped the jack, then followed with the nine under the 10 strongly suggesting a spade shift. East now played the spade seven through, covered with the jack and queen. West won and put East back on play by leading the club two to the four for a second spade through. The defense took five clubs and four spades – a six trick difference from the other room!

East ♠753 ♥ 10 5 3 ♦752 ♣ A Q 10 4

East All pass

BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠KJ9 ♥A842 ♦AJ863 ♣K South 1♦ ?

West Pass Pass

North 1♣ 1 NT

East Pass Pass

ANSWER: A call of two hearts may look obvious here, and so it is. But in making that call, be aware that you are suggesting not only a four-card heart suit with equal or probably longer diamonds, but also you are guaranteeing a hand that wants to force to game. Had you held a weaker hand, you would almost certainly have started by responding one heart.

The Aces on Bridge: Wednesday, April 15th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on April 29th, 2015 “Thinking nothing done while anything remained to be done.” — Lucan

One of the hidden sequences to which experts attach a meaning different from the casual player, is the jump overcall. The majority of experts temper discretion with valor, and especially when vulnerable may play a jump overcall to be closer to intermediate than weak. And almost without exception, experts play jump overcalls in the balancing or protective seat as intermediate, not weak. With a bad hand they pass, with a moderate hand they make a simple overcall. In today’s deal South followed a simple route with his hand in the balancing seat. North had just enough to raise to game, and when dummy came down South saw that the hands fitted very well, and game would be straightforward if he could avoid a trump loser. It was worth making the effort to protect against a 4-1 trump break, so that was what South directed his energies to.

Dealer: West North Vul: East♠843 West ♥K3 ♦A752 ♣7642 West ♠ A K Q 10 2 ♥7 ♦J94 ♣ Q J 10 8 South ♠76 ♥ A Q 10 8 6 5 ♦K63 ♣AK South 3♥

West 1♠ Pass

North Pass 4♥

East ♠J95 ♥J942 ♦ Q 10 8 ♣953

East Pass All pass

Opening Lead: ♠K

The defenders led the spade king, then shifted to the club queen. South won and played a second spade to West, and back came the club 10 to the king. Declarer played a heart to the king, then took a spade ruff, just in case. Now the heart ace disclosed the bad break, but South took the diamond king, and led a diamond to the ace. A second club ruff then reduced South to two trumps. In the three-card ending he exited with a diamond and claimed the last two tricks, since whichever defender took the trick would have to lead round to his trump tenace. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠843 ♥K3 ♦A752 ♣7642 South ?

West

North 1♠

East 1 NT

ANSWER: Do not be put off by your weak spades from raising to two spades here. Yes, there are lies of the cards where you might walk into a penalty – but one doesn’t avoid crossing the road because a car might jump a red light and hit you. You have the values and shape for a raise, so bid your hand and let the chips fall where they may.

The Aces on Bridge: Thursday, April 16th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on April 30th, 2015 “My name is Ozymandias, king of kings: Look on my works ye mighty, and despair!” — Percy Shelley

At the Dyspeptics Club, the post mortems are often more fun than watching the bridge. As a spectator remarked, what North’s comments lack in accuracy, they more than make up for in vitriol. Against three no-trump West led the diamond queen and East scored his diamond ace, and returned the suit. Declarer won, tested hearts, then took the club finesse for his ninth trick. West won his king and cashed out for down one. When South complained that every card was wrong, North snarled that it was his bad luck that every one of his partners was wrong-headed. That was true up to a point, but he then went on to say that the contract could always be made. He was only partly right.

Dealer: South North Vul: North♠KJ9 South ♥A52 ♦6432 ♣ 10 8 7 West ♠63 ♥96 ♦ Q J 10 8 7 ♣KJ42 South ♠AQ4 ♥KQ83 ♦K9 ♣AQ65 South 2 NT

West Pass

North 3 NT

East ♠ 10 8 7 5 2 ♥ J 10 7 4 ♦A5 ♣93

East All pass

Opening Lead: ♦Q

When South wins the diamond king, he must strip West of his major suit cards, ending in dummy. Next he leads a diamond, and West can cash his diamonds but then has to lead into declarer’s club tenace. Equally, if East returns a club at trick two, declarer plays low and West wins the jack and exits with a diamond. The six major-suit winners reduce everyone to four cards, and so West cannot keep three winning diamonds and the club king. There is a winning defense, but it is not one to be found at the table. East must play low at trick one, and now the defenders are a step ahead. West has two entries in clubs and that gives him an escape from the endplays. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠ 10 8 7 5 2 ♥ J 10 7 4 ♦A5 ♣93 South ?

West Pass

North 1 NT

East Pass

ANSWER: If you play that you can use Stayman and then sign off in two spades over a two diamond response, you should do that. If that sequence would mean something else for you, your choice is to transfer into spades and risk missing a better heart contract or bid Stayman and follow up with two hearts, when you might play a 4-3 heart fit instead of a superior contract in spades. You pay your money…

The Aces on Bridge: Friday, April 17th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on May 1st, 2015 “An expert is a man who has made all the mistakes which can be made, in a narrow field.” — Niels Bohr

When Englishman Jack Mizel chose to play in the European Open Teams in San Remo with Brian Senior, he knew he was playing with an expert. And when you’re playing with an expert it is always tempting to expect him to justify your optimistic bidding. At one table Mizel’s teammates had sacrificed in four hearts doubled and had conceded 800, which looked likely to be a small loss. However, the English North/South had a more exciting auction to reach slam, as shown below. And yes, Mizel as North was displaying rather more confidence in partner than the situation warranted.

Dealer: West North Vul: Both ♠A86 ♥52 ♦AJ9 ♣Q9743 West ♠J93 ♥KQJ87 ♦75 ♣ K J 10 South ♠ K 10 7 5 4 ♥— ♦KQ8643 ♣A6 South

West 1♥ Pass

North Pass 6♠

The slam looks to have an inescapable loser in each 4♠ black suit, as declarer can only discard three of dummy’s Opening Lead: ♥K clubs on his diamonds. But look at what happened. West led the heart king, ruffed by declarer, who played a spade to the ace, ruffed dummy’s last heart, then cashed the spade king and then started running his diamonds.

East ♠Q2 ♥ A 10 9 6 4 3 ♦ 10 2 ♣852

East 4♥ All pass

In the four-card ending when declarer played his last diamond West had three unpalatable choices. He could trump, and be endplayed to give a ruff-sluff or open up clubs, or he could discard a heart and be thrown in with the spade jack to broach clubs. Finally, his actual choice was to test declarer by coming down to a singleton club. However, Senior had not come this far to go wrong in the ending. Since he had a complete count of the hand, he cashed the club ace, dropping West’s king and made his slam. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠A86 ♥52 ♦AJ9 ♣Q9743 South ?

West Pass

North 1♥

East Pass

ANSWER: If you play that you can bid two clubs with this hand, and then make a nonforcing call in no-trump (or even pass a two heart rebid) you will probably elect to do just that. If you play two over one is gameforcing, or that a two-level response is game-forcing unless you rebid your suit, you must respond one no-trump, expecting, perhaps, to invite in no-trump at your next turn.

The Aces on Bridge: Saturday, April 18th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on May 2nd, 2015 “New things are made familiar, and familiar things are made new.” — Samuel Johnson

On today’s deal from the semi-finals of a knock-out tournament both tables reached the same contract, on very similar auctions. Both Wests had an easy lead, and the play developed in very similar fashion at each table, but one declarer came home and one failed. Put yourself in West’s seat. Having shown hearts and clubs, but having received no response from your partner, you lead the club king against four spades, as East followed with the four. Declarer wins with the ace, and plays a low spade. Plan the defense. In one room South covered West’s spade two with dummy’s seven. East won cheaply and shifted to a low heart. Declarer ruffed, cashed the spade ace, and ran the diamonds, discarding clubs from hand. East could ruff in whenever he wanted to, but declarer had 10 tricks sooner or later.

Dealer: North North Vul: East♠AJ73 West ♥— ♦AKQ76 ♣9863 West ♠K2 ♥AJ863 ♦5 ♣ K Q J 10 2 South ♠9854 ♥ Q 10 7 ♦J82 ♣A75 South

West

1♠

Dbl.

North 1♦ 4♠

East ♠ Q 10 6 ♥K9542 ♦ 10 9 4 3 ♣4

East Pass All pass

Opening Lead: ♣K

In the other room West took the opportunity to count declarer’s tricks. If declarer had five spades West could count his 10 winners, so West assumed he had only a four-card suit. The early play had suggested partner has a singleton club, and if declarer could duck a trump to East, the defense would be over. To foil South’s plan, West put in the spade king, and now whatever declarer did, nine tricks was the limit. If he ducked, West would cash the clubs, while if declarer won and played a second trump East would win and cash a third trump, leaving South with just nine tricks. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠AJ73 ♥— ♦AKQ76 ♣9863 South 1♦ 1♠ ?

West Pass Pass

North 1♥ 2♥

East Pass Pass

ANSWER: What call can you make other than “Aaargh!!”. You have to pass now, hoping your partner has six or more respectable hearts. Even if he doesn’t, your best possible alternative strain is probably clubs – and you can never play there cheaply, since a bid of three clubs by you now would be forcing and artificial not natural.

The Aces on Bridge: Sunday, April 19th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on May 3rd, 2015

Dear Mr. Wolff: Recently I opened one club with: ♠ 7-3, ♥ KQ-10-5, ♦ A-Q, ♣ Q-10-9-3-2. After an overcall of one spade to my left, my partner doubled and my RHO raised to two spades. Am I supposed to bid three hearts now – if so, how would I bid with a better hand should three hearts show this hand? — End Around, Kenosha, Wis. ANSWER: One does not have to compete to three hearts with all balanced minimums – and the more defensive your hand, the more inclined you should be to pass two spades. Here your extra shape allows you to stretch to bid three hearts. But make the club two the spade two, and I would pass. Dear Mr. Wolff: Would you advocate playing take-out doubles in response to the opponents’ overcall of your partner’s strong no-trump? How precisely does this apply?

ANSWER: This hand is just worth a bid. I’d be buoyed by the fact that my failure to cuebid, jump, or double one no-trump limits the hand a little. But without the fifth heart I would surely pass, especially if the vulnerability was against me. Dear Mr. Wolff: Do you believe an opening preempt at the three-level is favorite to deliver seven cards? How do the vulnerability or position influencing whether to preempt and how high? — Flying to the Moon, Elmira, N.Y. ANSWER: While a three-level preempt would normally deliver seven cards, you may upgrade a six-card suit in clubs, or any other six-carder when non-vulnerable. In first or third chair you may be influenced by hands with good suits (especially those without the ace, but with internal solidity). Equally, when vulnerable or in second seat a seven-card suit may look more like six if headed by only one top honor.

— Spitting Cobra, Dallas, Texas Dear Mr. Wolff: ANSWER: A simple enough style is to play ‘system on’ over a double of one no-trump or a two club overcall. For all other intervention, all first doubles by the partnership are takeout, all subsequent doubles (or first doubles after a suit bid) are penalty. This rule also applies to opener’s actions. Dear Mr. Wolff: My partner referred to a ‘free bid’ in response to a take-out double, meaning bidding in competition when not forced to do so. For example in fourth seat after hearing the auction start one club to my left, double from my partner, and one no-trump to my right, should I pass or bid with: ♠ 9-3, ♥ Q-87-5-3, ♦ K-8-4, ♣ 10-7-4? — Zen Master, Worcester, Mass.

Can you comment on how to evaluate the following hand after partner opens one club, then jumps to four diamonds as a splinter after you respond one heart? You hold: ♠ Q8-2, ♥ A-J-9-2, ♦ 9-5-3, ♣ K-9-4. — Short Shrift, Portland, Ore. ANSWER: This hand feels too good to sign off, but certainly not good enough to take control or drive to slam. I think I would make one slam try, by bidding five clubs and respecting my partner’s five heart sign-off. If partner bids five diamonds I cannot go to slam on my own, I think.

The Aces on Bridge: Monday, April 20th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on May 4th, 2015 “Everything must be like something, so what is this like?” — E. M. Forster

Once in a while you encounter a deal where, after the opening lead is made, you can place every relevant card. West leads the club three against three notrump; give it a moment’s thought to plan the defense. Can you work out South’s shape and which high cards he holds? With the club two on view, West’s lead of the three must be from a four-card suit. So South also holds four clubs. Seeing the club ace, queen, jack and 10 on view marks West with the king, since with a suit not headed by an honor, West would have led his second highest club. Since South opened one diamond, he has at least four cards there, and if South had fewer than four hearts, he would not have rebid in that suit. Of course if South does hold five hearts, surely that would have been his opening bid. All of this means South has exactly four cards in each of hearts, diamonds and clubs, and therefore at most one spade.

Dealer: South North Vul: Neither ♠ A 9 6 5 2 ♥J2 ♦ 10 6 4 ♣QJ2 West ♠J84 ♥ 10 8 6 5 ♦85 ♣K843 South ♠Q ♥KQ94 ♦AKQJ ♣9765 South 1♦ 2♥ 2 NT

West Pass Pass Pass

North 1♠ 2♠ 3 NT

East ♠ K 10 7 3 ♥A73 ♦9732 ♣ A 10

East Pass Pass All pass

Opening Lead: ♣3

If South has decent reversing values with a singleton spade, and West has the club king, South holds a bare spade honor in a 1-4-4-4 pattern with about 17 points. Therefore, on taking the club ace, the right switch is to the spade king. When the king scoops the queen, West should appreciate the position and unblock his eight. Then, when on lead with his club king, the spade jack and a spade through dummy’s nine leads to two down.

LEAD WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠AJ5 ♥Q53 ♦ Q 10 4 ♣J742 South Pass Pass

West Pass 1 NT 2♠

North Pass Pass All pass

East 1♠ 2♦

ANSWER: Neither a diamond nor spade seems in the slightest degree attractive. With declarer marked with at most four cards in hearts and clubs, should you lead from your longer or better suit? Imagine partner with – say — an ace in one suit and a king in the other suit. It feels better to try to set up a heart before it goes away, doesn’t it? So I would lead a small heart.

The Aces on Bridge: Tuesday, April 21st, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on May 5th, 2015 “Always look on the bright side of life. Otherwise it’ll be too dark to read.” — Anonymous

Against your contract of four hearts, West leads the club king and receives a count signal of the three, suggesting an odd number. Now he switches to the diamond five. How do you envisage the play going? At the table declarer was frightened of a ruff, so rose with the diamond ace, and tried to draw trump. But when the 31 break came to light he had to go one down, losing a trick in each suit. The point is that the defenders now had two chances to work out which black-suit winner would be standing up.

Dealer: South North Vul: East♠J5 West ♥53 ♦AQJ8764 ♣J7 West East ♠K762 ♠ Q 10 8 4 3 ♥J92 ♥Q ♦3 ♦K5 ♣KQ952 ♣ A 10 8 4 3 South ♠A9 ♥ A K 10 8 7 6 4 ♦ 10 9 2 ♣6 South

West

North

South should have worked out that if West was allowed to 4♥ All pass obtain his ruff he would be able to claim 10 tricks. That Opening Lead: ♣K would be so unless West started life with two red singletons, which is surely against the odds. So it is best to finesse at trick two hoping either that East will give his partner the ruff or else that he does not find the spade switch.

East

So now the question is whether East should get the defense right. After winning the diamond king, the shift to a spade is right either if East-West have to try to cash two spades, (in which case declarer could surely always guess the spade suit) or if the actual lie of the cards exists – which is certainly a relatively unlikely position to have to cater for. So I suspect most defenders would get this wrong, one way or another.

BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠ Q 10 8 4 3 ♥9 ♦K5 ♣ K 10 8 4 3 South

West

1♠ ?

2♦

North 1♥ Pass

East Pass Pass

ANSWER: If your partnership plays support doubles, so that North has essentially denied six hearts or three spades, then your choice is to pass (hoping this is your only plus score or your smallest minus) as opposed to doubling to show cards and hoping something good happens. If you could bid three clubs, natural and nonforcing, you would, but except by prior agreement that isn’t so clearly what the call means.

The Aces on Bridge: Wednesday, April 22nd, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on May 6th, 2015 “The road to success is dotted with many tempting parking spaces.” — Will Rogers

In today’s deal South received a spade raise and then a somewhat optimistic jump to game facing his three-heart call, which was initially just a game try. I have no problem with North’s raise to two spades, but I would not accept the game-try here. North’s third call persuaded South to take a shot at slam when Blackwood revealed that his side was not missing any keycards. Indeed, slam turned out to be quite playable. West had a natural lead of the diamond jack; cover up the East and West hands to give yourself a realistic problem, and see if you can do better than the player at the table.

Dealer: North North Vul: East♠QJ7 West ♥86 ♦AQ7 ♣A9642 West ♠2 ♥Q97 ♦ J 10 9 8 4 3 ♣KJ3 South ♠AK654 ♥AK2 ♦K6 ♣ 10 8 5 South

West

1♠ 3♥ 4 NT 6♠

Pass Pass Pass All pass

What South actually did was to win the diamond king and draw two rounds of trump, then take a heart ruff in dummy. But now he was locked on the board, and when Opening Lead: ♦J he tried to cash dummy’s diamonds, the 6-2 break in diamonds was fatal, since East ruffed in, leaving declarer with two spade losers.

North 1♣ 2♠ 4♠ 5♠

East ♠ 10 9 8 3 ♥ J 10 5 4 3 ♦52 ♣Q7

East Pass Pass Pass Pass

The key to the deal is that because of the issue with communications on the hand, you must win the opening lead in dummy. Cash the spade queen then the heart ace-king and ruff a heart low. Now you cash the spade jack, and use the diamond king as your re-entry to hand. Then you can draw trump, and use the club ace as an entry to dummy to throw one of your club losers on the good diamond in dummy.

BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠2 ♥Q97 ♦ J 10 9 8 4 3 ♣KJ3 South ?

West 1♣

North 1♠

East 2♣

ANSWER: You have no reason to be ashamed of this hand – yet. If you do not compete to two diamonds, you may miss out on a partscore. By bidding, you help to push your opponents higher, though the risk that your partner may play you for a slightly better hand – or suit – is not negligible. Still, bidding is more fun than passing, isn’t it?

The Aces on Bridge: Thursday, April 23rd, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on May 7th, 2015 “Be calm in arguing; for fierceness makes Error a fault and truth a discourtesy.” — George Herbert

In today’s deal from a team game you arrive in three notrump, against which West leads the spade seven, East playing the jack. How should you play the contract? Unless the club ace is doubleton (or singleton), you will score only two club tricks. The defenders will hold up the club ace until the third round, to cut you off from the dummy. You should begin by playing the club queen, overtaking with dummy’s king when West plays the five. As you expected, the defenders will hold up their club ace. What next? If the club ace is now bare, you can succeed simply by playing another round of clubs. This is somewhat against the odds, (because the four and five have appeared on the first round of the suit – which indicates someone has played a singleton and someone has three clubs) but you do have a better play available.

Dealer: South North Vul: East♠53 West ♥754 ♦94 ♣ K J 10 8 7 3 West ♠ Q 10 8 7 4 ♥98 ♦ Q 10 5 ♣A65 South ♠AK ♥AQJ3 ♦AK73 ♣Q92 South 2♣ 2 NT

West Pass Pass

North 2♦ 3 NT

East ♠J962 ♥ K 10 6 2 ♦J862 ♣4

East Pass All pass

Opening Lead: ♠7

That chance is to take the heart finesse, which is around a 50-50 shot. At trick three you play a heart to the queen and the finesse wins. You can then continue with a second club to dummy’s eight, ducked again by East to kill that suit. However, since you are in dummy again, you can repeat the heart finesse. Hearts do not break 3-3 but you have nine tricks anyway — two spades, three hearts and two tricks in each of the minor suits. Nicely done – but let’s hope that the North-South pair of the other team didn’t bid six clubs!

BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠Q962 ♥ K 10 6 2 ♦J862 ♣4 South ?

West Pass

North 1♣

East Pass

ANSWER: With such a choice of four-card suits to bid, is there a right answer? (Anyone who bid one no-trump will be sent to bed without supper.) Yes, respond one heart here, hoping to find a major-suit fit if there is one. If you bid one diamond, your partner may bypass his own four-card major, expecting you to have bid a major with a hand of less than invitational values.

The Aces on Bridge: Friday, April 24th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on May 8th, 2015 “Income tax returns are the most imaginative fiction being written today.” — Herman Wouk

Cardinal Morton was Chancellor and tax-gatherer for King Henry VII. His argument was that if the merchant had an ostentatious lifestyle, he could well afford to contribute generously. However, if he lived frugally, then he must have salted his money away, so the same would apply. North-South were playing oldfashioned strong jump shifts, and when North showed a very strong balanced hand South found a unsophisticated jump to slam. The contract was far from comfortable (there are only nine top tricks, after all) but South found a way home. West’s passive spade lead was won in dummy. South played a diamond to hand, then neatly impaled West on the prongs of Morton’s Fork by leading the club seven.

Dealer: South North Vul: East♠ A K Q 10 2 West ♥AQ ♦52 ♣ Q 10 5 3 West ♠86 ♥J87 ♦ Q 10 6 3 ♣K864 South ♠74 ♥ K 10 4 3 ♦AK987 ♣A7 South 1♦ 2 NT 6 NT

West Pass Pass All pass

North 2♠ 3 NT

East ♠J953 ♥9652 ♦J4 ♣J92

East Pass Pass

Opening Lead: ♠8 Let us see what happens if West takes the king. On a heart return, South needs to take care. He wins the ace, unblock clubs, crosses to dummy’s second heart winner and then takes the club queen. If the jack does not fall, he crosses back to hand in diamonds, tests hearts, and finally will try to run spades if neither hearts nor clubs have behaved. Today, by virtue of the jacks descending in the rounded suits, declarer comes to three spades, four hearts, two diamonds and three clubs without needing spades to behave. If West withholds the club king at trick two, declarer puts up the queen and can then set up a fourth trick in spades, eventually taking four tricks in each major and two in each minor.

BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠ A K Q 10 2 ♥AQ ♦52 ♣ Q 10 5 3 South 1♠ ?

West Pass

North 1 NT

East Pass

ANSWER: The choice here is a call of two clubs or a bid of two no-trump. The latter gets across the invitational nature of the hand, while not the skewed honor structure and the side four-card suit. The two club call may lead to a missed game facing a hand with no fit but 8-9 HCP say. Overall, though, if your partner does not pass the two club bid it lets you follow up to show the extras and leaves you far better placed.

The Aces on Bridge: Saturday, April 25th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on May 9th, 2015 “Tugging all day at perverse life: The indignity of it!” — Theodore Roethke

In today’s deal West opened two hearts at one table, showing a weak hand with hearts and a minor. North, quite reasonably, chose to overcall three diamonds. East jumped to four hearts and when South passed it out, rather than doubling, that ended the auction. Worse, when North ducked his spade ace, West stole his game. At the other table, on the auction shown, the defense to four spades did not tax declarer. West led the heart ace and switched to a club. East won the ace and returned a club, and declarer could lose a trick to the spade king before drawing trump and claiming the rest. It is more difficult if the defenders play on hearts instead. Declarer has only one winning move now, which is to play a low spade from the dummy. Best is for East to duck this, and now declarer must play for the bad trump break and abandon trumps.

Dealer: South North Vul: Both ♠A763 ♥6 ♦AQJ532 ♣J3 West ♠5 ♥ A Q J 10 2 ♦ 10 9 7 ♣ 10 9 7 2 South ♠ Q J 10 8 ♥95 ♦K6 ♣K8654 South Pass 1♠*

West Pass 4♥

North 1♦ 4♠

East ♠K942 ♥K8743 ♦84 ♣AQ

East 1♥ All pass

* Four+ spades Opening Lead: ♥A

It is not good enough simply to try to run diamonds; (if he does, East ruffs and declarer overruffs, crosses to dummy with the trump ace and runs the diamonds, on which East discards all his losers. In the three-card ending dummy must play a black card, whereupon East’s hand will be high.) Instead, declarer must overtake the diamond king with dummy’s ace and play a club, setting up the trick he needs while he is still in control. He can ruff the next heart in hand and revert to diamonds, after which East can score only his trump trick.

BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠K942 ♥K8743 ♦84 ♣AQ South 1♥ ?

West Pass

North 1 NT

East Pass

ANSWER: Assuming you play the forcing no-trump in response to an opening bid, is there ever a hand where you would be tempted to pass the response? Yes, and this is it, since your option would be to bid two clubs on a doubleton or to rebid those feeble hearts and promise six in the process. So does your partner have a sense of humor? Now might be the moment to find out…

The Aces on Bridge: Sunday, April 26th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on May 10th, 2015

Dear Mr. Wolff:

Dear Mr. Wolff:

In third chair I held: ♠ Q-10-5-3, ♥ J-7-5, ♦ K5, ♣ K-J-7-3, and heard my partner open one heart. Can you comment on the merits of the direct raise, a response of one spade, or starting out with a response of one no-trump.

I play the rule of 15 to decide whether to open a fourth hand (adding my HCP points to the number of spades I hold.) A person I respect says I should have 16 pts. How many points do your recommend?

— Mixing it up, Memphis, Tenn. ANSWER: If you use the direct raise to two hearts as constructive, with a one no-trump response as forcing, I’d raise directly. Try not to jump raise (either immediately or at the second turn) with a mundane 10-count – which this surely is. I would not respond one spade unless I planned to jump to three hearts facing my partner’s response. And I’d try to have good spades for that auction if I did. Dear Mr. Wolff: Is Drury the answer to all problems when facing a potentially light third-in-hand opener? Is there not the risk of losing the club suit as a passed hand? — Gumboots, Rockford, Ill. ANSWER: Drury (the passed hand response of two clubs to a majorsuit opening showing a maximum pass, and a fit) has many plusses. It keeps you low on occasions, and lets you explore the right game efficiently. You minimize the risk you describe if you stretch to open one club with 11 points and six clubs in first or second chair. With fewer points, pass, then respond one no-trump (or three clubs if necessary). Dear Mr. Wolff: My partner and I disagreed over a recent hand. I had: ♠ A-J-5-2, ♥ 10-8-7-5-4, ♦ Q-2, ♣ J-4, when you hear your partner open one no-trump? I chose to use Stayman and pass the response of two spades, judging that I had improved the contract already. Nine tricks were the limit on the hand, but my partner said I owed him a bid. Any thoughts? — Head Cook, West Palm Beach, Fla. ANSWER: I would use Stayman as you did, planning to bid two no-trump over a two diamond response. But I would have raised two spades to three, and would have raised a two heart response to game – so I feel you did not do enough, irrespective of the result actually achieved on this hand.

— Pearson Pointer, Vancouver, British Columbia ANSWER: Don’t be guided by that rule alone. With 13 or more HCP open, and don’t worry about such issues. With 11-12, look at your controls and ease of rebid. Consider the vulnerability (always open unfavorable, since neither opponent bid when they had the chance, and partner might pass 11-12 hands in 2nd). At favorable be more discreet – partner didn’t open when he might have done! Certainly use 15 not 16 as the guideline. You paid your entry fee; bid when you can. Dear Mr. Wolff: When considering whether to open two notrump, should you be put off by holding a weak doubleton? I assume a five-card major is not a serious drawback, but what about a five-card minor AND a four-card major? I recently held: ♠ A-Q-7-3, ♥ 9-5, ♦ A-Q-J-7-5, ♣ A-K, and elected to open one diamond. My partner disagreed with my perception of the hand’s flaws for an opening of two notrump. What do you think? — Lincoln Lawyer, Riverside, Calif. ANSWER: I agree with you that opening two no-trump unnecessarily preempts yourself when you have an easy and far more descriptive route available, namely to open one diamond and then to jump or reverse into spades. Sometimes one settles for a two no-trump opening when all the alternatives are more seriously flawed, but not today.

The Aces on Bridge: Monday, April 27th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on May 11th, 2015 “The remedy is worse than the disease.” — Francs Bacon

As declarer there are worse things that could happen to suffering a ruff. Consider today’s deal, which came up in a Swiss Teams match, both declarers reached the contract of four spades. One declarer won the diamond lead and led a low club from hand to West’s nine and dummy’s king. East worked out to hold off, and declarer was now worried enough by the threat of a club ruff to draw all the trump. Then he led a club to the 10, but East held off again, and now he was left with a club and three red suit losers, since there was no entry to the board. In the other room the lead was the same. The diamond king went to the ace, and now came a club to the king, ducked again. Next came the spade ace, and a spade to the jack.

Dealer: South North Vul: East♠AQ5 West ♥J95 ♦52 ♣ K Q 10 7 4 West ♠843 ♥K84 ♦ K Q J 10 3 ♣92 South ♠ K J 10 9 6 ♥A63 ♦A6 ♣J86 South 1♠ 2♠

West Pass Pass

North 2♣ 4♠

East ♠72 ♥ Q 10 7 2 ♦9874 ♣A53

East Pass All pass

Opening Lead: ♦K

But the second declarer judged correctly when he reverted to clubs. West could receive a club ruff, and cash his long diamond, but declarer could win the heart ace and cross to dummy with the spade queen to take dummy’s two club winners, on which he could discard both his heart losers. This deal reinforces the importance of giving count as a defender when you think your partner needs to know how many cards you have in a suit. Be aware that sometimes count helps declarer more than your partner; deciding which situation you are in is not that easy a task.

LEAD WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠ Q 10 3 2 ♥974 ♦ K Q 10 3 ♣85 South All pass

West

North 3♥

East 5♣

ANSWER: Although there are unlikely scenarios in which a top diamond could be right, if declarer is threatening to build the hearts or spades for a discard, I suspect a diamond will cost more often than it would gain. Put me down for a mundane small heart lead – and not the heart seven or nine under any circumstances.

The Aces on Bridge: Tuesday, April 28th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on May 12th, 2015 “It’s sometimes funny to watch some people doing something the wrong way but doing it confidently. Even more funny, they succeeded.” — Toby Beta

Fred Gitelman is the chief executive of Bridge Base Online, by far the best way to play bridge online. It offers the opportunity to play or learn bridge and there are several invaluable teaching tools available. Plus you get the chance to watch the top players in the world, live on Vugraph. He showed me a nice point of technique on the following deal. You might consider it routine but as the score indicated, good technique paid dividends. As South he declared four spades, and with the club finesse succeeding, the play was all about overtricks. On a diamond lead, he had to ruff a diamond in dummy. Now he led the spade four from dummy and when East played low, he went up with the queen.

Dealer: South North Vul: Both ♠43 ♥KJ984 ♦3 ♣AJ865 West East ♠J ♠AK8 ♥532 ♥ Q 10 6 ♦K8754 ♦ Q 10 9 6 2 ♣K732 ♣ 10 9 South ♠ Q 10 9 7 6 5 2 ♥A7 ♦AJ ♣Q4 South 1♠ 3♠

West Pass Pass

North 1 NT 4♠

East Pass All pass

Opening Lead: ♦5 Lucky or well judged? If spades are 2-2, his play is immaterial but if spades are 3-1, the only singleton he can pick up is the jack – since if West has a singleton ace or king you have three losers whatever you do. Because you cannot influence the majority of distributions, you should play to influence the ones over which you do have control. Of course if you had an extra trump in dummy (let’s say you had the diamond queen instead of the jack) you can use your two entries to dummy to lead to the spade nine and 10. But as the cards lie this is not possible since you had to burn one of dummy’s trumps to ruff the losing diamond from the South hand.

BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠43 ♥KJ984 ♦3 ♣AJ865 South ?

West 1♦

North Dbl.

East 1 NT

ANSWER: My best guess would be to bid four hearts – which is what you were surely intending to bid had East passed. Once in a while hands like this produce lots of tricks on offense, but declarer can run the diamond suit in one no-trump doubled. So I would be reluctant to try to defend here. And if East is playing silly games, let him try and sort that out at the five-level on the next round.

The Aces on Bridge: Wednesday, April 29th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on May 13th, 2015 “Better the day, better the deed.” — Thomas Middleton

The European open championships in San Remo saw a couple of British teams collect medals. Today’s deal comes from the de Botton team’s successful quarterfinal encounter against a strong Dutch squad. The Dutch North-South had failed to reach slam here, but in the other room Artur Malinowski and Janet de Botton played six spades on the auction shown. Janet de Botton found a successful line of play. She won the diamond ace, cashed dummy’s heart ace and played a heart back towards her king. It would not have done East any good to ruff thin air, so he threw a club, and declarer won her king and exited with a heart. When West won and continued the suit, declarer ruffed high in the dummy, then cashed the spade king and ran the spade 10, finessing East for the jack. When the spade 10 held, she crossed to hand with a club, drew the last trump, and claimed the remainder.

Dealer: South North Vul: North♠ A K 10 South ♥ A 10 3 ♦A643 ♣KJ2 West ♠52 ♥Q9862 ♦ Q 10 9 8 ♣84 South ♠Q9764 ♥K754 ♦2 ♣AQ3 South 1♠ 2♥ 4♣ 5♣

West Pass Pass Pass Pass

North 2♣ 3♦ 4♦ 6♠

East ♠J83 ♥J ♦KJ75 ♣ 10 9 7 6 5

East Pass Pass Pass All pass

Opening Lead: ♣8

An alternative, and perhaps safer, approach would have been a dummy reversal. Declarer wins the opening lead, cashes the diamond ace and ruffs a diamond, plays a spade to the ace and ruffs a diamond. Then he cashes the spade queen, and plays a club to dummy. Now he ruffs a diamond, leads another club to dummy, and draws the last trump, pitching a heart from hand. He can cash one further heart and club winner, simply conceding a heart at the end.

BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠J83 ♥J ♦KJ75 ♣ 10 9 7 6 5 South Pass ?

West Pass

North 1♠

East 2♦

ANSWER: It is very tempting to raise partner; after all one is always told to support with support. Here I’m dubious as to whether this is right, as your whole hand is defense to diamonds, and your partner may picture a more offensively oriented hand than this. Nonetheless I will raise, with misgivings. With the spade 10 instead of the jack, I pass.

The Aces on Bridge: Thursday, April 30th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on May 14th, 2015 “One has not only an ability to perceive the world but an ability to alter one’s perception of it; more simply, one can change things by the manner in which one looks at them.” — Tom Robbins

John Armstrong’s death some six years ago robbed England of one of its finest players. He was in action on today’s hand demonstrating some neat inferential card reading. The bidding in both rooms to three no-trump saw the lead was the lead of the club two, to the three, jack and king. The first declarer set up his clubs by conceding a trick to West’s 10.That player’s low heart switch went to the ace, and when South played low on the heart return, the defenders could set up hearts and cash the 13th heart when East got in with the spade ace.

Dealer: South North Vul: Neither ♠ J 5 ♥J94 ♦Q43 ♣AQ753 West ♠ 10 7 3 ♥Q62 ♦A98 ♣ 10 8 4 2 South ♠KQ62 ♥ K 10 7 ♦KJ76 ♣K9 South 1 NT

West Pass

North 3 NT

In our second room Armstrong drew the right inference from the lead as to West’s distribution. Given that most Opening Lead: ♣2 defenders would prefer to lead a major when Stayman has not been employed, the lead from a broken four-card suit suggested that West might have no second four-card suit. Instead of continuing with clubs and setting up a winner there for the opponents, Armstrong played on diamonds at trick two.

East ♠A984 ♥A853 ♦ 10 5 2 ♣J6

East All pass

West won the second diamond and shifted to the heart two. East took the ace and returned the three, but since West’s low heart two suggested that West might hold a heart honor, declarer rose with the king, blocking the hearts. Next he dislodged the spade ace, and although East could play a heart to West’s queen, nothing could now stop declarer from regaining the lead. At that point he could take three clubs, three diamonds, two spades and one heart for his contract.

BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠J5 ♥J94 ♦Q43 ♣AQ753 South

West

2♥ ?

Pass

North 1♥ Pass

East Pass 2♠

ANSWER: While you have a maximum for your initial call, you have no clear way forward, and it seems like a breach of the law of total tricks to advance to the threelevel with only three-card support. A threeclub call here would suggest six, and a hand suited to offense than this, but it may be the least lie. Double would be penalty here, by the way, and pass could easily work out here.

The Aces on Bridge: Friday, May 1st, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on May 15th, 2015 “The Mind of Man My haunt, and the main region of my song.” — William Wordsworth

Neither North nor South held back on this deal. North’s five diamond call was a cuebid in support of spades, and a further exchange of cuebids saw North at his next turn guarantee first round heart control when he bid six diamonds, since he was looking for a grand slam when South had denied the heart ace. Now South decided the grand slam was unlikely to be worse than a diamond finesse. West led the heart five against seven spades, and declarer saw that there was no rush to take the diamond finesse. After winning the heart lead in hand, then entering dummy with a top trump, declarer ruffed a club in hand. Now he repeated the process, then cashed the remaining hearts and ran all but one of his trumps. When East turned up with only two cards in the majors, the prospects of a diamond finesse succeeding were poor, but look what happened to East when declarer discarded dummy’s small diamonds on the trumps.

Dealer: East Vul: Both

North ♠J98 ♥A7 ♦ A K 10 3 ♣ 10 7 6 4

West ♠743 ♥J98542 ♦62 ♣K3

East ♠— ♥ 10 6 ♦Q854 ♣AQJ9852 South ♠ A K Q 10 6 5 2 ♥KQ3 ♦J97 ♣—

South

West

North

4♠ 6♣ 7♠

Pass Pass All pass

5♦ 6♦

East 3♣ Pass Pass

Opening Lead: ♥5

In the four-card ending South had reduced to one trump and three diamonds, while dummy had two clubs and the diamond ace-king. That left East struggling for a discard from his three diamonds to the queen and the club ace-queen. If he threw a club, dummy’s ten could be established with a ruff; when he parted with a diamond, declarer cashed both of dummy’s diamonds. Now South’s diamond jack became a winner, while he still had a trump in hand to reach it. BID WITH THE ACES ♠743 ♥J98542 ♦62 ♣K3 South 2♥ ?

West 1♠ Pass

North Dbl. 3♣

East Pass Pass

ANSWER: The underlying message from this auction will not be agreed by everyone, but I believe that at this point in the auction one should not try to improve the partscore. With a bad hand, one passes three clubs and hopes for the best. A call of three hearts here is natural suggesting extra hearts and not a complete bust, and seems the right call now.

The Aces on Bridge: Saturday, May 2nd, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on May 16th, 2015 “The blazing evidence of immortality is our dissatisfaction with any other solution.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson

Today’s deal came from a correspondent who supplied me with his missed chance for immortality, as usual identified a day too late. West’s bid of three clubs was an improvisation, designed to confuse, and in a sense he was right; his side had a cheap sacrifice in spades, but the question was whether five hearts would make. My correspondent ducked the opening spade lead, hoping East would contribute the ace; when this failed, he drew trump in two rounds and ruffed out spades for a diamond discard. However the 5-0 club break was too much for him, and he finished up losing three tricks in the minors. It was only on the next day that one of his opponents pointed out that he had missed his chance.

Dealer: North North Vul: North♠KQ9 South ♥AK ♦QJ76 ♣AQJ4 West East ♠87432 ♠ A J 10 6 5 ♥62 ♥J4 ♦ K 10 9 8 5 4 ♦A ♣— ♣ K 10 7 6 3 South ♠— ♥ Q 10 9 8 7 5 3 ♦32 ♣9852 South

West

Pass 5♥

3♣ All pass

North 2♣ Dbl.

East 2♦* 5♣

* Hearts or the black suits

Opening Lead: ♠8 When the chance at trick one fails, declarer should have used trump entries to ruff out the spade ace, and then pitched a club not a diamond on the top spade. Since East was almost guaranteed to have 5-2-1-5 shape, he must therefore have a singleton diamond honor, given West’s failure to lead a top diamond at trick one. So the play is to exit from dummy with a small diamond, felling East’s ace, ruff the spade return, and play a second diamond, catching West in a Morton’s Fork coup. If he takes his diamond king there are two discards for the clubs; if not, the only losers are a club and a diamond.

BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠ A J 10 6 5 ♥J4 ♦A ♣ K 10 7 6 3 South ?

West

North

East 2♦

ANSWER: These days Leaping Michaels is a popular treatment after your opponents open with a weak two bid. Here a jump to four clubs would show clubs and a major – which would seem ideal. However you need a better hand than this to take the action. A simple call of two spades (hoping to get another chance) is the most sensible course of action.

The Aces on Bridge: Sunday, May 3rd, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on May 17th, 2015

Dear Mr. Wolff:

Dear Mr. Wolff:

Last week at our club a question arose regarding an Alert. In a Flannery sequence does a response of two hearts or two spades require an Alert, on the grounds that those responses indicate no game interest? Many of our newer or non-Flannery players would be shut out of the auction, because of the lack of an Alert.

I read your column daily in Spokane’s Spokesman Review. In a column around two years ago, you responded to a reader’s request for recommendation for a book for beginners. You recommended two books as I recall. I cut out the article, planned to order at least one of the books, but lost the page I had cut out. I would like to read up on a little bit before I join a bridge group of some kind — hopefully at my skill level.

— Level Pegging, Bellevue, Wash.

— Johnny on the Spot, Spokane, Wash. ANSWER: I believe no Alert is required. The bids are a natural suggestion of a place to play. In a bridge club you’d assume that either the opponents will know this, or be able to work it out. I’m no great fan of using conventions to bamboozle opponents, but we can’t spoon-feed everyone – just in case they aren’t paying attention. By contrast, a jump to three hearts or three spades, if weak, should be Alerted, since the alternative interpretation of forcing or invitational could easily be assumed here. Dear Mr. Wolff: Recently one of my opponents mentioned Goldwater’s Rule after a bid out of turn. I didn’t understand the explanation – could you clarify it for me please. — Term Limits, Eau Claire, Wis. ANSWER: Tournament Director Harry Goldwater produced a rule but it was for a lead out of turn not an insufficient call. He suggested that when a lead is made out of turn, you should accept it, on the grounds that anyone who cannot work out who is on lead, probably won’t know what to lead either. Dear Mr. Wolff: Can you comment on the rebid problem here? I held: ♠ Q, ♥ K-9-7, ♦ K-Q-8-7-4, ♣ A-J-9-3. I opened one diamond and chose to rebid two clubs over my partner’s one spade response. When my partner raised to three clubs, would you pass or explore for game – or even up and bid three no-trump? My partner had stretched with an eight-count and five clubs, so no game was good. — Third Time Lucky, Durango, Colo. ANSWER: Your soft cards strongly suggest five clubs is not going to make, so the question is how much you need to go looking for no-trump. I would feel far happier with the diamond 10 instead of the four. As it is I would pass reluctantly, expecting neither of our side-suits would set up easily, even if we overcame a weakness in hearts.

ANSWER: Here are some suggestions: Planning the Play of a Bridge Hand, by Barbara Seagram & David Bird, or Bridge for Dummies by Eddie Kantar. And the Audrey Grant series for ACBL are all excellent. Dear Mr. Wolff: I was dealt ♠ J-9, ♥ Q-7-3-2, ♦ A-10-8-6-4, ♣ K-7 and heard my LHO open one heart, over which my partner overcalled one spade. Now came two clubs on my right. Was I supposed to bid at all – and if so what would you recommend? I chose to raise spades treating my doubleton as the equivalent of three small trumps. Was this reasonable? — Advance with Care, Albuquerque, N.M. ANSWER: In this seat some play fourth-suit doubles here (also called snapdragon or competitive doubles). This would show good but not great diamonds, together with spade tolerance, and values. The same principle would apply if your RHO had raised hearts as opposed to bidding a new suit. Double would be take-out and value-showing.

The Aces on Bridge: Monday, May 4th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on May 18th, 2015 “‘Danger!’ said the old cob. ‘Danger! I welcome danger and adventure. Danger is my middle name.’” — E. B. White

Today’s deal embodies a very simple principle, but it is worth emphasizing that there are many hands where declarer knows that one of his opponents is the danger hand, and one is the safe hand. In such instances one wants to try to keep the danger hand off lead, and it may even be worthwhile to sacrifice a few percentage points in the play so as to ensure that you achieve your target.

Dealer: N Vul: None

North ♠Q86 ♥QJ2 ♦AJ86 ♣KJ9

West ♠J95 ♥K73 ♦Q2 ♣ A 10 8 6 5

East ♠ 10 4 3 2 ♥ 10 8 5 4 ♦754 ♣Q3 South ♠AK7 ♥A96 ♦ K 10 9 3 ♣742

Here West leads a club against three no-trump. East takes dummy’s jack with the queen, then returns the suit, and West clears the clubs. Now declarer has just seven top tricks. He can finesse diamonds either way, and of South West North course since East has short clubs and West long clubs, 1♦ 3 NT All pass you would expect East to have the diamond queen. But the percentages are quite close, and if you play East for Opening Lead: ♣6 the diamond queen and you are wrong, you are immediately sunk. A better approach is to play the diamond king and then plan to run the diamond 10. Of course, as the cards lie, this approach is immediately successful. But had the diamond finesse lost, you would have been able to fall back on the heart finesse, giving yourself another 50-50 chance in addition to the first finesse.

East Pass

This general approach of taking your chances in order, rather than putting all your eggs in one basket, is called an echelon play. My experience is generally that the two chances are better than one. LEAD WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠ 10 3 ♥ A 10 8 6 5 ♦ J 10 6 4 ♣J5 South 2♥ All pass

West 1♦ 2♠

North Dbl. 3♥

East 1♠ 3♠

ANSWER: With your heart suit an unattractive one to lead from, the choice is whether to lead trumps or play for club ruffs. The opponents are known to be in a 5-3 or 4-4 fit (since partner’s double guarantees at least three spades), so leading a trump might mangle partner’s holding. And the possibility of club ruffs looks as good as any way to set up tricks for your side, so I would lead the club jack.

The Aces on Bridge: Tuesday, May 5th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on May 19th, 2015 “In our plain defects, We already know the brotherhood of man.” — Christopher Fry

A small slam on the North and South cards looks a good proposition; indeed, on a good day all 13 tricks might well roll in. But the battle today was to find the safest route to 12 tricks. During the auction, South had shown slam interest and a twosuiter at his second turn, then had used Keycard Blackwood to make sure the spades were robust enough to play slam. After winning the club lead, declarer played the spade ace then queen, to discover there was an inevitable trump loser. Now all South needed to guard against losing a heart as well. The key was to prevent East being able to ruff a heart winner then remove dummy’s last trump. South worked out that so long as East held at least one card in hearts, he was likely to be able to achieve his target.

Dealer: W Vul: Both

North ♠Q86 ♥A75 ♦AQ5 ♣9742

West ♠2 ♥J9832 ♦862 ♣KQJ6

East ♠ J 10 9 4 ♥6 ♦J973 ♣ 10 8 5 3 South ♠AK753 ♥ K Q 10 4 ♦ K 10 4 ♣A

South 1♠ 3♥ 4 NT 6♠

West Pass Pass Pass Pass All pass

North 1♣ 1 NT 3♠ 5 ♠* queen

East Pass Pass Pass Pass

*Two key cards plus the trump At trick four South cashed the heart ace, then led a low heart towards his hand. East could see that if he ruffed a Opening Lead: ♣K loser he would be wasting his trump trick to no effect, so he discarded a club. South won with the king in hand, returned to dummy in diamonds and played another heart. Still unable to ruff profitably, East discarded yet again, and South’s heart queen held. Now came the heart 10, ruffed with dummy’s last trump. East could overruff, but that was the only trick for the defense. In essence, South had combined his heart loser and trump loser on the same trick. BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: It is tempting to raise to three clubs, but my guess would be that I don’t have quite enough to invite game. A fifth club would make the raise far more attractive, or perhaps as little as an extra queen on the side. As it is, pass, and apologize if you have missed game.

South Holds: ♠2 ♥J9832 ♦862 ♣KQJ6 South

West

1 NT ?

Pass

North 1♠ 2♣

East Pass Pass

The Aces on Bridge: Wednesday, May 6th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on May 20th, 2015 “I love my fellow creatures – I do all the good I can – Yet everybody says I’m such a disagreeable man! And I can’t think why!” — W. S. Gilbert

In today’s deal, maybe it was a rush of blood to the head, or the flowers that bloom in the spring generating optimism, but something compelled you to open the South hand with a strong no trump. Maybe the light was bad, or the cards dirty? Your partner used Stayman to enquire for four-card majors, and settled in three no-trump. When West leads the diamond three, it is up to you to try to make bricks out of the limited amount of straw available to you. The solution is based to a certain extent on whether you think it is conceivable that West has led from a three-card suit on this auction; highly unlikely, I would say (indeed, it is a safe guess that West is very likely to be 3-3-4-3 pattern or to have an ‘unleadable’ four-card suit).

Dealer: S Vul: E-W

North ♠A94 ♥ Q 10 6 5 ♦A4 ♣9874

West ♠Q72 ♥J32 ♦J973 ♣AQ3

East ♠ K 10 8 5 ♥984 ♦ 10 5 ♣ K 10 5 2 South ♠J63 ♥AK7 ♦KQ862 ♣J6

South 1 NT 2♦

West Pass Pass

North 2♣ 3 NT

East Pass All pass

Opening Lead: ♦3 If that is so, then I think your best practical chances for the contract lie in deception. You have to be up to ducking the first trick. But you also have to remember that this in itself may not be enough. You must also take care to follow at the first trick with the six, concealing the two, to encourage East to continue the attack on diamonds, in the belief that West has led from a five-card suit. If you do not, he may well find the club switch at trick two. When the defenders continue diamonds, you can take four diamond winners and later bring hearts home for four tricks to make your game. BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: This hand is far too good to pass two clubs — you might miss a cold game or even a slam. A simple invitational raise to three clubs should suffice. You may belong in three no-trump, but it will be up to partner to move toward game if he has extra values.

South Holds: ♠A94 ♥ Q 10 6 5 ♦A4 ♣9874 South

West

1♥ ?

Pass

North 1♦ 2♣

East Pass Pass

The Aces on Bridge: Thursday, May 7th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on May 21st, 2015 “Art is the elimination of the unnecessary.” — Pablo Picasso

One of the simplest but also most attractive techniques of declarer play that we all learn is an elimination play. If you want the opponents to lead a suit rather than have to lead it yourself, then you try to remove all the other palatable options from the defenders before giving them the lead and forcing them to do something they would otherwise be unwilling to do. If you can take out all the trumps, or all of a side-suit, the play may be foolproof. But sometimes declarer can only execute a partial strip or elimination of the other suits before throwing an opponent in. For example, playing in six spades here, South wins the heart lead and tests trumps. When they fail to split, he should not take the diamond finesse. Instead he should attempt to set up an endplay to avoid taking the finesse until or unless it is absolutely necessary.

Dealer: S Vul: E-W

North ♠ 10 7 4 2 ♥AK64 ♦A5 ♣962

West ♠6 ♥ J 10 8 2 ♦ 10 6 4 3 ♣ 10 8 7 5

East ♠QJ9 ♥Q93 ♦K872 ♣J43 South ♠AK853 ♥75 ♦QJ9 ♣AKQ

South 1♠ 3♠ 6♠

West Pass Pass All pass

North 2 NT* 4♠

East Pass Pass

*Game-forcing spade raise Opening Lead: ♥J

Declarer leads a second high heart, ruffs a heart and cashes the three high clubs before throwing East in with the master trump. Because he only has diamonds left, East must lead away from the diamond king. This is a partial elimination or strip, because declarer lacked the entries to eliminate hearts completely. Had East held a fourth heart, he would have been able to lead the suit and avoid opening up diamonds to declarer’s advantage. Then South would have been forced to fall back on the finesse, but at least he would have given himself every additional chance. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠ 10 7 4 2 ♥AK64 ♦A5 ♣962 South ?

West

North Pass

East Pass

ANSWER: There are two bids I could not stomach making here. The first is passing; in third seat this is a full opener and passing makes your opponents’ life far too easy. The second is opening one club – anyone who does that deserves to find their partner raising clubs, or leading a club against the opponents’ final contract. Open one heart for the lead; if necessary put down dummy with a spade in your hearts…

The Aces on Bridge: Friday, May 8th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on May 22nd, 2015 “Lucky to touch it, a shilling a day!” — Rudyard Kipling Dealer: S Vul: E-W

There were contrasting fortunes in today’s contract of four spades, from a team game. One declarer saw all the possibilities, and exploited the lie of the cards, one relied on good fortune, and got the result he deserved.

North ♠KJ983 ♥A5 ♦32 ♣8532

West ♠A4 ♥ K Q 10 9 ♦ J 10 8 4 ♣AQ9

One declarer won the heart lead to play trumps at once. He ruffed the next heart, drew the last trump, and tried to drop the diamond jack-10. When the diamond honors failed to put in an appearance he ruffed the fourth diamond, planning to duck a club to West if he could. Alas for him, East remembered to split his club intermediates, and now whatever declarer did, he had to lose three club tricks, and the contract.

East ♠2 ♥J87432 ♦765 ♣ J 10 7 South ♠ Q 10 7 6 5 ♥6 ♦AKQ9 ♣K64

South 1♠ 4♠

In the other room when West led the heart king against four spades, declarer won the ace and ruffed a heart in his hand. He then led a trump from hand. Had West ducked, declarer would have stripped off the diamonds and endplayed West with the trump ace. Seeing this coming, West and returned a trump.

West Dbl. All pass

North 3 NT*

East Pass

*Better than a preemptive raise to four spades Opening Lead: ♥K flew up with the spade ace

Declarer now played the top three diamonds pitching one club from dummy. Then he continued with the losing diamond nine and pitched another club from dummy. West was allowed to win the diamond jack, but was now endplayed and had either to give declarer a free finesse, or a ruff and sluff. Either way, South was home in his contract. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠KJ983 ♥A5 ♦32 ♣8532 South ?

West 1♥

North 2♣

East Pass

ANSWER: I have a secret hankering to bid three spades as a fit-jump (promising five decent spades and club support) but this is not a standard agreement so I must find a different approach. Here a simple call of two spades should be natural (and indeed some play it as forcing). I’d expect four spades to be the easiest game to make here if I can find any sort of spade fit; the club support can wait. So two spades it is.

The Aces on Bridge: Saturday, May 9th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on May 23rd, 2015 “To elope is cowardly; it is running away from danger; and danger has become so rare in modern life.” — Oscar Wilde

Both players pushed just a little to reach four spades here, against which West led the diamond queen. Before you read on, it is worthwhile to pause for a moment and consider how you would play the game here. The critical move comes early here. As is often the case when holding a singleton opposite an ace in a suit contract, the correct technique is to ruff a diamond at trick two. Then comes the spade ace-king, revealing that you have a trump loser. Life would be very easy if West began with specifically a 3=4=4=2 shape: a crossruff would succeed and West has to follow suit throughout. But if, as is more likely, West has only two or three hearts, then declarer needs West to have started with at least five diamonds to be able to succeed against best defense.

Dealer: S Vul: Both

North ♠ J 10 6 4 ♥53 ♦A642 ♣Q84

West ♠Q82 ♥Q9 ♦ Q J 10 9 5 ♣ A 10 7

East ♠3 ♥ J 10 8 6 4 ♦K73 ♣KJ95 South ♠AK975 ♥AK72 ♦8 ♣632

South 1♠ 3♥

West Pass Pass

North 2♠ 4♠

East Pass All pass

Opening Lead: ♦Q At trick four South cashes the heart ace-king, then leads a third heart. West cannot profit by ruffing a loser (since declarer would simply discard a club). Equally, West cannot usefully pitch a club, so West lets go of a diamond. Declarer ruffs in dummy, ruffs a diamond to hand, and leads the heart seven. Again, West cannot ruff in with the spade queen, nor can he throw a diamond, or he sets up a winner in dummy, so he must discard a club. A diamond ruff to hand is now declarer’s 10th trick. This maneuver, where West can neither discard a winner nor prevent a crossruff, is sometimes called an elopement. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠ J 10 6 4 ♥53 ♦A642 ♣Q84 South

West

1♠ 3♦ ?

Pass Pass

North 1♦ 3♣ 3♥

East Pass Pass Pass

ANSWER: Your partner’s three heart call is a probe for no-trump. While you cannot bid no-trump yourself, you have a choice as to whether to bid four or five diamonds. The meaning of a jump to five diamonds depends a little on partnership style. I prefer not to play it simply as weak, more about a minimum with all my values in our bid suits. This hand qualifies for a five diamond bid either way.

The Aces on Bridge: Sunday, May 10th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on May 24th, 2015

Dear Mr. Wolff: What is your take on the merits of using a one no-trump overcall in the sandwich seat (between two bidding opponents) as natural and strong as opposed to artificial and the other two suits? And what about in balancing seat? — In the Hot Seat, North Bay, Ontario ANSWER: Playing one no-trump here as artificial and two-suited is wrong because you already have two ways to show the unbid suits (by doubling or bidding two notrump). You should keep the bid by an unpassed hand as natural and 16-18 points. In balancing seat, by the way, you may be surprised to learn that experts without exception play the jump to two no-trump as strong and balanced – about a two no-trump opener, or a little less. Dear Mr. Wolff: I held ♠ 9, ♥ A-J-7-4-3-2, ♦ K-7-3, ♣ Q-J-3, and responded two hearts to one spade. My partner had an ill-fitting 12-count and we ended up in three no-trump, down three when neither major behaved. Afterwards my partner suggested I did not have enough to force to game. I respectfully disagree; what say you? — Over the Top, Houston, Texas ANSWER: This was a sensible choice by you. Your call of two hearts is just fine – you would open, so you should force to game. In a perfect world if rebidding your suit was not a game force you might go that way, but here it is a case of omelets and broken eggs. Occasionally ill-fitting hands with the approximate values for game will get too high. Shrug your shoulders and move on. Dear Mr. Wolff: Recently you ran a deal where West overcalled two spades over one spade, without the sort of strength I’d expect for this call. What does the bid mean? I read it for short spades and a very strong hand so I did not understand what happened in the auction thereafter. Was it a misprint? Could West have bid two hearts rather than two spades? — Fall Guy, Doylestown, Pa.

ANSWER: My apologies, I should have put a footnote to say that the two spade call was a Michaels Cuebid, showing five hearts and five of a minor. (West’s call is often played this way, but a footnote was appropriate.) Sorry! Dear Mr. Wolff: Playing the weak two bid, some of my regular game have been taught that the appropriate range is five to 10 points with a six-card suit, while others have been taught a range of six to 12 points. Which is correct? — Hi-Lo Countryman, Wilmington, N.C. ANSWER: 12 counts are REALLY exceptional for a 2-level bid, and 11-counts are fairly unusual, except when first or second in hand vulnerable. My general rule is that when you look at a 10-11 count with a six-carder, add on two points for the six-card suit and one for any side four-card suit. If and only if the total comes to 13, open at the one-level so long as you have an ace and a king, or three kings, or else some decent defense. Otherwise bid at the two-level. Dear Mr. Wolff: How should one play a redouble of a cuebid in a slam-going auction? Should that promise first-round control or is it sufficient for that sequence to show second-round control? — Show and Tell, Elkhart, Ind. ANSWER: My view is that the redouble should show first-round control (by either hand). A pass of the double by second hand should be constructive – some people play this sequence promises second-round control, and that is certainly sensible enough, though it requires agreement. Whether you play this way or not, reversion to the trump suit is the weakest option always, and a new cue-bid denies any control in the doubled suit.

The Aces on Bridge: Monday, May 11th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on May 25th, 2015 “To fall into a habit is to begin to cease to be.” — Miguel de Unamuno

All this week’s deals come from recent trials for the US National open team, since the trials are currently being held this week in Schaumburg, Illinois. Against four hearts, Eric Greco, West, started off with ace and a second club, giving the defense the first two tricks, and signaling for the lower suit in the process. Now Geoff Hampson, East, knew that his partner had the diamond ace. It would have been right to play diamonds if he had a potential trump trick himself, but he knew that he did not, so he played the spade jack, correctly won by declarer’s ace.

Dealer: N Vul: Both

North ♠K74 ♥J54 ♦KQ765 ♣ 10 4

West ♠Q ♥3 ♦AJ84 ♣A976532

East ♠ J 10 9 8 2 ♥ 10 7 6 2 ♦932 ♣Q South ♠A653 ♥AKQ98 ♦ 10 ♣KJ8

South

West

North Pass 2♥

South then made the mistake of drawing two rounds of 1♥ 2♣ 4♥ All pass trump, using high hearts from hand. Now when he led a diamond towards dummy, Greco covered the 10 with the Opening Lead: ♣A jack (allowing declarer to win one, but not two diamond tricks). At this point when declarer surrendered a spade, Hampson could return a trump, killing dummy’s ruff. There was no way to come home now — although declarer could have succeeded by taking only one trump and then playing on diamonds, when he can arrange the spade ruff.

East Pass Pass

In the other room the club ace was led and a second club ruffed, again with West giving a diamond suit-preference signal. On East’s instinctive diamond return, West won the ace to lead a third club, but there was no trump promotion when declarer ruffed with the heart jack. Since two top diamonds could take care of the spade losers, the contract succeeded. LEAD WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠642 ♥K965 ♦Q762 ♣J5 South Pass Pass

West 1♦ 2♣ 4♠

North Pass Pass All pass

East 1♠ 3♠

ANSWER: In situations of this sort you tend to lead the unbid suit unless your holding is hugely unattractive or some other lead stands out. In this case while a heart lead might well cost a trick, it could also easily be the suit in which you need to set up tricks or cash out winners before they are discarded. Equally importantly, nothing else looks attractive either, a passive trump being the alternative.

The Aces on Bridge: Tuesday, May 12th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on May 26th, 2015 “The man who listens to Reason is lost; Reason Enslaves all whose minds are not strong enough to Master her.” — G. B. Shaw

On this deal from the US trials from a few years ago, Gary Cohler’s jump to three no-trump seems a reasonable if slightly premature action, since he was expecting to find his partner a doubleton spade. However a slower route of doubling and then bidding three no-trump might have led to reaching four hearts. A spade was led against three notrump, and declarer was in deep trouble. He led a diamond toward his hand but East, Jim Krekorian took the diamond ace to continue spades, and Cohler took the third round. Now if Cohler could have divined the heart position, he would have made the hand (which would certainly not have been impossible, given East’s decision to take the diamond ace with non-solid spades. Surely he figured to have the heart card). However Cohler played for the heart king to be onside, leading the heart queen from hand hoping that he could duck the trick to the West hand. That led to two down.

Dealer: N Vul: Both

North ♠A ♥AJ6432 ♦Q863 ♣42

West ♠Q72 ♥ 10 9 7 5 ♦ J 10 9 ♣K53

East ♠J86543 ♥K ♦A42 ♣QJ9 South ♠ K 10 9 ♥Q8 ♦K75 ♣ A 10 8 7 6

South

West

2♣ 3 NT

2♠ All pass

North 1♥ Pass

East 1♠ Pass

Opening Lead: ♠2

In the closed room, Neil Chambers as North played four hearts on the spade lead, which established a home for his club loser. Since declarer could see that he had to lose two diamond tricks, his target became to hold the heart losers to one. Chambers made no mistake, playing off the heart ace to drop the singleton king, the only relevant 4-1 split, and made his game. You can follow a summary online.bridgebase.com

of

the

trials

on

usbf.org,

and

watch

live

at

BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠ K 10 9 ♥Q8 ♦K75 ♣ A 10 8 7 6 South ?

West 1♦

North 1♥

East Pass

ANSWER: A simple response of one notrump might be up to an uninspiring 11-count and would be non-forcing, while a jump to two no-trump suggests a full opener. This hand is too good for the first action so since you really do not want to emphasize your heart support, you should bid two no-trump and hope partner can work out what to do next. A bid of two clubs would also be sensible if played as forcing.

The Aces on Bridge: Wednesday, May 13th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on May 27th, 2015 “Men are never so likely to settle a question rightly as when they discuss it freely.” — Lord Macaulay

Today’s deal from a bygone US trials saw Seymon Deutsch take on Jeff Wolfson in the semi-final stage. Both tables reached three no-trump, and Wolfson went one down on a spade lead after an unopposed auction, when he tested hearts then led the diamond queen from dummy. After the diamond queen was covered by the king, declarer tested diamonds but had only eight tricks – three tricks in each red suit and one spade on top. He could establish a second spade but had no valid route to a ninth trick.

Dealer: W Vul: E-W

North ♠4 ♥AQ732 ♦Q843 ♣543

West ♠AJ832 ♥ 10 5 ♦9652 ♣82

East ♠9765 ♥J864 ♦K ♣AQJ7 South ♠ K Q 10 ♥K9 ♦ A J 10 7 ♣ K 10 9 6

By contrast, Chip Martel for Deutsch had the benefit of an South West North informative auction. He won the spade 10 at trick one, and Pass Pass 1 NT Pass 2 ♦* tested hearts, pitching a club from hand, then reassessed 2♥ Pass 2 NT the position. He needed the diamond king onside, but 3 NT All pass since neither opponent had introduced spades, a 4-4-4-1 *Transfer to hearts shape on his right was quite plausible. Playing the Opening Lead: ♠3 diamond queen would lose out to a singleton king, but if he were to play a low diamond from dummy and the king was in a three-card or longer holding, he would have had to lose an unnecessary diamond trick.

East 1♣ Pass Pass

Martel correctly led a small diamond from dummy, and the appearance of the king brought him up to nine tricks; four diamonds, two spades, and three hearts. The mathematics of the position are quite complex. But Martel believed that East had four cards in each major, and from his opening bid had at least three clubs. Therefore if he had the diamond king it had to be singleton or doubleton. So he ran three rounds of diamonds, ending in hand, East keeping all four clubs and one spade. Now Martel played the spade king, ducked, then led a diamond to dummy, and a club toward his hand for his ninth trick. Had East kept two spades and three clubs, Martel would have built himself a club trick first before tackling spades. BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: The choice here is to pass, or bid two hearts. A little depends on whether the one notrump call is forcing; if it is not, then you rate to have a real club fit and are less likely to have an eight-card heart fit. If one no-trump is forcing I would bid two hearts and hope to find our highest scoring fit.

South Holds: ♠4 ♥AQ732 ♦Q843 ♣543 South

West

1 NT ?

Pass

North 1♠ 2♣

East Pass Pass

The Aces on Bridge: Thursday, May 14th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on May 28th, 2015 “It is hard to imagine the things you have never seen.” — Steven J. Carroll

In this deal from the finals of the US trials the Deutsch team took the lead over the Nickell team in the middle of the match and pulled away thereafter, winning comfortably in the end. But this coup went to the Nickell team. Both tables had an unopposed auction to four spades on the lead of the heart 10. For Deutsch, Michael Rosenberg took his king and played a club back, won in dummy for a trump finesse. Now although the defense could get a club ruff, it was with a trump winner, and declarer could discard his diamonds on dummy’s clubs.

Dealer: E Vul: Both

North ♠ 10 8 5 ♥J ♦ Q 10 9 4 ♣ A K 10 8 6

West ♠K2 ♥ 10 9 5 4 3 ♦KJ ♣9432

East ♠J94 ♥AK87 ♦87652 ♣5 South ♠AQ763 ♥Q62 ♦A3 ♣QJ7

South

West

North

By contrast, where Nickell was defending, Dick Freeman led the heart 10, won by Nick Nickell with the ace. Nick 1♠ Pass 3♠ 4♠ All pass returned the diamond six to his partner’s king. His logic was that if his partner had the diamond king it might go Opening Lead: ♥10 away unless a diamond was played immediately, and that by his shifting to a high diamond, West should work out there was no future in the suit.

East Pass Pass

This was exactly what transpired. Freeman found the third defensive switch in three tricks, to the club four, which was won by the ace in dummy. Chip Martel played a spade to the queen, and now king and a club ruff beat the contract. It was irritating for Freeman to discover that his partner’s ruff was with a natural trump trick, but the 12 IMPS his side picked up was doubtless quite satisfying enough. You can follow the trials this week at usbf.org. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠ 10 8 5 ♥J ♦ Q 10 9 4 ♣ A K 10 8 6 South

West

North

Pass ?

1♥

1♠

East 1♦ Pass

ANSWER: You can be sure that West is likely to be coming again in hearts, and you are surely planning to compete to at least the tree-level. To help partner plan the auction and defense, if necessary, jump to three clubs now. Having passed over one diamond this is unambiguously a fit-jump for spades, suggesting good clubs, and describes your hand very nicely.

The Aces on Bridge: Friday, May 15th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on May 29th, 2015 “He has no hope who never had a fear.” — William Cowper

After the Nickell team lost the finals of the 1997 trials they had a second chance to qualify for the world championships in Tunisia. This board comes from their victory in that match over the Jacobs team, but it features a nice defense by the losers. Brian Glubok and Sam Lev defended four spades by South after a multi two diamond opening bid. This opening bid shows a weak hand with either hearts or spades, and South arranged to be declarer by getting his partner to transfer into his major. (Warning: don’t try this at home!) With a blind lead, Lev got the defense off on the wrong foot by leading the heart jack rather than a diamond, and now declarer was in with a chance. He rose with the king, unblocked the spade king, and played the club king, then ace, discarding a diamond. Lev followed with two middle clubs, neutral suit preference to imply no real interest in either red suit. When Glubok ruffed the second club, he carefully returned the heart queen!

Dealer: W Vul: N-S

North ♠ A 10 9 6 4 2 ♥ K 10 5 ♦762 ♣5

West ♠873 ♥J4 ♦ 10 9 ♣ J 10 6 4 3 2

East ♠QJ5 ♥Q8632 ♦AK43 ♣7 South ♠K ♥A97 ♦QJ85 ♣AKQ98

South 4 ♣** 4♠

West Pass Pass All pass

North 2 ♦* 4♥

East Pass Pass

*Weak with either major **Bid the suit below your long suit Opening Lead: ♥J

This entry-destroying play (sometimes referred to as a Merrimac Coup) left declarer in hand for the last time. It allowed him to throw one more diamond loser from dummy on the third top club, but Glubok could ruff again. He could then play a third heart, to take a third ruff for the defenders, with the diamond ace to come as the fourth winner. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠QJ5 ♥Q8632 ♦AK43 ♣7 South

West

1♥ ?

Pass

North 1♦ 2♣

East Pass Pass

ANSWER: A jump to three diamonds would be invitational not forcing, and despite the fact that some of your major-suit values may not be pulling their full weight, you are far too good for that action. Instead, set up a game-forcing auction by bidding two spades, then raise diamonds at your next turn to show your hand type.

The Aces on Bridge: Saturday, May 16th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on May 30th, 2015 “If you’re going to do something wrong, at least enjoy it.” — Leo Rosten

At the 1996 trials the encounter between the teams captained by Edgar Kaplan and Howard Weinstein went down to the wire. With 32 boards to go Kaplan led by 19, but they lost the last two sets, and with them the match. This board featured an unlikely game coming home with nine tricks. Weinstein doubled a weak two spade opening, and heard his partner bid two notrump — which the partnership played conventionally as a negative. This is an extension of the Lebensohl convention. Weinstein now guessed to raise to three notrump, giving his partner Ralph Katz the delight of playing the contract. Katz won the opening spade lead in dummy, and immediately led a low heart to his hand, as East (Bart Bramley) ducked, to pass the diamond nine. Bramley won the diamond queen, and returned the club nine; Katz took his club queen, and played a heart to the ace and another heart.

Dealer: W Vul: Both

North ♠K2 ♥AJ92 ♦ A K 10 4 ♣A53

West ♠AQ9854 ♥873 ♦76 ♣J8

East ♠J ♥K54 ♦QJ532 ♣ K 10 9 2 South ♠ 10 7 6 3 ♥ Q 10 6 ♦98 ♣Q764

South 2 NT*

West 2♠ Pass

North Dbl. 3 NT

East Pass All pass

*Typically 0-8 HCP Opening Lead: ♠8

Bramley took his king and got out with a low club, but Katz could win in dummy and throw Bramley in with his club winners. Bramley had two clubs to cash, but at trick 11 he was obliged to lead a diamond into dummy’s tenace for the contract, and a 10 IMP pick-up to Weinstein. The trials were eventually won by the Robbins team, who defeated my squad in the semifinals. They say you only remember your losses, not your victories. In this case, that is certainly true! BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠J ♥K54 ♦QJ532 ♣ K 10 9 2 South

West

1♦ 3♣ ?

Pass Pass

North 1♣ 1♠ 3♥

East Pass Pass Pass

ANSWER: Your partner’s three heart bid cannot show four, given that he bypassed one heart at his second turn. It suggests he has a fragment in hearts and is looking for three no-trump. Despite your singleton spade your soft honors in all the side-suits suggest notrump might be an easier game than clubs, so do as you are asked and bid three no-trump.

The Aces on Bridge: Sunday, May 17th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on May 31st, 2015

Dear Mr. Wolff: The law regarding dealing plainly states that cards will be dealt one at a time. Do you have any thoughts about back-and-forth dealing whereby 12 of the cards in two hands are dealt two at a time and the 13 in each of the other hands are dealt one at a time? I called a director about this at a regional tourney and was told it was all right. I dislike this, since many people do not shuffle “thoroughly” as that law states. — Given the Pip, Greenville, S.C. ANSWER: I hate people who don’t deal in the regular fashion (some deal in five piles, others do the sort of thing you describe). That said, the lack of shuffling and irregular dealing are such small absurdities that I reserve my fire for the more serious infractions. I try to breathe deeply and let it pass over me. Dear Mr. Wolff: How would you advance at your third turn here? I held: ♠ Q-6-4-3, ♥ A-Q-8-7-3, ♦ K-Q3, ♣ A and opened one heart and heard a one spade response. I elected to jump to four clubs (though of course a small singleton would have been preferable) over the one spade call. My partner now bid four diamonds and I was not sure whether to sign off, use Blackwood or cuebid next. — Yellow Light, Ketchikan, Alaska

ANSWER: You can normally correct a call selected by accident even if it is put on the table. (This applies even after a call by your LHO, though he then gets to change his call too). In some cases if you change your mind about a bid, you are allowed to correct it before the next call. However this may pass Unauthorized Information to your partner, and there might be further consequences. It is always best to call the director if something like this happens. Dear Mr. Wolff: I have just retired from the legal profession and would like to consider joining a bridge club or find a regular card game for beginners. I loved playing bridge in college about 45 years ago but since then my activities have been limited to a friendly game of hold’em poker. Do you have any suggestions? — On the River, Miami, Fla. ANSWER: Go to the ACBL website and you will be able to find details of neighboring clubs. Good luck and good hunting! Dear Mr. Wolff: When my partner held: ♠ A-10-8-6-5-2, ♥ J3, ♦ 10, ♣ A-J-9-4 yesterday, he did something I did not agree with. He responded one spade to my one diamond opening, and I now leapt to four spades. What if anything is best now? — Santa Claus, Muncie, Ind.

ANSWER: My view is that one more cue-bid of four hearts is quite sufficient. If your partner signs off in four spades, you will surely have done enough, given your very weak trumps, in context. If you had the spade jack you might be able to take control, but as it is I’d worry about the possibility of losing two trump tricks, unless partner can find a further call. Dear Mr. Wolff: There are plenty of people at my club who are less than proficient in the use of the bidding box, some because they have a physical disability, some because they reveal their lack of confidence in their actions. Does any penalty arise if you take a bid out of the bidding box and then put it back? Does it matter if the action was accidental, or if you changed your mind? — Shifting Sands, San Luis Obispo, Calif.

ANSWER: It would be hard to argue with driving to six spades. Facing a typical 18-19 balanced hand, (because you did not make a splinter jump) slam is likely to have play while reaching a grand slam looks unlikely. You could argue that a slower route may tell the opponents what to lead if you make a cuebid. And you may give them a chance to double a Blackwood response for the lead.

The Aces on Bridge: Monday, May 18th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on June 1st, 2015 “It has been my philosophy of life that difficulties vanish when faced boldly.” — Isaac Asimov

When North raised diamonds at his first turn instead of bidding two no-trump, it made reaching the no-trump game much harder. Probing for no-trump, but worried about the hearts, South tried three clubs, but North was reluctant to bite the bullet, and South settled for the minorsuit game. Against this contract West led the heart two. Dummy’s jack lost to the ace and a spade came back, giving nothing away. South did the best he could when he won in hand and led a trump to dummy. Then he led the club 10 from dummy at once, hoping East would forget to cover. Alas for declarer, East was on the ball, and when he covered the club 10 with the queen, South ended up losing two club tricks, to go one off.

Dealer: S Vul: Both

North ♠A92 ♥QJ6 ♦KJ86 ♣ 10 5 3

West ♠J653 ♥ K 10 7 2 ♦Q3 ♣K42

East ♠ Q 10 8 7 ♥A9854 ♦— ♣Q986 South ♠K4 ♥3 ♦ A 10 9 7 5 4 2 ♣AJ7

South 1♦ 3♣ 5♦

West Pass Pass All pass

North 2 ♦* 3♦

East Pass Pass

*At least an invitational raise Note that had East returned a heart at trick two, declarer simply discards a club and can set up a heart winner in Opening Lead: ♥2 dummy for his remaining club loser. But can you see a neat way for South to have improved his chances at trick one? Try playing the heart six from dummy at trick one, instead of the jack. This puts East under a lot of pressure – it could so easily be wrong for him to insert the heart eight, and so he would almost certainly have gone up with his ace. Now whatever the defenders do, declarer can establish a home for his club losers on the hearts, or the defense must play clubs themselves and achieve the same result. LEAD WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: I would lead the diamond ace to try to get a force going on declarer, expecting him to have relatively short diamonds. Yes it might set up a diamond winner in dummy, but this is against the odds. And in any event a slow discard for declarer may not be critical.

South Holds: ♠942 ♥ 10 7 6 3 ♦A764 ♣K8 South

West

2♦ All pass

2♥

North 1♦ 3♦

East 1♥ 3♥

The Aces on Bridge: Tuesday, May 19th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on June 2nd, 2015 “Among all forms of mistake, prophecy is the most gratuitous.” — George Eliot

Today’s deal came up in a high standard Swiss teams event. At one table North and South settled for a contract of five clubs. The defenders led a top heart, and West shifted to a spade at trick two into the ace-queen. Declarer disconsolately claimed his 12 tricks and tried to persuade his partner that slam was against the odds, since West had been favorite to hold the spade king. However when it came to scoring up the deal, South discovered that his side had actually gained a big swing on the deal. The auction went as shown in the diagram. West led the heart king against six clubs; what do you think happened next?

Dealer: S Vul: Both

North ♠86 ♥6 ♦AK762 ♣QJ973

West ♠ 10 9 7 5 4 3 ♥KQJ72 ♦ 10 ♣2

East ♠KJ2 ♥ A 10 9 4 ♦QJ843 ♣8 South ♠AQ ♥853 ♦95 ♣ A K 10 6 5 4

South 1♣ 4♠

West 2 ♣* Pass

North 3 ♦** 6♣

East 4♣ All pass

If East had left his partner on play, then even if West had *Michaels, showing at least five cards in each major not exited with a spade, declarer would surely have come **Showing a club fit home with his slam. But our East was made of sterner stuff. He overtook the heart king with his ace and played a Opening Lead: ♥K spade. Had declarer known that diamonds were not breaking, he would have had no option but to take the spade finesse. But it was hardly unreasonable for South to play for the diamonds to break 4-2. He went up with the spade ace, and down went the slam. Declarer could draw trumps and try to ruff out the diamonds, but the bad break prevented him from establishing any pressure in the endgame, and he was left with a spade loser at trick 13. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠AQ ♥853 ♦95 ♣ A K 10 6 5 4 South 1♣ 2♣ ?

West Pass Pass

North 1♠ 2♥

East Pass Pass

ANSWER: You have a straightforward preference to two spades here, a call that is consistent with holding two spades rather than three, since you might jump in spades now with three (or have raised at your second turn with three decent trump). In context, therefore, your trump support is outstanding.

The Aces on Bridge: Wednesday, May 20th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on June 3rd, 2015 “An umbrella is of no avail against a Scotch mist.” — J. R. Lowell

Scotland won their first ever Gold Medal at bridge, at the 3rd Commonwealth Nations Bridge Championship. Today’s hand from that event sees Tony Nunn of Australia drawing inferences from the bidding and play to land his contract. After West dealt and passed, North-South bid unopposed to four hearts, against which West led the spade queen. Nunn rose with dummy’s ace, under which East played the king, a revealing card. Declarer called for the heart five from dummy. East followed with the four and Nunn rose with the king, collecting West’s queen.

Dealer: W Vul: None

North ♠A9 ♥9865 ♦ K Q 10 ♣AKJ5

West ♠QJ764 ♥Q ♦763 ♣ 10 8 6 2

East ♠K8 ♥ A 10 7 4 ♦J854 ♣Q43 South ♠ 10 5 3 2 ♥KJ32 ♦A92 ♣97

South

West Pass Pass

North 1♣ 4♥

After that, the rest was relatively plain sailing. Nunn led a 1♥ club to the ace, the club king, then ruffed a low club – collecting East’s queen in the process. Next came three Opening Lead: ♠Q rounds of diamonds ending in dummy, and the club jack. East did the best he could when he ruffed with the seven, and South overruffed with the jack. That was nine tricks in the bag and with three trumps left in dummy to East’s two, the game was now assured.

East Pass All pass

You might ask yourself why Nunn led to the heart king at trick two. At trick one, East had unblocked the spade king under the ace. He surely wouldn’t have done so from a threecard suit, so he had either a singleton or doubleton king, which in turn meant that West had started with at least five decent spades. If West had also held the heart ace, Nunn reckoned he might well have overcalled at his second turn, hence East had that card. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠ 10 5 3 2 ♥KJ32 ♦A92 ♣97 South ?

West 1♣

North Dbl.

East 1♦

ANSWER: One possibility is to cuebid two clubs to get partner to pick a major, but I believe you are about a queen short of an invitational sequence. I think I prefer the simple route of bidding one spade, planning to compete to two hearts when given an opportunity, so as to get both suits in economically. If the auction stops in one spade we will not have missed game.

The Aces on Bridge: Thursday, May 21st, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on June 4th, 2015 “I have hardly ever known a mathematician who was capable of reasoning.” — Plato

Calculating the percentages can be tedious, but when the success or failure of a vulnerable slam is at stake, it should be worth the effort to calculate the relative chances of success of the lines under consideration. At the table West led the heart 10 against six no-trump, and declarer felt a rush of euphoria for having been spared a diamond lead. He won in hand, led a club to the king, cashed the club queen, then set about spades. He would be home against any normal break, since only four spade tricks were needed. Accordingly he led a spade to the queen, and a spade towards dummy and his hopes were dashed when West showed out.

Dealer: S Vul: Both

North ♠AK943 ♥A65 ♦ 10 6 4 ♣KQ

West ♠2 ♥ 10 9 8 7 2 ♦Q98 ♣9754

East ♠ J 10 7 6 5 ♥J3 ♦KJ2 ♣ 10 6 2 South ♠Q8 ♥KQ4 ♦A753 ♣AJ83

South 1 NT 2♠ 6 NT

West Pass Pass All pass

North 2♥ 4 NT*

East Pass Pass

Of course a 4-2 or better spade break will occur five times *Quantitative in six, and additionally if the spade jack or 10 fall under the queen, the combined holding of the spade eight and Opening Lead: ♥10 nine will be good enough to establish an extra trick. But declarer should also consider how to protect against one opponent or other having five chunky spades. In fact you can almost always succeed if it is East with the length. Cash one top club only, then lead a spade towards hand, inserting the eight if East plays low. This copes with East having five spades and West holding a low singleton, or with West having five spades and East holding the singleton jack or 10. Admittedly it loses out when West has the bare spade jack or 10, but it is far the best approach over all. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠AK943 ♥A65 ♦ 10 6 4 ♣KQ South ?

West

North

East 1♣

ANSWER: This is largely about personal style, but for me, with the same hand but my long suit either hearts or diamonds, an overcall feels right. I’d worry that doubling would lose my ability in competition to get my suit in. With my actual hand, it is a tossup. I could either double or bid one spade, down-valuing my clubs. Equally, with a small club instead of a diamond, I would surely upgrade the hand to a double.

The Aces on Bridge: Friday, May 22nd, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on June 5th, 2015 “I’ll love you till the ocean Is folded and hung up to dry.” — W. H. Auden

When I saw this deal, entitled ‘To Hook or Not To Hook,” on Bridge Winners, I thought I would like to share it with my readers. Eugene Hung wrote it up initially as a bidding problem from the North perspective. The first response was easy, the cuebid at the second round less so, the choice of slams at the third turn even harder.

Dealer: S Vul: N-S

North ♠— ♥ A K J 10 2 ♦ K 10 8 7 ♣A765

West ♠K43 ♥75 ♦J962 ♣ J 10 9 3

East ♠ A Q 10 9 7 2 ♥643 ♦3 ♣Q82 South ♠J865 ♥Q98 ♦AQ54 ♣K4

Now switch into the South seat, where you have to play South West North six diamonds on the lead of the spade king. As Hung 1♦ Pass 1♥ pointed out, if trumps are 3-2, you can simply ruff the Pass 3♠ 4♠ opening lead and draw trump. However, the opponents’ 5♥ Pass 6♦ bidding suggests East has six spades and West three. Maybe you cross to the diamond ace and finesse against Opening Lead: ♠K West holding jackfourth of diamonds? The problem with this approach is that in the unlikely event of East holding jack-third of diamonds, he can win the second diamond and play a third, leaving us just 11 tricks.

East 2♠ Pass All pass

In real life, declarer quite reasonably played for trumps to break and went down when they did not. Was this unlucky? Up to a point, though Hung concluded that the finesse play was mathematically sounder. However, as he said, the mathematical analysis is a snare and a delusion! Simply ruff the opening lead and duck a diamond at trick two! Now you can win the return in hand to ruff a second spade, then draw trump. If dummy’s diamond 10 were a small card, you would not have gone wrong… would you? BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠ A Q 10 9 7 2 ♥643 ♦3 ♣Q82 South

West

1♠ ?

Pass

North 1♦ 2♦

East Pass Pass

ANSWER: Yes, your partner has denied primary spade support and indicated a good suit of his own. But it is still completely impractical to consider passing when a singleton trump in support may be more than enough to allow you to hold your spade losers to one. Rebid two spades, suggesting a six-carder, and at least moderate values, and let partner take it from there.

The Aces on Bridge: Saturday, May 23rd, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on June 6th, 2015 “Under the bludgeonings of chance My head is bloody but unbowed.” — W. E. Henley

The specialty of Jeff Meckstroth is reaching impossible contracts — and making them. Here he is at the 1995 Cavendish Pairs, weaving a web of deception around his opponents.

Dealer: W Vul: None

North ♠K854 ♥J52 ♦KJ2 ♣A72

West ♠763 ♥ A Q 10 8 4 3 ♦5 ♣K84

The contract of three no-trump has some decent practical chances here, but four spades seems a long way from South making. At the table Meckstroth as South, received the ♠AQJ9 lead of the diamond five against four spades, won with the ♥K76 ♦A874 ace. Next came three top spades from hand, as East ♣ 10 9 threw a club, and then declarer advanced an innocent heart six. After long thought West ducked, so the heart South West North jack won the trick. Meckstroth was not yet out of the 2♥ Dbl. 4♠ All pass woods, however. He ducked a club to East’s jack, and when East played a low club to West’s king, he took the Opening Lead: ♦5 ace. Then he played a third club, pitching a heart as East won his queen. East played a fourth club, and Meckstroth threw hearts from both hands, leaving East to play a diamond into the king-jack.

East ♠ 10 2 ♥9 ♦ Q 10 9 6 3 ♣QJ653

East Pass

Can you see the defense? East could have foiled this ending, in straightforward fashion, by discarding a diamond on the third trump, retaining his fifth club as an exit card. Also, even after that error, he had one more chance, namely he must put up a club honor on the first round of the suit, then play his other honor. This allows his partner the chance of winning the third club. If South discards on that trick, West has the heart ace to cash for down one. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠AQJ9 ♥K76 ♦A874 ♣ 10 9 South 1♦ ?

West 1♥

North 1♠

East 2♥

ANSWER: A simple raise here shows 12-14 and three or four trumps (with a guarantee of four trumps if a support double is available to show a three-card raise). Yes, you do have a decent hand, but with the heart king devalued because of the overcall to your left, a raise to two spades is quite sufficient, and a call of three spades would be a pronounced overbid.

The Aces on Bridge: Sunday, May 24th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on June 7th, 2015

Dear Mr. Wolff: I am often puzzled as to whether it is better to pass information to partner at the risk of helping declarer out. For instance where do you stand on ‘coded nines and 10’s’ against no-trump? In this scenario a jack denies a higher honor. What about whether to lead from a four-card suit with the small card the two, making it clear you had just four cards, as opposed to a four-card suit with the small card the three or four? — Full Marks, Detroit, Mich. ANSWER: I’m not prejudiced against but rather in favor of leading deuces. The reason is that at least my partner won’t wrongly continue the suit, playing me for five when I only have four. But I prefer not to lead coded nines and 10s at trick one. I do find them too revealing, but when dummy is visible, the risks of the coded leads diminishes greatly. Dear Mr. Wolff: I have seen you mention in passing that one should apply a different minimum standard for a vulnerable preempt, as opposed to what is required at favorable vulnerability. Could you discuss this a little further? — Minnie Mouse, Raleigh, N.C. ANSWER: Non-vulnerable preempts in third or even first seat my standards are low. I don’t like to preempt on bad suits either with side defense or with a good second suit, but other than that, anything goes. By contrast, when vulnerable in second seat my preempts are by the book. I might allow myself a little more latitude in other seats vulnerable, or in second seat non-vulnerable – when I have only one opponent to worry about. Dear Mr. Wolff: Do you have any predictions for the success of the US men, women and seniors in the next world championships? — Nostradamus, San Antonio, Texas

ANSWER: The USA women and seniors are always going to be in serious contention for the gold medal. They rate to be about even money for a gold or silver medal. The open team is pretty much a crap-shoot. I’d guess we are favorites for a bronze medal, an outsider for the gold or silver medal, because so many teams are truly at the top level, and playing full-time these days. Dear Mr. Wolff: I was in second chair with: ♠ A-7-4-2, ♥ K-Q3, ♦ 4, ♣ K-Q-10-8-4, and doubled my LHO’s one diamond call. My partner jumped to two hearts and the next hand bid three diamonds. Do you agree with my decision to pass now, and to pass my partner’s double of three diamonds? This was not a success! — Missing Link, Fredericksburg, Va. ANSWER: With only three trumps you should not raise hearts. Your partner will expect you to have four trumps to raise here. I have to admit that I would pass the double just like you did, and wonder whether maybe my partner was at fault here for his double. Dear Mr. Wolff: With ♠ A-Q-6-4-3, ♥ Q-4, ♦ A-Q-7-4 ♣ J-4 I assume you would overcall one spade over one club rather than doubling? If you do that, your LHO bids one no-trump and the auction is passed back to you. Do you bid or pass now? — It Takes Two to Tango, Little Rock, Ark. ANSWER: Rightly or wrongly I would not pass at my second turn. I’d guess to bid two diamonds, conscious that I have no guarantee of a fit, but feeling that I have too many high cards to pass. I admit this could easily be wrong.

The Aces on Bridge: Monday, May 25th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on June 8th, 2015 “Survival is nothing more than recovery.” — Dianne Feinstein

In today’s deal from a team game it was possible to win the board both in the bidding and the play. The net result was essentially a stand-off, but one team missed their chance for a big pick-up. In one room North-South bid to four spades when North guessed to use Stayman over the two notrump opening. Yes, this lets opponents find out more about declarer’s hand, but with a small doubleton club and a chunky fourcard spade suit the odds are that a 4-4 fit is worth finding. In four spades declarer received a trump lead and used a trump entry to dummy to lead a diamond to the king. Then he drew trump and set up the clubs to discard one of dummy’s hearts, eventually leading a diamond toward his queen for his 10th trick.

Dealer: S Vul: Both

North ♠ Q 10 8 5 ♥K97 ♦7653 ♣ 10 2

West ♠J43 ♥Q53 ♦J9 ♣K8763

East ♠92 ♥8642 ♦ A 10 8 2 ♣A54 South ♠AK76 ♥ A J 10 ♦KQ4 ♣QJ9

South 2 NT

West Pass

North 3 NT

East All pass

Opening Lead: ♣6

In the second room on the auction shown West could have earned a swing for his side. He led a low club, and when East produced the ace it looks as if should have been easy for West to duck the second club, retaining communications in defense. But declarer cunningly followed with the club jack on the first round and the queen on the second, tempting West to win the king and try to cash out clubs. Now with the defenders’ communications cut, South could simply lead diamonds toward his hand twice, to set up his nine tricks in comfort. West should have noted that, with the club four missing, East surely had led back the top card of his remaining doubleton. LEAD WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠Q7643 ♥ 10 8 ♦AQ3 ♣532 South

West

North

Pass Pass

2♥ 3 NT

Pass All pass

East 1♠ 2 NT

ANSWER: My best guess is that diamonds offer a far more fertile chance to defeat the game here than do clubs. That being so, I will lead the diamond ace, prepared to surrender the overtrick at teams, from time to time, while maximizing my chance of leading the right minor, or perhaps shifting to clubs if the play to trick one makes continuing diamonds impractical.

The Aces on Bridge: Tuesday, May 26th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on June 9th, 2015 “But as I raved and grew more fierce and wild At every word, Methought I heard one calling ‘Child’.” — George Herbert

When this deal came up in the final set of a knock-out match the pair sitting North-South were some way behind, which might partly explain (if not fully justify) the reason that North jumped to the grand slam. He expected that his partner would have extras for his combination of the cuebid and jump to slam, and he was hoping that the auction had made the club finesse a favorite to succeed. In a sense he had done well, because if the club finesse had lost, even six spades would have been in jeopardy. On the lead of the diamond 10, declarer could see that the club finesse was necessary but it was by no mean sufficient. He would also need clubs to break 3-2. After winning the opening lead and drawing two rounds of trumps, declarer could cross his fingers and take the club finesse. Then he cashed the club ace, and after that declarer’s remaining club was thrown on dummy’s heart winner.

Dealer: S Vul: N-S

North ♠ J 10 8 ♥AK3 ♦97 ♣AQ532

West ♠953 ♥ 10 8 6 5 2 ♦ 10 2 ♣K76

East ♠4 ♥QJ94 ♦KQJ543 ♣ J 10 South ♠AKQ762 ♥7 ♦A86 ♣984

South 1♠ 3♠ 5♦ 6♠

West Pass Pass Pass Pass

North 2♣ 4♥ 5♥ 7♠

East 3♦ Pass Pass All pass

Opening Lead: ♦10

The clubs were ruffed out, and the last trump was drawn with dummy’s jack. Declarer found himself taking six trump tricks, two hearts, a diamond and four clubs, 13 in all. Of course when he came to score up the board, North-South discovered that the pair in the other room had stopped in game, so all the additional effort was unnecessary. By the way, in six spades on a diamond lead it looks right simply to play for a diamond ruff in dummy and to take the club finesse. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠ J 10 8 ♥AK3 ♦97 ♣AQ532 South 1♣ ?

West Pass

North 1♠

East Pass

ANSWER: There is room for discussion as to what is right here. Some would rebid two clubs (unattractive with a five-card suit) some will rebid one no-trump — equally unattractive with a small doubleton in a side suit, to my mind. I prefer to raise to two spades, judging my good trump intermediates and sidesuit doubleton to offer as much as any four-card trump holding in a balanced hand.

The Aces on Bridge: Wednesday, May 27th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on June 10th, 2015 “To do two things at once is to do neither.” — Horace

Today’s problem comes from a book by Eddie Kantar, Take All Your Chances. Kantar has the remarkable ability both to entertain and provide excellent teaching deals in a relaxed and humorous style. I recommend his books both for beginners and those with higher ambitions. In today’s deal you declare six spades on the lead of the heart jack. Plan the play (and consider what you would have done on a diamond lead). After a heart lead it looks natural to take the diamond finesse – but if it fails you can almost kiss goodbye to any chance of making the hand. Far better is to win the lead, draw trumps ending in hand, then play a low club towards dummy’s queen without releasing the club ace. If the club queen loses to the king, you can later take the diamond finesse for your contract. That gives you two 50 percent chances instead of one.

Dealer: N Vul: N-S

North ♠ Q 10 3 2 ♥K65 ♦AQ7 ♣Q65

West ♠9 ♥ J 10 8 4 ♦ 10 8 6 4 2 ♣ K 10 2

East ♠64 ♥972 ♦KJ93 ♣J984 South ♠AKJ875 ♥AQ3 ♦5 ♣A73

South

West

1♠ 6♠

Pass All pass

North 1♣ 2♠

East Pass Pass

Opening Lead: ♥J

After a diamond lead you need to determine if West would favor an attacking lead against a small slam – especially when declarer rates to be strong. I’d expect East to hold the diamond king not West. So I would win the diamond ace and ruff a diamond, then draw three rounds of trump and strip off the hearts. Unless the defenders’ discards indicated to the contrary, I’d ruff out the diamond queen, then cash the club ace and lead a low club to the queen. This wins whenever the club finesse succeeds or East has an unlikely doubleton club king. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠ Q 10 3 2 ♥K65 ♦AQ7 ♣Q65 South 1♣ ?

West Pass

North 1♦

East Pass

ANSWER: In my preferred style, where my partner will rebid a major in front of a minor with a hand worth only one action, it is relatively clear to bid one notrump now. Rebidding one spade would guarantee four spades with real clubs, rather than a balanced hand. The point is that partner either does not have spades or is about to bid them now, with at least a decent invitation in high cards.

The Aces on Bridge: Thursday, May 28th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on June 11th, 2015 “It does not take much strength to do things, but it requires a great deal of strength to decide what to do.” — Elbert Hubbard

Seven years ago in the open and women’s finals of the World Mind Sports Games all four tables South opened five clubs, ending the auction. And at all four tables West did extremely well to lead the diamond ace. In the open final, both Wests now switched to the heart nine, declarer rising with dummy’s king. The English East, Jason Hackett, guessed to cash the diamond king to beat the game. At the other table, Alfredo Versace for Italy tried to give his partner a heart ruff and the game rolled home. Would declarer have played dummy’s king when he had a holding of Q-5 himself and had no special reason to expect a bad heart break? My experience has been to play opponents not to make brilliant plays, and to pay off to them if they do.

Dealer: S Vul: Both

North ♠AK742 ♥KJ87 ♦ Q 10 6 4 ♣—

West ♠Q9853 ♥Q9 ♦A987 ♣ Q 10

East ♠ J 10 ♥ A 10 6 4 3 2 ♦KJ3 ♣J7 South ♠6 ♥5 ♦52 ♣AK9865432

South 5♣

West All pass

North

East

Opening Lead: ♦A

In the women’s final, the Chinese East/West defended just like the Hacketts, but the English West chose to switch to the heart queen. Had this been covered by the king and ace, East would surely have tried to give her partner a heart ruff, but there was a twist in the tale. Declarer did not cover the heart queen. Now what should East do? If declarer should assume that West would only switch to the heart queen when holding a singleton, then South should indeed duck, forcing East to overtake with the ace in order to give West a ruff. East trusted South to be brilliant, and duly overtook the heart queen to play a second heart. Oops! BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠AK742 ♥KJ87 ♦ Q 10 6 4 ♣— South 1♠ 2♥ ?

West Pass Pass

North 1 NT 2 NT

East Pass Pass

ANSWER: You may not have any real extras but your shape strongly suggests that if you have a fit you can make game. Whether that game is diamonds or notrump (or a sevencard fit in a major) may not be clear to you right now, but if you show threeplus diamonds now, by bidding three diamonds, your partner may be in better shape than you to determine the final contract.

The Aces on Bridge: Friday, May 29th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on June 12th, 2015 “Small habits, well pursued betimes, May reach the dignity of crimes.” — Hannah More

South correctly decided that his hand was inappropriate for a one no-trump opening, so he opened one heart. North was playing the forcing no-trump, with a direct raise to two hearts constructive. So he responded one notrump, planning to raise hearts later. When South raised to two no-trump, suggesting 18-19 balanced, North decided to take a shot at four hearts. Thus the standard contract was reached in convoluted fashion. West was on lead with what he considered one of the more routine defensive problems. He led out a top club and decided that it was safe to continue with the club ace and another club.

Dealer: E Vul: EastWest

North ♠ 10 9 5 ♥J843 ♦A5 ♣ 10 6 5 2

West ♠K732 ♥ Q 10 9 ♦76 ♣AKQ9

East ♠J86 ♥2 ♦ J 10 9 4 3 2 ♣J73 South ♠AQ4 ♥AK765 ♦KQ8 ♣84

South

West

North

1♥ 2 NT

Pass Pass

1 NT 4♥

South ruffed the third club, cashed the heart ace-king to find the bad news, then crossed to the diamond ace to ruff the fourth club. Then he took the remaining top diamonds, Opening Lead: ♣K discarding a spade from dummy. West discarded, but that simply postponed the evil day for a short while. Finally a heart endplayed West, forcing him to lead into the spade tenace. A neat route to ten tricks, don’t you think?

East Pass Pass All pass

Very competently played by declarer, but West takes the blame for missing the point of the defense. After one top club reveals the layout of the clubs when East follows with a small club at trick one, West should see the endplay looming. He should switch to a diamond at trick two, and now when declarer wins in hand and leads a low club, West can let East take the trick and shift to spades. BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: You may be regretting your decision to respond to one diamond but it is too late now. Much as you would like to pass, that is verboten. Your partner’s bid is game-forcing, in theory. Give preference to three diamonds and hope partner can bid no-trump, so you do not have to.

South Holds: ♠ 10 9 5 ♥J843 ♦A5 ♣ 10 6 5 2 South

West

1♥ ?

Pass

North 1♦ 2♠

East Pass Pass

The Aces on Bridge: Saturday, May 30th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on June 13th, 2015 “The true way to be deceived is to think oneself more clever than others.” — La Rochefoucauld

Today’s deal illustrates an idea that you might well consider impossible, namely that a player can fall victim to a “one-suit squeeze”. You don’t believe me? Read on. Against four spades West tried to cash two diamonds. South ruffed, and saw that with the heart ace surely wrong, the main chance seemed to be a 3-3 club break. However, there was nothing to be lost by getting a count of the hand first. Declarer drew two rounds of trump, crossed to the club queen, and ruffed a diamond high. At this point West had shown up with three diamonds, two spades and from his strong bidding he rated to have six hearts. It was clear that the clubs were not breaking, so the only hope lay in an end-play in hearts. South played off the rest of his trumps, throwing a club and a diamond from dummy, and cashed the club ace and king.

Dealer: S Vul: None

North ♠63 ♥743 ♦9743 ♣KQ84

West ♠74 ♥ A Q J 10 9 6 ♦AKQ ♣62

East ♠952 ♥8 ♦ 10 8 6 5 2 ♣ J 10 9 3 South ♠ A K Q J 10 8 ♥K52 ♦J ♣A75

South 1♠ Dbl. 3♠

West 2♥ 3♥ Pass

North Pass Pass 4♠

East Pass Pass All pass

Opening Lead: ♦K

The position with three cards to play was that dummy and declarer each had their three original hearts left, while East had the heart eight and two minor winners. West had to find a discard from his four remaining hearts, the A-Q-J-6. If he parted with the six, declarer would play a low heart from each hand to throw West in to lead a heart round to his king, so West discarded his heart jack. Now declarer led a low heart from dummy and covered East’s eight with the king. West won but had to concede the last trick to dummy’s heart seven! BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠ A K Q J 10 8 ♥K52 ♦J ♣A75 South 1♠ ?

West Pass

North 1 NT

East Pass

ANSWER: The simple option would be to bid four spades, but a more ambitious action uses a spot of delicate modern science. How about a call of four diamonds? Since a bid of three diamonds would be natural and gameforcing, a jump to four diamonds is a selfagreeing splinter, showing short diamonds and a hand worth game in spades. Facing ace-queen fifth in hearts, you do have 12 tricks, after all.

The Aces on Bridge: Sunday, May 31st, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on June 14th, 2015

Dear Mr. Wolff:

Dear Mr. Wolff:

Do you prefer to play a two-overone style where responder’s rebid of his suit is not forcing, or do you like the current style of playing two-over-one game-forcing? Am I correct in assuming that one has to play forcing no-trump with either style?

As opener I frequently guess wrong when deciding whether to make a simple call in a new suit, or to jump in a suit or in notrump. For example, with: ♠ 3-2, ♥ K-3, ♦ A-Q-10-84, ♣ A-K-J-7 having opened one diamond and heard partner respond one spade, where do you stand on a rebid of two clubs, three clubs, or two notrump? How would you feel if partner had responded one heart?

— Standard Bearer, Peru, Ind. ANSWER: My go-as-you-please roots inspire me toward a less constricting approach than two-overone game-forcing. But even when I consent to the strait-jacket, I opt to play one no-trump as non-forcing. Opener can pass with a balanced minimum, since responder should never hold anything more than balanced 12 or 13 count when he bids one no-trump. You might miss an occasional marginal game, but you stay sensibly low more often. Dear Mr. Wolff: I find bidding in balancing seat very hard. I was in fourth chair with: ♠ K-9-8-6-4, ♥ Q-4 ♦ K-9, ♣ Q-8-7-4 and heard my LHO open one heart. My RHO responded one no-trump and passed the two diamond rebid. Was it right to re-open with this hand, and if so should I double or bid spades? — Tightrope, Jackson, Miss. ANSWER: Yes I would balance, and would choose to bid two spades, because of the extra length in that suit. At this point though our target is to find our best fit, not our highest scoring contract, the extra spade is a very convincing reason to bid the suit, in addition to the fact that both opponents appear not to have spade length. Dear Mr. Wolff: As someone who always seems to fall back on leading fourth highest of dummy’s longest and strongest, I would welcome your thoughts on when to go active and when passive against no-trump. — Benedict Arnold, Chicago, Ill. ANSWER: Leading passively is far harder to do than it might seem, but it works for me at notrump more often than at suits. If both opponents are known to be stretching and appear to be limited, it may seem sensible, or if the cards are known to lie badly. Also on blind auctions broken four-card suits are often less attractive than sequences in threecard suits, or leading from three or four small.

— Kangaroo Court, Delray Beach, Fla. ANSWER: This hand is close to a three club call, but you would need another card to be fully happy to force to game without a real fit. I despise a call of two no-trump, though I admit it might work on a good day. It is even clearer to bid two clubs over a one heart response. Never jump shift without knowing where you are going at your next turn over simple preference. Dear Mr. Wolff: My LHO opened one diamond. My partner overcalled one spade and my RHO raised to two diamonds. Even though we were vulnerable I competed to two hearts with queen-jack fifth of hearts, a doubleton spade, and an outside ace, to push the opponents up a level. My partner insisted this hand was too weak to act here, even though the opponents duly went to three diamonds. Was I out of line? — Grumpy, Philadelphia, Pa. ANSWER: A two heart call is nonforcing here so the lower end of the range for the bid is quite low — though maybe not this low! You wouldn’t need much more to act, in my opinion. A sixth heart or a side queen would be quite sufficient if you were prepared to play hearts facing a doubleton. For the record, remember that doubling two diamonds suggests hearts and a good hand.

The Aces on Bridge: Monday, June 1st, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on June 15th, 2015 “Life isn’t about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself.” — G. B. Shaw

In today’s deal the question marks in the diagrammed hand represent the queen and ace of hearts. It will be your task to identify the correct play in the trump suit when declaring four hearts. You reach the heart game after East has opened one club, and has competed to three clubs. The defenders lead and continue clubs; you ruff the second one, West showing a doubleton. Now a spade to the king and a trump to East’s three and your….?

Dealer: E Vul: E-W

North ♠ K 10 8 ♥862 ♦KJ6 ♣ K 10 6 2

West ♠QJ9743 ♥?9 ♦973 ♣87

East ♠65 ♥?3 ♦A84 ♣AQJ954 South ♠A2 ♥ K J 10 7 5 4 ♦ Q 10 5 2 ♣3

Here if East had the doubleton heart ace he should have South West North risen with the ace and played a third club for the trump promotion. Unless you have a good reason to assume to 1♥ 1♠ 2♣ 4♥ All pass the contrary, you should probably believe that your opponents would be good enough to find this defense. Opening Lead: ♣8 Presumably the best reason for their not following this line of defense was because East did not have the heart ace in the first place. So play a trump to the jack – a play that also caters for most of the 3-1 breaks too.

East 1♣ 3♣

Of course your approach may vary depending on which of the opponents is threatening the overruff. You can imagine that on a different day it might be the case that if West gets on lead with the heart ace he could lead a suit to allow East to overruff dummy. In that scenario you might well lead a trump to the king, since playing a trump to the jack and ace would still lead to defeat for you. LEAD WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: If the afterlife consists of being faced with problems of this sort, I’m not sure I will enjoy it too much. With no passive lead available you have to guess which four-card suit to lead, and while the club suit is slightly more attractive to me, I will go for the major over the minor.

South Holds: ♠J872 ♥KJ2 ♦ 10 3 ♣K942 South

West

Pass

3 NT

North Pass All pass

East 1 NT

The Aces on Bridge: Tuesday, June 2nd, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on June 16th, 2015 “Nothing that grieves us can be called little: by the eternal laws of proportion a child’s loss of a doll and a king’s loss of a crown are events of the same size.” — Mark Twain

Today’s deal from a recent Cavendish pairs emphasizes that bridge can sometimes resemble one of those Russian dolls where you keep peeling off the layers to find something interesting and unexpected below. Let’s look at a simple story first. Against three no-trump as West, Ton Bakkeren took two top spades, then shifted to the club two when his partner pitched a discouraging heart. Declarer took Huub Bertens’ nine with the ace but eventually had to play another spade, and ended up with only seven tricks when the club finesse lost. This turned out to be a major swing for East-West, the eventual tournament winners, even though many Wests found the right defense of shifting to a club — but that was far from the end of the story.

Dealer: S Vul: Both

North ♠952 ♥KJ7 ♦K632 ♣Q87

West ♠AKQ64 ♥ 10 9 3 ♦8 ♣J652

East ♠ 10 ♥8642 ♦ 10 7 5 4 ♣ K 10 9 4 South ♠J873 ♥AQ5 ♦AQJ9 ♣A3

South 1♦ 2 NT

West 1♠ Pass

North Dbl. 3 NT

East Pass All pass

Opening Lead: ♠K

As East, how should you defend if your partner shifts to a low club, and declarer plays low from dummy, then ducks your club nine? Since partner is marked with the three top spades, you know declarer has the club ace. Might you not be tempted to go passive and exit with a heart? That was the way Steve Landen played as declarer. When the defense duly shifted to hearts, he knocked out the spade queen and claimed nine tricks. But that is still not the whole story. Say that as West you know declarer has four diamonds and four spades. If you are going to play a club, why not shift to the club jack at trick three? That was the defense Bob Hamman found, and now declarer had no chance. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠J873 ♥AQ5 ♦AQJ9 ♣A3 South 1♦ ?

West Pass

North 1♥

East Pass

ANSWER: There is a place for subtlety and delicacy in bridge; this is not it. You have a balanced hand and should treat it as such by jumping to two no-trump now. I’m not saying there aren’t hands where a one spade response might work, but the odds favor describing balanced hands as such as soon as you reasonably can. Your partner can always check back for a spade or heart fit if he wants to.

The Aces on Bridge: Wednesday, June 3rd, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on June 17th, 2015 “The nice part about being a pessimist is that you are constantly being either proven right or pleasantly surprised.” — George Will

When a contract seems to depend on a reasonable break in a long suit, you should always consider what other chances you might have if the key suit doesn’t behave. In today’s deal South was constrained to open one diamond. Thereafter he tried to apply the brakes, but North had the bit between his teeth, and would not let his partner out below six notrump, against which West led the spade king. The contract was certainly reasonable, but South didn’t give it his best shot. After winning the spade in hand, South returned the spade jack and threw a diamond from dummy. West led a third spade and this time dummy discarded a heart. Declarer next tried the king and another club, but when West showed out he was in deep trouble, since he had discarded potential winners from dummy. He ended up a trick short.

Dealer: S Vul: N-S

North ♠7 ♥J4 ♦AKQ5 ♣AQ9853

West ♠KQ9865 ♥752 ♦J93 ♣4

East ♠43 ♥K986 ♦ 10 8 2 ♣ J 10 7 6 South ♠ A J 10 2 ♥ A Q 10 3 ♦764 ♣K2

South 1♦ 3 NT 4 NT 6 NT

West 2♠ Pass Pass All pass

North 3♣ 4♦ 5 NT

East Pass Pass Pass

Opening Lead: ♠K

Try the effect of leading your low club to the ace at trick two. The next club lead exposes the position and now, when South leads the spade jack from hand, he knows to discard a club from dummy. With the heart finesse right, there are all sorts of additional chances for the 12th trick, either from the diamond breaking, as they do here, or from a squeeze on either opponent, since there are threats in all four suits. Furthermore, if the clubs had proved to be 3-2, declarer could still have set up his 12th trick from the spades, with no need to rely on either red suit. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠ A J 10 2 ♥ A Q 10 3 ♦764 ♣K2 South 1♥ ?

West Pass Pass

North 1♣ 2♦

East Pass Pass

ANSWER: One must agree how to show a weak hand after opener’s reverse. One style is for simple calls to be non-forcing with fourth suit strong. Alternatively, use a two no-trump call as weak, or even (my favorite) to use the cheaper of fourth suit and two notrump as a potentially weak hand. In this last style you’d bid a forcing two no-trump here, planning to raise three no-trump to four notrump, to invite slam.

The Aces on Bridge: Thursday, June 4th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on June 18th, 2015 “Start by doing what is necessary, then what is possible, and suddenly you are doing the impossible.” — St. Francis of Assisi

Today’s four spade contract may appear to hinge on the heart finesse. But while the heart finesse is necessary, be warned that it is not sufficient. At the table the defenders cashed their three top clubs, then shifted to diamonds. Declarer won the diamond ace, led a spade to the queen, then drew trump ending in hand and advanced the heart queen. West covered, and declarer tried to cash out the hearts. When they failed to break, he could not avoid losing trick 13, no matter which hand he finished up in.

Dealer: S Vul: None

North ♠ Q J 10 6 ♥ A J 10 7 ♦74 ♣874

West ♠942 ♥K5 ♦Q9832 ♣ K Q 10

East ♠7 ♥9863 ♦ K J 10 5 ♣A952 South ♠AK853 ♥Q42 ♦A6 ♣J63

South

West

North

Once West turns up with trump length, it is rather more 1♠ Pass 3♠ likely that he has short than long hearts, including the 4♠ All pass king. The right line is to lead a heart to the jack at trick Opening Lead: ♣K five, then lead out the spade queen. Next, overtake the trump jack with the king. When West turns up with spade length, lead to the heart jack and draw the last trump, then rely on hearts breaking 3-3. As it is, though, the sight of the heart king on the second round of the suit allows you to cross to the spade ace, unblock the heart queen, and go to dummy’s trump 10 to cash the heart ace.

East Pass

Had West turned up with short trumps, you might well have led out the heart queen on the second round of the suit, subsequently playing East for a doubleton eight or nine of hearts, rather than trying for the 3-3 heart break. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠7 ♥9763 ♦ K J 10 5 ♣A952 South 1 NT ?

West Pass Pass

North 1♠ 2♦

East Pass Pass

ANSWER: I would raise two diamonds to three, upgrading my trump honors. Just for the record, if my partner had responded two clubs I would pass the response. The reason is that the trump intermediates are pulling their full weight in diamonds, while in clubs your diamond cards may not be so valuable. Passing is certainly not unreasonable, and I would do so if the diamond king was the queen.

The Aces on Bridge: Friday, June 5th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on June 19th, 2015 “The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore all progress depends on the unreasonable man.” — G. B. Shaw

Today’s deal came up in a Grand National Qualifier, and was submitted anonymously by one of the defenders, who didn’t want to embarrass the unlucky declarer. In one room North-South had stayed out of slam. They took 11 tricks on an unexciting line by simply cashing off the top spades, a couple of diamonds, all the hearts and then playing a third trump. West got off play with the fourth heart, and the defenders collected a club at the end. In the other room, North-South reached slam on the auction shown. After a diamond lead the correct approach for declarer is to win the ace and take both top trumps to find the bad news. Now a heart to dummy for a diamond ruff allows declarer to cash two more top hearts, then ruff another diamond.

Dealer: E Vul: N-S

North ♠874 ♥AQJ ♦AQ42 ♣AQ8

West ♠ Q 10 9 ♥ 10 7 5 3 ♦97 ♣K942

East ♠5 ♥986 ♦ K J 10 6 5 3 ♣ 10 7 5 South ♠AKJ632 ♥K42 ♦8 ♣J63

South

West

North

3♠ 4♠ 5♥*

Pass Pass Pass

4♦ 4 NT 6♠

East 3♦ Pass Pass All pass

* Two of the five-key cards but no trump queen

If West overruffs he will have to lead a club away from the king, so he discards, and he must pitch a club not the 13th Opening Lead: ♦9 heart. Declarer now takes the club finesse and ruffs dummy’s fourth diamond, forcing West to make a second and fatal play.

He has three choices: He can overruff and be endplayed to lead clubs or give a ruff-sluff. He can pitch a heart, and then be endplayed with a trump to lead clubs; or he can pitch clubs and bare his club king, letting declarer cash two club winners. This last option is best, though, as declarer might misread the ending by playing West for an original 3=3=2=5 pattern. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠AKJ632 ♥K42 ♦8 ♣J63 South 1♠ ?

West Pass Dbl.

North Pass 3♣

East 1♦ Pass

ANSWER: What should you expect your partner to have? Not just clubs! He’d open three clubs or bid two clubs over one spade. All passed hands jumps facing opening bids or overcalls can’t be natural and weak – you’d do something else at either your first or second turn. I’d advocate playing this jump as spade fit (typically four-card support) and a decent club suit; so now a jump to four spades must be right.

The Aces on Bridge: Saturday, June 6th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on June 20th, 2015 “What is a society without a heroic dimension?” — Jean Baudrillard

Today’s deal comes from the match between Indonesia and Australia in the 1980 Olympiad and Dick Cummings was the hero. In the closed room Indonesia had stopped in partscore but Dick promoted himself to the heart game. After a top diamond lead Cummings ruffed and made the practical play of the heart ace from hand. He continued with the heart jack, and East won his heart queen and avoided shortening declarer’s trumps by playing a second diamond. Instead he led a spade to the jack and ace. Cummings therefore shortened his trumps himself by ruffing a diamond, then cashed the king and queen of spades.

Dealer: S Vul: E-W

North ♠ A 10 6 3 ♥6 ♦ 10 6 2 ♣AQ762

West ♠J97 ♥ 10 ♦QJ9873 ♣ K 10 8

East ♠842 ♥KQ85 ♦AK54 ♣95 South ♠KQ5 ♥AJ97432 ♦— ♣J43

South 1♥ 4♥

West Pass All pass

North 1♠

East Pass

Opening Lead: ♦Q

Instead of taking the club finesse, Cummings realized that he needed nothing more than that East should have one club. He therefore carefully led a club to the ace and tried the spade 10. If East ruffed this high or low it would be suicidal, so he discarded a club, as did declarer. Cummings now ruffed dummy’s last diamond, and at this point exited from hand with his last club. South’s last two cards were the heart 9-7, securely poised over the king-eight, and that guaranteed him one more trick. As you can see, if East had held the doubleton club king, taking the club finesse would have allowed the defense to prevail in the six-card ending by winning the king and returning the suit; now the timing is all wrong for the trump coup. This hand epitomizes the strategy identified by Rixi Markus; “Bid boldly, play safe”. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠ A 10 6 3 ♥6 ♦ 10 6 2 ♣AQ762 South ?

West 1♦

North 1♥

East Pass

ANSWER: You are far too good to pass, since you could be cold for game in two or three different strains. While this is a normal response of one spade to an opening one heart bid, I would prefer to bid two clubs in response to an overcall. It may make it harder to get to spades, but I would avoid responding in a four-card suit if I had a sensible alternative.

The Aces on Bridge: Sunday, June 7th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on June 21st, 2015

Dear Mr. Wolff:

Dear Mr. Wolff:

I was brought up on fourth highest leads, occasionally leading second highest from three or four small. But my new partner advocates third and fifth leads against suits. What do you advocate in this regard?

My partner opened one heart and jumped to three hearts over my game-forcing two club response. I held: ♠ A-Q-10-3, ♥ —, ♦ 2, ♣ AK-10-9-7-6-5-3. I realized that the void in my partner’s long suit was bad, but we could not agree if I should insist on playing clubs as opposed to hearts. Most pairs went down in impossible heart, club, and notrump slams so we were not alone. My partner had seven non-solid hearts and a club singleton with the spade and diamond kings.

— Given the Pip, Greenville, S.C. ANSWER: While I normally play fourth highest leads, I may lead second from four small cards against no-trump, but from three cards I lead low or top. At suit contracts, third and fifth leads may help your partner to distinguish your suit length. But fourth highest leads may be more helpful in allowing your partner to work out the strength of your suit. Dear Mr. Wolff: In a recent “Bid With The Aces,” North opened one spade then made a “free” rebid of two hearts after his RHO overcalled his partner’s one no-trump response with a call of two diamonds. Doesn’t that show a big hand? If so, his partner, with 10 HCP and five clubs, should maybe bid a game forcing three clubs? With diamonds controlled, North could then can play in three no-trump, or show his major-suit pattern. — Sideshow Bob, Duluth, Minn. ANSWER: After a one no-trump response opener’s two hearts rebid over two diamonds simply shows 5-4 shape, not extra values. One makes the call with almost any hand of that pattern. Over that, a cuebid of three diamonds would be artificial by South, but three clubs would be just a long suit, to play. South (with a 2-3-3-5 10-count and no diamond stop) isn’t worth any more than an invitation to game by raising to three hearts…if that. Dear Mr. Wolff: What is the appropriate procedure to be followed if declarer leads out of his hand, when he should be leading from the board? — Picky-picky, Carmel, Calif. ANSWER: If declarer leads from the wrong hand, either defender can condone the lead by following suit, or discarding as appropriate, or saying that they accept the lead. If attention is drawn to the irregularity, declarer can correct his play, and lead any suit he likes from the correct hand. He does NOT have to play the suit led.

— Taking the Mickey, Fayetteville, N.C. ANSWER: If playing 2/1, your partner’s auction promised a solid suit, or a solid suit missing the ace or king. Incidentally, note that a club slam is not much worse than 50% and in the unlikely event of no diamond lead you would surely make it. I agree responder should downgrade his hand, but slam may easily be cold facing some uninspiring minimums for the auction. So I’d surely make at least one slam try for clubs. Dear Mr. Wolff: My partner opened one club and I held: ♠ J7-3, ♥ 10-8-6-2, ♦ A-10-6, ♣ Q-9-5. Would you advocate responding one diamond, one heart, or one no-trump? — Quantity Surveyor, Great Falls, Mont. ANSWER: One no-trump is a reasonable option, but tends to deny a four-card major. Do you have a four-card major? It depends on your definition of a suit. I have a preference on minimum hands for bidding the majors as soon as possible — otherwise the suit may get lost altogether. Give me the spade queen instead of the three and yes, you might sell me on a no-trump response.

The Aces on Bridge: Monday, June 8th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on June 22nd, 2015 “The secret of life is honesty and fair dealing. If you can fake that, you’ve got it made.” — Groucho Marx

For today’s rather subtle deal put yourself in the East seat. After reading through the full analysis of the deal, you may feel like the problem is one that you might have expected to solve. First of all, though, let’s see what actually happened at the table. West led the spade 10 against three no-trump. Declarer played low from dummy and East won his king and exited in spades. Declarer won the ace in dummy and advanced the club king. After some thought, East allowed the king to hold, then won the second club and got off play with a heart. Declarer won this in hand and drove out the club queen, and claimed 10 tricks. After winning the spade king East could and maybe should have defeated the game by shifting to the diamond jack, giving up his ‘natural’ tricks in diamonds in exchange for establishing the third and fourth round of the suit.

Dealer: W Vul: N-S

North ♠AJ2 ♥KJ87 ♦AQ32 ♣ K 10

West ♠ 10 9 8 7 5 ♥ 10 6 4 ♦75 ♣854

East ♠K4 ♥9532 ♦ K J 10 4 ♣AQ6 South ♠Q63 ♥AQ ♦986 ♣J9732

South 1 NT 3 NT

West Pass Pass All pass

North 1♦ 2 NT

East Pass Pass

Opening Lead: ♠10

Declarer might still be able to overcome this by cashing all his heart and spade winners, then leading ace and another diamond. East would be in, and forced to lead away from the club ace at trick 12. But if declarer follows the more logical approach of taking an early club finesse, then East will set up five winners for the defense before declarer comes to nine tricks. And finally, declarer might consider rising with the spade ace at trick one to play on clubs and gain a critical tempo. But this could have been fatal on a different day. LEAD WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠Q83 ♥ Q 10 6 3 ♦ A 10 ♣9864 South

West

Pass All pass

1♠

North Pass Pass

East 1♦ 2♦

ANSWER: The choice seems to be between a top club and a low heart. I can see the arguments for both sides, but with my spades and diamonds apparently lying well for declarer, I will go for the more aggressive choice of a heart rather than a club. I’m hoping to set up hearts before the opponents establish a black suit for a discard.

The Aces on Bridge: Tuesday, June 9th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on June 23rd, 2015 “It is hard to be defensive toward a danger which you have never imagined existed.” — John Christopher

Though the point of today’s deal may not appear to be a complex one, a remarkable number of declarers missed the point of this hand from a club duplicate. After two passes East had opened the bidding with one club. Now South’s hand might qualify for an intermediate jump overcall, or a heavy one-level overcall. I’m not a fan of doubling then bidding hearts, but whatever route you chose, the likely final contract was four hearts. Those declarers who escaped a club lead had no problems, but the play was more challenging when West started with the queen and another club. East won the second club and led another, which declarer was forced to ruff high.

Dealer: W Vul: E-W

North ♠K942 ♥ 10 3 ♦KQ53 ♣J73

West ♠J83 ♥9542 ♦ 10 8 7 6 ♣Q2

East ♠765 ♥A ♦J92 ♣ A K 10 9 6 5 South ♠ A Q 10 ♥KQJ876 ♦A4 ♣84

South 1♥ 4♥

West Pass Pass All pass

North Pass 1 NT

East 1♣ Pass

Although it was a good idea to draw trumps now, it turned Opening Lead: ♣Q out to be dangerous to lead low towards dummy’s heart 10. You can see what would happen – East would win with his ace and lead a fourth round of clubs. This would promote his partner’s nine of trumps into the setting trick. The more thoughtful declarers took the precaution of crossing to dummy by leading a low diamond to the queen before tackling trumps by leading the three from dummy. Now East’s ace fell on empty air and then there was no further problem in drawing the rest of the trumps. Dummy’s heart 10 was still in place to protect against a fourth round of clubs. This is an unusual safety play, one that, as we can see, could easily have been overlooked in the heat of the moment. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠K942 ♥ 10 3 ♦KQ53 ♣J73 South ?

West 1♦

North Dbl.

East Pass

ANSWER: Had your partner doubled an opening bid of one club or one heart, you might have been tempted by what looked like a working second suit in diamonds to jump to two spades. On the actual auction, your diamonds look badly placed and bidding one spade (planning to compete again if necessary) seems the logical way to go.

The Aces on Bridge: Wednesday, June 10th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on June 24th, 2015 “Disappointment to a noble soul is what cold water is to burning metal; it strengthens, tempers, intensifies, but never destroys it.” — Eliza Tabor

Today’s deal from a team game saw one South bring home his game, and expect some congratulations from his teammates. He was rather disappointed with the follow-up. He had declared four hearts after an uninformative auction, and won the diamond lead in hand to take the heart finesse. He won the diamond return to draw the last trump then lead a spade to the queen and ace. The defenders exited passively with a second spade, and forced South to ruff the third spade. Now declarer had a guess for the club queen. South led the club jack from hand and when West followed low impassively he went up with the ace and successfully led to his club 10.

Dealer: S Vul: None

North ♠J92 ♥A763 ♦A2 ♣A976

West ♠A73 ♥52 ♦J8754 ♣432

East ♠ K 10 8 5 4 ♥K8 ♦ 10 6 3 ♣Q85 South ♠Q6 ♥ Q J 10 9 4 ♦KQ9 ♣ K J 10

South 1♥ 4♥

West Pass All pass

North 2 NT*

East Pass

*Game-forcing heart raise When declarer came back to score up the board he had Opening Lead: ♦4 hopes for a swing, but the board was flat. When he asked his teammates how declarer had guessed the club queen, the response was “He didn’t”. Can you see what his teammate was getting at? After winning the second diamond, South crossed to hand with a third trump, cashed the diamond winner to pitch a spade, then exited in spades. The defenders could take their two spade winners but then had to lead clubs for declarer and solve his guess for him. This approach of eliminating the side-suits and forcing the opponents to lead the danger suit or give a ruff-sluff is sometimes referred to as an elimination play, and is an important technique to acquire. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠J92 ♥A763 ♦A2 ♣A976 South 2 NT ?

West 1♣ Pass

North 1♦ 3♣

East Pass Pass

ANSWER: Bid three hearts now. Your partner presumably has short clubs and worry about your side’s club stoppers for notrump. You have no reason to commit to notrump yet, particularly when you have a fourcard major to show. If your partner rebids three spades rather than three no-trump, you can reconsider what strain or level is appropriate here.

The Aces on Bridge: Thursday, June 11th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on June 25th, 2015 “Tomorrow night I’m giving a lecture on silence and invisibility. Don’t be surprised if I don’t show up.” — Jarod Kintz

When there is a choice of entries to dummy and you need multiple entries, then, you should consider choosing as your first entry the one that does not permit the defenders to block you. On lead against three notrump West led the spade queen. Declarer won in dummy and immediately led a low diamond towards his hand, appreciating that for his game to succeed he needed East to hold the diamond ace. East played low, the king won, and declarer entered dummy in hearts to repeat the process. Now East rose with the diamond ace, blocking the suit, and returned, not a spade but the club king, attacking dummy’s last entry. South withheld dummy’s ace for two rounds, unblocking the club 10 from hand, hoping East would switch, but East persisted with clubs.

Dealer: N Vul: E-W

North ♠A ♥K62 ♦ 10 8 7 5 2 ♣A965

West ♠ Q J 10 8 3 ♥Q943 ♦43 ♣82

East ♠965 ♥ 10 8 5 ♦AJ9 ♣KQJ7 South ♠K742 ♥AJ7 ♦KQ6 ♣ 10 4 3

South

West

1♠ 3 NT

Pass All pass

North 1♦ 2♣

East Pass Pass

Opening Lead: ♠Q

Although this line of defense presented declarer with two club tricks, the diamonds were now firmly blocked. South’s last chance for the contract was finding the heart queen onside. But when that finesse failed, South’s final hope of nine tricks went out of the window. It may seem counter-intuitive, but if declarer had entered dummy with the club ace for the second diamond play, he could not have been prevented from taking nine tricks. With the diamond ace onside, this line would only fail if one defender had held an extremely good club suit. Now if East wins the second diamond and returns a heart, South can take this in hand, unblock the diamonds, then enter dummy with the heart king to reach the rest of the diamonds. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠ Q J 10 8 3 ♥Q943 ♦43 ♣82 South 1♠ ?

West Pass Pass

North 1♦ 1 NT

East Pass Pass

ANSWER: I hope there will not be too many readers who have shuddered at the idea of responding light, and who now want to shut up shop in one notrump. We all know that this hand will play better in hearts or spades than in no-trump. Bid two hearts and let partner pick where he wants to play. (If you had game interest you would use ‘New Minor’ by bidding two clubs over one notrump as a forcing enquiry.)

The Aces on Bridge: Friday, June 12th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on June 26th, 2015 “There are some people who live in a dream world, and there are some who face reality; and then there are those who turn one into the other.” — Douglas H. Everett

All too often, your holding in a side-suit drives your strategy in trumps. After a simple auction to four hearts West goes passive with the lead of the club nine. East wins his ace, and cannot sensibly switch to any suit, so continues with a second club. South takes the second trick, and cannot draw trumps at once; if he plays a trump to the ace and a second trump, the defense might win and play a third round. Even if trumps split, this could leave him with a problem, as there would be only one trump in dummy to cope with two or more possible spade losers. An alternative approach might be to draw no trumps at all, and play on a crossruff. The danger with following that route (or even drawing exactly one round of trumps with the ace) is that the defense may make their three high trumps separately.

Dealer: S Vul: None

North ♠K5 ♥A632 ♦ Q 10 8 6 2 ♣J4

West ♠Q983 ♥KQ7 ♦K75 ♣983

East ♠ 10 2 ♥J9 ♦J943 ♣ A 10 7 5 2 South ♠AJ764 ♥ 10 8 5 4 ♦A ♣KQ6

South 1♠ 2♥ 4♥

West Pass Pass All pass

North 1 NT 3♥

East Pass Pass

Opening Lead: ♣9

The winning line is to give up a trump at trick three. You can win the return, then play the heart ace, and only after that will you tackle the spades. Play the spade king, a spade to the ace, and ruff a spade, and you can later ruff another spade to establish your fifth spade. The defense win the first trick, the heart you give up, and one more trump at the end, but that is all. Be aware that today the small trump spots simplified declarer’s task here. Had declarer possessed the trump jack or queen there might have been alternative strategies to confuse the issue. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠K5 ♥A632 ♦ Q 10 8 6 2 ♣J4 South Pass ?

West 1♣

North 1♠

East 2♣

ANSWER: This hand is tailor made for a take-out double. When the opponents bid and raise a suit, sandwiched around your partner’s overcall, your double suggests both unbid suits, or one unbid suit and some support for partner. Here, you will be happy to hear partner pick a red suit or repeat his spades. The same logic applies when RHO bids a new suit at his first turn. Doubling shows the fourth suit and values.

The Aces on Bridge: Saturday, June 13th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on June 27th, 2015 “The universe is simple; it’s the explanation that’s complex.” — Woody Allen

In bridge one should never say never, and while an even trumpbreak is normally top of declarer’s wish list, there are always exceptions. Sometimes one has to project the complete distribution, and work out that bad splits can be more productive than a favorable break. That is especially true of hands like today’s. After a fairly sporting auction by North, Augustin Santamaria of Argentina reached a delicate four spade game, a contract that was made even more challenging by the fact that the auction had indicated the danger of bad splits. On the lead of the club jack, Santamaria took dummy’s ace and played a low diamond. East won his diamond ace, cashed the club queen, and exited with a diamond.

Dealer: E Vul: Both

North ♠KQ52 ♥ A K J 10 4 ♦42 ♣A4

West ♠ J 10 6 ♥Q7 ♦ J 10 8 7 5 3 ♣J6

East ♠A ♥9863 ♦A96 ♣KQ983 South ♠98743 ♥52 ♦KQ ♣ 10 7 5 2

South

West

North

Pass 2♠ 3♠

Pass Pass Pass

Dbl. 3♣ 4♠

East 2 ♣* Pass Pass All pass

*11-16 points; five plus clubs in an At this point Santamaria was in a very awkward position; unbalanced hand he could see that if trumps were two-two, then unless Opening Lead: ♣J West specifically had the doubleton jack-10 of trumps, the defense could promote a trump winner for themselves by leading a third round of clubs after taking the ace of trumps. Therefore when declarer led the spade seven from hand and West followed with a small trump, declarer went for his only legitimate chance to make the hand by ducking in dummy! When East produced the spade ace there was no longer any possibility of the defense producing a second trump trick. Thus the contract made, for a 12 IMP pickup for Argentina, on the way to an upset in their knock-out match from the 1986 Rosenblum Cup. BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: Depending on the vulnerability and form of scoring you might be prepared to risk pre-balancing with a double here. Yes, you might catch LHO with a strong hand, but at pairs, or non-vulnerable you should risk a double to show a three-suited hand with opening values and short spades.

South Holds: ♠A ♥9863 ♦A96 ♣KQ983 South

West

Pass ?

1♠

North Pass Pass

East 1♣ 2♠

The Aces on Bridge: Sunday, June 14th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on June 28th, 2015

Dear Mr. Wolff: I recently missed a game when I responded one no-trump to a one diamond opening on an unpromising eight-count with 3-3-3-4 pattern and no 10s. My partner raised to two no-trumps, and I expected him to be a shapely hand in the strong no-trump range so I passed. It turned out he had 18 points. I thought one would jump to game with that hand? — Wrong Brother, Atlanta, Ga. ANSWER: I’ll stay on the fence for this. To me your partner has a fair case; since the range for one no-trump is 6-10 you don’t have to bid game with a square 18-count, Though equally you might bid two no-trump with a semi-balanced 16-17. Thus in response I’d treat an eight-count as an acceptance. However, if I didn’t trust partner I’d certainly pass. Dear Mr. Wolff: If you open one club holding: ♠ 3, ♥ A-J-6, ♦ K-Q-4-2, ♣ A-K-9-3-2 and partner responds one spade, should you jump to two notrumps, or bid two diamonds as a reverse? — A Suitable Case, Holland, Mich. ANSWER: With an unbalanced hand like this one, bid your suits not no-trump. Switch the minors and I’d have more sympathy with the jump in no-trump, as I would not yet have shown my extras, but I think I’d still settle for bidding out my hand pattern with a two-club call, not a game-forcing bid of three clubs. I hope there will be time for no-trump on the next round. Dear Mr. Wolff: When you hear an opening four hearts to your right, and you hold a 14-count with 3-14-5 pattern, do you pass or double? And what if the auction comes round to you in balancing seat? — Streaky Bacon, New Smyrna Beach, Fla.

ANSWER: You would have a 100% unanimous panel vote if this were a problem. A double of four hearts suggests a good hand, more for take-out than optional, so most would feel obliged to act. Yes, holding only three spades isn’t great, but doubling is the flexible and consultative call. It won’t always work, but it is clearly the best way to have a dialogue not a monologue. Dear Mr. Wolff: I’m reading in your columns a use of the term New Minor. This seems to work like Stayman, but when does it apply, and would you encourage a relative newcomer to consider learning it? — Conventional Chuck, Palm Springs, Calif. ANSWER: I am opposed to teaching anyone new conventions. But I admit that after opener’s rebid of one or two no-trump this gadget (which uses an unbid minor suit by responder at his second turn as forcing) is a sensible way to ask opener to reveal threecard support for responder, or to announce four cards in an unbid major. Dear Mr. Wolff: I was stuck for a call holding: ♠ Q-7-3, ♥ Q-86-2, ♦ J-4-3, ♣ 1-0-8-7 when my partner doubled an opening bid of one heart. How would you compare passing, bidding one notrump, or inventing a suit? — Two in the Glue, Wichita Falls, Texas ANSWER: Passing is unacceptable here (one needs real trump length and trump tricks to do that) so your choice appears to be to invent a suit or to risk one notrump, which suggests a rather better hand than this. I guess I’d try one no-trump and cross my fingers; bidding one spade always seems to backfire here, since partners seem to raise excessively on finding a fit. Thus two clubs would be my second choice.

The Aces on Bridge: Monday, June 15th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on June 29th, 2015 “If you want to cut your own throat, don’t come to me for a bandage.” — Margaret Thatcher

Every year in the United Kingdom there is a series of home Internationals, the Camrose Trophy, the Lady Milne Trophy, and the Teltscher Trophy for Seniors. Today’s deal comes from the trials for the Lady Milne, the women’s event, and I should start by letting you plan the play for yourself: you are in five clubs, and West leads the diamond ace followed by another diamond. How would you proceed? At the table one should maybe not criticize declarer unduly for following an uninspired line. She ruffed the diamond lead and played the heart ace and king. To declarer’s dismay East ruffed and played a trump. Declarer could win, ruff one heart in dummy and discard one on the spade ace, but had to lose a heart at the end. Do you see how she could have avoided this undignified fate?

Dealer: N Vul: Both

North ♠A962 ♥53 ♦ 10 6 4 3 2 ♣ J 10

West ♠QJ843 ♥ Q 10 9 8 2 ♦A5 ♣7

East ♠ 10 7 5 ♥7 ♦KQJ98 ♣9852 South ♠K ♥AKJ64 ♦7 ♣AKQ643

South

West

1♣ 4♥

1♠ Pass

North Pass Pass 5♣

East Pass 2♠ All pass

Opening Lead: ♦A

South should have ruffed the second diamond and played the heart ace followed by a low heart. West can win the trick and play a trump. However, declarer is now able to win and play a spade to her king, ruff a heart with the club jack, then cash the spade ace discarding a heart. She can ruff her way back to hand, draw trumps and claim her contract. The key here was to count your tricks. To bring the total to 11 you need only one heart ruff, so long as you score both your ace and king. The line declarer adopted was the best line for 12 tricks, but not for 11. LEAD WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠K652 ♥Q98 ♦K98 ♣864 South

West

Pass Pass

1♠ 3 NT

North Pass Pass All pass

East 1♦ 2 NT

ANSWER: This deal shows the divide between pairs and teams. At teams, where you are trying to set the contract, and overtricks are less unimportant, you should focus on the suit most likely to set the game. I’d lead a low heart at teams, while at pairs I’d try the club eight — that being the suit least likely to surrender an unnecessary trick. I tend to favor passive defense when in doubt on blind auctions like this.

The Aces on Bridge: Tuesday, June 16th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on June 30th, 2015 “The plan, a memory of the future, tries on reality to see if it fits.” — Laurence Gonzales

When you first learn to play bridge the power of the trump suit is sometimes difficult to grasp. One takes ruffs whenever one can – and that is not always a good idea. It is by no means obvious that as declarer you generate extra tricks more easily by taking ruffs in the short trump hand than with your long trumps. Worse still, just when you think you have the situation under control, along comes a hand like today’s, where the key is to ruff in the long hand. The deal cropped up in the annual Parliamentary match, won that year by the House of Lords, and sponsored by the London Export Company.

Dealer: N Vul: None

North ♠A932 ♥42 ♦K83 ♣A763

West ♠ K Q J 10 8 ♥ J 10 8 3 ♦ Q 10 ♣ K 10

East ♠754 ♥9 ♦J9754 ♣Q985 South ♠6 ♥AKQ765 ♦A62 ♣J42

South

West

North Pass 2 NT

With the tip we have just been discussing in mind, plan 1♥ 1♠ the play in four hearts on the lead of the spade king. On 4♥ All pass the surface of it, the deal looks extremely straightforward. You will succeed if trumps break 3-2 but appear to have Opening Lead: ♠K little extra chance if they are 4-1. However, you never know; once you see the point of the deal, you will win the spade ace and ruff a spade. Now try your three top trumps.

East Pass Pass

When East shows out on the second round, you should allow yourself an inward smile, because your thoughtful play at trick two has paid off. Next play the diamond ace, a diamond to dummy’s king and ruff another spade. Now a club to dummy’s ace allows you to ruff your last spade. In total you have made four outside tricks and six trump tricks – 10 in all. LEAD WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠J9732 ♥J92 ♦J8 ♣AJ3 South

West

1♠ All pass

Dbl.

North 1♣ Pass

East Pass 4♥

ANSWER: Since you have enough points to know your side has the majority of high cards, lead a trump to prevent the opponents scoring their trumps separately. It is a good thought to have at the back of your mind that when the opponents are not overly blessed with high cards, and do not appear to have a side-suit to set up and run, leading trumps is generally indicated.

The Aces on Bridge: Wednesday, June 17th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on July 1st, 2015 “I never make stupid mistakes. Only very, very clever ones.” — John Peel

On this deal from a teams-offour match, one declarer had an easy run and made a comfortable overtrick in his game contract. The play had seemed straightforward enough and he was not expecting to gain on the board. But West, his team-mate at the second table, found a way of inducing declarer into error. Clearly the diamonds had to be developed in three notrump, so after winning the lead of the club three lead in dummy, both declarers led the diamond two to their king. At the first table West took his ace and led another low club, but now, after winning in dummy, it was easy for South to come to hand with a spade in order to lead a second diamond. When West followed with the three, declarer inserted dummy’s nine. East won, but had no more clubs to play, and so South had 10 tricks.

Dealer: S Vul: N-S

North ♠Q83 ♥ 10 7 3 ♦Q9642 ♣AK

West ♠J92 ♥J8 ♦AJ3 ♣QJ532

East ♠ 10 7 6 5 ♥Q9652 ♦ 10 8 ♣84 South ♠AK4 ♥AK4 ♦K75 ♣ 10 9 7 6

South 1 NT

West Pass

North 3 NT

East All pass

Opening Lead: ♣3

The second West found a much more imaginative defense. When the first diamond was led to the king, he allowed South’s king to hold. Declarer continued the suit, and this time West followed with his jack. From South’s viewpoint, this was entirely consistent with West having started with J-10-3 of diamonds and East with the doubleton A-8. If that were the case, it would be fatal to play dummy’s queen on the second round, so West’s jack was allowed to hold. West now cleared the clubs, and coming back on play with the third round of diamonds, cashed his established clubs for one down. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠Q83 ♥ 10 7 3 ♦Q9642 ♣AK South ?

West 1♣

North 1♥

East Pass

ANSWER: You are too good for a simple raise to two hearts, and the hand doesn’t feel quite right for a call of one no-trump, since you may be offering partner club ruffs in dummy, which he could hardly predict. All that is left is a cuebid of two clubs, the socalled unassuming cue bid, showing a limit raise in high cards. By contrast, a jump to three hearts is nowadays played more about shape than high cards.

The Aces on Bridge: Thursday, June 18th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on July 2nd, 2015 “Dream what you want to dream go where you want to go, be what you want to be because you only have one life and one chance to do all the things you want to do.” — Nishan Panwar

At the Dyspeptics Club South has been experimenting with some of the modern conventions, despite North’s cynical comment that he would do better to master the art of crawling before trying to learn how to run sprints. Today’s deal was an example of South putting into practice a modern gadget, whereby he showed a good club raise with short hearts by jumping in a suit where a simple bid of that suit would have been forcing. The partnership reverted to spades, and South – who had no diamond control – eventually settled for game. His four club call was in the hopes that North could co-operate, perhaps with the diamond ace instead of the heart ace, when six clubs would have been a highly desirable spot. Having settled in four spades, South received a top diamond lead. When East discouraged, West shifted optimistically to a heart. Now declarer could draw trump, and discard his second diamond loser on the hearts.

Dealer: S Vul: None

North ♠K86 ♥AKJ ♦ 10 9 3 ♣ K 10 4 3

West ♠94 ♥ 10 9 3 2 ♦AK4 ♣9652

East ♠753 ♥87654 ♦QJ852 ♣— South ♠ A Q J 10 2 ♥Q ♦76 ♣AQJ87

South 1♠ 3 ♥* 4♣

West Pass Pass Pass

North 2♣ 3♠ 4♠

East Pass Pass All pass

*Splinter-bid: short hearts, agreeing clubs Opening Lead: ♦K

When North asked a not-soinnocent question “Did we miss anything?” it was East who commented grimly that somebody had missed something – and it wasn’t North-South. Do you see what he meant? South’s revealing auction had suggested at least four clubs. The only way that West could have set four spades was to find his partner with a club void. After a club shift at trick two West has the diamond entry to deal his partner a second ruff and defeat the game. This defense might cost an overtrick, but it was surely the only shot to beat the game. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠K86 ♥AKJ ♦ 10 9 3 ♣ K 10 4 3 South ?

West

North Pass

East 2♠

ANSWER: It is rare that you can be confident with a hand this good that the correct percentage action is to pass as soon as decorum permits. You are far short of the values for overcalling in no-trump. And if you double for take-out you may well find your partner suffering in a 4-3 fit with no high cards and a bad split against him, doubled, to boot. Your partner can still balance if he has the right hand.

The Aces on Bridge: Friday, June 19th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on July 3rd, 2015 “Good instincts usually tell you what you do long before your head has figured it out.” — Michael Burke

Today’s deal saw West give declarer something of a roadmap home in his three no-trump contract. The defenders did have an outside chance to defeat the game, but it was one that was easier to spot in the post mortem than at the table. Against the no-trump game West was playing attitude leads, whereby the smaller the card led the more he liked his side’s chances in that suit. So he led the spade seven, and East encouraged as dummy’s ace won. Declarer now played the ace and king of clubs, West discarding a heart, and next tried a low diamond from dummy, which went to the five, seven and nine. West now returned the spade six to East’s king, and South won the third spade and cashed his master club.

Dealer: W Vul: N-S

North ♠A ♥A75 ♦ A 10 8 3 2 ♣AQ73

West ♠J9765 ♥QJ42 ♦KQ9 ♣8

East ♠K432 ♥963 ♦J5 ♣ J 10 9 4 South ♠ Q 10 8 ♥ K 10 8 ♦764 ♣K652

South 1 NT 2 NT

West Pass 2 ♦* Pass

North 1♦ Dbl. 3 NT

East Pass 2♠ All pass

*Majors

West was squeezed out of a spade on this trick, since he Opening Lead: ♠7 could not throw a diamond or a heart, so declarer played two more rounds of diamonds. West had a spade to cash, but declarer had the rest, since the diamonds were now established. To defeat the contract East had to work out from the auction and the size of the spade led to trick one that his partner had jack-fifth of spades. Had he ducked the second spade, declarer’s best bet would have been to win and exit in spades. But the defense should still prevail – so long as they do not cash out the spades, or West once again gets squeezed in the red suits in the ending. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠ Q 10 8 ♥K98 ♦974 ♣K652 South 1 NT ?

West Pass Pass

North 1♦ 2♣

East Pass Pass

ANSWER: Your partner’s call is non-forcing, and though you have decent club support and the odd value or two, your majorsuit honors are of questionable worth, and three small diamonds is surely a further negative. Pass two clubs, and hope the opponents do not balance. You might raise to three clubs if you had the heart ace instead of the king – and slightly better diamond spots.

The Aces on Bridge: Saturday, June 20th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on July 4th, 2015 “Honest unaffected distrust of human abilities under all circumstances is the surest sign of strength of mind.” — Georg Christoph Lichtenberg Dealer: N Vul: N-S

At the bridge table, you soon find out that some people are inherently untrustworthy… but sometimes with the best will in the world you have to believe Zia Mahmood… don’t you?

North ♠9754 ♥ A Q 10 7 ♦K5 ♣ 10 8 2

West ♠3 ♥KJ94 ♦ A 10 8 6 2 ♣974

In a recent Lederer Teams tournament John Mohan protected in the West seat after the opponents’ bidding had died in two spades. Zia’s bid of three clubs might not have been the majority choice, but it created a bit of excitement. Victor Silverstone didn’t double three clubs with his minimum hand, so Zia never got to demonstrate that his three clubs had been merely lead-directional.

East ♠ Q 10 6 2 ♥32 ♦Q943 ♣AK3 South ♠AKJ8 ♥865 ♦J7 ♣QJ65

Mohan obediently led a club against three spades. Left to his own devices Silverstone would almost certainly have made the contract, playing East for the spade queen and West for the diamond ace and the heart king-jack. Indeed, there is little else he can do, and both Vlad Isporski for the Spring Foursomes Winners and David Horton for Australia made nine tricks in spades in this way. However Zia won the switched to the heart two!

South

West

1♠ Pass Pass

Pass Dbl. Pass

North Pass 2♠ Rdbl. 3♠

East Pass Pass 3♣ All pass

Opening Lead: ♣4 club lead with the king and

From Silverstone’s point of view this was clearly a singleton, so he rejected the spade finesse and cashed the trump ace and king, getting the bad news. He exited with a club to the ace and Zia played the heart three, by now, a real singleton. Silverstone won in dummy and led a spade. Zia went up with the queen, played a diamond to his partner’s ace and Mohan had no difficulty giving Zia his heart ruff for down one. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠AKJ8 ♥865 ♦J7 ♣QJ65 South 1♣ 2♠ ?

West Pass Pass

North 1♠ 2 NT

East Pass Pass

ANSWER: Unless you have a specific agreement to the contrary, the call of two notrump is invitational but not forcing, suggesting 10-11 high cards and just four spades. You have a minimum in high cards but a hand that you would guess would play much better in spades than in no-trump, so retreat to three spades.

The Aces on Bridge: Sunday, June 21st, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on July 5th, 2015

Dear Mr. Wolff:

Dear Mr. Wolff:

My partner held the following hand: ♠ A-9-83, ♥ Q-10-9-2, ♦ K-10-9-3, ♣ 5 when he heard me open one heart. Was he worth a limit raise, or a jump to game? His choice of inviting game with a simple raise saw me pass with a flat 12-count, but I made five.

I’m not clear about how to act after intervention to my partner’s two club opening. My hand was: ♠ J-10-3-2, ♥ Q-6, ♦ J-10-8-6-4, ♣ K-9 and I heard my partner open two clubs and the next player bid three clubs. Is it right to bid three diamonds, and if not, what action would you recommend?

— Spirit-level, Willoughby, Ohio ANSWER: The hand is definitely worth a raise to game — you might not always make it, but you’d want to be there facing any normal opening bid. The question is whether instead to make a splinter-raise to four clubs; I might not do that, but a lot depends on how much you play a splinter-bid promises here. Having a way to show a limited splinter-bid, or a constructive raise from one to four is very useful (though by no means essential). Dear Mr. Wolff: When my opponents lead from the wrong hand at the first trick what are my options? — Straight Arrow, Harrisburg, Pa. ANSWER: The first thing to do is to call the director if playing at a club. Having said that, the options are to allow the lead to be made and continue play to trick one, with dummy going down and playing fourth to the trick. Or you can either prevent the suit from being played until the true leader has lost the lead, insist on the suit being led, or even ask that the exposed card be played at its first legal opportunity, while allowing the real leader do what he or she likes. Dear Mr. Wolff: I’m somewhat hazy on the true meaning of the term “Responsive double”. Could you clarify for me whether such doubles are primarily for take-out or penalties or true optional doubles? — Pirate Jack, Bellingham, Wash. ANSWER: The simplest version of a responsive double comes when your LHO opens the bidding. If your partner doubles, and RHO raises the suit, a double by you would be takeout. Note that should RHO bid a new suit, then double by you would be penalty not take-out. The responsive takeout double of a raised minor normally suggests both majors, while the double of hearts normally denies spades, since you would bid them if you could. In my view a responsive double of spades neither promises nor denies hearts.

— Unsuitable, Dodge City, Kan. ANSWER: I’d recommend a simple style here where double is any weak hand, with a pass showing something like 5-8 points. In your example I’d pass here; but give me the diamond king instead of the club king and I’d bid three diamonds, because I’d feel this might be my last chance to introduce the suit economically. Dear Mr. Wolff: In a recent column you discussed the suit lengths required for preemptive bidding. Couldn’t you also mention what HIGH CARDS are essential in that suit? Bidding at the two-level at adverse vulnerability surely cannot be considered without suit quality. Even at favorable vulnerability I’d like to hold two top honors — but where do you stand? — Cockney Sparrow, Coppell, Texas ANSWER: When vulnerable, two of the top three honors is the normal minimum. And yet I would never pass a decent hand with a holding such as six cards to the acejack-ten. Non-vulnerable I like to have two top honors in second seat but in first and third seat I go with what my gut tells me. Bottom line: I don’t like to open suits without two top honors unless they have decent intermediates or some other compensating value.

The Aces on Bridge: Monday, June 22nd, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on July 6th, 2015 “We’re all islands shouting lies to each other across seas of misunderstanding.” — Rudyard Kipling

Since the European Open Championships start next week in Tromso, we shall be looking at some entertaining deals from last year’s European Championships, in Croatia. The problem in today’s auction came when declarer, Tihana Brkljacic, thought the rebid of three diamonds was game-forcing, while North intended it as invitational. There were a number of missed opportunities for the defense in defending three no-trump, but the trick is to take advantage of your opponents’ errors. West led the spade queen, so declarer won her king and ran the spade nine round to East’s 10. A club switch would have put paid to declarer’s chances but, East could hardly be blamed for switching to ace and another heart, to the queen and king.

Dealer: S Vul: None

North ♠AJ875 ♥3 ♦ A 10 8 7 ♣J93

West ♠Q4 ♥ K 10 7 6 5 2 ♦QJ6 ♣K7

East ♠ 10 6 3 2 ♥A9 ♦54 ♣ Q 10 8 6 2 South ♠K9 ♥QJ84 ♦K932 ♣A54

South 1♦ 2 NT 3 NT

West 2♥ Pass All pass

North 2♠ 3♦

East Pass Pass

Opening Lead: ♠Q

West should have ducked the second heart, but having won her heart king, she realized that she could not afford to continue the suit. Rightly assuming that declarer held the diamond king for her opening bid, West placed her partner with the club queen and duly switched to the club king. South now won her club ace and crossed to the diamond ace to cash her three spade winners, discarding a diamond and two clubs from hand. Forced to come down to four cards, West was squeezed out of her remaining club, so could no longer get to her partner’s club winners. At this point declarer could lead a diamond to her king, and exit with her last diamond. That endplayed West to lead into the jack-eight of hearts at trick 12, to concede the contract. LEAD WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠Q964 ♥962 ♦87 ♣J854 South

West

Pass Pass All pass

1♠ 3♦

North Pass Pass Pass

East 1♣ 2♦ 6♦

ANSWER: Your opponents seem well prepared for a heart lead against the slam (why else would East raise to six so dramatically?). With no particular reason in mind I’m going to guess to lead spades, perhaps with the idea that if I can force declarer to ruff, maybe the bad club break will cause him some problems.

The Aces on Bridge: Tuesday, June 23rd, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on July 7th, 2015 “To be prepared for war is one of the most effectual means of preserving peace.” — George Washington

Roy Welland was once a regular in contention for the US International team – he lost the finals of three consecutive US team trials. But he now spends much time in Germany and in partnership with Sabine Auken he has recently made it on to the German team that qualified in Opatija last year for the 2015 Bermuda Bowl. Roy has a talent for the unorthodox in the auction, but is no mean card-player either, and he demonstrated it in today’s deal. After a light but entirely understandable response of one heart to his partner’s one diamond opening bid, Welland found himself in four hearts on a top club lead. He won, played the spade king to the ace, won the low heart return in dummy and played the diamond ace and guessed well when he led a diamond to the eight. He had correctly assumed that West would not be able to bring himself to duck the king. East won the diamond 10 and exited with the club king. Welland ruffed in dummy, then played the diamond queen, covered by the king and ruffed, to bring down the jack.

Dealer: N Vul: E-W

North ♠ K Q 10 4 ♥AK96 ♦Q987 ♣A

West ♠A75 ♥J2 ♦J32 ♣QJ873

East ♠J982 ♥Q74 ♦ K 10 6 5 ♣K6 South ♠63 ♥ 10 8 5 3 ♦A4 ♣ 10 9 5 4 2

South

West

1♥ 3 ♦**

Pass Pass

North 1♦ 2 NT* 4♥

East Pass Pass All pass

*Various strong hands **Weak Opening Lead: ♣Q

He next led a trump to dummy, and, trusting the opponents’ count card in spades, he reconstructed the West hand to have a 3=2=3=5 original distribution. Accordingly, he next cashed the diamond nine to pitch his spade, ruffed a spade to hand, and ruffed a club to dummy. To prevent this trick representing declarer’s 10th winner, East had to overruff, but he then had to lead a spade into dummy’s tenace, to concede the contract. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠ K Q 10 4 ♥AK96 ♦Q987 ♣A South

West

1♦ ?

Pass

North Pass 1♥

East Pass Pass

ANSWER: There are two sensible answers here, the first being to make a splinter-jump to four clubs, for which you are technically in range. The problem here is your weak diamonds and club ace – you would surely be worth that action if your ace were in diamonds not clubs. The simple pessimistic action, which I prefer, is just to jump to four hearts. Don’t be amazed if partner can’t make it!

The Aces on Bridge: Wednesday, June 24th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on July 8th, 2015 “The thought of suicide is a great consolation: by means of it one gets through many a dark night.” — Friedrich Nietzsche

On this deal from round seven of the European Championships in Croatia last summer, England’s David Gold demonstrated that suicide at the bridge table can be very painful indeed. The Israeli East-West pair had saved in five diamonds doubled for down one, but England defended four hearts. West selected the club four as his opening lead, putting declarer, Alon Birman, in with a shout. He won with the ace, crossed to the heart ace and then correctly overtook the heart jack with the king. When West discarded the diamond three, declarer continued with the heart 10, West pitching another diamond, dummy reluctantly discarding the club five.

Dealer: W Vul: N-S

North ♠KQ5 ♥AJ ♦K5 ♣KQ9765

West ♠ 10 9 8 3 ♥9 ♦ Q J 10 9 8 4 3 ♣4 South ♠76 ♥ K 10 8 7 2 ♦62 ♣ A J 10 2 South 4♥

West 4♦ All pass

North Dbl.

East ♠AJ42 ♥Q6543 ♦A7 ♣83

East Pass

Opening Lead: ♣4

Gold correctly ducked this trick; not an obvious play. When declarer continued with the heart eight, West pitched the diamond queen and declarer threw the spade five from dummy. Gold calmly took this and returned his remaining trump. What could declarer spare from dummy now? The only option was a second club, and now his 10th trick had vanished. Declarer ran his three remaining club winners but now needed to establish a diamond trick. If the diamonds were 7-2 with the ace right, then the defenders could simply duck the first diamond and run the suit when in with the spade ace. If they were 8-1, Gold would have taken a diamond ruff earlier; so declarer played for his only legitimate chance when he ducked the first diamond, hoping East had the bare ace. Alas for him, that was not the case, and England had plus 100 in each room. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠KQ5 ♥AJ ♦K5 ♣KQ9765 South 1♣ ?

West Pass

North 1♦

East Pass

ANSWER: It is tempting to jump in clubs, but this is not what your hand is about. You have too much outside strength and your club spots are feeble (on a bad day you might go down in three clubs while having a play for three no-trump). The real choice is whether to jump to two no-trump or three notrump. The latter strongly suggests long clubs, so it would be my choice, since it also facilitates reaching six clubs.

The Aces on Bridge: Thursday, June 25th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on July 9th, 2015 “Nothing so completely baffles one who is full of trick and duplicity himself, than straightforward and simple integrity in another.” — Charles Caleb Colton

My favorite play problem from the European Championships in Croatia last year presented itself in match 10 of the Open and Women’s qualifying. Let’s say you find yourself as declarer in three no-trump after an auction where your side has bid only the red suits. You receive the lead of the spade eight (second and fourth), put up the queen, and play on diamonds. West wins and shifts smoothly to the club queen. Should you cover or duck? In one match the Irish declarer ducked, and a club was continued. Down one. The Austrian declarer covered with the king, and this lost to the ace. Back came a low club and declarer was faced with her second guess, and she put in the eight. Both declarers sank like a stone.

Dealer: W Vul: Both

North ♠KQ7 ♥ A K 10 8 4 3 ♦5 ♣K42

West ♠98432 ♥Q2 ♦A62 ♣Q97

East ♠J65 ♥9765 ♦ 10 7 ♣AJ63 South ♠ A 10 ♥J ♦KQJ9843 ♣ 10 8 5

South 2♦ 2 NT

West Pass Pass Pass

North 1♥ 2♥ 3 NT

East Pass Pass All pass

The commentators believed that after the shift to the club Opening Lead: ♠8 queen, declarer should cover (this loses by force only when West has eschewed a lead from QJ9 of clubs at trick one). When the club king loses to the ace and a club comes back, declarer should perhaps employ a form of restricted choice – though one that may be applicable only against top-class defenders. Playing the eight wins against an original holding in West of QJ7, but loses to honor-nineseven – whether that honor is the jack or queen. So the 10 is probably the winning play both in theory and practice. Jet Pasman and Nevena Senior were two of the other successful defenders who found the shift to the club queen. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠KQ7 ♥ A K 10 8 4 3 ♦5 ♣K42 South 1♥ ?

West Pass

North 1♠

East Pass

ANSWER: There are several sensible choices. You are too good to rebid two hearts, so the choice is to bid three hearts (burying the spade fit) to raise to two or three spades – both of which somewhat overstate the spade support — or to bid two clubs, as a temporizing move, though one that rarely works for me. No action is perfect, but maybe a jump raise to three spades is less of a lie than a three-heart rebid.

The Aces on Bridge: Friday, June 26th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on July 10th, 2015 “Once you hear the details of victory, it is hard to distinguish it from a defeat.” — Jean-Paul Sartre

When Netherlands played Poland in the European Championships last summer, the Poles snatched defeat from the jaws of victory in both rooms here. They defended four spades by North in one room on a heart lead, letting declarer pitch a club loser immediately. Next declarer cashed the top spades and gave up a club. West went in with the jack and played queen and another spade, and declarer unblocked the spade jack to win the trump in hand. Now North needed only to take the diamond finesse to bring home her game. But she led low to the ace and was down four for -200. Better defense would have been for West to win the club at trick five and lead a heart to force dummy to ruff. Now declarer would have stood no chance.

Dealer: S Vul: E-W

North ♠ 10 8 6 3 ♥ A Q 10 ♦Q632 ♣63

West ♠Q742 ♥J962 ♦ 10 ♣KJ94

East ♠5 ♥K8753 ♦K4 ♣ A Q 10 8 5 South ♠AKJ9 ♥4 ♦AJ9875 ♣72

South 1♦ 4♠ All pass

West Pass 4 NT

North 1♠ 5♦

East 2 NT Dbl.

Opening Lead: ♠2 In our featured room the Dutch South, Meike Wortel, played five diamonds doubled. Had West led either of her side’s suits she would have defeated the game, but she led a spade, interpreting her partner’s double of five diamonds as showing a spade void. Wortel put up dummy’s 10, led a diamond to the jack, then cashed the ace. Next came a top spade followed by a heart to the ace and a heart ruff, a diamond to the queen and a second heart ruff. Now she exited with a club and, after taking two tricks there, whichever defender was on lead was endplayed, East to give a ruff and discard, West to choose between that and leading into the spade tenace. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠AKJ9 ♥4 ♦AJ9875 ♣72 South 1♦ ?

West Pass

North 1♠

East Pass

ANSWER: Your additional shape makes this well worth a jump to three spades. But do not be carried away into doing more; if your partner cannot raise to game now, you will surely not take 10 tricks. Worse, if you do jump to the four-level, you may find your partner taking you too seriously. Just for the record, with the diamond five the king, I would bid four diamonds to show this pattern in diamonds and spades.

The Aces on Bridge: Saturday, June 27th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on July 11th, 2015 “Inspiration is the windfall from hard work and focus. Muses are too unreliable to keep on the payroll.” — Helene Hanson

In today’s deal, our final one from last year’s European Championships, Michael Kalita of Poland was declarer in three notrump. He ducked the opening lead of the heart king, then won the next heart in hand. Now he made his best play (in abstract) in the club suit though not the best play on the hand, when he crossed to a diamond in dummy to lead a club to the queen and a club to the 10 and jack. Bauke Muller as East now needed to cash the club ace and play a spade, hoping declarer could no longer untangle his entries, as would be the case here. In fact Muller played the heart jack without cashing the club ace. Now declarer should have succeeded, had he pitched his club loser from hand, unblocking diamonds, and then built an additional spade winner for the ninth trick.

Dealer: W Vul: E-W

North ♠ 10 6 3 ♥A987 ♦KQ ♣ K 10 6 4

West ♠QJ72 ♥K3 ♦98754 ♣98

East ♠K4 ♥ J 10 5 4 2 ♦ 10 3 ♣AJ75 South ♠A985 ♥Q6 ♦AJ62 ♣Q32

South Dbl. 2♥ 3 NT

West Pass Pass Dbl. All pass

North 1♣ 1♠ Rdbl.

East 1♥ Pass Pass

Opening Lead: ♥K

Notice the difference if Kalita does not cross to a diamond in dummy, but simply leads the club queen from hand at trick three. Muller can duck, and win the next club, but if he cashes the club ace then declarer will catch West sooner or later in a spade/diamond squeeze. Kalita can duck a shift to the spade king, win the next spade, then cross to a diamond winner in dummy to play off the heart and club winners, and West must succumb. So can three no-trump be defeated? Yes, but the only lead to set the hand by force is a highly unlikely club. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠ 10 6 3 ♥A987 ♦KQ ♣ K 10 6 4 South 1♥ ?

West Pass Pass

North 1♦ 2♣

East Pass Pass

ANSWER: Reluctantly, I would force this hand to game – as 12-counts with four-card support go, this is clearly not one of the more attractive ones. To set up the gameforce, bid two spades, the fourth suit. This asks partner to describe their hand, and you plan to raise clubs at your next turn if space permits.

The Aces on Bridge: Sunday, June 28th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on July 12th, 2015

Dear Mr. Wolff: During the auction, are you allowed (or even supposed) to use the terms: “Alert, Skip Bid, Transfer, Jump shift” and so on. I would like to be proven right or wrong so as not to continue this haranguing with my opponents! I have researched the printed word and searched the internet, but cannot find a definitive answer. — Baby Ruth, Troy, N.Y. ANSWER: These words are not only legal but best practice. Stop (skip) bids are to prevent your LHO pausing too much or too little, thus tipping his partner off to his strength. If you MUST pause with both a flat four- or 14-count, your partner will be able to do what he pleases. An alert tells your opponents (not partner) that a call is conventional. If they wrongly think it is natural, they might be damaged. ‘Transfer’ is a small variant on the alert procedure; it applies to bids in response to a no-trump opening. The only required announcements are ‘skip’, ‘transfer’, ‘alert’ and ‘forcing’ for the response to the major, not ‘Jump Shift’. Dear Mr. Wolff: As the proliferation of cuebids grows on my convention card, I’m seeking to find the best way to explain what an unassuming cuebid is and what the call has to be modest about! — Winston Smith, Sioux Falls, S.D. ANSWER: The reason the call is so named is that facing an overcall, a cuebid by his partner shows a fit, and at least limit raise values. But it in no way promises any control (either high-card or shortage) in the opponent’s suit. Conversely, a jump raise of an overcalled suit now becomes much more about shape than high cards. Dear Mr. Wolff: I was just reading a column last week where a player had a strong balanced hand in fourth chair when a one diamond call came round to him. With 17 points, why not simply bid one no-trump to avoid wrong-siding a major suit, as actually happened here? — Lip Smacker, Tucson, Ariz.

ANSWER: The range for the balancing notrump is typically a good 10-15 points, so unless by agreement this call shows a weaker hand not a stronger one. One hopes to double and bid no-trump to show the extras; if you don’t play this style, you risk being closed out of the auction when you and your partner each hold balanced minimum opening bids. Dear Mr. Wolff: I was thinking about going to Chicago in August to the US Nationals there, to try and get my first platinum points. However I see no way of entering any event with platinum points. Am I missing something? — Trophy Hunter, Newark, N.J. ANSWER: My reading of the ACBL’s 2015 summer tournament schedule suggests that the bold upper-case events (the LM pairs, open pairs and fast pairs) do have platinum points I think. You can enter the second two events even if not a life master. Dear Mr. Wolff: Earlier this week I had six hearts to the kingjack, and four spades to the ace-queen. I elected to pass in second seat (would you?). My partner opened a minor in fourth seat and rebid one no-trump over one heart, but passed my invitation to three hearts. Did I undercook the deal – since a favorable break gave me play for 12 tricks facing the minor-suit aces and the spade king? — Low-ball, Edmonton, Alberta ANSWER: The initial pass is not my style though I understand it. Without the side fourcard suit I might just invite game on your auction. But the extra playing strength and the well-placed honors makes it sensible to drive to game (perhaps in hearts if partner doesn’t admit to holding four spades).

The Aces on Bridge: Monday, June 29th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on July 13th, 2015 “There are no second chances in life, except to feel remorse.” — Carlos Ruiz Zafon

Would you make a try on the South cards after your partner had raised your major-suit opening? And would it matter if you had overcalled one heart and been raised to two? Curiously, although the diamond king has become a more useful asset when you hear an opening bid of one diamond to your right, I’m not sure I would try again after partner had only raised my overcall to two. The fact that he had not produced a cue-bid raise might suggest game is unlikely to be more than a long shot. Today, however, your game-try leads to your reaching a slightly pushy four hearts, against which West leads the diamond queen to East’s ace. East returns the club king. Plan the play.

Dealer: East Vul: None

North ♠KJ2 ♥AJ5 ♦72 ♣86432

West ♠6543 ♥42 ♦ Q J 10 9 ♣J97

East ♠ A Q 10 7 ♥863 ♦A8653 ♣K South ♠98 ♥ K Q 10 9 7 ♦K4 ♣ A Q 10 5

South

West

North

1♥ 3♣

Pass Pass

2♥ 4♥

East 1♦ Pass All pass

Opening Lead: ♦Q

If you win the club ace and find the king to be a singleton, you can be sure West will later get in with the club jack and switch to a spade, through dummy’s king-jack. But duck the club king, and you guarantee your side 10 tricks: one diamond, five hearts and four clubs. That is the winning play today. Incidentally, while a spade lead would have beaten your game outright, can you see how the defenders could still have prevailed, even after the normal lead of the diamond queen? East simply ducks the opening lead and lets West win the next diamond to find the killing shift. Should East find this defense? I think so. West cannot have five diamonds, or he would have raised pre-emptively at his first turn. LEAD WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠3 ♥Q543 ♦J765 ♣K932 South

West

Pass Pass All pass

2♥ 3♣

North Pass Pass Pass

East 1♠ 2♠ 3 NT

ANSWER: Today’s problem comes from “Larry Teaches Opening Leads,” a new book by Larry Cohen. He advises that even though your clubs and hearts are better than your diamonds, you should lead the unbid suit when in doubt, as you certainly are here. This is good advice; declarer might easily have only one diamond stopper.

The Aces on Bridge: Tuesday, June 30th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on July 14th, 2015 “Our brightest blazes of gladness are commonly kindled by unexpected sparks.” — Samuel Johnson

In today’s deal the optimal contract is six clubs, but it is often hard to locate a 4-4 fit when the auction gets high in a hurry. After North-South had a quantitative auction, it proved impossible to find their minor-suit fit. When West led the spade queen against the slam, declarer could see that his route to 12 tricks involved getting three tricks from the diamond suit, and to do so he needed to take three finesses in the suit. As this required three entries, declarer played the club ace and king at tricks two and three. Then he took the club jack and played a fourth club to dummy’s queen.

Dealer: S Vul: Both

North ♠953 ♥A53 ♦942 ♣Q532

West ♠ Q J 10 8 ♥ 10 9 7 2 ♦K3 ♣864

East ♠7642 ♥J86 ♦Q765 ♣ 10 9 South ♠AK ♥KQ4 ♦ A J 10 8 ♣AKJ7

South 2♣ 3 NT

West Pass Pass

North 2♦ 6 NT

Next he led a diamond to his jack and West’s king. He won the spade return and crossed back to dummy by leading to the heart ace. This was the entry to dummy to Opening Lead: ♠Q run the diamond nine, and he could remain in dummy for the third diamond finesse. In the end, declarer took two spades, three hearts, three diamonds and four clubs.

East Pass All pass

As an aside, note the effect of West ducking the first diamond. Wouldn’t declarer now have considered crossing to dummy to repeat the diamond finesse? When West produced the king and diamonds broke 4-2 South would have had a cardiac arrest. (For the record, declarer could lead a low diamond from hand after the first finesse succeeds, planning a later finesse – but that might lose out if West had ducked from an original holding of kingthird or king-fourth.) BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠953 ♥A53 ♦942 ♣Q532 South 1 NT ?

West Pass Pass

North 1♣ 2 NT

East Pass Pass

ANSWER: It feels right to reject the gametry – you are at the very minimum of your one no-trump response. The only question is whether to retreat to three clubs, and I say no. Your partner’s auction is entirely consistent with a balanced 18-count, with only three clubs. (Switch your minors, and had partner opened one diamond, then reverting to three diamonds with four-card support would be far more attractive).

The Aces on Bridge: Wednesday, July 1st, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on July 15th, 2015 “‘Which road do I take?’ Alice asked. ‘Where do you want to go?’ responded the Cheshire Cat. ‘I don’t know,’ Alice answered. ‘Then,’ said the Cat, ‘it doesn’t matter.’” — Lewis Carroll

In today’s deal, after his partner shows a balanced 12-14 at his second turn, South’s two club rebid is known as “New Minor Forcing”. It is the equivalent of delayed Stayman, showing at least invitational values, and asks opener to introduce an unbid major or to show three-card support for responder. On the sequence shown, North reveals three-card spade support, making it easy for South to select the spade game. West leads the club king against four spades. Rightly or wrongly, you elect to duck the trick and win the club queen continuation. Meanwhile, East plays high-low, consistent with jack-third of clubs or a doubleton. What should you do next, after cashing the heart ace?

Dealer: N Vul: None

North ♠932 ♥KQJ ♦AQJ4 ♣852

West ♠K4 ♥85432 ♦ 10 6 ♣ K Q J 10

East ♠765 ♥ 10 9 7 6 ♦K983 ♣96 South ♠ A Q J 10 8 ♥A ♦752 ♣A743

South

West

1♠ 2♣ 4♠

Pass Pass All pass

North 1♦ 1 NT 2♠

East Pass Pass Pass

If you take the diamond finesse and it loses, you may well find the defenders cashing a club, after which you will Opening Lead: ♣K need the spade finesse to succeed. Alternatively, you can rise with the diamond ace, and take two discards on the heart winners. If so, which discards should you make from your hand? If you discard your club losers, then take the spade finesse, or even play the spade ace and another spade, you might lose out to a diamond ruff. A far safer line is to pitch your diamonds on the top hearts. After disposing of your diamonds, simply play a third club, and ruff the fourth club with dummy’s spade nine. You give up a trick to the spade king, directly or indirectly, but have the rest. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠932 ♥KQJ ♦AQJ4 ♣852 South 1♦ ?

West Pass

North 1♥

East Pass

ANSWER: In this column I frequently offer the sacrilegious advice that opener should be both able and willing to raise responder with just three trump. This hand is on the cusp of what is an acceptable hand for a raise. With such a balanced shape, but no stopper in either black suit, I can see both sides of the coin. I would bid one no-trump with as little as jack-third in either black-suit. Here I raise, but I’m conflicted…

The Aces on Bridge: Thursday, July 2nd, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on July 16th, 2015 “Awaiting the sensation of a short, sharp shock, From a cheap and chippy chopper on a big black block.” — W. S. Gilbert

In today’s deal from the finals of the US trials Paul Soloway declared three no-trump at one of the critical tables. A diamond was led, and when East won the club ace he returned a diamond, letting through 10 tricks. In the other room (on the auction shown) David Berkowitz followed an invitational sequence facing a mini no-trump, and Larry Cohen drove to game. He had eight quick tricks on a diamond lead, but the clubs had to produce a ninth. He correctly won the opening lead and attacked clubs at once. Even if the club ace was on his right there was always the hope that the defense would not know what to do next. When Eric Rodwell took the club ace, all he knew was that his partner had a singleton club, so he was able to reconstruct that declarer had the club king-jack and diamond queen.

Dealer: S Vul: E-W

North ♠AKQJ42 ♥763 ♦7 ♣Q43

West ♠863 ♥ A 10 8 5 ♦ K 10 6 5 2 ♣7

East ♠5 ♥KJ9 ♦J93 ♣ A 10 9 6 5 2 South ♠ 10 9 7 ♥Q42 ♦AQ84 ♣KJ8

South 1 NT* 2♦ 3 NT

West Pass Pass All pass

North 2♣ 2 ♠**

East Pass Pass

*10-12 **Invitational, five-plus spades

Since the likelihood was that he had a second top Opening Lead: ♦5 diamond, there was no room for declarer to have the heart ace, so his shifting to the heart jack gave the defense two chances. At the table, Cohen ducked the jack, so it was easy for East to continue hearts and cash out the suit. But had the trick gone to the heart queen and ace, Jeff Meckstroth would have returned a high heart from a remaining holding of three small, and a low heart from a remaining holding of 10xx. If a high heart had come back, Rodwell would have reverted to diamonds and hoped for better luck there. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠AKQJ42 ♥763 ♦7 ♣Q43 South 1♠ ?

West Pass

North 2♣

East Pass

ANSWER: I can offer two approaches here, depending on whether you play two over one as game forcing or not. If you do, this hand is a minimum (though some would say sub-minimum) for a jump to three spades, which simply shows a semi-solid or better spade suit. I’d take that action because of the club fit. If two clubs is not forcing to game, simply rebid two spades.

The Aces on Bridge: Friday, July 3rd, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on July 17th, 2015 “Out of the crooked timber of humanity no Straight thing can ever be made.” — Immanuel Kant

Today’s deal offers a choice of lines in six hearts. After a top diamond lead, it is easy to count to 11 tricks, but where does the possible spade loser go? One possibility is to draw two rounds of trump and then play on spades. This works if spades are 3-3 or the hand with two hearts has two or fewer spades. This line of play comes in at about a two-thirds chance. A better line is for declarer to win the diamond lead and play back a diamond. West wins and plays a trump, won in hand. Now comes a club to the ace, a diamond ruff high, a club to the king, and a club ruff high. Now you play two rounds of trumps. If they break, ruff a club with your last trump, cross to the spade queen, and draw the last trump, pitching a spade from your hand. You can take the last two tricks with the ace and king of spades.

Dealer: N Vul: E-W

North ♠Q84 ♥QJ5 ♦632 ♣AK95

West ♠J976 ♥74 ♦KQJ9 ♣ 10 4 3

East ♠ 10 3 ♥862 ♦ 10 8 5 4 ♣QJ86 South ♠AK52 ♥ A K 10 9 3 ♦A7 ♣72

South

West

1♥ 2♠ 3♠ 4♦ 6♥

Pass Pass Pass Pass All pass

North 1♣ 1 NT 3♥ 4♣ 5♣

East Pass Pass Pass Pass Pass

However, at trick eight when you draw a second round of Opening Lead: ♦K trumps, if you find them to be 4-1 all is not lost. You can still recover when trumps do not break, but one defender has four trumps and three or more spades. In the five-card ending you can cash your three spade winners and crossruff the last two tricks. This line comes in at close to an 80 percent chance. As East may sympathetically point out to his partner, the lead of any suit but diamonds would defeat the slam! BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: Despite the quality of your diamonds, you do not wish to emphasize them again. Your partner sounds like he is angling for game, and with your spade stopper and minimum you can get your hand off your chest in one go with a call of two notrump. Let partner take it from there.

South Holds: ♠J976 ♥74 ♦KQJ9 ♣ 10 4 3 South

West

2♦ ?

Pass

North 1♦ 2♥

East 1♠ Pass

The Aces on Bridge: Saturday, July 4th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on July 18th, 2015 “The artist never entirely knows. We guess. We may be wrong, but we take leap after leap in the dark.” — Agnes De Mille

This was my favorite deal from the Birmingham Nationals, when New York expert Mel Colchamiro cornered me on my way to the elevator and gave me a beautiful hand. Beware; it’s far harder than it looks, even though it is far from complicated. Without going into too many details as to the auction — we would not want to embarrass any guilty parties — consider the play in six spades. Best defense is obviously to lead two rounds of clubs, but your generous opponents play a top club and shift to diamonds. Obviously they believe you might bid a slam off two aces; it is up to you to punish them for such an insult.

Dealer: N Vul: E-W

West ♠982 ♥75 ♦ Q 10 8 4 ♣ A 10 9 2

North ♠J73 ♥AJ986432 ♦7 ♣4 East ♠6 ♥ Q 10 ♦KJ953 ♣KJ653 South ♠ A K Q 10 5 4 ♥K ♦A62 ♣Q87

South

West

3♠ 6♠

Pass All pass

North 3♥ 4 ♣*

East Pass Pass

The natural thing to do is to cash the spade ace and the *Cuebid agreeing spades heart king. Then you lead the spade 10 from hand. If West discards, you need the heart queen to fall. If West follows, Opening Lead: ♣A you must guess immediately whether trumps are splitting or whether hearts behave. That looks pretty good, but it is far from best. The winning line is to overtake the heart king with the ace at trick three and ruff a heart high. If that suit splits or if the heart queen is bare, you have no problem in drawing trump, ending in dummy. If hearts do not behave, you need 2-2 spades — it’s as simple as that. On this occasion hearts split and spades did not — so if you play spades first, you had better guess very well! BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠6 ♥ Q 10 ♦KJ953 ♣KJ653 South ?

West Pass

North Pass

East 1♥

ANSWER: You could tempt me into perpetrating an unusual no-trump if nonvulnerable, because my secondary honors in both minors encourage action. Vulnerable, I would pass, intending to stay silent unless the auction times out to let me back in conveniently. I like to keep my two-suited bids up to strength, and this one doesn’t quite qualify for immediate action.

The Aces on Bridge: Sunday, July 5th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on July 19th, 2015

Dear Mr. Wolff:

Dear Mr. Wolff:

I am relatively inexperienced, and tend only to play rubber bridge, but I am starting to play duplicate. In your column I saw a response of two diamonds to one no-trump to show hearts. Is this part of Standard American?

I’m trying to improve my defense, and move from an entirely attitude-based system of signaling. How often does the expert player consider suit preference in his carding on defense?

— Innovator, Boise, Idaho

— Lost Horizon, Grenada, Miss.

ANSWER: The two-diamond response is a Jacoby transfer, showing hearts. Opener is obligated to complete the transfer, even with only a doubleton. My readers could reasonably ask me why this was obvious. The simple answer is that most people learning bridge are now being taught transfers, and most intermediate players know of transfers even if they do not play them. Where I have space I try to put in the apprpriate footnote.

ANSWER: Not every deal is played out, because of claims and concessions. On those that go the distance, an issue of suitpreference (SP) is relevant at least half the time, though a trick may not necessarily be at stake, of course. SP tends to arise on the later round of a suit, or in the discards. Since attitude signals come up on every deal, being able to signal attitude correctly is the priority. Knowing when to signal count or SP is far more challenging – but truly worth the effort.

Dear Mr. Wolff:

Dear Mr. Wolff:

You recently ran a deal where an expert threw his opponent in to cash some winners — thereby squeezing his own partner. Do you think that non-experts should always assume that experts play relatively accurately and that lesser mortals would do well to avoid any “Greek gifts”?

Today I am going to play bridge for the first time in over 40 years. I used to enjoy the game tremendously during my service years. But after I got out, I never located a bridge club, and eventually gave up looking. I tried teaching my friends, but most didn’t have any interest. What kind of advice would you have for someone like me?

— Trojan Horse, Bremerton, Wash. ANSWER: Experts are more than fallible too. They can forget to draw trump or simply mis-estimate the chances of an adverse ruff. By contrast if they deliberately throw you in to cash your winners, you can assume that they have probably worked out the consequences. That does not mean it is always wrong to take the winners, of course. But you would certainly be entitled to check the gift horse’s teeth. Dear Mr. Wolff: Holding: ♠ K-Q-6-4, ♥ Q-J, ♦ 10-6-3-2, ♣ A10-3 how do you feel about the merits of opening in fourth seat – and what call would you select? Would you bid your minor or bid the major to shut out the hearts? — Red Flags, Charleston, S.C. ANSWER: I would not pass, but much depends on your partnership style. I think the ‘right’ opening bid at Pairs is one spade, cutting out the opponents’ hearts and trying to steal the board. But if your partner is never going to play you for a four-card major, I might consider either opening one club for the lead instead of one diamond. Switch the majors and pass is more appealing, since the opponents appear to have the spades.

— Broadway Danny Rose, The Bronx, N.Y. ANSWER: By the time you read this you will already have played, but I’ll pass on my thoughts anyway. Bidding has changed a lot. It is much more about having trump fit than having high cards. Get in fast while you can! The play of the cards won’t have changed at all. So maybe take a quick look at one of the books on modern bridge – Larry Cohen might be a good place to start. I’ll suggest a few other authors if you get back to me, and we can talk some more.

The Aces on Bridge: Monday, July 6th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on July 20th, 2015 “No great improvements in the lot of mankind are possible, until a great change takes place in the fundamental constitution of their modes of thought.” — John Stuart Mill

It is always irritating (or worse) to go down in a voluntarily bid contract of five of a major. How would you apportion the blame on this outing? South was playing a simple style where his jump to three spades did no more than set up a game force while showing extras. Thereafter everybody cuebid until North applied the brakes, and the auction came to a grinding halt. When West was dealt a heart sequence to lead, South tempted fate on the sight of dummy by commenting that he had been in worse slams. After winning the lead in hand, he cashed the spade queen and ace to discover the bad break. A third top trump was followed by a losing club finesse, and East thoughtfully returned a diamond to the seven, king and ace. Attempting to obtain a discard for his losing diamond, South played on clubs, but West ruffed the third round and the defenders had a diamond winner to cash for the setting trick.

Dealer: S Vul: N-S

North ♠Q3 ♥7642 ♦ A 10 4 ♣AK82

West ♠J965 ♥ Q J 10 9 ♦K85 ♣75

East ♠2 ♥853 ♦Q9632 ♣Q643 South ♠ A K 10 8 7 4 ♥AK ♦J7 ♣ J 10 9

South 1♠ 3♠ 4♥ 5♥

West Pass Pass Pass Pass

North 2♣ 4♦ 5♣ 5♠

East Pass Pass Pass All pass

Opening Lead: ♥Q

How should South have dealt with the hand? He should win the lead in hand and take one top club. Then after the three top spades have left the defenders with a master trump, he would have been far better advised to play off the club king and a third club. Unless West has started with only a singleton club, dummy’s eight is established and South’s losing diamond goes away, while West is ruffing with his sure trump trick. And if West could ruff in prematurely, the club loser would go away. LEAD WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠ Q 10 5 4 ♥K5 ♦ 10 7 3 ♣Q862 South All pass

West 1♦

North 1♥

East 1 NT

ANSWER: I’m torn between leading a low spade and starting with the heart king. My choice depends partly on my knowledge if any of the style of my partner and my RHO. The sounder my partner is (or the friskier my RHO might be) the more attractive a heart becomes. Leading a heart has the big plus that it keeps my partner happy — so I’ll go along with that, despite my obvious misgivings.

The Aces on Bridge: Tuesday, July 7th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on July 21st, 2015 “If you were happy every day of your life you wouldn’t be a human being, you’d be a game show host.” — Gabriel Heatter

Today’s instructive deal comes from the 2010 match between the Houses of Lords and Commons in England took place just 10 weeks after the 2009 event. With an election looming and several MPs retiring it seemed a good idea to stage it early. This year’s event ended in a comfortable victory for the House of Lords. Consider the deal first of all as a declarer-play problem: how would you play on the lead of the diamond jack lead? I wish I could report on the brilliance of the politicians’ play but they all just played it the way one would expect a regular club player to tackle the hand. The diamond jack was covered by the king and ace, the switch to the spade jack went to the queen and king, and a spade continuation was won by declarer. In due course declarer drew trump and lost another spade and a club for down one.

Dealer: S Vul: N-S

North ♠743 ♥KJ952 ♦KQ5 ♣Q4

West ♠K82 ♥86 ♦ J 10 9 8 ♣ 10 7 5 2

East ♠ J 10 9 ♥4 ♦A7642 ♣A963 South ♠AQ65 ♥ A Q 10 7 3 ♦3 ♣KJ8

South 1♥ 4♥

West Pass All pass

North 3♥

East Pass

Opening Lead: ♦J

As is so often the case, declarer’s (admittedly pardonable) error came at trick one. By covering the diamond jack, he allowed the defense to succeed. Suppose instead that South breaks all the rules and plays low from dummy at trick one. If East wins his ace anyway, there are now two spade discards available, so declarer will lose just one trick in each side-suit. When East plays low on the first diamond, West cannot lead spades himself. Say he continues with another diamond. Declarer ruffs, draw trump and plays a club, establishing a winner on which to discard one of dummy’s spades. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠ J 10 9 ♥4 ♦A7642 ♣A963 South ?

West 1♦

North Dbl.

East Pass

ANSWER: This is not the right hand on which to pass for penalties, so the real choice seems to be whether to bid two clubs or whether to respond one no-trump — and yes I suppose a choice of one spade is not entirely from out of left field… or maybe it is? Be that as it may, I’ll opt for bidding my long suit with a call of two clubs; I’d need a fifth club to jump to three clubs here.

The Aces on Bridge: Wednesday, July 8th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on July 22nd, 2015 “Suspicion is the companion of mean souls, and the bane of good society.” — Tomas Paine

Both declarers on this deal from a head-to-head match play were awake enough to put the opening leader under maximum pressure. One of them brought home his contract, one of the defenders looked a little deeper and saw through the ruse. At both tables South opened one club, West overcalled one spade, and both Norths raised clubs. One made a limit raise to three clubs, one cuebid to show a limit raise or better. Both Souths tried the no-trump game, and when West led the spade king to the two and four, South contributed the jack.

Dealer: S Vul: N-S

North ♠862 ♥ 10 5 4 ♦K5 ♣ A J 10 7 3

West ♠ K Q 10 9 5 ♥KQ3 ♦9762 ♣2

East ♠43 ♥J987 ♦ 10 8 4 3 ♣K85 South ♠AJ7 ♥A62 ♦AQJ ♣Q964

South 1♣ 3 NT

West 1♠ All pass

North 2♠

Can you see the logic here? If the club finesse is working, the deal is all about overtricks. But if the finesse is wrong, Opening Lead: ♠K then winning the first trick with the ace may leave the defenders able to cash out spades; while if South ducks at trick one, by playing the seven, then a heart switch may pose a new and equally dangerous threat.

East Pass

When declarer dropped the jack on the first trick, it looked to West as though South had started with the doubleton spade acejack, and one West was indeed tempted to continue the suit at trick two. But now after winning the second spade, declarer could take the club finesse in complete safety. The other West thought about his partner’s spot-card and asked himself why, if South held the doubleton ace-jack, East had played the four from a holding of 7-4-3. Coming to the right conclusion, he switched to the heart king to defeat the contract. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠862 ♥ 10 5 4 ♦K5 ♣ A J 10 7 3 South ?

West

North 1 NT

East Pass

ANSWER: If you play a two notrump call as natural here, it wouldn’t be totally wrong to make that bid. But in my view this hand represents a raise to three notrump, not an invitation. Yes it is technically only an eightcount, but your intermediates in your long suit and the likely side-entry mean that game rates to have excellent play, so long as the opponents cannot run a side-suit.

The Aces on Bridge: Thursday, July 9th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on July 23rd, 2015 “Mathematics doesn’t care about those beyond the numbers.” — Dejan Stojanovic

Never be satisfied when you find that your contract hinges on a finesse. It is always worthwhile investigating additional chances. Here an exchange of cuebids saw South at his final turn show a club control and also a heart control (the suit his partner had bypassed to deny a control there). Well bid, but when West led the heart nine, won by South with the ace, the slam appeared to depend on the diamond queen being onside. However, South saw an extra chance – that of an elimination and throw-in. With this in mind declarer cashed the trump king then played a club to the ace and ruffed a club. A second trump to the ace saw the good news of the 2-2 break. Then declarer pitched a heart on the club king, and dummy’s last club, ruffed in hand, took care of the last two clubs.

Dealer: N Vul: E-W

North ♠A876 ♥43 ♦A52 ♣AK32

West ♠ 10 2 ♥97 ♦ Q 10 8 7 6 ♣ 10 9 8 6

East ♠94 ♥ K Q J 10 8 6 ♦4 ♣QJ75 South ♠KQJ53 ♥A52 ♦KJ93 ♣4

South

West

3♠ 4♦ 5♣

Pass Pass Pass

North 1 NT 4♣ 4♠ 6♠

East 2♥ Pass Pass All pass

Opening Lead: ♥9 Placing East with six hearts for his overcall, South did the math to count out the rest of his shape. Since East had shown up with six cards in the black suits, he therefore could only hold a singleton diamond. A diamond to dummy’s ace stripped East down to just hearts, and declarer next got off lead with a heart. If West won, he would be forced either to play a diamond round into declarer’s tenace, or to give a ruff and discard, on which the diamond loser would depart. And if East won, he would have to play hearts and concede the 12th trick. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠KQJ53 ♥A52 ♦KJ93 ♣4 South ?

West

North

East 1♣

ANSWER: You have a nice hand, but one that is not quite strong enough to double then bid spades. A better approach with hands like these is to overcall one spade, expecting to get a second chance to bid your second suit or double for take-out. You rarely miss game by doing this: partner raises spades when he can, or bids his own suit if he has any values. If he doesn’t, you surely haven’t missed anything.

The Aces on Bridge: Friday, July 10th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on July 24th, 2015 “Our greatest fear should not be of failure… but of succeeding at things in life that don’t really matter.” — Francis Chan

Today’s comes from the rubber bridge table and features the enterprising if slightly optimistic bidding that one generally encounters in that environment. Perhaps North was wrong to redouble six clubs, since if he had passed South might have contemplated converting to six diamonds, offering a choice between six hearts and six no-trump, both of which would have been successful on the actual lie of the cards. In the event, declarer mistimed the play in six clubs, but West’s four-card trump holding was not necessarily going to be fatal so long as he held a decent ration of red-suit cards. In this type of situation it is important to envisage the end-position, assuming the 4-0 trump break. One needs to force West to split his trump honors, then strip off all the plain cards and force him to lead into your remaining trump tenace.

Dealer: S Vul: None

North ♠— ♥AKJ943 ♦ A 10 5 4 ♣K65

West ♠QJ83 ♥ 10 7 6 5 ♦3 ♣ Q J 10 2

East ♠ 10 7 6 5 2 ♥82 ♦KJ9876 ♣— South ♠AK94 ♥Q ♦Q2 ♣A98743

South 1♣ 1♠ 3♣ 4♠ Pass

West Pass Pass Pass Dbl. Dbl.

North 1♥ 2♦ 4♣ 6♣ Rdbl.

East Pass Pass Pass Pass All pass

Opening Lead: ♦3 Look at the play on a diamond lead. Declarer wins the ace, crosses to the heart queen and plays a club. West must contribute the 10 and dummy wins the king. Now a top heart discarding a diamond, and a heart ruff, is followed by two top spades. A spade ruff is followed by another heart ruff (safe given East’s discard a round ago) and another spade ruff. After four spades, four hearts, and one trick in each minor, declarer has A-9-8 of clubs and West has Q-J-2. Declarer leads out the trump eight and West can win with the jack but is endplayed at trick 12. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠— ♥AKJ943 ♦ A 10 5 4 ♣K65 South 1♥ ?

West Pass

North 1♠

East Pass

ANSWER: The general rule on 6-4 hands, even those in the minimum range, is that you bid the four-card suit at your second turn, so long as you can do so efficiently, without making a reverse. The rare exceptions come when all your strength is in the six-carder and the four-card suit is weak. That certainly isn’t so here. So bid two diamonds now.

The Aces on Bridge: Saturday, July 11th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on July 25th, 2015 “Success is simple. Do what’s right, the right way, at the right time.” — Arnold Glasgow

In today’s deal as South after an optimistic auction to four hearts you receive the lead of the diamond nine. It looks right to win in dummy with the king and lead a spade toward your hand. When East plays low without a flicker, it seems logical to put in the jack, losing to the queen. The heart four comes back; you play low from dummy and win cheaply in hand when East plays the three. Now you advance the spade king. When West plays low, you discard a diamond from dummy, and your spade king holds. Things are looking up; but take care… You must next lead a low spade from hand, and when West covers with the eight, pitch dummy’s losing diamond, rather than ruffing in. If spades split 4-3 you may have surrendered an overtrick, but should lose no more than one further trump trick.

Dealer: S Vul: Both

North ♠7 ♥AJ87 ♦KJ82 ♣ Q 10 8 6

West ♠AQ983 ♥4 ♦95 ♣A7432

East ♠42 ♥Q93 ♦ Q 10 7 3 ♣KJ95 South ♠ K J 10 6 5 ♥ K 10 6 5 2 ♦A64 ♣—

South 1♠ 2♥ 4♥

West Pass Pass All pass

North 1 NT 3♥

East Pass Pass

Opening Lead: ♦9

However, when the 5-2 spade break comes to light, it complicates matters. It can do West no good to play a spade, to set the suit up for you. Instead, West reverts to diamonds, and dummy’s jack is covered by the queen. You take the ace, then ruff a diamond as West discards a club. Now you ruff a club to hand, and ruff a spade with the heart ace. Another club ruff to hand sees you ruff your last spade with the heart jack. East can overruff and return his last diamond, but you ruff with the six and draw his last trump at trick 13 with your heart king. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠7 ♥AJ87 ♦KJ82 ♣ Q 10 8 6 South 1 NT ?

West 1♣ 2♣

North 1♠ 2♦

East Pass Pass

ANSWER: You are of course far too good to consider passing. Your real choice is whether to make a simple raise of diamonds, or to cuebid three clubs to suggest a better hand than the raise. This would be my choice because I have so few honors in clubs; facing a 5-5 hand type, my collection should produce a surprising number of tricks for my partner.

The Aces on Bridge: Sunday, July 12th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on July 26th, 2015

Dear Mr. Wolff:

Dear Mr. Wolff:

I frequently find it hard to judge how far to compete with a little extra shape (or high cards). For example, holding: ♠ 9-4, ♥ J-108-7-2, ♦ Q-10-6-4, ♣ K-3 you hear partner open one diamond. You respond heart and when LHO doubles, partner raises to two hearts and RHO bids two spades. Would you bid three hearts at any or all vulnerabilities?

In your Sunday column with ♠ A-7-3-2, ♥ A5-3, ♦ Q-9-5, ♣ A-4-2 after opening one club and hearing partner respond one heart, you wrote that you prefer a rebid of one notrump. I have been taught that you should not pass up a four-card major at the one level because your partner will assume you do not have it and you will miss a 4-4 major fit. Have I been told wrong?

— Jumping Jack, Cedar Rapids, Iowa

— Gil by Association, Panama City, Fla.

ANSWER: At all forms of scoring and vulnerability I would surely bid three hearts – the secondary fit means I can’t be seriously damaged in my contract. I think even if my minors were switched I would raise to three hearts, expecting to have nine trumps between us (or to be facing three decent hearts with some side shape). This sort of hand emphasizes that there is some merit to support doubles so that partner’s raise guarantees four trumps.

ANSWER: I think that with this precise pattern you have discretion as to whether to bid spades or rebid one no-trump (a heart raise with this shape would be rare). With 43-2-4 or 4-2-3-4 shape I would normally rebid one spade, I agree. Here, though, the quality of my spades and my minors will influence whether I want to risk losing the spades or not.

Dear Mr. Wolff:

Holding: ♠ 8-6-2, ♥ A-Q-J, ♦ A-K-9-7-4, ♣ Q10 I heard my RHO open one club. Could you weigh up the choices for me — I assume pass is not one of them between a double, or a call of either one diamond, or one no-trump.

What convention(s) do you suggest for competing over enemy strong 1 NT opening bids? I’m trying to find the optimum combination of preempting the opponents and not going beyond our own safety level. — The Dark Knight, Augusta, Ga. ANSWER: Of the simple defenses, Landy works fine by me, but in the last decade Meckwell and Woolsey have gained a lot of traction. Both methods let you bid on a lot of hands, which is the real aim of any convention while giving up the penalty double. A good discussion can be found here, along with how to counter the opponents’ intervention. Dear Mr. Wolff: What rules would you impose on the appropriate shapes for opening a strong notrump when within the high-card constraints? For example with: ♠ K-9-6-4, ♥ A-Q, ♦ A-J, ♣ Q-7-4-3-2 would you open one no-trump to protect the redsuit holdings, or would you bid one club? — Gub-Gub, Grand Forks, N.D. ANSWER: I avoid opening one no-trump with a 5-4 pattern and a four- or five-card spade suit, since either way I have an easy rebid. I admit today’s hand is very close to the exception that proves the rule. With 5-4 shape I open my long suit unless I have a minimum for the call with five of a minor, plus a four-card red suit. With any 17count I prefer to reverse, or open a five-card major if I have one.

Dear Mr. Wolff:

— R2-D2, Saint John, New Brunswick ANSWER: You must bid, and there are merits to all the three actions you describe. One diamond gets your long suit in but it makes it harder to show your extras. Double gets most of the values across but I’d rather have at least one four-card major. One notrump is not so risky and you can always run to two diamonds I suppose, if doubled. Additionally, it does show your range nicely, so it gets my vote. They often don’t lead clubs when they should, on this auction.

The Aces on Bridge: Monday, July 13th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on July 27th, 2015 “Fate is never fair. You are caught in a current much stronger than you are; struggle against it and you’ll drown not just yourself but those who try to save you. Swim with it, and you’ll survive.” — Cassandra Clare

In today’s deal you do well to reach a spade game rather than opting to play no-trump, since on a heart lead there are only eight tricks at no-trump. Against your contract of four spades you are not upset to see a small club lead — until dummy comes down, and you realize the danger of a ruff. West’s club two goes to East’s ace, and he returns the club queen. Plan the play. It looks entirely natural to put up play the club king, but you can work out what will happen. West will ruff your club king away, and will not find it difficult to switch to a heart at trick three.After drawing trump you will have to give up a club trick to East, who will cash his heart winner, and you will go one down.

Dealer: W Vul: Both

North ♠ K 10 9 5 ♥ 10 3 ♦AK ♣97643

West ♠73 ♥Q8765 ♦ 10 8 5 3 2 ♣2

East ♠64 ♥KJ42 ♦QJ6 ♣ A Q J 10 South ♠AQJ82 ♥A9 ♦974 ♣K85

South 1♠ 4♠

West Pass Pass All pass

North Pass 2♣

East 1♣ Pass

Opening Lead: ♣2 Is there anything you can do to avoid your fate? Yes there is. Try the effect of ducking the club queen at trick two. If East continues with another club, as he surely will, West gets his ruff and shifts to a heart as before. But the timing is different: you win the heart and draw trump ending in dummy. Then you have time to ruff out the clubs in order to set up a long club for a heart discard. Ducking the club saves you a tempo in establishing the suit. If the defenders do not take their club ruff at trick three but shift to hearts, you will even end up with an overtrick. LEAD WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠962 ♥Q64 ♦J942 ♣Q95 South

West

North

Pass All pass

3♠

Pass

East 1♠ 6♠

ANSWER: With a potential stopper in each side-suit, you have reasonable hopes that if declarer has a second suit, it won’t run and if does you probably won’t beat the slam! That being said, leading from any honor might well give up your side’s trick in the suit. So even though passive leads are not nearly as effective against small slams as grand slams, I would lead a trump here.

The Aces on Bridge: Tuesday, July 14th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on July 28th, 2015 “A sight to make an old man young.” — Lord Tennyson

Before you touch a card here in the contract of three notrump, on a top spade lead, focus just on the North and South cards, and ask yourself just how good your chances of making the contract are. A simple answer would be that if you quite reasonably assume the opponents’ spades to be 6-3, they are threatening to set up then cash out that suit. To come to nine tricks you could play on diamonds — a 50 percent chance — or you could play on clubs, which seems to work when that suit breaks, or when the diamond finesse succeeds, should clubs not break. Many players would win the spade lead and play to the club queen, then advance the club jack from dummy. West wins the trick and clears spades, leaving you the diamond finesse as your last chance. Bzzt! Bad luck, but we have some lovely parting gifts for you.

Dealer: S Vul: Both

North ♠74 ♥9752 ♦AJ62 ♣QJ4

West ♠ Q J 10 8 5 3 ♥4 ♦84 ♣ A 10 8 2

East ♠962 ♥ Q J 10 8 6 3 ♦K95 ♣9 South ♠AK ♥AK ♦ Q 10 7 3 ♣K7653

South 1♣ 2 NT

West 2♠ Pass

North Pass 3 NT

East Pass All pass

Opening Lead: ♠Q

You can improve dramatically on that last line, after the club queen holds. Come to hand with a heart and play another club up towards the jack. It will do West no good to fly up with the ace and lose his second club stopper, so he ducks, and now you have discovered the bad club break without losing the lead. There is no need for heroics, simply play the diamond ace and another diamond, losing a trick to the king, but scoring three diamond tricks and two winners in each of the other suits. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠74 ♥9752 ♦AJ62 ♣QJ4 South ?

West

North 1 NT

East Pass

ANSWER: If facing a 15-17 notrump, I think it is clear that one should pass at any form of scoring bar teams, when vulnerable. Game does not rate to be better than 50 percent, so you surely don’t want to propel yourself too high while helping the opponents on lead. If vulnerable at teams, I could imagine bidding Stayman, but only if the red suits were switched.

The Aces on Bridge: Wednesday, July 15th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on July 29th, 2015 “Worth seeing? Yes, but not worth going to see.” — Samuel Johnson

Does the theme of today’s deal seem slightly familiar? If so, it may be because it is one of the bridge-writer’s favorites. Just to let you into a not particularly well-kept secret, not every deal that appears in this column actually happened. Spot cards are manipulated, errors concealed, and sometimes the names are concealed, to protect innocent, guilty, and whistle-blower alike. That said, plan the play in four spades as South after the lead of the heart king to your ace. If your first reaction was to draw trump to avoid accidents, you will escape the sword of Damocles two thirds of the time, and move on without realizing that you had run an unnecessary risk.

Dealer: N Vul: N-S

North ♠ 10 6 ♥A98 ♦ A K 10 8 ♣J754

West ♠3 ♥KQJ63 ♦J742 ♣ A Q 10

East ♠8754 ♥ 10 7 4 2 ♦Q96 ♣K6 South ♠AKQJ92 ♥5 ♦53 ♣9832

South

West

1♠ 4♠

2♥ All pass

North 1♦ Pass

East Pass Pass

But imagine that trumps split four-one, which they will do often enough that you need to take precautions against it. Opening Lead: ♥K If you draw all the trump and give up a club, you are forced for the first time. You ruff the heart and play a club, and the next heart leaves you without any trumps when you give up the third club. However, at trick one you should calculate you have nine tricks and need to set up a club. Best is to play a club at once. Ruff the heart return and play another club. Then ruff the third heart and play yet another club. West wins the trick and has no answer now, because the next heart can be ruffed high in dummy. So you retain control and make the contract. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠ 10 6 ♥A98 ♦ A K 10 8 ♣J754 South

West

North

East @bid:?

ANSWER: The hand offers a slightly awkward rebid whether you open one club or one diamond, if your partner responds one spade – and no, you cannot bid diamonds then clubs, as this virtually guarantees 5-4 pattern. Nonetheless I would open one diamond, bidding where I live, to make sure that my partner gets the defense right if he happens to be on lead to trick one. When in doubt, bid good suits.

The Aces on Bridge: Thursday, July 16th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on July 30th, 2015 “‘Ay, but you know we must return good for evil.’ ‘That may be a mistake in the translation.’” — Sir John Vanbrugh

At the Dyspeptics Club the play and defense frequently take second place to the repartee and insults that take place in the post mortem. The club has been considering selling ringside seats, but they fear that the language might be unsuitable for people of nervous disposition. Today’s deal was the exception to the rule that the players generally performed at something below the highest level. To start with, North used a piece of delicate modern science to get to game. His jump to three diamonds, by a hand that couldn’t act over one club, showed heart fit and a diamond suit. This makes perfect sense: you can’t have a single-suited diamond hand and not be able to act with it at your first turn, can you?

Dealer: W Vul: Both

North ♠752 ♥ 10 8 6 5 ♦AKJ4 ♣J4

West ♠AQ63 ♥7 ♦ 10 7 6 ♣AKQ97

East ♠ J 10 9 4 ♥432 ♦98532 ♣ 10 South ♠K8 ♥AKQJ9 ♦Q ♣86532

South 1♥ 4♥

West 1♣ 1♠ All pass

North Pass 3 ♦*

East Pass Pass

*Fit-jump Against South’s four hearts, West began by leading the club king and queen. It would have been easy for East to Opening Lead: ♣K sit back and wait for his partner to cash out, perhaps discarding the spade jack to clarify his holding in that suit. But the diamonds were clearly threatening to provide discards for declarer’s spades. So East ruffed the second club and shifted to spades, letting West cash out for down one. At the end of the deal East leaned forward, perhaps expecting a small acknowledgment from his partner. Instead, West smiled consolingly and told East not to worry about ruffing his winner, even if it had cost an undertrick. At that point the trouble started… BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠AQ63 ♥7 ♦ 10 7 6 ♣AKQ97 South 1♣ 1♠ ?

West Pass Pass

North 1♦ 2 NT

East Pass Pass

ANSWER: A simple one today. Over your partner’s invitational jump to two no-trump you should continue by bidding three diamonds. This is forcing and suggests precisely this distribution, and lets partner decide what game is best for your side. It is a good rule of thumb that you cannot invite facing an invitation. The only way to stay low is to pass – which of course you would not consider here.

The Aces on Bridge: Friday, July 17th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on July 31st, 2015 “A thought is often original, though you have uttered it a hundred times.” — Oliver Wendell Holmes

A solid trump fit can sometimes be overvalued at the game-level (though not at the slam-level). In a typical delicate game contract you often hope for favorable breaks – and too much strength in trumps reduces those options. In today’s deal South’s four-card support for partner would often be enough to break the transfer. However, South’s hand would have had much more potential had some of those values been outside trumps. Hence South’s decision to bid an obedient two hearts. When East aggressively balanced with two spades South upped the ante, and now over West’s three spade bid North got involved again. The appropriate odds for a vulnerable game assume that the alternative is plus 140. But here it was quite possible that the alternative might have been minus 140 (with East/ West making three spades).

Dealer: S Vul: N-S

North ♠A3 ♥ 10 9 7 6 5 ♦8732 ♣K9

West ♠J876 ♥83 ♦AJ ♣ 10 8 7 4 3

East ♠ Q 10 9 4 2 ♥42 ♦KQ64 ♣A6 South ♠K5 ♥AKQJ ♦ 10 9 5 ♣QJ52

South 1 NT 2♥ 3♥

West Pass Pass 3♠

North 2 ♦* Pass 4♥

East Pass 2♠ All pass

*Hearts Opening Lead: ♠6

Although there were four top losers in four hearts on a spade lead, declarer found a line to give the defenders a problem they didn’t solve. First, he won the spade lead in dummy, leaving the defenders in some doubt as to the location of the spade king. Then he cashed just the heart ace before playing a club to dummy’s nine and East’s ace. East accurately switched to a low diamond now, but West did not focus on the earlier club play to see the urgency of winning with the ace and returning the jack. He took his diamond jack then ace, and reverted to spades, so declarer could dispose of two of dummy’s diamonds on his clubs, and make his game. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠A3 ♥ 10 9 7 6 5 ♦8732 ♣K9 South ?

West

North 1♥

East Pass

ANSWER: It might be right to raise hearts to the two-, three- or four-level. The problem with preempting here is that with a trick and a half on the side, you may be unnecessarily going minus against nothing, when your side had a safe heart contract (it would feel very different to me were the honors in the long suits). The fifth trump persuades me to make a limit raise to three hearts, rather than a simple raise to two.

The Aces on Bridge: Saturday, July 18th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on August 1st, 2015 “Only the actions of the just Smell sweet, and blossom in their dust.” — James Shirley

Defending against four spades on this deal, East should have had dummy’s hearts completely bottled up. However, he allowed declarer to come to a vital trick in the suit. West led the heart four, and East won with the king, under which South dropped the queen. It was clear to East that his partner’s lead was a singleton so, to demonstrate his contempt for South’s feeble false-card, he cashed the heart ace and continued with a third heart. Declarer ruffed high, drew trump in two rounds ending in dummy, and cashed the heart jack, throwing a club. Next came the singleton diamond from the table and East’s diamond ace was the last trick for the defense.

Dealer: E Vul: E-W

North ♠J986 ♥ J 10 8 6 ♦2 ♣A963

West ♠42 ♥4 ♦9765 ♣KJ8752

East ♠75 ♥AK9732 ♦ A Q 10 4 ♣ 10 South ♠ A K Q 10 3 ♥Q5 ♦KJ83 ♣Q4

South

West

North

1♠ 4♠

Pass All pass

3 ♥*

East 1♥ Dbl.

*Mixed raise (6-9 points and four East should have used his knowledge of the heart position trump) to better advantage. He does have to decide at trick one whether to play his partner for precisely the doubleton Opening Lead: ♥4 spade queen or the singleton king (in which case it would be right to play for trump promotions by defending as he did). But if he plays his partner for a slow club trick, then he should lead the heart nine at trick two, not the ace. West ruffs, as expected, and taking the high heart spot as a suit preference signal, puts East in again with the diamond ace. Another low heart lead by East now forces declarer to ruff high. As East’s heart ace is still intact, South gets no discards on the hearts and has to lose a club, two hearts and a diamond. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠J986 ♥ J 10 8 6 ♦2 ♣ A 10 6 3 South 1♥ ?

West Pass Pass

North 1♣ 1♠

East Pass Pass

ANSWER: Do not make the knee-jerk reaction of passing because you are weak, and partner has not shown extra values. Here you have more than enough for the simple raise to two spades, simply suggesting four trumps and 6-10 HCP. Your ace and singleton should be working overtime; as bad hands go, this is a good one.

The Aces on Bridge: Sunday, July 19th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on August 2nd, 2015

Dear Mr. Wolff:

Dear Mr. Wolff:

Is anyone allowed to touch the dummy if the cards in dummy are put down wrong, or arranged untidily? And what are dummy’s rights, and restrictions when an infraction occurs?

Holding: ♠ Q-J-3-2, ♥ J-9-2, ♦ K-J-9-4-3, ♣ 3 I heard my partner open one heart and raised him to two hearts. (Do you agree with that decision?). When my partner bid three clubs, I thought he needed help there, so I signed off in three hearts. Any comments?

— Punky Brewster, San Francisco, Calif. ANSWER: If dummy is hard to see I tend to ask him to straighten the cards up — or if he appears unable to do that, I will ask if it is acceptable for me to do it myself. Dummy should limit himself to preventing an infraction (if declarer is about to lead from the wrong hand). So after dummy spots an infraction, he should wait till play is over, then tell the other players. However, once an infraction is agreed to have taken place, dummy should call the director if no one else has. Dear Mr. Wolff: Do you ever get tired of South and North doing all the bidding? I do! I would prefer to see more competitive auctions.

— Hip-Hop Henry, Akron, Ohio ANSWER: Most people play three clubs as a help-suit bid of some sort. Typically the most useful holding opposite is honors, but a singleton is not so bad — and the rest of your hand is about par for the course. I think I’d temporize with three diamonds and pass the buck back to my partner. Dear Mr. Wolff: Is there a standard method for the defenders to split their honors when a card is led from dummy? When declarer leads a low card and you are second to play with touching honors, which card should you play, and does it matter if you have a two- or threecard sequence?

— Nil by Mouth, Albuquerque, N.M.

— Ruling Class, Huntington, W. Va.

ANSWER: I do try to have contested auctions a fair amount of the time. Note that for bridge readers, having North, East or West declare the hand is somewhat counterintuitive and a little hard to follow. So that is why it is South who tends to have the good hand or be declarer.

ANSWER: There is by no means a universal agreement here among experts that I know of. My custom is that with a two-card sequence I play the lower card, with a threecard sequence I play the highest. It is far more important to have an agreement than precisely what that agreement is.

Dear Mr. Wolff: When I read your bridge column I often lose the nuances of the bidding. Can you recommend a book that will explain some modern bidding techniques? — Gentleman Caller, Corpus Christi, Texas ANSWER: I do sometimes forget to explain modern bidding fully enough. Space constraints and my memory may be the cause. Better Bidding with Bergen and 25 Bridge Conventions You Should Know, by Marc Smith and Barbara Seagram both cover some useful territory. But maybe read my column which appears online at bridgeblogging.com two weeks after publication, and you can ask me questions directly!

The Aces on Bridge: Monday, July 20th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on August 3rd, 2015 “History is mostly guessing; the rest is prejudice.” — Will Durant

All the deals this week come from the summer nationals last year, held in Las Vegas in July 2014. When Kit Woolsey gives you a deal he thinks might be interesting, you can assume it will offer more than most people’s challenges. So put yourself in four spades as South and see if you can match his logic.

Dealer: S Vul: Both

West ♠K ♥J972 ♦ J 10 9 8 6 ♣743

East ♠J5 ♥Q843 ♦AK52 ♣ K J 10 South ♠ A Q 10 ♥ A K 10 5 ♦Q73 ♣A62

At trick one, West leads the diamond jack to East’s king. Back comes a low trump and you have to plan the rest of the play. It might seem like a blind guess as to whether to rise with the ace or finesse the queen, but look a little more closely at the position. When you are in a bad contract, look for a set of conditions that would allow you to make. When, as here, you are in a good contract, go to the other extreme and look at what lie of the cards might defeat you – then protect against that lie.

North ♠9876432 ♥6 ♦4 ♣Q985

South 1♣ 2 NT 4♠

West Pass Pass All pass

North 1 ♥* 4 ♥*

East Pass Pass

*Transfers to spades Opening Lead: ♦J

At trick two Woolsey put up the spade ace, calculating that the contract was in danger only if East had the club king. If that were so, he could infer that East would have short spades and a full opening bid if his hand included the spade king. So if he held that hand, he would have been favorite to have acted over North’s one heart response to show spades – either by doubling, or cuebidding one spade, perhaps. Woolsey concluded that it must be right to rise with the ace – and so it proved. LEAD WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠ 10 4 2 ♥ J 10 5 ♦ K Q 10 7 3 ♣62 South

West

Pass Pass

1♠ 3 NT

North Pass Pass Pass

East 1♣ 2 NT All pass

ANSWER: The diamond suit must be your best chance to defeat the game. The normal lead from this holding is the king, but at teams you might be prepared to sacrifice overtricks to maximize your chance to set the game. If you lead a low diamond this works when partner has the doubleton ace and dummy jack-third (or declarer jackfourth). So I’d risk the low diamond lead at teams.

The Aces on Bridge: Tuesday, July 21st, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on August 4th, 2015 “When a lovely flame dies, Smoke gets in your eyes.” — Otto Harbach

When this deal arose in one of the pairs tournaments at the summer nationals at Las Vegas last summer, the reporter did not specify the names of the guilty party. As he said, interesting and amusing things happen when you take on Mr. Magoo. To start with, has he made the call he intended to? Has he sorted his hand properly? One never knows. This was a typical problem he posed his opponents. Sitting South, you seem to have a very good hand in fourth seat considering the bidding, but you trust partner, not the opponents, and bid what you think you can make. On a low diamond lead, you have your first challenge. Surely West would not underlead the diamond ace-king? You play low and East plays the king. Back comes a diamond to the ace and a third diamond establishes West’s jack.

Dealer: W Vul: N-S

North ♠KQ ♥K5 ♦Q32 ♣ K 10 9 8 7 6

West ♠64 ♥ A 10 8 4 2 ♦AJ64 ♣42

East ♠J98732 ♥73 ♦K8 ♣QJ5 South ♠ A 10 5 ♥QJ96 ♦ 10 9 7 5 ♣A3

South 3 NT

West 1♥ All pass

North 2♣

East Dbl.

Opening Lead: ♦4

Now you know the full story – you think. You cash the spade king and spade queen, then play a club to your ace and another to dummy’s king. If the clubs are not good, you play the heart king. West does best to duck, so you lead a heart to the queen, and if West ducks again, throw him in with a diamond to his jack to give you a heart trick at the end. Nine tricks duly materialize, and Mr. Magoo apologizes shamefacedly to his partner for opening his nine-point hand. “Sorry,” he says, “I thought I had three aces, not two!” BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠J98732 ♥73 ♦K8 ♣QJ5 South

West

North

East bid:?

ANSWER: No matter what the form of scoring or vulnerability, I am against preempting here. I can understand at favorable vulnerability the idea that you should roll the dice and open two spades. I can understand it but I wouldn’t do it. Personally, I’d rather open a chunky fivecard suit with some side-shape than a bad six-carder with defense on the side. Pass, so your partner can trust you the next time.

The Aces on Bridge: Wednesday, July 22nd, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on August 5th, 2015 “Remember that all tricks are either knavish or childish.” — Samuel Johnson

Consider this deal as a single-dummy problem from the Summer Nationals at Las Vegas last July. Take the South cards, and cover up the East and West cards, to put yourself in declarer’s position. After a straightforward auction, you play three no-trump on a friendly heart lead round to the jack. You elect to run the club jack, which holds, then play the club ace and repeat the club finesse. Instead of cashing the fourth club (which might squeeze your own hand) you pass the diamond jack. Finally, a finesse loses. West wins the diamond queen and shifts to the spade seven. You cover the seven with the nine and East plays the 10. Should you win or duck – and what is your overall plan?

Dealer: E Vul: None

North ♠Q96 ♥K5 ♦ J 10 7 4 ♣ K 10 9 3

West ♠K732 ♥Q984 ♦AQ ♣Q72

East ♠ J 10 8 ♥763 ♦9653 ♣654 South ♠A54 ♥ A J 10 2 ♦K82 ♣AJ8

South

West

North

1 NT

Pass

3 NT

East Pass All pass

At the table, South quite sensibly assumed from the shift Opening Lead: ♥4 to the high spade that West had weak spades and therefore that East had the spade K-10-8, with or without the jack. So declarer ducked, expecting to leave the defender with the spade king on lead. Of course he played low from hand on East’s spade continuation, sticking with his original view of the lie of the cards. Allen Hawkins, sitting West, playing with Bernie Yomtov, won his spade king to clear the spade suit, and suddenly declarer had eight tricks and no more. Declarer could cross to the heart king to cash his club, but West could pitch a heart, then get in with the diamond ace to cash his long spade. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠Q96 ♥K5 ♦ J 10 7 4 ♣ K 10 9 3 South 1 NT ?

West 1♦ 2♥

North Dbl. Pass

East 1♥ Pass

ANSWER: It feels wrong to sell out on a hand where your side rates to hold the balance of power. While at teams I might elect to defend, hoping that neither side can make much of anything, here I would double at pairs, expecting partner to bid unless he has a penalty pass. Once the opponents have bid and raised a suit, doubles are rarely penalty.

The Aces on Bridge: Thursday, July 23rd, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on August 6th, 2015 “You can be a king or a street sweeper, but everybody dances with the Grim Reaper.” — Robert Alton Harris

In today’s deal from the Summer Nationals at Las Vegas last July, Glenn Milgrim was at the helm in a very tough contract. Many pairs played spades, or got far too high, but Milgrim reached the only playable game when he pulled in a notch at his second turn, sensing the misfit, and knowing his partner did not require the earth for his first call. He won the diamond lead to play a heart to the jack and queen. Milgrim won the diamond return and cleared clubs, to put East on lead again. When East returned her low heart, Milgrim won the ace and cashed his fifth club, on which East discarded a spade. She was then endplayed with a heart to her king. Though she tried to get off play with a high spade, Milgrim ducked, and East had to concede the rest to dummy. Had East pitched her heart king on the fifth club, Milgrim would have ducked the first spade to her, and again taken the last two tricks.

Dealer: E Vul: N-S

North ♠AJ7532 ♥J32 ♦86 ♣Q2

West ♠86 ♥ 10 9 6 ♦ Q J 10 9 7 3 ♣98

East ♠ K Q 10 9 ♥KQ7 ♦54 ♣ J 10 7 6 South ♠4 ♥A854 ♦AK2 ♣AK543

South

West

North

1♣ 3 NT

3♦ All pass

3 ♥*

East Pass Pass

*Spades Opening Lead: ♦Q

There was a defense, though, when East was on lead at trick eight. After winning the fourth round of clubs, East must play the spade king instead of exiting with a heart. Declarer must win, or East can exit with her top heart. After winning the spade ace, declarer leads a low heart from dummy. East plays low, forcing declarer to win and cash the fifth club. East now discards the heart king, and suddenly West’s hand is high! BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠ K Q 10 9 ♥KQ7 ♦54 ♣ J 10 7 6 South ?

West

North Pass

East Pass

ANSWER: There are three camps here: those who pass because they don’t really have an opener, those who open one club, and those who open one spade. The last group has my whole-hearted support, since I am making life harder for my opponents, and bidding the suit I want led. Switch the black suits and I bid one club. One can carry obstruction too far.

The Aces on Bridge: Friday, July 24th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on August 7th, 2015 “I am a man more sinned against than sinning.” — William Shakespeare

In today’s deal from the Las Vegas summer nationals last summer North-South bid to three no-trump after an artificial auction, which has been simplified for the purposes of this column. Put yourself in West’s shoes: you lead the spade seven to partner’s ace. Trick two consists of the spade six, jack, queen, and the heart four from dummy. Over to you! What happened at the table was that West played a low heart, and declarer won in dummy with the heart jack and ran the heart 10. When he didn’t overtake, West ducked. Now when clubs didn’t break, declarer had no legitimate play for nine tricks. Had declarer overtaken the second heart, there is a defense (though West indicated that at the table he might well not have found it!) West would have had to duck the second heart, and now if declarer plays a third heart to set up his ninth trick, it squeezes dummy in the process.

Dealer: S Vul: N-S

North ♠4 ♥ J 10 4 ♦J975 ♣AKQ65

West ♠ Q 10 8 7 5 ♥A96 ♦Q642 ♣ 10

East ♠A63 ♥875 ♦K83 ♣J973 South ♠KJ92 ♥KQ32 ♦ A 10 ♣842

South 1 ♣* 2 NT**

West Pass Pass

*Two-plus cards **12-14 balanced, stopped

North 2♣ 3 NT

both

East Pass All pass

majors

Opening Lead: ♠7

So let’s revisit the best possible play and defense. After winning the heart jack, declarer cashes one club, overtakes the second heart and plays a third heart, pitching a club. If West has a club to play, the suit will break. If not, he must give declarer a trick from spades or diamonds. And finally: if West had worked out declarer’s pattern at trick three, could or should he have found the Deschappelles Coup of shifting to the diamond queen? This devastating play creates an entry by force to the East hand, and defeats the game. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠4 ♥ J 10 4 ♦J975 ♣AKQ65 South ?

West 3♥

North Dbl.

East Pass

ANSWER: A penalty pass might work well – but it is an action I am very reluctant to take without trump tricks. A simple jump in clubs is certainly possible, but another possible way to go would be to bid four no-trump, to show the minors. Beware: some play that as natural, and indeed I play a jump to four notrump as natural over partner’s double of a minor-suit preempt, though not of a major.

The Aces on Bridge: Saturday, July 25th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on August 8th, 2015 “Ah beautiful passionate body That never has ached with a heart.” — Algernon Swinburne

The journalist who analyzed today’s deal remarked that his side had taken a cruel beating in the second round of the Spingold Knockout Teams from Las Vegas last summer. This deal, however, was a near miss that felt especially painful. Put yourself in declarer’s shoes. After a friendly diamond lead – the 10 holding in dummy – you play a club to the jack and king. The spade nine goes to the jack and ace. You now lead a second club: 8, 9, 10, low. So where are the missing high cards? At the table declarer correctly decided that his RHO had the club ace, and since his LHO had bid with only the diamond queen and the club king, he must have the heart king. So he ran the heart queen, which was allowed to hold the trick.

Dealer: W Vul: N-S

North ♠Q52 ♥ Q J 10 6 ♦ 10 5 ♣ Q 10 7 4

West ♠94 ♥K973 ♦Q9642 ♣K9

East ♠KJ87 ♥84 ♦87 ♣A6532 South ♠ A 10 6 3 ♥A52 ♦AKJ3 ♣J8

South 1 ♣* 2 NT

West Pass 1♦ Pass

North Pass Dbl.** 3 NT

East Pass Pass All pass

*Two-plus clubs **Hearts

Opening Lead: ♦4 A diamond to the ace then the heart ace and another heart now endplayed the defenders. At that point the defenders had two tricks in, and when West played a spade, declarer should have ducked in dummy. Now if East takes his spade king, the only other trick the defenders can score is the club ace. If East ducks his spade king, declarer wins, cashes the diamond king then exits with the diamond jack. That forces West to win the diamond queen. He has a diamond winner to cash but then has to provide a stepping stone to the ninth trick in dummy in the form of the heart jack at trick 13. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠Q52 ♥ Q J 10 6 ♦ 10 5 ♣ Q 10 7 4 South 1♥ ?

West 1♦ 2♦

North Dbl. Pass

East Pass Pass

ANSWER: It feels right to compete on a hand like this, where your values lie outside diamonds, and your trump spots are so good. While clubs rates to be your best fit, I’d simply compete to two hearts, knowing partner is guaranteed to have at least three hearts. You may well be able to cope with a force by ruffing in partner’s hand.

The Aces on Bridge: Sunday, July 26th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on August 9th, 2015

Dear Mr. Wolff: Holding: ♠ K-10-4, ♥ K-10-6, ♦ J-3-2, ♣ A-Q9-2 you see your partner open one club and the next hand bid one heart. Should you head directly to the most likely goal of three no-trump or take a slow route by cuebidding and finding out what your partner has? — Roger Rabbit, Pittsburgh, Pa. ANSWER: Since you don’t have a guaranteed second heart stop, maybe the right route here is to cuebid two hearts, showing a club raise, then follow up a with a call of three no-trump. This indicates a little more doubt as to the final contract, plus it shows your support. This way you get partner involved in the final decision. Dear Mr. Wolff: Could you clarify a point of rubber bridge scoring? Is there a one hundred point bonus for a part score, or is it 50 points for the part score? Would you kindly verify the correct ruling? — Number Cruncher, Bristol, Va. ANSWER: There are two issues here — let us make sure we are not confusing apples and oranges. Playing Duplicate, the bonus for a part score is 50 points. At Chicago or in an unfinished rubber the partscore on the last hand is worth 100 rather 50 points. There is no partscore bonus in a finished rubber. Dear Mr. Wolff: I always look for your column for the good quotes, even though I don’t know how to play bridge. I liked “In small proportions we just beauties see; And in short measures, life may perfect be.” But it’s Ben Jonson, not Johnson. — By the Book, Springfield, Mass.

ANSWER: Mea culpa, mea maxima culpa. Even three ‘Hail Mary’s won’t suffice. Could I blame my editors? Probably not! (Note: Online, the column in question has been changed.) I’m a bridge writer, not an intellectual. But I’m shocked (seriously) that more people have picked up on this than my typical bridge error… Dear Mr. Wolff: I have seen the suggestion that there has been a change at the top in US bridge in terms of younger players rising up the tree. Is that true – or is there some small indication to that effect? — Kid Stuff, Orlando, Fla. ANSWER: The US had a team of worldbeating juniors 12 years ago, most of whom are in their late 30’s now. Many of them have starred in recent US International teams, so I’d say the future is brighter now than it has been for a decade or two. Whether it will translate into world titles remains to be seen. Dear Mr. Wolff: Facing a strong no-trump, if you hold: ♠ 10-3, ♥ J-9-2, ♣ K-J-9-2, ♣ K-10-8-3, would you pass, invite game, or bid three no-trump? — Range Finder, Carmel, Calif. ANSWER: One thing I would not want to do is to invite game via Stayman, which would give the opponents far too much information on our way to our final contract. If I had a simple raise to two no-trump available as invitational, I might make it at teams, if vulnerable. But at pairs I pass and hope to go plus.

The Aces on Bridge: Monday, July 27th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on August 10th, 2015 “Believe me, wise men don’t say ‘I shall live to do that’, Tomorrow, life’s too late; live today.” — Martial

Some rules are made to be broken – not on every deal, of course, but when the situation demands it. One of those rules is not to ruff your partner’s winner, but as we shall see, it may be the only route to success. In today’s deal West’s jump to three hearts was preemptive rather than a limit raise. With the stronger hand he would have cuebid rather than jumped in his partner’s suit. East was happy to defend four spades, and in any event he judged correctly that a five-level sacrifice would be too costly. The heart queen was overtaken by the ace for a shift to the diamond queen. Declarer preserved his entry to dummy by winning the ace and playing on clubs. East saw his partner’s club six, suggesting an even number, so ducked the first club to try to cut declarer’s communications. He won the second club to play the diamond 10 and set up a winner for his side.

Dealer: E Vul: E-W

North ♠984 ♥8 ♦K876 ♣ K Q J 10 2

West ♠72 ♥QJ942 ♦94 ♣9643

East ♠A3 ♥ A 10 7 6 5 ♦ Q J 10 3 ♣A7 South ♠ K Q J 10 6 5 ♥K3 ♦A52 ♣85

South

West

North

1♠ 4♠

3 ♥* All pass

3♠

East 1♥ Pass

*Preemptive Opening Lead: ♥Q

Declarer won dummy’s diamond king and tried to cash a club, on which to discard his diamond loser. East ruffed low, forcing South to overruff, and now declarer needed to renter dummy to access the clubs without giving up the lead. The only practical way to achieve his target was to ruff his heart winner in dummy. Now he led a fourth club, to neutralize East’s trump ace. That player could ruff in with his remaining trump, but South was able to discard his diamond loser and could claim the balance. LEAD WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠32 ♥ A 10 6 4 ♦J942 ♣K92 South Pass All pass

West 1♦ 1♠

North Pass Pass

East 1♥ 1 NT

ANSWER: It is easy to see that any of the four suits might work here, but my instincts are to lead up to declarer’s weakness, in other word to try to avoid giving away a trick. Either a diamond or a spade might work but I think that while a spade lead might clear up a guess, it is also the suit most likely either to be passive or to set up a winner for partner. So I would lead the spade three.

The Aces on Bridge: Tuesday, July 28th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on August 11th, 2015 “My name is Might-have-been: I am also called No-more, Too-late, Farewell.” — Dante Gabriel Rossetti

In today’s deal put yourself in East’s shoes. West leads the spade king; over to you. If you were parsimonious you could give partner an “encouraging” spade five, and then blame him afterwards for not reading this as a high spade! If he misreads the position, and cashes a second top spade, the defense is over. West may guess well to exit with a trump, but declarer simply ruffs out the diamonds to establish two discards for his losing clubs and makes 10 tricks. A helpful partner would make West’s life far easier by following with the spade queen at the first trick, promising the spade jack. The general rule about dropping an honor in these positions is that it is either shortage or a sequence solid from that card down.

Dealer: E Vul: E-W

North ♠94 ♥AQ2 ♦KJ532 ♣ 10 5 3

West ♠AK872 ♥9 ♦ A 10 9 4 ♣K87

East ♠QJ53 ♥ 10 6 5 ♦76 ♣J964 South ♠ 10 6 ♥KJ8743 ♦Q8 ♣AQ2

South

West

North

1♥ 4♥

1♠ All pass

2♠

East Pass 3♠

Opening Lead: ♠K

That will allow partner to underlead in spades on the second round, so that you can shift to a club through declarer’s club acequeen. That lets you develop four tricks before declarer sets up the diamonds for a club discard. You had better get the defense right to this one, since four spades your way only goes one down! Perhaps West might have bid on — his hand looks more suitable for offence than defense, and the only reason that the four spade contract goes down is your combined weak club spots. If East’s clubs were just a little better West might have made 10 tricks in spades – and four hearts might still be allowed to sneak home, if you don’t time the defense right. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠94 ♥AQ2 ♦KJ532 ♣ 10 5 3 South 1 NT ?

West 1♦ Pass

North 1♠ 2♣

East Pass Pass

ANSWER: This is a very tricky problem especially at matchpoints, where finding the highest scoring partscore is as important as simply going plus. I can understand passing at teams since all your cards look to be lying badly. At pairs maybe two spades is reasonable. I’m not a fan of a two no-trump call here. I have no tricks for my partner.

The Aces on Bridge: Wednesday, July 29th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on August 12th, 2015 “All seemed well pleased, all seemed but were not all.” — John Milton

When today’s deal came up in a local duplicate I led a spade to the first trick against three notrump. My opponent put in the jack and captured the queen with the king. Then he led a club to the king and ace. My partner won the trick and returned a spade. Declarer ducked the second spade, so I cleared the suit, but declarer ran his clubs and diamonds, and I claimed the last two tricks with the heart ace and a spade winner. Declarer claimed that he was a little unlucky not to make overtricks, with the heart ace offside and the spade queen poorly placed, and I had to bite my tongue to refrain commenting further. Who do you think earned my displeasure on the deal? It was hard, though perhaps not impossible for my partner to have ducked the first club. Then, even if he ducks the second club as well, declarer will surely finish with no more than eight tricks, because he has no entry to his hand any more.

Dealer: N Vul: E-W

North ♠AJ3 ♥7643 ♦AKQJ ♣ K 10

West ♠ 10 8 5 4 2 ♥AQ9 ♦ 10 8 ♣754

East ♠Q96 ♥852 ♦642 ♣A862 South ♠K7 ♥ K J 10 ♦9753 ♣QJ93

South

West

1 NT 3 NT

Pass All pass

North 1♦ 2 NT

East Pass Pass

Opening Lead: ♠4

And that brings me to my second point of the deal. At trick one declarer had nine top winners: two spades, four diamonds and three clubs. But he has only one sure entry to the clubs, in the form of the spade king. To protect that entry, South must rise with the spade ace at trick one and play the club king from dummy at once. This way nothing will stop him taking at least nine tricks. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠AJ3 ♥7643 ♦AKQJ ♣ K 10 South

West

Dbl. ?

1♥

North Pass Pass

East 1♣ 2♣

ANSWER: It might be right to pass and hope to beat this contract. But that seems unnecessarily defeatist. I would double again, hoping that even if partner is weak, we might still find him with as little as five cards in diamonds or spades (or even in hearts!) in which case we might well come home with a partscore.

The Aces on Bridge: Thursday, July 30th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on August 13th, 2015 “And she is the reader who browses the shelf and looks for new worlds but finds herself.” — Laura Salas

I am always happy to receive deals from my readers (you can email them to me or leave a comment below). Today’s deal features Marty Hirschman and Lynne Schaeffer. In an ACBL pairs game online, after a somewhat optimistic sequence Hirschman came to rest in seven hearts. (Did that six diamond call show or ask for a second round diamond control?) Hirschman won the spade lead with the ace, drew trump, then cashed two more spade winners. Because East had short hearts, Hirschman decided to lead a club to the 10. So far so good! Then he cashed the club king, the diamond ace, and took his last two trump winners. In the two-card ending he had reduced down to the diamond queen and a club, with the club ace-jack on the bard. West’s cards were irrelevant, but East could not hold both the diamond king and two clubs. He discarded his diamond king in the hope that his partner had the queen, so Hirschman could take the diamond queen and club ace on the last two tricks.

Dealer: N Vul: Both

North ♠ K J 10 ♥KQJ4 ♦A8 ♣AJ63

West ♠98542 ♥973 ♦ 10 9 5 2 ♣9

East ♠763 ♥6 ♦KJ64 ♣Q8742 South ♠AQ ♥ A 10 8 5 2 ♦Q73 ♣ K 10 5

South

West

1♥ 4♠ 5 ♥* 6 ♣** 7♥

Pass Pass Pass Pass All pass

North 1♣ 4♥ 4 NT 5 NT 6♦

East Pass Pass Pass Pass Pass

*Two of five key cards, no trump queen **Club king Opening Lead: ♠9

As an aside: without the diamond queen, how should you play? After drawing trump you should take the club king and then lead up to the club acejack. This way you pick up half the 3-3 club breaks (in that case it would be a straight guess as to who has the queen) plus whenever West has the doubleton or singleton club queen. The point is that you cannot make the hand if East has the queen and real club length. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠ K J 10 ♥KQJ4 ♦A8 ♣AJ63 South 1♣ 2 NT ?

West Pass Pass

North 1♠ 3♥

East Pass Pass

ANSWER: You have a spectacular hand for hearts, too good simply to raise to four hearts. Bid four clubs as an advance cuebid for hearts (this can’t be a club single-suiter given your previous call so it must be in support of hearts). With a good hand for spades you would bid three spades over three hearts.

The Aces on Bridge: Friday, July 31st, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on August 14th, 2015 “Life doesn’t offer charity, it offers chance.” — Amit Kalantri

In today’s deal South took a flyer at slam without any assurance of finding real trump support, but knowing from the fourth-suit call that responder had opening values. The two diamond call asks rather than tells, and sets up a game-force. After the lead of the diamond 10, declarer’s back was firmly against the wall, since he no longer had an entry to dummy. Crossing his fingers, South finessed the diamond jack. When it held, he played the diamond ace and king, discarding the ace and king of spades from hand.

Dealer: S Vul: N-S

North ♠ Q J 10 5 ♥54 ♦AKJ ♣J732

West ♠9642 ♥J ♦ Q 10 9 8 3 ♣ Q 10 8

East ♠873 ♥K832 ♦7652 ♣K6 South ♠AK ♥ A Q 10 9 7 6 ♦4 ♣A954

South

West

North

Next came dummy’s three spade winners, on which 1♥ Pass 1♠ declarer discarded his three club losers. Everything had 2♣ Pass 2♦ 3♥ Pass 4♥ passed off remarkably peacefully up till now. All that 6♥ All pass remained was to negotiate trumps for just one loser – by no means a sure thing. If trumps were 3-2 it would be a Opening Lead: ♦10 blind guess as to whether to lead to the queen or the 10. One play succeeds against jack-third to your right, one against kingthird, and there were no indications in the bidding or play as to which was more likely. And either play works against a doubleton honor in East. But if trumps were 4-1 with West having a singleton, the choice between playing the queen or 10 came down in favor of leading to the queen, since that picked up a singleton jack with West, the only relevant singleton. So declarer led a trump to the queen and lived happily ever after.

East Pass Pass Pass

BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠ Q J 10 5 ♥54 ♦AKJ ♣J532 South ?

West

North

East

ANSWER: When you have a 12-count with two four-card suits, the question is not whether to open the bidding, but with what to open. I can imagine 12-counts I would pass but this is not one of them. Yes opening one club is hardly lead-directing, and in third seat I would understand bidding one diamond – or even one spade. But in first seat it looks normal to open one club and bid the spades the next time round.

The Aces on Bridge: Saturday, August 1st, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on August 15th, 2015 “When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life.” — Samuel Johnson

Today’s deal comes from the rubber bridge table in London, and was reported by Brian Jackson, a player who thought he had seen it all. He had led a top club against six diamonds, being more hurt than surprised to see declarer ruff it. South now cashed the heart ace and trumped a heart. He then ruffed another club and another heart (Jackson discarding a club). This was followed by the spade king and ace, then a club ruff and another heart ruff, Jackson discarding a spade. In the four-card ending declarer had a losing spade in each hand, and three clubs in dummy, and A-J-9 of trumps in hand. When declarer played a club from the dummy, East (who had two hearts and a spade as well as his trump 10 left) ruffed in, hoping to promote a trump trick for West. However, South overruffed as West followed suit, then exited with a spade.

Dealer: N Vul: None

North ♠A54 ♥Q ♦K74 ♣QJ8743

West ♠J97 ♥94 ♦Q65 ♣AK652

East ♠ Q 10 8 3 ♥ K J 10 6 5 2 ♦ 10 ♣ 10 9 South ♠K62 ♥A873 ♦AJ9832 ♣—

South

West

2♦ 3♥ 6♦

Pass Pass All pass

North 1♣ 3♦ 3♠

East 1♥ Pass Pass

Opening Lead: ♣K

In the three-card ending West had to ruff and was endplayed in trumps. Contract made. But had East discarded a spade instead on the previous trick, he could have overruffed his partner on the spade exit. Now the defenders would have come to two tricks. However, it was my reporter who apologized to his partner. For when declarer played the fourth heart from his hand in the five-card ending, West should have ruffed in front of the dummy. Now in the ending he has one fewer trump and an additional spade, so would be able to discard, rather than ruff in, at trick 11, and thus escape the endplay. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠A54 ♥Q ♦K74 ♣QJ8743 South

West

North

2♣ ?

Pass

2♥

East 1♦ Pass

ANSWER: This auction is traditionally played as forcing – though whether you play change of suit forcing after a one-level overcall is down to partnership agreement. You cannot raise hearts, so the question is whether to rebid two no-trump or repeat the clubs. You have so few tricks I prefer a three-club rebid; but it is close.

The Aces on Bridge: Sunday, August 2nd, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on August 16th, 2015

Dear Mr. Wolff: I opened one club, and the next hand overcalled one spade. When the next two hands passed, should I have passed too, holding: ♠ 7-4, ♥ K-10-8-4, ♦ A-Q-2, ♣ K-J-43? I did have a minimum balanced hand, I thought.

ANSWER: Yes, one can make such a call with a minimum, and it can be made on any hand where the quality of the majorsuit is significantly better than the minor, and the hand is only worth one call. For example, I would open ace-queen fourth of spades rather than queen-fourth of clubs in an 11count, but not in a 14-count, where I plan to bid again if given the chance.

— Balancing Act, Fort Walton Beach, Fla. Dear Mr. Wolff: ANSWER: This is a tough one for intermediate players to understand. But when you play negative doubles, you should always re-open with a double when you are short in the opponents’ suit. Here you would expect partner either to have a minimum hand and no clear action – when I admit you might regret re-opening – or a penalty double of spades, when passing will not prove represent your side’s best result. Dear Mr. Wolff: Holding: ♠ 9-2, ♥ K-9-6-5-2, ♦ J-2, ♣ K-7-4-3 I heard my partner open one spade and I responded one no-trump. When my partner bid two diamonds I corrected to two spades, missing a 5-4 heart fit (my partner had a 5-44-0 shape and was trying to find a fit). Who went wrong here? — Broken Hearted, Briarcliff Manor, N.Y. ANSWER: Your partner’s responsibility here was to rebid two hearts not two diamonds, to look for the higher scoring contract. The two diamonds call is almost sure to lose any eight-card heart fit (and even, as here, a 5-4 fit). Missing a diamond fit is a ‘minor’ disaster by comparison. Dear Mr. Wolff: Do you favor opening in third or fourth seat with a four-card major? If you would, how good a suit should you have? What would be the minimum for such an action? — Robbery with Violins, Midland, Mich.

I’m embarrassed to say I don’t really understand what exactly people mean by the term ‘Two over one’? Is it part of Standard American? — Slow Learner, Boca Raton, Fla. ANSWER: The underlying concept behind ‘Two over one’ is that a two-level response to a one-level opening, if not in competition, sets up a game-forcing auction. Many people play ‘two over one’ is game forcing UNLESS responder repeats his suit. I’m happy to play either style; I think these approaches are about as common as the old-fashioned style where a two-level response does not guarantee a second bid. The former style is becoming close to standard in tournament play. Dear Mr. Wolff: Holding: ♠ Q-4-3-2, ♥ 6, ♦ K-J-7-2, ♣ A-K-9-6 I opened one club, (do you agree?) and raised a one spade response to two. What is the right way to continue over a bid of three clubs from my partner? — Enigma Machine, Danville, Ill. ANSWER: The three-club call is forcing. I think I can show the nature of my hand precisely by jumping to four hearts. Having limited my hand by my simple raise at my previous turn, my jump in a new suit is an unusual variety of splinter-bid in support of spades. We may not be able to make slam, but my partner should envisage a hand of this approximate shape and strength, and make his own arrangements.

The Aces on Bridge: Monday, August 3rd, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on August 17th, 2015 “’Tis the good reader that makes the good book.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson

This column is always eager to receive instructive deals from readers. This deal from Marty Hirschman featured the same contract being reached in both rooms; but the player who attacked with the best lead for the defense did not defeat the contract, while the defender who had the more difficult task did set the game. Hirschman at the first table did not know whether to lead clubs or diamonds against four spades, and while I admit I might well have led a club to the first trick, he did better than me. He led the spade ace, and on the sight of dummy found the killing shift to a low diamond. In essence he appreciated that the only practical way he would ever set the game now was to find partner with the doubleton diamond king. While this was unlikely, at teams one should not care too much about letting through overtricks in situations of this sort.

Dealer: N Vul: E-W

North ♠KQJ9 ♥AK743 ♦Q92 ♣3

West ♠A4 ♥J82 ♦AJ653 ♣Q97

East ♠53 ♥ Q 10 9 6 5 ♦K8 ♣ 10 8 6 5 South ♠ 10 8 7 6 2 ♥— ♦ 10 7 4 ♣AKJ42

South

West

1♠ 4♠

Pass All pass

North 1♥ 3♠

East Pass Pass

Opening Lead: ♦A

In the other room West’s choice of the diamond ace on opening lead was quite reasonable (playing partner for short diamonds is an easy – if unlikely – way to set the game). He continued with the diamond jack, covered by dummy’s queen, and East won to shift to a club. Declarer gratefully cashed the ace and king of clubs to shake dummy’s remaining diamond. Then he played a trump up, and could claim after the trump ace put in an appearance. Do you think East should have worked out to play a spade at trick three, treating the diamond jack as suit preference? I do. LEAD WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠8743 ♥K975 ♦754 ♣J5 South 3♥ Pass

West 1♦ Pass 5♣

North 1♥ Pass All pass

East 2♣ 4♣

ANSWER: It feels right to try to cash heart winners rather than go for the surprise spade lead, but having said that, you should lead the heart king rather than a small heart. Your plan is to retain the lead and shift to a spade if necessary. If declarer or dummy has the heart ace, you are unlikely to have done your side any serious harm.

The Aces on Bridge: Tuesday, August 4th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on August 18th, 2015 “Reality is easy. It’s deception that’s the hard work.” — Lauryn Hill

The following deal was composed by Fred Karpin, and contains a somewhat subtle trap. It is based on a real-life deal from the 1930s played by Richard Frey, one of the 10 original ACBL lifemasters. After South opened a 16-18 no-trump, North simply raised to game. West’s natural lead against that contract was a spade rather than a club. There is much to be said for leading the five not the three (second from four small) but West led the three. Declarer won in hand with the king and advanced a low diamond, hoping to get past West, assuming that if East won the first diamond he would surely continue spades.

Dealer: W Vul: N-S

North ♠86 ♥AQ3 ♦ J 10 7 6 3 ♣J85

West ♠ 10 5 4 3 ♥J97 ♦K8 ♣Q962

East ♠J972 ♥ 10 6 5 ♦A5 ♣A743 South ♠AKQ ♥K842 ♦Q942 ♣ K 10

South 1 NT

West Pass Pass

North Pass 3 NT

East Pass All pass

But our West was made of sterner stuff and hopped up with the diamond king and shifted to a club. Now you Opening Lead: ♠3 would expect East to win and clear clubs, setting up five winners for the defenders; but when declarer dropped the king under the ace, East rethought the position. ‘Clearly’ declarer had king-queen doubleton in clubs, so a spade continuation looked appropriate. Of course if East had trusted his partner, he would have inferred that West’s choice of the club two at trick three should have indicated that the right defense was to continue clubs, not to revert to spades. If West had started life with A-10 of spades and needed to put his partner in for the spade play, he would have shifted to the highest club spot he could afford. But declarer gave the defense the chance to err, and East took it. BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: The playing strength in the form of a five-card suit with decent intermediates makes this just worth a quantitative jump to four no-trump. If your partner doesn’t declare the hands so well, settle for the simple raise to three no-trump and be prepared to apologize for your discretion.

South Holds: ♠86 ♥AQ3 ♦ J 10 7 6 3 ♣J85 South

West

2♦ ?

Pass

North 2♣ 2 NT

East Pass Pass

The Aces on Bridge: Wednesday, August 5th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on August 19th, 2015 “Wisely and slow; they stumble that run fast.” — William Shakespeare

North could hardly believe his good fortune when he saw South open the bidding with a strong no-trump. Yet there turned out to be a sting in the tail… At any other vulnerability North might have been suspicious, but as it was, with a combined minimum of 37 HCP, North saw no point in hanging about and closed the auction with a majestic leap to seven no-trump. West led the club 10, captured with dummy’s ace. Hardly pausing for breath, South cashed dummy’s diamond ace then played a diamond to the king, being brought up short when West showed out. He could now count on only twelve tricks, but there were still other chances for a thirteenth – a 3-3 heart break or a red-suit squeeze. But when those failed to materialize, he had to settle for one down – and a disgruntled partner.

Dealer: S Vul: N-S

North ♠KQ4 ♥AQ2 ♦ A Q 10 8 3 ♣AJ

West ♠65 ♥ J 10 8 6 ♦4 ♣ 10 9 6 5 3 2

East ♠ 10 8 7 3 2 ♥53 ♦J652 ♣84 South ♠AJ9 ♥K974 ♦K97 ♣KQ7

South 1 NT

West Pass

North 7 NT

East All pass

Opening Lead: ♣5

As the only thing that can go wrong is an inconvenient diamond break, it is surely worth embarking on a voyage of discovery, to see if you can get a better feel for the distribution. Cash the diamond ace to start with – if either defender shows out, you can safely finesse for the jack. Then cash all three top hearts, followed by the clubs. Finally, take the spade ace then king. Today this will reveal West’s exact distribution as 2-4-1-6, so East is known to have started with jack-fourth of diamonds. The diamond nine can now be safely finessed, the king cashed, and the spade queen is the entry for the diamond queen. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠KQ4 ♥AQ2 ♦ A Q 10 8 3 ♣AJ South ?

West

North

East

ANSWER: With a 22-count it is possible to go high or low, that is to say by treating the hand as a balanced 20-22 or a balanced 2224. Here the quality of your honors and your chunky five-card minor, solidified by the 10 – not an irrelevant spot-card – should persuade you to go high. Open two clubs and rebid two no-trump at your next turn.

The Aces on Bridge: Thursday, August 6th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on August 20th, 2015 “You can go where you please, you can skid up the trees, But you don’t get away from the guns!” — Rudyard Kipling

Sometimes it is better to go quietly when you are outgunned. In this deal North knew his partner was short in diamonds and gambled a second double. His partner took him seriously and jumped to game with his meager two-count, and found himself in a parlous contract. Even though the opponents’ cards lay extremely well, finding the winning line in five clubs was not entirely obvious. As West holds the doubleton club ace, the heart king, and spade queen, declarer is in with a shout after West’s normal diamond lead. (Yes a spade lead lets the defenders organize a spade ruff).

Dealer: W Vul: None

North ♠AKJ3 ♥AQ4 ♦ 10 9 6 3 ♣K3

West ♠ Q 10 8 2 ♥KJ9 ♦KJ85 ♣A2

East ♠97 ♥8765 ♦AQ74 ♣ J 10 5 South ♠654 ♥ 10 3 2 ♦2 ♣Q98764

South

West 1♦ Pass All pass

North Dbl. Dbl.

Declarer ruffs the second diamond and plays a club to the Pass 5♣ king, the ducks a club on the way back. West wins his bare club ace and shifts to the heart jack. Declarer Opening Lead: ♦5 finesses the queen, cashes the heart ace and ruffs a diamond, then draws the last trump, pitching the small heart from dummy. Now declarer finesses in spades, cashes the spade ace and ruffs a diamond back to hand with his last trump.

East 3♦ Pass

After 11 tricks (two spades, two hearts, three trumps and four diamonds) he has reduced to a two-card ending with the heart 10 and a spade in hand and the K-3 of spades in dummy. To protect against the spade menace West must pitch his master heart, hoping his partner can guard the suit, but South triumphantly cashes the heart 10 at trick 12. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠97 ♥8765 ♦AQ74 ♣ J 10 5 South Pass ?

West 1♣

North Dbl.

East 2♣

ANSWER: In this sequence you have more than enough to bid two hearts; and you would definitely want to bid hearts rather than diamonds, since partner’s double is more about majors than unbid minors. Yes, if you were defending to clubs you would hope for a diamond not a heart lead — but there again, if your side can make game, it is far more likely to be in hearts than in diamonds.

The Aces on Bridge: Friday, August 7th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on August 21st, 2015 “For the things we have to learn before we can do them, we learn by doing them.” — Aristotle

Today’s deal comes from an expert player, who was practicing online at www.Bridgebase.com. (This is the best place both to play and practice online that I know.) He reported the deal anonymously, remarking that it was a pity his non-expert partner had not been the declarer here, since it would have given him a chance to demonstrate his technique, or at least to learn a valuable lesson if he failed to do so. North-South were in danger of getting too high here and South thought he had judged well not to press on to six clubs. Singleton honors are often difficult to evaluate, and North had perhaps been a little over-enthusiastic. When West led a spade, declarer had to decide how to play for 11 tricks. One line was simply to draw trump from the top and, if there was a loser there, to guess diamonds. However, South spotted that provided hearts were 4-3 he had a better line.

Dealer: N Vul: N-S

North ♠K ♥A75 ♦KJ742 ♣ A J 10 6

West ♠8762 ♥ J 10 3 ♦ 10 9 6 ♣Q95

East ♠ Q J 10 9 3 ♥9864 ♦AQ5 ♣7 South ♠A54 ♥KQ2 ♦83 ♣K8432

South

West

2♣ 4♣ 4♠

Pass Pass Pass

North 1♦ 3♠ 4♥ 5♣

East 1♠ Pass Pass All pass

Opening Lead: ♠2

So he won the spade king, played the heart ace and led a heart to hand, cashed the spade ace pitching a heart, and ruffed a spade. Now he played a club to his king and cashed the heart queen. When this stood up, he simply played a club to the jack. As it turned out, East showed out and declarer could draw the last trump and claim. However, if East had won his doubleton trump queen, he would have been endplayed either to play a diamond or concede a ruff and discard. BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: Your partner’s second double is card-showing not penalty. You have implicitly denied four cards in either major or you would have acted over the first double. That being said, a 4-3 heart fit looks quite playable, and your clubs are not worth bidding at the three-level. So bid two hearts.

South Holds: ♠A54 ♥KQ2 ♦83 ♣K8432 South 1♣ Pass ?

West 1♦ Pass

North Dbl. Dbl.

East 2♦ Pass

The Aces on Bridge: Saturday, August 8th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on August 22nd, 2015 “Logic and sermons never convince.” — Walt Whitman

Good sense dictates how this minor suit game should be handled. It also helps to remember as declarer that if only you need to take 11 tricks, you can afford to lose two. To reach five diamonds, North judged well in the auction. South would no doubt have been expecting more from him in the way of honor points for his initial response, but North could see that as South was almost certainly marked with a singleton or void club by his rebid of three no-trump, the club suit was unlikely to be easy to develop in a no-trump contract. West led a diamond, since nothing else looked attractive, and South took stock. The most realistic chance for 11 tricks is to set up dummy’s clubs; so with this in mind, declarer cashed the trump king and queen, then led a club to the ace.

Dealer: S Vul: Both

North ♠75 ♥— ♦A632 ♣AJ98542

West ♠A982 ♥K8752 ♦ 10 9 ♣ 10 3

East ♠QJ63 ♥J96 ♦J75 ♣KQ6 South ♠ K 10 4 ♥ A Q 10 4 3 ♦KQ84 ♣7

South 1♥ 2♦ 3 NT

West Pass Pass Pass

North 2♣ 3♦ 5♦

East Pass Pass All pass

Opening Lead: ♦10

The ensuing club ruff passed off peacefully. Next came the heart ace for a spade discard from dummy, followed by a diamond to the ace, extracting the last defensive trump in the process. Declarer then simply gave up a club. All that was now left for the defense was one spade trick, there being a trump left in dummy as access to the set-up clubs. Declarer had planned the play with care from trick one, appreciating that two tricks could be lost. If declarer had ruffed two clubs in the South hand, the timing goes awry. Trump control is lost, and with that, the established club winners. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠ K 10 4 ♥ A Q 10 4 3 ♦KQ84 ♣7 South 1♥ ?

West Pass

North 1♠

East 2♣

ANSWER: You have a good hand, one that has been improved by the opponents bidding your short suit. Try two diamonds now, planning to compete in spades at your next turn. If you play support doubles to show three-card support you can do that, but you should plan to bid past the two-level at your next turn by introducing your diamonds.

The Aces on Bridge: Sunday, August 9th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on August 23rd, 2015

Dear Mr. Wolff: Holding: ♠ 9-2, ♥ 10-9-6-5-2, ♦ J-2, ♣ K-7-4-3 how would you respond to a two no-trump opening bid? Would you pass, or settle for partscore in hearts, or drive to game – and if so which? — Level Best, Cartersville, Ga. ANSWER: I think it would be trying to land on the head of a pin to pass two no-trump or to transfer to hearts and stop in three. I think one should transfer to hearts and bid three no-trump. Partner can pick which game he wants to play in. Although you have a little extra shape, you cannot insist on playing hearts unless partner produces a fit. Let him make the call.

ANSWER: A plausible auction would see you bid two diamonds over two clubs, and when your partner jumps to three no-trump you might close your eyes and bid six notrump. A new suit by you is forcing for one round at your second turn, and two diamonds saves space while encouraging partner to support you economically. Incidentally, I can’t imagine on what hand your partner would raise spades at his third turn if he couldn’t bid them at his second turn! Dear Mr. Wolff: Holding: ♠ Q-7-2, ♥ Q-4, ♦ A-J-9-3-2, ♣ K-4-3 I opened one diamond and heard my partner respond one spade. The next hand bid two hearts; is it right for me to pass or bid two spades now? — Raiser’s Edge, Waterbury, Conn.

Dear Mr. Wolff: I was faced with an auction recently where my partner heard me double one heart. The next hand redoubled, and my partner jumped to three clubs, telling me later that he meant this as weak rather than based on high cards. Is this a normal approach – since the call would surely have been invitational without the redouble? — Upping the Ante, Westhampton, N.Y. ANSWER: You can certainly argue that if the first three hands all show approximately opening values, the fourth hand cannot be strong. So while a jump by fourth hand would indeed be invitational over everything but third hand’s redouble, it is reasonable to play than in this one sequence the jump should be based more on shape than high cards. I might have a five- or six-card suit and 5-8 points, perhaps. Dear Mr. Wolff: I read your column online and have a question. I held ♠ A-3, ♥ A-Q-9-7-4-2, ♦ K-J3, ♣ A-7. My partner dealt and opened one club and rebid two clubs over my one heart response. What is the right way to create a forcing auction now? At the table I bid two spades, my partner raised, and a convoluted auction ended in four no-trump, making seven. — Strong-arm Tactics, Frankfurt, Germany

ANSWER: With a minimum hand and only three trumps, particularly where your heart holding sounds to have gotten worse from the auction, pass is the discreet action, though bidding two spades is not terrible. But surely if you can make anything, your partner will have enough to bid again. Incidentally, support doubles (which show a three-card raise here) are becoming more and more popular. If you play this style, then you would have no good reason not to double. Dear Mr. Wolff: I’m interested in your views as to when shape trumps high cards. Holding: ♠ J-6 ♥ Q2, ♦ A-K-10-8-7-4, ♣ 1-0-9-3 do you consider this a one diamond opening? If you don’t open one diamond would you pass rather than showing a weak hand with a two diamond preempt? — Princess Pushy, Twin Falls, Idaho ANSWER: Wolff’s first laws of preempting: Never pass a hand with a good suit. Open one, two, or three, but don’t pass. Here I’d open two diamonds anywhere except in first seat non-vulnerable — where I might consider opening one diamond. Make the club 10 the jack and I open one diamond, in all seats, except in second seat vulnerable.

The Aces on Bridge: Monday, August 10th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on August 24th, 2015 “Ten thousand difficulties do not make one doubt.” — Cardinal Newman

When South upgrade his hand out of his strong no-trump range of 14 to 17, North treated his hand as worth a club raise. This combination of actions led to NorthSouth stretching to a thin, though not hopeless game.

Dealer: S Vul: None

North ♠Q97 ♥986 ♦J75 ♣ K 10 6 4

West ♠K653 ♥Q2 ♦ Q 10 2 ♣9752

When West led a low spade to the first trick, declarer could see that he was very short of entries to dummy to South play hearts. So he carefully put in dummy’s spade nine to ♠ J 10 2 the first trick. East won his ace as South unblocked the ♥ A J 10 7 ♦A98 10, and had one chance to defeat the game — though it ♣AQJ would have required great defensive cooperation. He must shift to a diamond to let West win and go back to South West North spades. Instead, though, he made the more normal play 1♣ Pass 3 ♣* 3 NT All pass of continuing the attack on spades. West ducked the *6-9 HCP second spade, so declarer won dummy’s queen and led a low heart to the jack and West’s queen (ducking does not Opening Lead: ♠3 help today). That player cashed his spades as South pitched diamonds from both hands. When West exited with a diamond, declarer won in hand and cashed off the four club winners to discard his last diamond.

East ♠A84 ♥K543 ♦K643 ♣83

East Pass

Now declarer could run the heart nine from dummy and repeat the finesse when East ducked, to score three hearts, four clubs, and one trick in each of the other suits. Curiously, if declarer does not have the heart seven (switch the heart five and seven, for example) he cannot play the heart suit for three tricks on best defense, because of the entry problems to dummy. LEAD WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠Q82 ♥ 10 6 3 ♦Q643 ♣ K 10 9 South

West

2♦ All pass

Dbl.

North 1♦ Pass

East 1 NT 2♥

ANSWER: West’s double was for take-out, so your opponents rate to be in a 4-4 fit, and I’d expect declarer to want to take diamond ruffs in dummy. A trump lead might cut down on that option for declarer and rates to be relatively passive. A diamond lead would be the second choice of course, but might easily help set up a discard for declarer or solve a guess.

The Aces on Bridge: Tuesday, August 11th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on August 25th, 2015 “Showing up every day isn’t enough. There are a lot of guys who show up every day who shouldn’t have showed up at all.” — James Caan

Often the application of good declarer technique produces no positive result, because the lie of the cards means that there is no advantage to be gained from superior play. However, that was not the case with today’s deal. Take your place in the South seat and plan the play in your grand slam. Superficially, it looks as if the contract depends on either the diamond finesse or a 3-3 heart split. If declarer simply plays out his top two hearts from hand then crosses to the heart ace, he can pitch his losing heart on the spade king and take the diamond finesse. That line combines your chances; but can you do better?

Dealer: S Vul: Both

North ♠K653 ♥A42 ♦876542 ♣—

West ♠ 10 9 8 4 2 ♥96 ♦K ♣86542

East ♠QJ7 ♥ J 10 8 3 ♦ J 10 9 3 ♣73 South ♠A ♥KQ75 ♦AQ ♣ A K Q J 10 9

South 2♣ 7 NT

West Pass All pass

North 2 ♠*

East Pass

Better technique would be to cash all the black-suit *Three controls, counting two for an ace, one for a king winners followed by the heart king and queen before crossing to dummy with the heart ace at trick 10. As Opening Lead: ♠10 before, if the 13th heart is good, then the diamond queen is discarded on the spade ace, otherwise the heart can be discarded and the diamond finesse taken. However, consider what happens when it is East who holds the long hearts. In the twocard end position, declarer leads a diamond from the dummy, holding the ace and queen in his hand. When East plays low, declarer knows that his last card is a heart; therefore West must hold the diamond king. There is no point in finessing, so declarer rises with the ace — and down comes the king. Thus the show-up squeeze also lets you make the slam whenever West started with the bare diamond king and short hearts. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠K653 ♥A42 ♦876542 ♣— South ?

West 1♥

North 1♠

East 1 NT

ANSWER: Without the overcall of one notrump you would surely have jumped instinctively to four spades as a sort of twoway shot. Here there is a warning that spades are not breaking; but I would still bid four spades now, albeit a little less happily, and let the opponents sort out what to do next.

The Aces on Bridge: Wednesday, August 12th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on August 26th, 2015 “Uncertainty and expectation are the joys of life. Security is an insipid thing, through the overtaking and possessing of a wish discovers the folly of the chase.” — William Congreve

In today’s auction South’s three no-trump rebid showed a balanced hand and 25-27 points. North’s four clubs was Stayman (similar to three clubs over a two no-trump rebid) and his subsequent raise of four hearts to five invited a slam, suggesting nothing to cuebid, thus good trumps. South should perhaps have passed, with his minimum 25count, since slam could hardly be better than the spade finesse. But how would you play six hearts when West leads the club 10 to East’s ace and a club is returned? Declarer saw that he would need the spade finesse to be right. Not only that, if East held four spades to the king, declarer would need to take the spade finesse three times. He cashed the king of trump and continued with the jack of trump. When West followed suit it was safe to overtake with dummy’s ace.

Dealer: S Vul: Both

North ♠943 ♥AQ93 ♦ J 10 9 ♣652

West ♠62 ♥ 10 8 6 5 ♦742 ♣ 10 9 8 4

East ♠K875 ♥2 ♦8653 ♣AJ73 South ♠ A Q J 10 ♥KJ74 ♦AKQ ♣KQ

South 2♣ 3 NT 4♥ 6♥

West Pass Pass Pass All pass

North 2♦ 4♣ 5♥

East Pass Pass Pass

Opening Lead: ♣10

Do you see the point of this play? Declarer was trying to set up the maximum number of entries to dummy in the trump suit. East showed out on the second round of trump and declarer took his first spade finesse, pleased to see West follow with a low card. The four of trumps to dummy’s nine provided a second entry to dummy, and a second spade finesse followed. A trump to dummy’s queen returned the lead to dummy, and now declarer finessed for a third time in spades. This same overtaking play would have been possible had dummy held the heart eight instead of the nine, so long as East has a singleton heart nine or 10. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠K875 ♥2 ♦8653 ♣AJ73 South ?

West

North 1♣

East Pass

ANSWER: I come down firmly in favor of one spade rather than one diamond here — partly because of the suit quality issue. But one can also lose spades after an auction that begins with North bidding clubs and hearts. After that start would a one spade call show spades – and would it promise a better hand than this? Better to bid the suit at once, planning to give preference to clubs over a one no-trump rebid.

The Aces on Bridge: Thursday, August 13th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on August 27th, 2015 “Oh! Let us never, never doubt What nobody is sure about!” — Hilaire Belloc

This deal involves a nice point of technique. When it came up in a French pairs event, the best play was not always found. The reporter of the deal was one of the unlucky Easts, as the declarer at his table knew what he was doing. Still, at least he had the consolation of a good story! Our reporter’s partner led the club king, and after winning with the ace perforce, declarer drew trump. You can see what happens (as it did at several tables) if declarer goes all out for the overtrick and hopes that the spade jack will fall in three rounds. It does not fall, and South ends up by losing two diamond tricks when that suit also fails to behave. Instead, judging that he was in a good contract, and one that would not be reached by the majority of the field, South looked for the safest line for 12 tricks and decided not to worry unduly about the overtrick.

Dealer: S Vul: Both

North ♠ A K 10 8 7 ♥64 ♦763 ♣ 10 5 2

West ♠62 ♥985 ♦Q82 ♣KQJ97

East ♠J543 ♥72 ♦K95 ♣8643 South ♠Q9 ♥ A K Q J 10 3 ♦ A J 10 4 ♣A

South 1♥ 3♦ 4♣ 5♦

West Pass Pass Pass Pass

North 1♠ 3♥ 4♥ 6♥

East Pass Pass Pass All pass

Opening Lead: ♣K

At trick five South advanced the spade nine and covered with dummy’s 10. If East had taken this, declarer could have claimed 12 tricks immediately. However, after some reflection East avoided that trap and ducked. It did not help: next came a diamond finesse, losing to the queen. The club return was ruffed and the spade queen overtaken in dummy to allow a diamond to be discarded on the third top spade. When the spade jack did not fall, the lead was on the table for a second, and successful, diamond finesse. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠ A K 10 8 7 ♥64 ♦763 ♣ 10 5 2 South

West

1♠ ?

Pass

North 1♣ 1 NT

East Pass Pass

ANSWER: There is a temptation to insist on playing spades here, but you should appreciate that the advantages of playing in one no-trump are that you are a level lower and partner’s tenaces are protected on opening lead. Unless the opponents have a five-card suit ready to run, seven tricks in no-trump look easier than eight in spades.

The Aces on Bridge: Friday, August 14th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on August 28th, 2015 “Nothing is more imminent than the impossible… what we must always foresee is the unforeseen.” — Victor Hugo

One simple law for declarer is that you should win a trick if you fear a shift. Still, there is always an exception. Walid El Ahmady and Tarek Sadek of Egypt are both highly resourceful declarers, and on this deal from the Cavendish pairs Sadek was able to bring home an impossible game by breaking the rules.

Dealer: W Vul: None

West ♠J964 ♥QJ2 ♦ 10 ♣J8653

Better is to duck the first heart, win the next, and run diamonds. But in the five-card ending the defense can still just prevail so long as West keeps four clubs, and East discards all his hearts to keep two spades and three clubs.

East ♠K832 ♥K9874 ♦7 ♣AK9 South ♠Q7 ♥ A 10 5 ♦A9643 ♣ 10 7 2

Three no-trump appears to be hopeless here for NorthSouth except on a spade lead. Sadek received the lead of the heart queen. If declarer wins the first heart for fear of a club shift, then runs six diamonds, East keeps his top clubs and two spades, and has an exit-card in the form of a low heart.

North ♠ A 10 5 ♥63 ♦KQJ852 ♣Q4

South 2♥ 3 NT

West Pass Dbl. All pass

North 1♦ 3♦

East 1♥ Pass

Opening Lead: ♥Q

Sadek went one step better; he ducked both the heart queen and the jack! Now he won the third heart, pitching a spade from dummy, and ran the diamonds. On the last diamond East was down to two spades and three clubs, and had no escape. If he kept two spades and the top clubs he would be thrown in with a club. If he bared his spade king, declarer would have the ninth trick in that suit, and if he discarded a top club, ace and another spade would endplay him to concede the ninth trick in clubs. Very nicely (and bravely) done. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠Q7 ♥ A 10 5 ♦A9643 ♣ 10 7 2 South ?

West

North 1♥

East Pass

ANSWER: The right response to a majorsuit opener with 10 points and three trump is sometimes unclear. I prefer a simple constructive raise here rather than the limit raise. This hand has three positives, the aces, five-card suit and decent spots. But the doubleton queen is a negative; I’d settle for the simple raise to two hearts. Give me queen-third of spades and a doubleton club and I go the other way.

The Aces on Bridge: Saturday, August 15th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on August 29th, 2015 “The gods love the obscure and hate the obvious.” — The Upanishads

In today’s deal from a team game, one table played in three no-trump after West had shown clubs and a second suit, while the other table reached four spades on an unopposed auction The South in three no-trump received a top club lead. As he did not want a heart shift, he took the lead and crossed to dummy with a diamond to the ace, East playing the jack, then ran the spade 10, which West ducked. A low spade came next and when East showed out, declarer took the ace and led out the spade jack, prepared to overtake if West ducked. West won and shifted to a heart, but South now claimed his nine top tricks.

Dealer: S Vul: None

North ♠ Q 10 9 8 5 ♥943 ♦AK2 ♣87

West ♠K743 ♥75 ♦86 ♣ K Q 10 9 3

East ♠2 ♥ K Q J 10 8 ♦ J 10 9 5 ♣654 South ♠AJ6 ♥A62 ♦Q743 ♣AJ2

South 1 NT 3 NT

West 2 ♣* All pass

North 3♠

East Pass

In the room where South reached four spades, he too *Clubs and another suit received a top club lead. Declarer won the club lead and Opening Lead: ♣K started trump in the same way. West won the third trump and, mindful of East’s signal, shifted to a heart. Declarer ducked, and when the defense went back to clubs, he ruffed the third one and drew the last trump, squeezing East in the red suits. Although at double dummy four spades can never be broken (so long as declarer leads trump from hand at trick two), there was a defense to the line chosen at the table which was so unlikely that I can’t blame West for missing it. He must duck the third spade! Now when he wins a spade or club trick he must play another diamond. This breaks up the timing for the squeeze. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠ Q 10 9 8 5 ♥943 ♦AK2 ♣87 South

West

3♠ 4♦ ?

Pass Pass

North 1♠ 4♣ 4♥

East Pass Pass Pass

ANSWER: Your partner has elected to follow a cuebidding route rather than using Blackwood. Follow his lead, and because you have a king you can show, bid five diamonds next. With five good trump, you are far too good to sign off, since you have already defined your range quite precisely at your first turn.

The Aces on Bridge: Sunday, August 16th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on August 30th, 2015

Dear Mr. Wolff: As dummy, when if ever am I allowed to speak, either to correct my partner from revoking, or to draw attention to the opponents’ revoke? And what about stopping partner from leading from the wrong hand?

ANSWER: I would much prefer to open one club and either raise hearts or bid one notrump over a one spade response. The rebid at no-trump doesn’t often deliver a singleton as opposed to a small doubleton — but at least my singleton is the ace if partner insists on spades. You may very rarely open hands of this pattern with a four-card diamond suit; but not this one.

— Silent Partner, Winston-Salem, N.C. Dear Mr. Wolff: ANSWER: You are not allowed to draw your partner’s attention to the opponent’s revoke during the hand, but after the play is complete you may call the director and make your case. During the hand you are allowed to stop partner from revoking or from leading from the wrong hand. And when an infraction is agreed to have taken place, you should call the director – even if no one else at the table is willing or able to do so. Dear Mr. Wolff: Holding: ♠ Q-J-7-6-4, ♥ Q-10, ♦ Q-3-2, ♣ K4-3 would you overcall one spade over one club? Would the vulnerability or form of scoring matter? And would you feel differently if your partner was a passed hand – or indeed, if the opening bid were one heart or one diamond? — Squeaky Clean, Las Vegas, Nevada ANSWER: My spade spots are not that impressive but the two honors in the suit encourage me to act over one club at any form of scoring or vulnerability, to take up the opponents’ bidding space. Note that this applies to a one-level action only. By contrast I would try never to overcall on a suit this weak at the two-level. And the less space such an overcall consumes, the less attractive it becomes. Dear Mr. Wolff: As dealer, holding: ♠ A, ♥ A-Q-4, ♦ Q-9-6-2 ♣ Q-9-7-4-2 what is your opening bid, and how do you plan to continue after a response by your partner in a major? — Cunning Plan, Vancouver, Wash.

I know this question may not be answerable in five lines, but can you please explain the rationale of the negative double. I used to know it but have forgotten. I would appreciate your answer. — Chop-Chop, Honolulu, Hawaii ANSWER: After opener bids and the next hand overcalls, responder’s double of anything but a natural no-trump call is takeout, suggesting the unbid major(s). The logic is that you are more likely to be short, not long, in the suit the opponents act in. If you do have length in their suit, you tend to pass and await partner’s reopening take-out double. A negative double of one heart suggests exactly four spades – you bid the suit with five. A one-level double shows 6+ HCP, a two-level double shows approximately 8+, a three-level double 10+. Dear Mr. Wolff: What is the logic behind playing a weak no trump as opposed to a strong no-trump? And how can you tell if a bidder is opening with a weak or a strong no trump? — Torquemada, Anchorage, Alaska ANSWER: The range of your opening notrump is more a matter of personal philosophy than anything else. The strong notrump is safer, the weak no-trump more obstructive. In duplicate play in the US normal procedure is to announce the range of your partner’s no-trump call to your opponents each time one is opened.

The Aces on Bridge: Monday, August 17th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on August 31st, 2015 “The half is greater than the whole.” — Hesiod

When at first sight a contract appears to depend on a finesse – an even money chance – it is worth investigating for ways to improve those odds. After North’s splinter raise to four diamonds (showing gamegoing values) South asked for aces then looked for a grand slam, by trying to find the club king opposite. He shut up shop in six hearts when North could not cooperate, and West led a spade against the small slam. Declarer rose with the ace, then immediately ruffed a spade. There was a two-fold purpose to this exercise. The first was to begin eliminating the spade suit. The second was to test whether a defender held king, queen and just one other spade, so that a club could be discarded on the spade jack.

Dealer: S Vul: E-W

North ♠AJ43 ♥AJ963 ♦2 ♣763

West ♠ 10 7 6 5 ♥7 ♦KJ54 ♣KJ52

East ♠KQ98 ♥5 ♦ 10 9 8 7 6 ♣ 10 9 8 South ♠2 ♥ K Q 10 8 4 2 ♦AQ3 ♣AQ4

South 1♥ 4 NT 5 NT

West Pass Pass Pass

North 4 ♦* 5♥ 6♥

East Pass Pass All pass

*Short diamonds, agreeing hearts

No spade honor put in an appearance at trick two, so Opening Lead: ♠7 South continued with a trump to dummy for another spade ruff. Declarer cashed the diamond ace, ruffed the diamond three, then trumped dummy’s last spade. Having eliminated all the irrelevant cards, declarer now played the diamond queen in the hopes that West held the king. He did, and instinctively played that card. Instead of ruffing the diamond, South discarded a club from dummy and faced his hand. West was now endplayed into either returning a club into South’s tenace, or giving a ruff and discard, whereupon North’s last losing club could depart. Of course, had East turned up with the diamond king, there would still have been the club finesse to fall back on. LEAD WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠K2 ♥ J 10 6 3 ♦Q975 ♣ J 10 2 South All pass

West 2♥

North Pass

East 3 NT

ANSWER: Auctions of this sort often suggest declarer has a source of tricks and relatively short hearts. Though East may jump to three no-trump with heart fit, that seems unlikely given your hand. The most active lead is a diamond, while the club sequence is less likely to cost a trick. But my choice is a low heart, which might work well here if partner has the heart length and declarer the shortage.

The Aces on Bridge: Tuesday, August 18th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on September 1st, 2015 “Success is stumbling from failure to failure with no loss of enthusiasm.” — Winston Churchill

West led the heart queen against four spades, and East was on the ball when he overtook this and returned a trump. With sure heart winners in hand, and the knowledge that South had at least four hearts, this was the indicated line of defense. When declarer continued in his search for heart ruffs by winning the trump and playing on hearts, East won the trick and led another trump. Declarer won in hand, ruffed a heart, took a heart discard on the diamond ace, and finessed in clubs. Unlucky! The finesse failed and there was still a heart to lose. As the cards lie, South had missed his chance to make the hand at trick five. Had he taken the club ace and followed up by leading another club, it would have given South his 10th trick in due course. But this line would have failed if East had been able to win with the club king and lead a third round of trump.

Dealer: W Vul: Both

North ♠KJ9 ♥85 ♦A8643 ♣QJ7

West ♠5 ♥Q ♦ Q 10 9 7 5 2 ♣K9652

East ♠842 ♥ A K J 10 9 ♦KJ ♣ 10 8 3 South ♠ A Q 10 7 6 3 ♥76432 ♦— ♣A4

South 1♠ 4♠

West Pass 2♦ All pass

North Pass 2♥

East 1♥ Pass

Opening Lead: ♥Q

The solution that involves less risk is to try the club finesse earlier, at trick three. If it wins, there is no problem for declarer in giving up a heart and ruffing a heart for his 10th trick; if the club finesse loses, West has no more trumps to play as the cards lie (and if the spades are 2-2 the contract is still secure). As the cards lie today when West takes his club king and returns a diamond, the clubs can be unblocked, a heart eventually ruffed, and the club jack enjoyed for the game-going trick. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠KJ9 ♥85 ♦A8643 ♣QJ7 South Pass ?

West Pass

North 1♥

East Pass

ANSWER: Many points are lost by passed hands overbidding – be it as responder or overcaller – in an attempt to make up for lost time. Here, with no heart fit, respond one notrump, perhaps preparing to invite at your next turn. Don’t hang partner by jumping in no-trump. He opened in third seat, so let him pass with a minimum balanced opener and you won’t miss anything – except the chance to go for a penalty.

The Aces on Bridge: Wednesday, August 19th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on September 2nd, 2015 “There is no great genius without some touch of madness.” — Seneca

Today’s deal is a defensive problem. Cover up the West and South hands and look at it from East’s point of view at trick one. The composer envisaged a position where partner had the trump ace, not the club ace, amongst his assets, and ingeniously suggested encouraging spades at the first trick. His expectation was that partner would continue with the king and a third spade. Then when declarer wins and plays a heart, partner would win his ace and continue with a fourth spade, to promote the heart queen into the setting trick. As the player who posed the problem admitted, of course, this defense wouldn’t have worked so well if the club and heart aces were switched – as in the diagram. Partner would have scratched his head and asked why East had just directed him to present declarer with his contract on a plate when he would appear to have had no chance to succeed on a passive defense.

Dealer: S Vul: E-W

North ♠ 10 9 3 ♥K876542 ♦K3 ♣J

West ♠AKJ4 ♥ 10 ♦ Q 10 8 7 ♣A864

East ♠762 ♥Q3 ♦954 ♣ Q 10 9 3 2 South ♠Q85 ♥AJ9 ♦AJ62 ♣K75

South 1 NT 4♥

West Pass All pass

North 4 ♦*

East Pass

*Texas transfer to hearts Opening Lead: ♠K

But East’s justification was that even in that situation four hearts would have been makeable, if declarer plays West for the diamond queen. Even if West exits with a heart at trick two, declarer draws trump ending in dummy, and leads a club to the queen, king and ace. He ruffs the club return and runs the trump, coming down to a singleton spade in hand, and squeezes West down to the bare spade ace, to keep his diamond queen guarded. Then South cashes the diamond king and endplays West with a spade to lead diamonds into his tenace. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠Q85 ♥J9 ♦AJ62 ♣AK75 South ?

West 1♦

North 2♥

East Pass

ANSWER: This doesn’t feel quite good enough a hand to jump to four hearts facing a nonvulnerable weak jump overcall. One should play the call of two no-trump as a relay here, just as one does facing a weaktwo bid. But another reasonable approach, if you decide to go to game, is to cuebid three diamonds then offer a choice of game with a bid of three no-trump. Partner can then choose which contract to play.

The Aces on Bridge: Thursday, August 20th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on September 3rd, 2015 “I’ll publish, right or wrong: Fools are my theme, let satire be my song.” — Lord Byron

When you have no hope of making your contract by legitimate means, subterfuge just might see you home. On the following hand Denmark’s Thorvald Aagaard probably initially assumed with some justification that the deal belonged to his side. When he opened two clubs and West overcalled four hearts, it was passed back to Aagaard, who bid five diamonds. Had the North and East hands been interchanged, this would have been a fine contract. As things were, five diamonds was an excellent sacrifice, there always being 11 tricks available in hearts for East-West. So far so good, but there was better to come. West made his natural lead of a top heart, and when this held, continued with another, on which South discarded his club four!

Dealer: S Vul: Both

North ♠J2 ♥32 ♦7542 ♣98765

West East ♠K64 ♠A98753 ♥ A K Q 10 9 8 7 4 ♥J5 ♦— ♦J8 ♣J2 ♣ Q 10 3 South ♠ Q 10 ♥6 ♦ A K Q 10 9 6 3 ♣AK4 South 2♣ 5♦

West 4♥ All pass

North Pass

East Pass

Opening Lead: ♥K

Look at the problem now from West’s perspective. Had South originally held ace-queen third of spades and a doubleton club ace, a spade lead away from the king now would have handed declarer his contract. Since a third heart by West would present declarer with a ruff and discard, to allow a spade to be discarded from dummy, it seemed that the only option was to shift to a club. Aagaard seized upon this gratefully. He drew trump in two rounds, cashed his second top club, then entered dummy twice in trumps, overtaking first the three and then the diamond six, first to ruff a club, setting up the suit, and second, to utilize the clubs for two spade discards. Five diamonds, bid and made. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠A98753 ♥J5 ♦J8 ♣ Q 10 3 South Pass ?

West Pass

North 1♣

East 1♦

ANSWER: You did well not to open two spades with such a ragged suit. Don’t spoil your good judgment by jumping to two spades (either to show your six spades or to show a maximum pass). Neither of those reasons makes the slightest sense. This is a simple one spade response. If partner passes you won’t have missed anything, and there is no need to preempt your own side when clubs could be your best strain.

The Aces on Bridge: Friday, August 21st, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on September 4th, 2015 “I have suffered from being misunderstood, but I would have suffered a heck of a lot more if I had been understood.” — Clarence Darrow

One of the more curious experiences I have had in scoring up recently came on a hand from a team game from a Las Vegas regional tournament. I sat East, and defended four hearts, after having been tempted to take the sacrifice in four spades, which would probably have escaped for down one. When my partner led the diamond queen I could infer that he had enough spade length to make that lead unattractive. Though I could not see a legitimate way to defeat the hand, I elected to duck the first trick. When declarer played on trump I won and cashed my club ace, then underled in diamonds to get my club ruff and defeat the game.

Dealer: S Vul: Both

North ♠ A 10 8 ♥QJ2 ♦653 ♣ K 10 4 2

West ♠J742 ♥65 ♦ Q J 10 7 ♣863

East ♠K9653 ♥A74 ♦A942 ♣A South ♠Q ♥ K 10 9 8 3 ♦K8 ♣QJ975

South 1♥ 3♣

West Pass 3♠

North 2♥ 4♥

East 2♠ All pass

Since declarer could have made the hand by returning a Opening Lead: ♦Q diamond at trick two (a form of Scissors Coup to cut the defenders’ communications) I was quietly confident as we came back to score up. Our teammates announced “minus 50” and though I said nothing at the time, I was a little disappointed. I waited to ask what had happened until the meal-break. South said that the opponents had simply led spades to trick one, then ducked the first trump, won the next and continued leading spades at every turn. Declarer could not manage the triple task of drawing trump, setting up clubs, and establishing the diamond king, without running out of trump! Sometimes the easiest defenses to find, in theory, are the hardest to discover at the table. BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: It feels wrong to pass out two diamonds, even though our side doesn’t have a great fit anywhere. I think doubling here just shows a good hand, not a trump stack. But if partner passes it out with a balanced hand I can’t believe that will work out too badly for our side.

South Holds: ♠ A 10 8 ♥QJ2 ♦653 ♣ K 10 4 2 South Pass 2♣ ?

West 1♦ 2♦

North Dbl. Pass

East 1♥ Pass

The Aces on Bridge: Saturday, August 22nd, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on September 5th, 2015 “I don’t want realism. I want magic!” — Tennessee Williams

The play in four spades is not complicated here, but declarer needed to focus on the critical issue. When the deal took place at the table, in a team game, the deal was flat, with both declarers flubbing their lines. In one room, after a diamond lead, South tried to cash two top diamonds and ruff a diamond low. East overruffed and returned a trump, leaving South with three red-suit losers. In the other room South ruffed the third diamond high. East pitched the club king, and when declarer played the club ace, East ruffed in and played back a trump, and declarer was again left with no chance to make his game. The key here is how to play a cross-ruff to eliminate as many chances as you can that the defenders might ruff in or overruff you. It is often vital to cash your side suits winners, in case a defender can discard and then be able to ruff away one of the winners.

Dealer: S Vul: Both

North ♠Q8 ♥J843 ♦A7 ♣AJ965

West ♠— ♥K5 ♦ 10 8 6 5 2 ♣ Q 10 8 7 4 2

East ♠J5432 ♥ A Q 10 9 7 ♦QJ ♣K South ♠ A K 10 9 7 6 ♥62 ♦K943 ♣3

South 1♠ 2♠ 3♦ 4♠

West Pass Pass Pass All pass

North 2♣ 2 NT 3♠

East Pass Pass Pass

Opening Lead: ♦5

So win the diamond ace and cash the club ace immediately, then take the second top diamond and ruff a diamond high. Ruff a club to hand, then trump your fourth diamond with the spade eight. East can overruff, but declarer takes three plain winners, six trumps in hand and one diamond ruff in dummy. It may not be likely that one defender has a singleton club and only two diamonds, but if you can protect yourself against an unlikely event, why not do so rather than be dependent on the kindness of strangers? BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠Q8 ♥J843 ♦A7 ♣AJ965 South 1♣ ?

West Pass

North 1♠

East Pass

ANSWER: With a minimum balanced hand with 5-4 pattern, introduce your second suit if you can do so without reversing (going past your first bid suit at the two-level). You cannot do so here; a two heart call would show real extras, and would be logical if your heart three were the ace. Today, your choice is to rebid two clubs or one no-trump. The latter is more accurate; try to avoid repeating a five-carder, if you can.

The Aces on Bridge: Sunday, August 23rd, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on September 6th, 2015

Dear Mr. Wolff: I’ve read your opinion of many of the top experts. I wonder if you would let us know who were the top American players who never won a world title? To spare their blushes, maybe you can limit your answer to those who are no longer with us. — Ranking Member, Saint John’s, Newfoundland

ANSWER: I think this hand has just too much to pass here, though I admit that it is close. Responding two clubs may get partner off to the right lead if you end up defending, and you can surely stand a retreat to spades from your partner. I really do not like the idea of raising spades on two, and the diamond stop is a little feeble for a call of one no-trump, so all that is left is bidding the clubs. Dear Mr. Wolff:

ANSWER: Of the real old-timers, Al Roth and Tobias Stone never won a Bermuda Bowl. Their contributions to modernizing the game of bridge as we know it cannot be over-emphasized. Of course they were not necessarily the most fun people to play against, but away from the table both were entertaining company. Edgar Kaplan and Norman Kay would be another pair of candidates. Dear Mr. Wolff: I need help on when to use shape in the decision as when to open the bidding. Holding: ♠ 9-3, ♥ J-9-7-4-2, ♦ K-9-4-2, ♣ A-K, would you open one heart in any chair or vulnerability? And would your decision be affected if one of your club honors were in your hearts? Finally, if you pass, what do you respond to a third-seat one spade opener by partner?

I play a fair amount of duplicate bridge and see a fair number of mentions of a Blackwood alternative called Redwood or Minorwood. Should I consider adopting it? — Mad Scientist, Jackson, Miss. ANSWER: For many people regular Blackwood is quite enough, Keycard Blackwood of dubious merit… don’t get me started on other variations! Still if you want to get a feel for what is out there, at your own risk, feel free to do so. The most recent ACBL bulletins have some sensible articles on this theme. Dear Mr. Wolff:

What is the minimum holding one can have in the suit in which one makes a fourth-suit forcing call? For example does responder promise at least five spades and four hearts — Threefer Madness, Englewood Cliffs, N.J.on the following unopposed sequence: one diamond – one spade – two clubs – two hearts? ANSWER: I’d pass this hand despite the — Tree-hugger, Texarkana, Texas easy rebid, because neither suit is especially powerful. Switch a club honor into hearts and a non-vulnerable opening makes more ANSWER: Much as you’d like this sequence sense, though passing isn’t wrong. If you to show the suit you bid, it does not do so. pass, then in response to one spade do not While the fourth suit is game forcing, it does bid two hearts – the suit simply isn’t good not promise length. Indeed, with a solid heart enough, I believe. Bid one notrump and stop you might have bid notrump at your hope to get your values across later in the previous turn. Contrast that with the position auction. when you are in a game-forcing auction, e.g. after a two-over-one call. Now bidding the fourth suit implies at least three cards in the Dear Mr. Wolff: suit (with support for partner you would raise, with a long suit of your own you would The textbooks do not discuss in detail how to rebid it). respond to an overcall when limited in strength without a fit. For example, with: ♠ 92, ♥ Q-7-6-2, ♦ J-2, ♣ A-Q-7-4-3 is it correct to respond after hearing one diamond on my left, and one spade from partner, with a pass on my right? If so, would you raise spades, bid clubs, or do something else? — Advancing with Caution, Sacramento, Calif.

The Aces on Bridge: Monday, August 24th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on September 7th, 2015 “The dust of exploded beliefs may make a fine sunset.” — Geoffrey Madan Dealer: E Vul: Both

Since the world junior teams are taking place now in Croatia, this week’s deals focus on the junior event from 2003, won by USA. When USA took on the Norwegians, the match was close till the end. However an explosion of penalty doubles set the seal on an impressive American finish. Here, though Norway did well in one room, the board then blew up in their faces in the other room.

North ♠K864 ♥K8732 ♦3 ♣KQ7

West ♠5 ♥Q96 ♦ K 10 8 7 6 5 ♣654

East ♠ Q J 10 9 ♥A54 ♦J ♣A9832 South ♠A732 ♥ J 10 ♦AQ942 ♣ J 10

Both tables played four spades doubled. In the Closed Room the Norwegian West led a club, to the seven, eight and jack. Declarer established another club trick by returning a club to the queen and ace. East now laid down the heart ace, but that helped South set up the hearts, and escape for one down one. In the other room West also led the club four, but this time East, John Kranyak, took the ace and decided to go for bigger game. He returned a deceptive spade nine to declarer’s ace, who now cashed two clubs discarding a heart.

South

West

North

1♦ 1♠ 4♠

Pass Pass Dbl.

1♥ 3♠ All pass

East 1♣ Pass Pass

Opening Lead: ♣4

When declarer decided to finesse in diamonds, the roof fell in. West won his king and played back the heart queen to the king and East’s ace. That player then switched back to a trump to dummy’s king. The best declarer could do now was to let the heart eight run to North’s nine, to emerge three down. USA had 800 and 12 IMPs. Had declarer ruffed the second heart in hand and tried to ruff a diamond in dummy, East would have overruffed, and drawn trump, to collect 1100! LEAD WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠862 ♥ 10 7 4 3 ♦A4 ♣KJ87 South All pass

West 1♦

North Pass

East 1 NT

ANSWER: In Larry Cohen’s new book on opening leads (Larry Cohen teaches opening leads) he suggests that you should lead a heart rather than a club, even though clubs is your best suit. Try to lead up to declarer’s weakness not his strength; you can infer declarer rates to have club length not strength, hence hearts is safer. Some would lead the seven not the three; I’m ambivalent on that issue.

The Aces on Bridge: Tuesday, August 25th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on September 8th, 2015 “Canada is not the party. It’s the apartment above the party.” — Craig Ferguson

At the start of the world junior teams championships in 2003 Canada headed towards the top of the table at once. Most of the Canadian players were well known in the USA, but they had also produced a new star. Vincent Demuy is a French speaker who had not spent much time in the USA, but he is now a well-established expert. Here he is, at work on a deal from an early match against Denmark, who were also set to contend for major honors. Both Canada and Denmark reached three no-trump by South, after facing a spade overcall from West, and both tables received a low spade lead, won in hand. For Denmark, Andreas Marquardsen won the spade lead in hand and crossed to dummy with a club to lead a diamond to the jack. Unlucky! West won and cashed a top spade to find the split, then tried the heart king, and now declarer could only make six tricks.

Dealer: E Vul: Both

North ♠J3 ♥A9432 ♦73 ♣AKQ5

West ♠AK9876 ♥ K J 10 ♦Q ♣J96

East ♠2 ♥8765 ♦ 10 9 8 5 ♣ 10 8 7 3 South ♠ Q 10 5 4 ♥Q ♦AKJ642 ♣42

South

West

North

1♦ 3♦ 3 NT

1♠ Pass All pass

2♥ 3♠

East Pass Pass Pass

Opening Lead: ♠8

In the other room Demuy won his spade 10 at trick one and realized that he only needed four diamond tricks, but that entries to hand were going to be a problem, so he ducked the first diamond, leading a low card from hand. He knew that if the defense won this trick and returned a spade he would get an inferential count on both black suits before having to guess whether to play for diamonds to be 3-2 or 4-1. As the cards lay, when the diamond queen appeared he had 10 top tricks. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠J3 ♥A9432 ♦73 ♣AKQ5 South 1♥ 2♣ ?

West Pass Pass

North 1♠ 2♦

East Pass Pass

ANSWER: After partner uses fourth suit, any players are reluctant to raise their partner with only two trumps. But if you have no sensible alternative call (because you can’t bid no-trump or show extra length in your suits) raising with honor doubleton is the correct call. Your failure to raise spades at your second turn makes it less likely that you have three trumps anyway.

The Aces on Bridge: Wednesday, August 26th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on September 9th, 2015 “Truth is by nature self-evident. As soon as you remove the cobwebs of ignorance that surround it, it shines clear.” — Mahatma Gandhi

When the US met Thailand in the semi-finals of the 2003 Junior World Championships, they conducted a flawless defense against four spades here. West’s double at his second turn was support, showing precisely three hearts. A raise would have guaranteed four trump. West led the heart queen, which East overtook with the king to fire back a club to declarer’s ace. After cashing the spade ace and leading the spade jack to the queen, declarer ruffed a heart and exited in clubs. Though West put up the jack, East overtook again with the queen and continued with a heart, ruffed by declarer. South could not do better than cross to dummy again in spades and lead the diamond jack. East kept up the good work by covering with the queen, and declarer was one down, losing the diamond king to West’s ace, with the diamond l0 still to come. Well done.

Dealer: W Vul: Both

North ♠Q9642 ♥9652 ♦J4 ♣ 10 9

West ♠7 ♥QJ7 ♦ A 10 7 ♣KJ8654

East ♠ 10 ♥AK843 ♦Q863 ♣Q73 South ♠AKJ853 ♥ 10 ♦K952 ♣A2

South 1♠ 4♠ All pass

West 1♣ Dbl.* Pass

North Pass 3♠ Pass

East 1♥ 4♥ Dbl.

*Showing three hearts Opening Lead: ♥Q

For the US John Kranyak was given a chance by the defense, and took full advantage. West led the heart queen and played another heart when left on lead. Declarer ruffed, played a spade to the queen, ruffed a heart, played a spade to the nine and ruffed another heart. Then he drew trump, cashed the club ace, and exited in clubs, won by East. With hearts and clubs eliminated, East could do no better than return a small diamond, but declarer guessed correctly to play low from hand, and was home when West’s ace fell on empty air. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠7 ♥QJ7 ♦ A 10 7 ♣KJ8654 South 1♣ ?

West Pass

North 1♥

East Pass

ANSWER: The simple choice would be to rebid your six-card suit, and many people would opt for that. My preference would be to raise to two hearts. Any time you have an unbalanced hand with decent three-card support, you should not rule out raising partner. Sophisticated partnerships have methods after the raise to work out the nature of opener’s support.

The Aces on Bridge: Thursday, August 27th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on September 10th, 2015 “His fine wit Makes such a wound, the knife is lost in it.” — Percy Shelley

Both Souths declared three spades here, on this deal from the 2003 world junior teams final between Israel and the US. At one table Joe Grue for the US ducked the heart lead and won the heart return, then finessed in trumps and West not unreasonably took the trick. Declarer won the trump return and cashed the diamond ace before ruffing a heart (on which West could have pitched a diamond to arrange a ruff had he been 4-2-2-5). No harm done; when the diamond queen popped up, Grue collected 11 tricks. In the second room, West, Joel Wooldridge, was allowed to hold the heart king. But here Wooldridge found the very effective shift to the club jack. That let the defense force declarer with three rounds of clubs.

Dealer: S Vul: Both

North ♠Q83 ♥A7 ♦ J 10 8 7 2 ♣K76

West ♠K654 ♥K6 ♦643 ♣J853

East ♠ 10 ♥QJ8542 ♦Q9 ♣AQ92 South ♠AJ972 ♥ 10 9 3 ♦AK5 ♣ 10 4

South 1♠ Pass

West Pass Pass

North 1 NT 3♠

East 2♥ All pass

Opening Lead: ♥K

South, Yossi Roll, ruffed and next led low to the trump queen. The appearance of the 10 should have alerted him to the possibility of a 4-1 trump break. He next unblocked the heart ace and crossed back to his hand with a diamond. If trumps were 4-1 his only chance was to find the doubleton diamond queen in East, to let him cash two more diamonds. Then declarer could cross to the trump ace and ruff a heart in dummy. But declarer led a heart prematurely, and that let Wooldridge as West pitch a losing diamond. Declarer could score his ruff, but when the bad trump split came to light, dummy was out of trump. West could win his trump king and lead the fourth club, to establish a long trump for himself, for down one. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠AJ972 ♥ 10 9 3 ♦AK5 ♣ 10 4 South

West

North

1♠ ?

2♦

Dbl.

East 1♦ Pass

ANSWER: Your partner’s double is take-out (either both unbid suits or one of the suits plus support for partner). So you should introduce your hearts – not because you want to, but because the spades are not worth rebidding and because partner will revert to spades without real hearts. So bid two hearts now.

The Aces on Bridge: Friday, August 28th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on September 11th, 2015 “Beware of little expenses; a small leak will sink a great ship.” — Benjamin Franklin

The first three deals of the World Junior Finals in Rio in 2003 turned out to be decisive in the match. The US teams scored heavily on them all, although if their opponents, Israel, had escaped avoidable error they might have been far in front themselves. Here is one of these deals. In one room John Kranyak’s Grand Slam Force did not get the job done, and he settled for 12 tricks in the small slam. In the other room a complex auction, after North could open to show a two-suiter, saw Ranny Schneider reach the decent seven spades. Schneider won the diamond lead and drew two rounds of trump with the ace and king. Now he cashed the club ace, and after much thought ruffed two clubs in dummy. He was overruffed on the second round, for down one.

Dealer: N Vul: None

North ♠A652 ♥J9754 ♦K83 ♣7

West ♠3 ♥Q83 ♦QJ765 ♣Q854

East ♠ J 10 8 ♥ A K 10 6 2 ♦ 10 9 4 ♣J2 South ♠KQ974 ♥— ♦A2 ♣ A K 10 9 6 3

South

West

1♣ 2♠ 5 NT*

Pass Pass Pass

North Pass 1♥ 3♠ 6♠

East Pass Pass Pass All pass

*Asking for top spade honors

A slightly better percentage line is to cash the second top Opening Lead: ♦Q club from hand before ruffing a club. If no honor appears, you need to ruff a club in dummy and cross your fingers. If an honor appears from East, draw the last trump and take a ruffing finesse against the remaining honor. This line goes down whenever East has precisely queen-jack-third in clubs, or whenever East has brilliantly false-carded with an honor from an original holding of QJxx — in which case he deserves to beat you! But once East has three trumps to West’s one, he is more likely to have a doubleton honor, as in the diagram, than a very specific three-card holding. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠ J 10 8 ♥ A K 10 6 2 ♦ 10 9 4 ♣J2 South

West

1♥ ?

Pass

North 1♣ 2♠

East Pass Pass

ANSWER: After opener jump shifts, responder should give preference to opener’s first suit whenever that is remotely feasible. Opener frequently needs the extra space to define his hand (by, e.g., showing three-card support for responder). Since you are in a forcing auction you do not have to show values now. Bid three clubs, and leave partner room to tell you what he has, and why he forced to game.

The Aces on Bridge: Saturday, August 29th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on September 12th, 2015 “Intellectual disgrace Stares from every human face.” — W. H. Auden

Today’s deal helped decide the world junior championships 12 years ago. In the final set, the Israelis were making a charge to catch up the US team and in one room had played for a swing by stopping in four spades here. But in our featured room declarer, Joel Wooldridge, thought his partner had the ace-king of hearts, while John Hurd believed the five heart bid showed the king not the queen. After the sneaky lead of the diamond 10, the best line seemed to be to unblock the heart ace, then use minorsuit entries to take two heart ruffs. When the heart king fell, declarer could switch plans and draw trump. If the heart king did not fall in three rounds South would continue the crossruff, hoping all the minor-suit honors would stand up.

Dealer: S Vul: N-S

North ♠KJ7 ♥A ♦K853 ♣AJ632

West ♠853 ♥J862 ♦ J 10 ♣ Q 10 8 4

East ♠ 10 4 ♥ K 10 3 ♦97642 ♣975 South ♠AQ962 ♥Q9754 ♦AQ ♣K

South 1♠ 2♥ 3♦ 4♦ 5♣ 5♥ 7♠

West Pass Pass Pass Pass Pass Pass All pass

North 2♣ 2♠ 3♥ 4♥ 5♦ 5 NT

East Pass Pass Pass Pass Pass Pass

Opening Lead: ♦10 Wooldridge actually won the diamond lead, unblocked the club king, crossed to the heart ace, then played ace and another club. When he cashed the diamond queen and saw West produce the jack, he ruffed another heart and led the fourth club. Once East discarded on this trick Wooldridge ruffed low, ruffed a heart and then ruffed a diamond with the spade nine. When West could not overruff, declarer had a high crossruff for the contract. The US team went on to win the match by a deceptively comfortable margin. But notice that in this ending if East had ruffed the fourth club with the spade 10, declarer is stuck. He can overruff, but he never gets to score the spade six, since West can overruff him in both minors. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠KJ7 ♥A ♦K853 ♣AJ632 South 1♣ ?

West Pass

North 1♥

East Pass

ANSWER: Maybe you are regretting not opening one no-trump now (not an absurd action by any means) but it is too late to go back. The hand is not really strong enough for a reverse, so unless you are prepared to treat your three-card spade suit as worth introducing, you had better bid one no-trump and live with the underbid.

The Aces on Bridge: Sunday, August 30th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on September 13th, 2015

Dear Mr. Wolff:

Dear Mr. Wolff:

When you are three-three in the minors would you advocate opening the stronger minor, for the lead, in third seat or indeed in any other seat? And what about hands with 4-4 in the minors — what should you open and does the seat matter?

I’m having difficulty in differentiating the hand-types that opener might have when he supports partner directly, or delays support. For example, say you open the bidding one diamond and hear partner respond one heart. Isn’t it the case that a direct raise in hearts shows four trumps, while delayed support shows three?

— First Steps, Kansas City, Mo.

— Helping Hand, Pottsville, Pa. ANSWER: In third seat I tend only to open a three- or four-card minor if light when I am sure I want that suit led. I normally open one club here. In other positions with 4-4 in the minors I tend to open my better suit, whether too weak or too strong for 1 NT. After all, I’d prefer my partner to lead my stronger suit, if in doubt. Dear Mr. Wolff: Can you tell me about a double jump by opener at his second turn to speak? Specifically, should the unopposed sequence: one diamond – one spade – three hearts show a big two-suiter or short hearts? What about a jump by opener to four clubs? — Jack Rabbit, Schaumburg, Ill. ANSWER: When a call at one level would be natural and forcing, as is the case with a reverse, or jump, such as one diamond-one spade-two hearts (or three clubs) the call one level higher should show a different hand-type altogether. In the auction: one diamond – one spade – two clubs, the last bid is natural but not forcing, so three clubs is natural and forcing while a jump to four clubs shows short clubs, in support of spades. Dear Mr. Wolff: Can you tell me how often opener will rebid a five-card as opposed to a six-card suit in an uncontested auction? Is the matter affected by whether responder bids at the one- or two-level? — Called Out, Madison, Wis. ANSWER: The simple answer is that in an uncontested auction when responder bids at the one level, opener will go out of his way not to rebid a five-card suit. But occasionally (typically after a one spade response) opener will have no choice but to repeat a good five-card suit with an awkward pattern such as 2-4-2-5. After a two-level response, opener frequently opts to repeat a good fivecard suit rather than bid two no-trump with a small doubleton in an open suit.

ANSWER: Opener’s direct raise of a major shows four trump, or three trump in an unbalanced minimum. If you always raise partner when you have three trump and are unbalanced, you find your fits at once, and the failure to raise acts as a red flag to partner, who can stay lower on misfits. The delayed raise you mention, of bidding a second suit then raising partner after his minimum rebid, should be reserved for hands with three trump and a king more than a minimum opener. Dear Mr. Wolff: Holding: ♠ A-J-9-6-2, ♥ 5-2, ♦ Q-7-4-2, ♣ 9-4 would you respond two spades to a two club opening? If not, how much more would you need to make that call? — Stretching the Boundaries, Naples, Fla. ANSWER: No, with the boss suit I’m sure I can find a way to get them in somehow, no matter what my partner does next. I bid two diamonds first. Change the diamond queen to the king and I’m happy to bid two spades now; the extra control makes a difference. Even with the spade queen instead of the jack I’d opt to upgrade the hand to a positive.

The Aces on Bridge: Monday, August 31st, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on September 14th, 2015 “Bold knaves thrive without one grain of sense, But good men starve for want of impudence.” — John Dryden

There is a school of thought that says that one should lead singletons against suit contracts whenever one has the option to do so. I do not buy into that (although given my success on opening lead you could argue that any strategy I follow other than my own would be an improvement). Today’s deal was an indication of how even when you do get a ruff, there may be a better strategy than leading the singleton. In one room West led his singleton diamond and received his ruff, East returning his middle diamond in an attempt to show no strong preference for clubs or hearts. West cashed his club ace and exited with a heart. Declarer won in hand and guessed well when he laid down his spade ace, and had no further problems with taking the rest and making his game.

Dealer: S Vul: Both

North ♠ 10 9 4 3 ♥93 ♦KQJ974 ♣Q

West ♠K5 ♥ K J 10 6 5 ♦5 ♣AJ932

East ♠6 ♥Q74 ♦A632 ♣ 10 8 7 6 5 South ♠AQJ872 ♥A82 ♦ 10 8 ♣K4

South 1♠

West 2 ♠*

North 4♠

East All pass

*5-5 shape, hearts and a minor Opening Lead: question!

That

is

the

In the other room West looked at his likely trump trick and decided that an attacking lead was more appropriate. Despite the fact that his partner had not raised hearts, West led the heart jack to the first trick, and found the perfect layout to justify his optimism. Declarer ducked the lead, won the second heart and crossed to dummy with a heart ruff to take the spade finesse. Now West cashed his club ace and shifted to a diamond, to take his ruff for two down. For the record, a trump lead when holding ace-doubleton of spades or king-third would have been far more attractive. LEAD WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: I’d like to go passive here but I don’t have any passive options. I’ll settle for a fourthhighest club, but if I had a lead that was favorite not to cost a trick I’d surely select that instead. My second choice would be a low spade lead, hoping to hit length in my partner’s hand.

South Holds: ♠K74 ♥A54 ♦Q92 ♣ Q 10 4 3 South

West

Pass

2 NT

North Pass All pass

East 1 NT

The Aces on Bridge: Tuesday, September 1st, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on September 15th, 2015 “Fear tastes like a rusty knife and do not let her into your house. Courage tastes of blood.” — John Cheever

The rule of 11 is a subject we all know about in theory but sometimes fail to apply in practice. Let’s see how a hand where the players at the table failed to make the most of their opportunities. When this board came up at the Dyspeptics Club, West led the heart six against three no-trump, and declarer had no choice but to win the ace, as East followed low, He crossed to hand in diamonds and ran the club queen. East won his king and jack of hearts, then looked around for inspiration, but found none. Declarer claimed his nine tricks a moment later, and East went on the attack, asking West why he had not overtaken the heart jack. Declarer showed him his heart 10 and commented that he would have taken 10 tricks had the defense gone that way.

Dealer: N Vul: E-W

North ♠ A 10 4 ♥A ♦9542 ♣ A J 10 4 3

West ♠Q753 ♥Q9763 ♦J3 ♣92

East ♠J86 ♥KJ5 ♦ Q 10 7 6 ♣K85 South ♠K92 ♥ 10 8 4 2 ♦AK8 ♣Q76

South

West

2 NT

Pass

North 1♣ 3 NT

East Pass All pass

Opening Lead: ♥6 Then, to twist the knife, he commented sympathetically that it had been a hard defense to get right. Just as he hoped, East asked him sharply what he meant, and South told him that he needed to unblock the heart jack under the ace. The rule of 11 tells East that there are five cards higher than the six in the three hands other than the leader, and East can see three of them. If declarer has the queen or the 10-9, East’s defense doesn’t matter; if West has the Q-10 all defenses work. But if, as happened today, West has the Q-9, the unblock is essential, to allow East to lead through declarer’s remaining 10-8 on the third round. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠ A 10 4 ♥A ♦9542 ♣ A J 10 4 3 South 1♣ ?

West 1♠

North Dbl.

East Pass

ANSWER: I can see a case for bidding one no-trump (minimum with a spade stopper), repeating the clubs, or bidding the diamonds to suggest both minors. With 4-4 in the minors I’d be less enthusiastic about the two diamond call, but I can stand a retreat to three clubs happily, so it would be my choice. This auction does not show reversing values, by the way. With that, you would bid three diamonds.

The Aces on Bridge: Wednesday, September 2nd, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on September 16th, 2015 “Success is always something that you have to recover from.” — Marsha Norman

Today’s hand, from the final of the Mixed Teams at the 2011 Open European Championships, sees a difference in evaluation. At the first table South opened a strong no-trump and North passed. Admittedly it was not the best eight-count you have ever seen, but this being teams, where a vulnerable game has high significance, trying for game was hardly unreasonable. In the other room Sylvie Willard reached game on the auction shown, against which West led a spade. (Had West attacked in diamonds, the game would have failed.)

Dealer: S Vul: N-S

North ♠K ♥ 10 6 4 3 ♦KJ8 ♣J8742

West ♠ 10 8 5 4 3 ♥Q7 ♦ 10 6 ♣Q963

East ♠J762 ♥J95 ♦AQ53 ♣ K 10 South ♠AQ9 ♥AK82 ♦9742 ♣A5

South 1 NT 2♥ 4♥

West Pass Pass All pass

North 2♣ 3♥

Willard won in dummy, came to hand with the club ace, and lost no time in pitching two of dummy’s diamonds on Opening Lead: ♠4 her master spades. Then came a diamond to the king and ace. East returned the heart five, looking to cut down on ruffs, and Willard won with the ace and played a club, East winning. South rose with the king on the heart five return, then set about the crossruff. The defenders could only come to the jack of trumps, and that was plus 620 to the eventual winners of the event.

East Pass Pass

Even after the spade lead, there was still a defense. When in with the club king, East must return a diamond rather than a trump. This is ruffed in dummy, but now, when a club is played, East ruffs in. If South overruffs, the next diamond can be trumped by West’s queen – with the jack still to come for the defense. And if South discards, East plays a diamond. Now West’s queen scores the setting trick. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠K ♥ 10 6 4 3 ♦KJ8 ♣J8742 South 1♥ 1 NT ?

West Pass Pass Pass

North 1♦ 1♠ 2♣

East Pass Pass Pass

ANSWER: Normally one starts from the assumption that all bids in the fourth suit are artificial. This is one of the rare exceptions. Since you have already shown some club length and values at your second turn, the two club call suggests a three-suiter, with short hearts. Your hand could hardly be better now. I could barely live with a threeclub call, but I think a bid of four clubs would be closer to the value of the hand.

The Aces on Bridge: Thursday, September 3rd, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on September 17th, 2015 “If it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck, looks like a duck, it must be a duck.” — Proverb

The reasons for ducking a trick are many and various. Let’s see a deal from the finals of a pair game at a recent US Summer Nationals. It was misplayed by almost every declarer who encountered it. Can you do better – you may care to consider it as a single-dummy problem by covering up the East and West cards. Having been pushed to three spades, how should you play this contract on the lead of the club queen? Let us assume from East’s take-out double that the most likely lie of the defenders’ cards involves a 4-1 trump break, onside. If so, you have eight easy tricks but no comfortable route to reduce your trumps, a necessary move to achieve the trump coup to allow you to score that extra trump trick in dummy.

Dealer: S Vul: Both

North ♠ K J 10 7 4 3 ♥962 ♦74 ♣84

West ♠Q952 ♥K84 ♦85 ♣ Q J 10 2

East ♠8 ♥AQJ7 ♦ K Q 10 2 ♣9763 South ♠A6 ♥ 10 5 3 ♦AJ963 ♣AK5

South 1 NT 2♠ Pass

West Pass Pass 3♣

North 2♥ Pass 3♠

East Pass Dbl. All pass

The right line (which combines deception and technique) Opening Lead: ♣Q is to duck the first club smoothly. There is no way the defenders will be able to work out what is going on in this suit – is there? Win the expected club continuation, and play a third club to pitch a diamond from dummy. Now lead a spade to the 10 for the immediate finesse, then play a diamond to the ace and take a diamond ruff. After a spade to the ace, as East discards, dummy is down to three trumps. You can now ruff a diamond and exit with a heart. The defenders can cash three rounds of that suit, but must then lead a plain card, and allow the spade K-J to take the last two tricks. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠ K J 10 7 4 3 ♥962 ♦74 ♣84 South ?

West

North

East

ANSWER: This is the sort of hand where knowledge of the vulnerability is critical. Wild horses would not tempt me to act if vulnerable, but if at favorable vulnerability I might even risk a three spade preempt. With neither side vulnerable I would feel obliged to act – you could tempt me to break discipline and open two spades. You’re only young once.

The Aces on Bridge: Friday, September 4th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on September 18th, 2015 “Blue color is everlastingly appointed by the Deity to be a source of delight.” — John Ruskin

During the 1960s the Italian Blue Team seemed invincible. Today’s deal comes from the final of a Bermuda Bowl, and as usual in those days, their opponents were the Americans, and it was Giorgio Belladonna who stole the limelight. Belladonna sensibly treated his hand as worth a drive to game, and since he thought he knew what he wanted trump to be, he rebid four hearts at his second turn. West led the club king, and declarer won in hand, perforce. There were nine obvious tricks and a number of possibilities for the 10th. He started by leading a low diamond and ducking in dummy – good technique, keeping control in the suit with the chance of taking a diamond ruff on the table. East scotched this possibility by playing ace and another trump.

Dealer: N Vul: Both

North ♠AK875 ♥74 ♦A3 ♣J862

West ♠94 ♥863 ♦ 10 9 5 ♣ K Q 10 9 3

East ♠ Q J 10 3 ♥A2 ♦KQ62 ♣754 South ♠62 ♥ K Q J 10 9 5 ♦J874 ♣A

South

West

2♥ 4♥

Pass All pass

North 1♠ 2♠

East Pass Pass

Opening Lead: ♣K

Reduced now to trying another tack, South won the second trump, drew the last trump, and ducked a spade all round – perhaps the suit would break 3-3? It did not, but there was now a new danger for the defenders. Two top spades and a spade ruff would establish the spade eight as a winner. To counter this, East was compelled to lead a diamond to drive out dummy’s side entry. A good try, but unfortunately not good enough for the defense, as East was now in control of both of the pointed suits. Belladonna now played off his remaining trumps and, at the end, East had to unguard either the diamond or the spades. Whichever suit he discarded would set up winners for declarer. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠AK875 ♥74 ♦A3 ♣J862 South 1♠ ?

West Pass

North 2♦

East Pass

ANSWER: Players are taught not to rebid five-card suits if a sensible alternative exists. But that stricture does not apply in a twoover-one auction when opener is unsuitable for a call at no-trump. I believe that a rebid at the three-level (three clubs here) would show extra shape or high cards. To my mind, a simple rebid of a decent five-card suit is more descriptive and economical.

The Aces on Bridge: Saturday, September 5th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on September 19th, 2015 “To a philosopher, no circumstance, however trifling, is too minute.” — Oliver Goldsmith

In today’s deal declarer produces an endplay almost from nowhere in four spades. After the lead of the diamond jack, South is threatened with four losers in hearts and clubs. He wins the diamond ace, takes the king and ruffs a diamond high. After cashing the spade ace and crossing to dummy’s spade queen, he leads the diamond seven. When East follows suit, declarer ruffs, then plays two more rounds of trumps, reducing everyone to five cards.

Dealer: W Vul: E-W

North ♠Q52 ♥864 ♦AK73 ♣Q63

West ♠73 ♥AQ975 ♦ J 10 9 ♣A84

East ♠98 ♥ J 10 3 ♦Q862 ♣ J 10 9 5 South ♠ A K J 10 6 4 ♥K2 ♦54 ♣K72

West is known to have begun with 2=5=3=3 or 2=6=3=2 South West North East shape (assuming that he would bid again with seven or 1♥ Pass Pass eight hearts). The odds favor the former pattern, so 2 ♠* Pass 4♠ All pass declarer plays for that distribution. On the last trump West *Intermediate in balancing seat has to come down to ace-doubleton in either hearts or Opening Lead: ♦J clubs. It looks normal to throw a heart, since if he pitches a club South can lead a low club to the queen, then duck one on the way back. Suppose West sees the endplay coming, and reduces to A-9 of hearts and A-8-4 of clubs. Now South can find the neat play of a low heart from his hand, to put East on lead; a club back (best) is ducked to dummy’s queen. Then a second heart to the king and ace endplays West to lead away from the club ace at trick 12. Incidentally, if it had been East who had discarded on the fourth diamond, declarer would simply have thrown a club, forcing West to win and lead away from one of his aces, to give South his 10th trick. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠Q52 ♥864 ♦AK73 ♣Q63 South ?

West 1♠

North Dbl.

East Pass

ANSWER: You might elect to bid diamonds, in which case an invitational jump to three diamonds looks far more appropriate than a pusillanimous response of two diamonds. Or you can bid no-trump. The text books may say that a call of one notrump is constructive; obviously no one is ever dealt a five-count with jack-fifth of spades… I say jump to two no-trump to get your invitational values across best.

The Aces on Bridge: Sunday, September 6th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on September 20th, 2015

Dear Mr. Wolff: Please tell me the name of the convention, which has appeared in your column more than once. After opener raises responder’s major-suit response, responder bids two notrump to ask if opener has three- or four-card support, and to determine the strength of opener’s hand. Opener then defines his hand by a three-level response. If you know a name for the convention I would appreciate your publishing it. — Duke of Earl, Phoenix, Ariz. ANSWER: I’ve heard this referred to as mini/maxi and also as spiral; if it has an official name, I do not know it! Bridgewinners discusses the subject. Dear Mr. Wolff: Can you tell me what you consider to be the reasonable constraints for the suitability for a take-out double of an opening bid of a minorsuit? Does it guarantee 4-4 in the majors or might it be as flat as 3-3 in the majors? And what about the minimum length in the unbid minor? — Weight Watcher, New Orleans, La. ANSWER: These days the purists are losing the battle for the takeout double to have perfect shape. A double of a minor suit should always deliver at least three cards in each major, and be relatively short in the suit doubled (three cards is the exception not the rule). But doubling one diamond with e.g. a 4=4=3=2 shape and a good hand may be the smallest lie. This sort of action has an element of danger — but that doesn’t make it wrong. Dear Mr. Wolff: When your partner doubles a one-level opening bid, I assume you play jump responses are invitational. But what are double-jumps? And should you modify the meaning of the jump if the next hand redoubles your partner? — Bouncy Castle, Trenton, N.J.

ANSWER: As you say, jumps are best played as invitational (say 9-11, ideally with five trumps). After a redouble, the jump should be more shape and fewer high cards – closer to preemptive in nature. And double jumps always sound preemptive in nature to me. Dear Mr. Wolff: When my partner opens one diamond, how do you feel about trying to improve the contract on a hand without the traditional values for a response? Specifically, I had: ♠ Q-9-7-4-3, ♥ Q-10-7-2, ♦ 3-2, ♣ 9-3. I elected to pass and found my partner struggling in a 4-2 fit while we had a 5-4 spade fit and even some remote chances to make game. — David the Dredger, Janesville, Wis. ANSWER: For both tactical and strategic reasons I tend to respond lighter to a minor than to a major (the chance of improving the contract or stealing from the opponents are the two main reasons for bidding). Here I think a one spade response is entirely reasonable. You can pass a rebid in diamonds or correct a one no-trump rebid to two hearts to show a weak hand with both majors. Dear Mr. Wolff: With both sides vulnerable, my partner dealt and opened one spade. My RHO bid three clubs, pre-emptive. I held ♠ Q, ♥ 10-5-2, ♦ KJ-10-9-7-5-3 ♣ 10-2 and passed, believing that three diamonds would indicate a lot more HCP and less support for partner’s suit than I held, and that four diamonds would be an unwise vulnerable pre-empt over a preemptive overcall. My partner says I should have gone ahead and bid three diamonds; who is correct please? — Romper Stomper, Torrance, Calif. ANSWER: You are right, your partner wrong. A bid of three diamonds is a game-force. You must pass here – and note that a jump to four diamonds over three clubs would not be weak with diamonds – it would traditionally be played as a splinter (or perhaps a fitjump) in support of spades.

The Aces on Bridge: Monday, September 7th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on September 21st, 2015 “To articulate sweet sounds together Is to work harder than all these, and yet Be thought an idler.” — W. B. Yeats

Today’s deal sees two declarers working hard to find a clue; but one worked harder than the other, and was suitably rewarded. Both tables reached the notrump slam, against which West led the club queen. The first declarer took the club lead and cashed the spade ace and king. He saw only small cards from West, but the two and 10 from East. Since West appeared to be long in both spades and clubs, he played him for short diamonds and led to the diamond ace. Unlucky!

Dealer: S Vul: E-W

North ♠J753 ♥85 ♦ A 10 8 5 3 ♣A4

West ♠86 ♥ J 10 7 4 ♦Q64 ♣ Q J 10 3

East ♠ Q 10 9 2 ♥9632 ♦— ♣98752 South ♠AK4 ♥AKQ ♦KJ972 ♣K6

South

West

North

At the second table declarer won the club lead in dummy 2♣ Pass 2♦ and continued with a spade to the ace, followed by the 3 NT Pass 6 NT spade four towards dummy’s jack. East won his queen and returned a club to South’s king. The top three hearts Opening Lead: ♣Q came next and when both East and West followed throughout, South took his remaining top spade and saw West discard. Now South thought the balance of probability was that if anyone had a diamond void it would be East. Otherwise West would have begun life with a relatively rare initial distribution pattern of 11 cards in hearts and clubs. So he broached diamonds by leading the diamond king, and could now finesse West for the queen with certainty. Slam made.

East Pass All pass

Note that had the spade queen sat doubleton in either hand, declarer could have afforded to misguess in diamonds; but the trade-off of a possible overtrick to improve the chances of making the contract seemed like an excellent bargain. LEAD WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠J95 ♥8532 ♦A4 ♣AQ87 South Dbl. All pass

West 1♦ Rdbl.

North Pass 1♥

East Pass 1♠

ANSWER: Nothing looks better here than leading partner’s suit. Having implied length in hearts, should one lead a count card (a fourth highest two, or the three if playing third and low) or the eight? Since declarer rates to be very weak, I don’t feel obliged to clarify the position of the honors for him, and partner should be able to work out what I have from the sight of dummy. I will therefore lead a low heart.

The Aces on Bridge: Tuesday, September 8th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on September 22nd, 2015 “There are two tragedies in life. One is not to get your heart’s desire. The other is to get it.” — G. B. Shaw

As South you have become declarer in six hearts on the lead of the club queen. Your three notrump call was conventional, indicating suitability for slam, but no extra values. (With a dead minimum you would sign off in four hearts, with extras you would cuebid yourself). This gadget is known as ‘non-serious three notrump’. For more information check here. How do you play your slam on the lead of the club queen? The only danger will come if your RHO holds all four trumps, so you must start by playing a low trump towards the dummy, if West follows suit you could insert the jack, but it looks equally good to go up with the king, and if East discards you can come back to hand and lead up to the heart jack. Barring a highly unlikely ruff, you are home.

Dealer: S Vul: E-W

North ♠ J 10 7 ♥KJ9 ♦AJ3 ♣7542

West ♠9643 ♥— ♦9762 ♣ Q J 10 8 6

East ♠852 ♥ Q 10 8 4 ♦ 10 8 5 ♣K93 South ♠AKQ ♥A76532 ♦KQ4 ♣A

South 2♣ 2♥ 3 NT*

West Pass Pass Pass

North 2♦ 3♥ 6♥

East Pass Pass All pass

*Mild slam try for hearts

However if West shows out on the first heart, go up with Opening Lead: ♣Q the king, ruff a club, cash your three top spades, then play a diamond to the jack, ruff a club, and take the diamond king before playing a diamond to the ace. When you lead dummy’s last club, East is down to just three trumps and must ruff in. You underruff, and run East’s forced trump continuation round to dummy’s jack to land your slam. For this line to succeed you need East in addition to his four hearts to hold three cards in each of the other suits, or precisely a 3=4=4=2 pattern. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠ J 10 7 ♥KJ9 ♦AJ3 ♣7542 South Pass ?

West 1♦

North 2♣

East Pass

ANSWER: There are two directions you might go here; you might raise clubs, or bid notrump. I prefer the latter, and though I only have a 10-count, I’m optimistically driving to three notrump, for two reasons. The first is that my four small clubs will help to solidify partner’s suit. The second is that I want to keep the opponents out – they have a lot of major-suit cards after all. A call of two notrump is also just fine.

The Aces on Bridge: Wednesday, September 9th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on September 23rd, 2015 “People who don’t take risks generally make about two big mistakes a year. People who do take risks generally make about two big mistakes a year.” — Peter Drucker

This table produced a swing in a regional team game. I was dummy at the second table, admiring my partner’s line of play. At both tables North-South competed to three spades on the lead of the club jack. Where my teammates were defending, declarer ducked the club jack lead but East overtook with the club queen to shift to a diamond. Declarer played low and West won the diamond jack then played the club three. East again won cheaply and shifted back to diamonds, leaving declarer with five losers — two in each minor and the ace of trumps.

Dealer: E Vul: E-W

North ♠ 10 9 ♥AKJ4 ♦ 10 7 4 2 ♣K95

West ♠876 ♥Q8765 ♦KJ3 ♣J3

East ♠A3 ♥93 ♦985 ♣ A Q 10 8 7 4 South ♠KQJ542 ♥ 10 2 ♦AQ6 ♣62

South

West

North

In the other room East pardonably failed to overtake the 1♠ Pass 1 NT 2♠ Pass 3♠ club queen at trick one, which had the effect of giving declarer a lifeline. East won the second club and shifted to a revealing diamond nine, on which South played low. Opening Lead: ♣J Now West won the diamond jack and exited with a trump to East’s ace. Declarer won the next diamond with the ace and ran his trumps, discarding diamonds and a small heart from dummy. In the process of playing off his spades he squeezed West in the red suits so that when declarer led a heart toward dummy he knew to play off the top hearts, confident that the queen would appear from one defender or the other.

East Pass 2♣ All pass

This position is known as a show-up squeeze. West is reduced to two hearts and his master diamond, and East only began life with two hearts, so no one can keep the queen guarded. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠KQJ542 ♥ 10 2 ♦AQ6 ♣62 South 1♠ 2♠ ?

West Pass Pass

North 2♣ 3♥

East Pass Pass

ANSWER: Your partner’s three heart call asks you to describe your hand in terms of spade suit, club fit or diamond stopper. It shows hearts rather than asking about the suit. With a solid diamond stopper bid three no-trump now. You could persuade me that I hadn’t shown the full quality of my spades yet. I agree; but I’d rather head for no-trump first and hope that we can back into spades later. No-trump can’t wait.

The Aces on Bridge: Thursday, September 10th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on September 24th, 2015 “He shall come to judge the quick and the dead.” — Book of Common Prayer

Whenever you take a long while to play a hand you have to work out whether it is your side or the opponents who are likely to gain most from the time you take. Today’s deal features an example of a hand where declarer might do well not to give the defenders more time to think than is absolutely necessary. East-West were playing the weak no-trump, and East was so relieved that he was not going to have to play in two hearts doubled (his sequence of bids having shown both majors), that he was sitting back and not paying a great deal of attention as declarer made his plan at trick one. Eventually it dawned on East that dummy was a bit stronger than might have been expected. Since West presumably had at least 11 points, East had three and dummy had 20, that left only six for declarer. That wasn’t really enough for a call of two no-trumps.

Dealer: W Vul: Both

North ♠AKQ5 ♥KQ4 ♦84 ♣AQ32

West ♠82 ♥ A 10 8 ♦K76 ♣KJ654

East ♠ J 10 6 4 ♥97652 ♦Q3 ♣87 South ♠973 ♥J3 ♦ A J 10 9 5 2 ♣ 10 9

South Pass Pass 2 NT

West 1 NT* Pass Pass Pass

North Dbl. Dbl. Dbl. 3 NT

East 2♣ 2♥ Pass All pass

*11 – 14 Opening Lead: ♠8

The most likely explanation was that South had a good source of tricks and the only place they could be was in diamonds. Consequently when declarer won the spade lead and played a diamond from the dummy, East worked out to play the queen, killing the diamond suit and guaranteeing the defeat of the contract. There was now no way South could come to more than three spades, two hearts, one diamond and two clubs. If East ducks the first diamond, then even if West withholds his king, declarer can utilize the clubs to come to nine tricks. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠AKQ5 ♥KQ4 ♦84 ♣AQ32 South 2 NT ?

West Pass

North 3♦

East Pass

ANSWER: The three diamond call is a transfer to hearts, a suit you fit well. Should you do more than bid three hearts as requested? No indeed. Imagine partner with a hand that would pass three hearts (jackfifth of hearts and the diamond queen, say). You might well be struggling to make even nine tricks. If partner had transferred to spades, I would do more – the fourth trump and ruffing value might be critical.

The Aces on Bridge: Friday, September 11th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on September 25th, 2015 “Among all forms of mistake, prophecy is the most gratuitous.” — George Eliot

This deal comes from the Junior Europeans a few years ago and demonstrates that it is often dangerous to make predictions about anything at this game. For example: just how solid is a solid suit? In the more sedate room in the match between Israel and Austria the Israeli South declared three no-trump on a heart lead. He finished up with only the six tricks he had started life with — three hearts and three club tricks, no more. He tried to force an entry to hand but the defenders did not continue playing on hearts and cashed out their diamonds and spades.

Dealer: N Vul: N-S

North ♠Q752 ♥8 ♦ K J 10 5 2 ♣AKQ

West ♠AK96 ♥ 10 6 5 4 2 ♦743 ♣6

East ♠ 10 8 4 ♥Q93 ♦AQ96 ♣ 10 7 3 South ♠J3 ♥AKJ7 ♦8 ♣J98542

South

West

North 1♦ 1♠ 3 NT

Far and away declarer’s best shot on the deal was to do 1♥ Pass 2 NT Pass what Andreas Gloyer of Austria did, after concealing his clubs in the auction. He ducked the opening heart lead! Then he could win the second heart, lead a club to Opening Lead: ♥4 dummy and a spade to the jack. If he could persuade the defenders to win and continue hearts, as they trustingly did, he could cash his two remaining heart winners to pitch the two blocking clubs from dummy. Now he could come to nine tricks from the hearts and clubs – so long as the club 10 dropped in two rounds.

East Pass Pass All pass

But note that the effect of this card not falling in two rounds was, as Gloyer discovered, that when a defender cashed the club 10, it squeezed the dummy in spades and diamonds for down four! How embarrassing for this to happen in a suit where you held nine cards and the top four winners! BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠Q752 ♥8 ♦ K J 10 5 2 ♣AKQ South 1♦ 3♠ ?

West Pass Pass

North 1♠ 4♦

East Pass Pass

ANSWER: Your partner has suggested a slam, and denied a club control in so doing. When you cooperate by bidding four hearts you should promise a club control (which you have – in spades, so to speak) as well as suggesting suitability for slam. While you certainly would not make a try above the game level, you should allow partner to investigate for slam if he wants.

The Aces on Bridge: Saturday, September 12th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on September 26th, 2015 “Without leaps of imagination or dreaming, we lose the excitement of possibilities. Dreaming, after all is a form of planning.” — Gloria Steinem

Today’s deal presented an awkward problem for South after the intervention over two clubs. His pass promised at least semipositive values, since with 0-4 points South would have doubled two spades. Then, facing a takeout double, he cuebid and next jumped to five hearts since he thought he had too much for a simple call of four hearts over four diamonds. So he reached the normal slam in unusual fashion. After the lead of the spade three to the ace there was no point in trying to ruff a spade in dummy immediately, given the weak trumps in hand and the shortage of entries back to South. Instead it looked right to take the heart king and queen, hoping for the hearts to break. If they had done so, you would draw trump and give up a spade, hoping to be able to work out the ending in the fullness of time.

Dealer: N Vul: None

North ♠A7 ♥KQJ6 ♦ K Q 10 4 ♣AK7

West

East ♠ K Q J 10 9 8 6 ♥8 ♦76 ♣ Q 10 5

♠3 ♥ 10 9 7 4 ♦J983 ♣J642 South ♠542 ♥A532 ♦A52 ♣983 South

West

Pass 3♠ 5♥

Pass Pass Pass

North 2♣ Dbl. 4♦ 6♥

East 2♠ Pass Pass All pass

However, the 4-1 trump break was very bad news. See if Opening Lead: ♠3 you can find a legitimate play for the contract now. In fact the least unlikely chance to play for is to hope West holds four diamonds in addition to his four hearts – certainly not impossible, given East’s overcall. You must take the diamond king and ace, then lead a diamond to the 10. The diamond queen allows you to throw a club as West continues to follow suit. Then the club ace-king and a club ruff brings the trick total to 11. The heart jack in dummy is the 12th winner. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠542 ♥A532 ♦A52 ♣983 South

West

1♥ ?

Pass

North 1♦ 1♠

East Pass Pass

ANSWER: Were you tempted to raise spades, or to respond one no-trump? When partner bids two suits and you have decent support for the first-bid suit, simply give preference to that suit. Yes, diamonds scores less well than making a spade or notrump contract. But the last time I checked, it was better to go plus than minus. Even a partial club stopper might tempt me to settle for a call of one no-trump.

The Aces on Bridge: Sunday, September 13th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on September 27th, 2015

Dear Mr. Wolff: I know most people play a double of a four heart opening bid as optional – maybe with an emphasis on take-out. What about a double of four spades, or a double after partner opens and the next hand overcalls four spades? I’d also be interested to know how the experts treat doubles of five-level overcalls. — Hunting the Snark, Galveston, Texas ANSWER: I’d say that most play that one removes a double of four spades to a contract one expects to make, but otherwise passes. The same applies even more clearly to a double of a five-level bid. Try not to remove the double from fear; play partner for the odd trick or two for his double, and hope he can beat their contract in his own hand. Dear Mr. Wolff: I had always been taught that the double of a major always showed the ability to play in the other major. Is that right or if a hand is strong enough can you start by doubling on a one or two-suited hand? — Heartfelt Harry, Albany, Ga. ANSWER: With spades and a strong hand one can generally double, then insist on playing one’s suit. With hearts the position is less clear. The problem is that if the opponents bid spades you may find it hard to introduce your suit at a convenient level. Doubling with a one-suiter in spades is fine by me on 17 or so. If you have another onesuiter or a two-suiter, you need even more to start with a double. Dear Mr. Wolff: I have seen your comments on leading high from three or four small in a suit you have raised. Would you lead your highest card if you had four card support: J-94-2, for instance? — Mumbles, Schaumburg, Ill.

ANSWER: This holding looks appropriate for a low card lead to me (the jack is an honor here). Whenever partner might need to know count, I’d try to give him that on lead (playing third and fifth leads the count is easier to read than in standard fourth highest methods, by the way). Whenever I think it is important to partner to know if I have an honor, I go with a high or low card as appropriate. Dear Mr. Wolff: Can you comment on when, if ever, opener can rebid a five-card suit, without it promising six? — Nanny Goat, Staten Island, N.Y. ANSWER: Opener strives not to repeat a five-card suit after a one-level response. Exceptions come (typically over partner’s one spade response) when with a 2-4-2-5 pattern and 12-15, including a small doubleton in diamonds, you might repeat the clubs. Things are different after a 2/1 gameforcing auction. If you play opener’s new suit at the three-level shows five or extras, and that two no-trump guarantees stoppers (or length) in the unbid suits, you sometimes have to rebid a chunky five-carder. Dear Mr. Wolff: If the opponents overcall my partner’s opening bid, should I use weak-jump responses? Or is there a better meaning for jumps in new suits? — Grasshopper Mind, Laredo, Texas ANSWER: I hate weak jump responses if the opponents are silent – I see no reason to preempt our side out of the auction when the opponents have shown no sign of bidding. But when the opponents overcall or double, using a jump as weak makes sense, particularly by an unpassed hand. And all jump raises in competition should always be weak. By passed hands, use fit-jumps in all new suits.

The Aces on Bridge: Monday, September 14th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on September 28th, 2015 “Knowledge may give weight, but accomplishments give luster, and many more people see than weigh.” — Earl of Chesterfield

All the deals this week come from the later stages of the women’s teams championships in Montreal. Both Norths doubled a one heart bid, but at one table in the finals Judi Radin as East jumped to three hearts, and Irina Levitina bid three spades, then doubled Valerie Westheimer’s four heart call. After a spade lead to the ace followed by the club 10 shift, Kerri Sanborn cashed the second spade, then got out with a third spade. Declarer eventually built an entry to dummy to take the losing heart finesse, in a position where there were certainly some indications that leading to the heart king was the right play (the combination of no four spade call from North and the final double by South). Down 500.

Dealer: S Vul: N-S

North ♠ K 10 9 2 ♥Q ♦KJ98 ♣A873

West ♠J5 ♥K9753 ♦ A 10 ♣KQJ5

East ♠643 ♥ J 10 8 4 ♦Q764 ♣64 South ♠AQ87 ♥A62 ♦532 ♣ 10 9 2

South Pass 4♠

West 1♥ All pass

North Dbl.

East 2♥

Opening Lead: ♣K In our featured room Disa Eythorsdottir did reach four spades. Jill Meyers led a top club, ducked, and now a top club continuation is best. Meyers gave declarer a chance when she played the diamond ace and another diamond, as Randi Montin encouraged. When Disa won the king and drew all the trumps, she could now get one pitch for her heart loser, but still had to lose two clubs and two diamonds. Down one. The winning line was to play West for the 2-5-2-4 shape that the defense at the table had perhaps suggested. Go up with the diamond king at trick three, and ruff two hearts in dummy using trumps as a re-entry to your hand. Then draw a second round of trumps and you can now set up the fourth diamond to pitch your losing club, since West has no trumps left. LEAD WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠K62 ♥Q832 ♦ 10 7 2 ♣Q87 South Pass All pass

West 1♥ 2♠

North Pass Pass

East 1♠ 4♠

ANSWER: Clearly, you are going to lead a minor, so the question is whether to pick the more aggressive or more passive option. Dummy rates to put down only four (or perhaps five) cards in the minors. It looks natural to me to try to cash winners if you can, before declarer discards losers from one suit on the other (or on dummy’s hearts). That being the case, I’ll go for a club rather than a diamond.

The Aces on Bridge: Tuesday, September 15th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on September 29th, 2015 “We are all strong enough to bear the misfortunes of others.” — Duc de La Rochefoucauld

In today’s deal from the 2002 McConnell teams semifinals even three hearts has no play on accurate defense. So when one table stopped low and one bid game, you can guess who picked up the swing, right? In the match between an American and a Dutch team, East had the first problem, when North passed the one heart opener. I fancy two clubs myself, expecting to bid spades later. And note that not only does the deal belong to East-West in clubs, but you also get partner off to the right lead. However, after the American East doubled, West sold out to two hearts and led a top diamond; now the only issue was the second overtrick.

Dealer: S Vul: None

North ♠953 ♥J873 ♦J954 ♣J2

West ♠876 ♥52 ♦KQ873 ♣Q76

East ♠KQJ2 ♥96 ♦ 10 6 ♣ A K 10 9 3 South ♠ A 10 4 ♥ A K Q 10 4 ♦A2 ♣854

South 1♥ 2 NT 4♥

West Pass Pass All pass

North 1 NT 3♥

East Dbl. Pass

In the other room where Irina Levitina was declarer on the auction shown, the 10th trick was far more important. The Opening Lead: ♦K auction suggests that North-South may not have been on entirely firm ground as to whether responding one notrump with the North cards was expected – or maybe as to whether the three heart call was forcing – but note that here too East had passed up her opportunity to get partner off to the right lead. When Wietske van Zwol led a top diamond, Levitina won and drew two rounds of trumps before playing a diamond back. It was very tough for van Zwol to work out to duck – though I suspect it might be the percentage play. When she took her queen, declarer had two homes for her spade losers. Had West ducked, she loses her diamond trick but gets two spade winners in return. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠953 ♥J873 ♦J954 ♣J2 South 2♦ ?

West Pass Pass

North 2♣ 2♥

East Pass Pass

ANSWER: There is a straightforward choice here. You can make the call to show a second negative – which should be either two no-trump or three clubs, depending on partnership style. (For what it is worth, I prefer three clubs here.) Or you can jump to four hearts, suggesting trump support but a bad hand – no ace or king and no singleton in a side suit. I marginally prefer the latter route, but it is close.

The Aces on Bridge: Wednesday, September 16th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on September 30th, 2015 “Ill fortune never crushed that man whom good fortune deceived not.” — Ben Jonson

Today’s deal comes from the finals of the McConnell women’s teams. In one room Judi Radin responded one spade to one heart as North. That got Valerie Westheimer to a reasonable spot, but it warned Kerri Sanborn to lead a club. Westheimer might have drawn one round of trumps, but she actually led the spade 10 to the spade king at trick two, and Irina Levitina won and returned a spade. Westheimer rose with the spade queen – hardly an unreasonable play, was it? Sanborn ruffed and returned a club, and now Westheimer ruffed, and crossed to dummy with the heart ace to take the diamond finesse. When that lost, the hand fell to pieces; she emerged with seven tricks, and can hardly be said to have done too much wrong.

Dealer: N Vul: E-W

North ♠K6432 ♥A63 ♦72 ♣943

West ♠7 ♥84 ♦K9864 ♣K8752

East ♠AJ85 ♥952 ♦ J 10 ♣ Q J 10 6 South ♠ Q 10 9 ♥ K Q J 10 7 ♦AQ53 ♣A

South

West

1♥ 3♦ 3♠

Pass Pass Pass

North Pass 1♠ 3♥ 4♥

In the other room Rozanne Pollack led her singleton spade against four hearts, of course. East put in the Opening Lead: ♣2 spade jack and declarer, Jill Meyers, won and tried the spade 10. Pollack ruffed and led a trump, and Meyers won and cashed a second heart, finding the bad news. Then she led her last spade; had East ducked this, Meyers would have had to play the diamond ace followed by the diamond queen to ensure her ruff – which she might well have done, given the fact that West clearly had 10 minor-suit cards. But East took the third spade, and the hand was over. In fact Meyers could take the diamond finesse for an overtrick.

East Pass Pass Pass All pass

BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠K6432 ♥A63 ♦72 ♣943 South Pass ?

West 1♣

North 1♦

East Pass

ANSWER: I would not feel embarrassed to keep the auction open with a call of one spade. I am at the one-level and already a passed hand; my partner won’t get overly excited by my responding here, and it makes life far harder for the opening bidder to come back in when he has a marginal action. If you pass here, he has a far easier reopening decision.

The Aces on Bridge: Thursday, September 17th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on October 1st, 2015 “I am amazed that anyone who has made a fortune should send for his friends.” — Aristophanes

On this deal from the McConnell trophy in Montreal in 2002 three no-trump is easy. However, if you are going to play four spades, you would surely want to play it from the North side so you can protect your heart queen…wouldn’t you? When this happened at one table in the finals, the defense led three rounds of hearts, as happened against Disa Eythorsdottir. On the diamond return at trick four declarer correctly rose with the diamond ace, since whatever she did, she needed the club finesse, but might not need the diamond finesse or might have a squeeze. Disa next played the spade king and a spade to the ace (leading to the spade eight, playing the Theory of Restricted Choice would have allowed her to make). Next she passed the club jack, as West ducked, of course; then declarer ran the club 10, covered and ruffed by East, who returned a diamond for two down.

Dealer: S Vul: N-S

North ♠KQ76 ♥Q82 ♦A6 ♣AK82

West ♠ 10 9 ♥93 ♦K854 ♣Q9763

East ♠J32 ♥AKJ6 ♦ 10 9 7 3 2 ♣4 South ♠A854 ♥ 10 7 5 4 ♦QJ ♣ J 10 5

South Pass 1 NT 3♠

West Pass Pass Pass

North 1 ♣* 2 NT 4♠

East 1♥ Pass All pass

*Strong, 16+ Opening Lead: ♥9

In the other room – on the auction shown – Lynn Deas played four spades from the wrong side. The defense led a heart to the jack, then played heart king, heart ace and another heart. This seemed like the obvious defense, since East knew that there was no diamond trick on defense and that there might be a trump promotion. West ruffed the heart with the spade nine, and Deas overruffed, played the spade king and guessed very well to finesse in spades, then passed the club jack. Once the club jack held, declarer drew the last trump, and tested clubs from the top. When they didn’t break, Deas ruffed a club to hand and ran the diamond queen; contract made. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠KQ76 ♥Q82 ♦A6 ♣AK82 South

West

North

1♣ ?

Pass

1♥

East Pass Pass

ANSWER: I could understand the logic of bidding one spade; you do after all have clubs and spades. But you have a balanced hand best described by rebidding two notrumps. If you do that you may find a blacksuit fit subsequently, but if you bid one spade you can never show your precise values later on.

The Aces on Bridge: Friday, September 18th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on October 2nd, 2015 “Don’t view me with a critic’s eye But pass my imperfections by.” — David Everett

In the semi-final of the women’s teams in the 2002 McConnell trophy, both tables declared three no-trump by South. Randi Montin received the challenging lead of the diamond two. She guessed well to play low from dummy and Jet Pasman put in the diamond seven, which was not likely to be the right play. This let Montin score her eight, and declarer now tried to set up the clubs by passing the club queen (though maybe the shortage of entries to hand might suggest the alternative approach of leading to the ace?). When Pasman won and shifted to the spade nine, declarer eventually was able to throw West on lead in diamonds, to build an extra spade trick for dummy and make her game. Kerri Sanborn also led a diamond, which went to Irina Levitina’s jack. Now on the heart shift van Zwol took the queen and passed the club queen to Levitina. The spade nine went to the jack, queen, and king, and van Zwol cashed the spade ace to find the bad news there.

Dealer: W Vul: N-S

North ♠AK864 ♥3 ♦ A K 10 5 ♣A43

West ♠ Q 10 7 5 2 ♥65 ♦Q9642 ♣5

East ♠9 ♥ K 10 9 2 ♦J73 ♣KJ876 South ♠J3 ♥AQJ874 ♦8 ♣ Q 10 9 2

South 1 NT 3♥

West Pass Pass Pass

North 1♠ 3♦ 3 NT

East Pass Pass All pass

Opening Lead: ♦2

The critical play came on this trick when Levitina pitched a heart rather than a club. Van Zwol did her best by cashing the diamond ace-king and the club ace, then exiting with a club. But Levitina won that and returned a club, and declarer, down to all hearts, had to play ace and another heart. Levitina had the last two tricks with the heart king and the 13th club. Had East pitched a club on the second spade, she might well have been endplayed with a low heart, to lead that suit back at trick 12 into declarer’s tenace. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠9 ♥ K 10 9 2 ♦J73 ♣KJ876 South Pass ?

West Pass

North 1♥

East Dbl.

ANSWER: The simple route is to jump to three hearts (or even more trustingly) to four hearts. But will either you or your partner know what to do over a bid of four spades? I wouldn’t bet on it. Far more descriptive is for you as a passed hand to jump to three clubs to show a fit jump with heart support and a decent source of tricks in clubs. This will help partner judge a competitive auction far better.

The Aces on Bridge: Saturday, September 19th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on October 3rd, 2015 “Look on every exit as being an entrance somewhere else.” — Tom Stoppard

In the McConnell trophy in Montreal the Netherlands women’s team sneaked past their quarter-final opponents, thanks to this deal. While the Dutch North-South pair had taken 10 tricks in three no-trump, Nicola Smith and Heather Dhondy for England bid to an excellent spot. On any lead but a low club the contract is makeable, but only by setting up the spades at once before drawing two rounds of trumps. It looks to me as if on a spade lead that is a not totally unreasonable line to follow. Instead Dhondy quite logically played the club king and another club. When van der Pas discarded, (ruffing in and playing a spade would have set the hand by force) declarer won and drew two trumps ending in dummy. Now she advanced the spade queen, covered and ruffed and overruffed. Again, the defenders could have done better on this trick than they did.

Dealer: N Vul: Both

North ♠AQJ873 ♥AJ ♦A74 ♣K8

West ♠6 ♥Q762 ♦J65 ♣ J 10 7 6 5

East ♠ K 10 9 5 4 ♥ 10 9 8 5 3 ♦Q9 ♣Q South ♠2 ♥K4 ♦ K 10 8 3 2 ♣A9432

South

West

2♦ 3♣ 4♣ 5♦

Pass Pass Pass Pass

North 1♠ 2 NT 3♦ 4♥ 6♦

East Pass Pass Pass Pass All pass

Opening Lead: ♠6 But now Bep Vriend as West carefully exited with the club jack, ruffed in dummy, and Dhondy trumped a spade back to hand to lead a low heart up. Vriend saw her chance and put in the queen! Had she played low, declarer would have finessed the jack to get the extra entry to dummy to ruff out and enjoy the spades. As it was, declarer was now an entry short to set up the spades, and had to concede a black-suit loser at the end. That meant down one and 12IMPs to the Dutch, a 24IMP turnover on the board in a match England lost by 20IMPs. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠2 ♥K4 ♦ K 10 8 3 2 ♣A9432 South

West

North

Pass ?

1♥

1♠

East Pass Pass

ANSWER: Clearly, you should not pass here; but you could sensibly bid either two diamonds, planning to give up over a spade rebid from your partner, or you could respond one no-trump. The latter seems to get you to a 5-4 minor fit whenever one is available, since it lets partner bid his second suit more easily, so I would opt for that.

The Aces on Bridge: Sunday, September 20th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on October 4th, 2015

Dear Mr. Wolff: Holding ♠ J-7-6, ♥ Q-10, ♦ A-J-8-7-2, ♣ K-4-3 would you overcall one diamond over one club? Would the vulnerability or form of scoring matter? If you would not act, how much more would you need to bid? — Through the Rye, Wausau, Wis. ANSWER: I tend to overcall freely at the one-level with decent suits. Yes the diamond spots are not impressive, but the two honors in the suit encourage me to act over one club at any form of scoring or vulnerability. Note that this applies to a one-level action only. By contrast I would never overcall two diamonds over a major-suit opening at any form of scoring or vulnerability. Dear Mr. Wolff: Does an unopposed sequence such as one diamond – one heart – two diamonds – two spades guarantee either four spades, or five hearts? Would you call it a reverse — or if not, what precisely does it show? — Shape Shifter, Tampa, Fla. ANSWER: The two spade call is essentially natural (but may be only a three-carder at a pinch). Responder may pass a minimum rebid by opener at his third turn, such as three diamonds, and maybe even two notrump. However, opener cannot let responder out below game. If responder has real extra shape, he can show it by rebidding spades next. Dear Mr. Wolff: Recently, my LHO opened one club, and RHO bid one diamond. Holding ♠ A-J-8-7-6, ♠ Q-10-9-7-2, ♦ K, ♣ 6-5, I ventured two notrump to show both majors. LHO passed, and my partner drove me to game with four hearts and a nine-count. With the heart finesse working, game required my partner to find the spade queen (and he managed that too). The result was fine, but did I do too much? — Lucky Luke, Newport News, Va.

ANSWER: Your choice of the unusual two no-trump sounds right to me. You are, after all, 5-5 with all your values mainly in your long suits. Your partner played you for a fraction more than you had, but game was playable (and the opponents might have had a good contract in clubs but you kept them out!). I like both of your choices. As you indicated, you were a little aggressive and a little lucky. That isn’t yet a federal crime. Dear Mr. Wolff: Can you explain the term Crawling Stayman to me please? Does it apply to an auction where the Stayman bidder follows up with two spades? — Gold Miner, Grand Forks, N.D. ANSWER: Classical Crawling Stayman uses the sequence of Stayman followed by two hearts to show a weak hand with no game interest and both majors. Opener passes, or corrects two hearts to two spades with 3-2 in the majors. Stayman followed by two spades is more controversial. I like to use the sequence as a mild invitation with five spades in an unbalanced hand, but all sorts of alternative treatments, such as weak with five spades and four hearts, make sense too. Dear Mr. Wolff: With: ♠ K-10-2, ♥ A-Q-6-4-3, ♦ 10, ♣ A-Q-7-4 I opened one heart, and heard a one spade overcall. My partner raised to two hearts and my RHO joined in with three diamonds. Should I have bid game, or just competed to three hearts? That last call would not be an invitation, would it? — Climbing High, Woodland Hills, Calif. ANSWER: When the opponents compete to the maximum level (so you have no space for a game try) use double as a game-try, called a Maximal Double. Then three hearts becomes purely competitive, barring partner from re-raising. However, when the opponents have not agreed a fit (as here) it may be right to play double as defensive. If three diamonds guaranteed a spade fit, double would be maximal.

The Aces on Bridge: Monday, September 21st, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on October 5th, 2015 “Prosperity doth best discover vice, but adversity doth best discover virtue.” — Francis Bacon

Today’s deal may have a relatively simple theme, but it is one that might elude the non-expert. See what you think. In today’s auction a light oneheart opening and a Jacoby two no-trump raise (showing four trump and game-forcing values) reveals the club singleton in the South hand. Cue bids show the pointed aces and Roman Key Card Blackwood follows, disclosing no keycards are missing. The five no-trump call is looking for a grand slam, promising all the keycards, but South firmly puts the brakes on. Against six hearts West leads the diamond nine, best for the defense. Declarer wins the ace, draws two rounds of trumps and then plays the club ace followed by the queen, discarding a diamond. The finesse wins, but in a sense that is immaterial. Later declarer discards one of his two spades on the club jack-10 and so makes twelve tricks; two spades, six hearts, one diamond and three clubs.

Dealer: S Vul: E-W

North ♠ A 10 7 ♥AQJ2 ♦32 ♣ A Q J 10

West ♠Q63 ♥ 10 ♦98765 ♣8654

East ♠J52 ♥87 ♦ K Q J 10 ♣K932 South ♠K984 ♥K96543 ♦A4 ♣7

South 1♥ 3 ♣** 4♦ 5♥ 6♥

West Pass Pass Pass Pass All pass

North 2 NT* 3♠ 4 NT 5 NT

East Pass Pass Pass Pass

*Jacoby; a game-forcing heart raise **Shortage Opening Lead: ♦9

The point of this hand is that although the finesse can be taken either way, there is a difference in the timing and the number of discards for his losing diamonds that declarer can obtain. As you can see, even if the ruffing club finesse fails and West wins the club king, declarer would still have 12 tricks. Crucially, the losing diamond has already been discarded. However if the direct club finesse is taken, then East might be able to win his king (as here) and cash a diamond winner. LEAD WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: Declarer sounds as if he has at least five clubs, together with three or four spades to a top honor. To kill spade ruffs in dummy, a trump lead feels right. You are not especially worried about declarer setting up and running the hearts, but preventing the spade ruffs cannot wait.

South Holds: ♠A74 ♥ J 10 8 4 ♦532 ♣J74 South

West

North

Pass 2♠ All pass

1♥ Pass

1♠ Pass

East Pass 1 NT 3♣

The Aces on Bridge: Tuesday, September 22nd, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on October 6th, 2015 “What would life be without arithmetic, but a scene of horrors?” — Tobias Smollett

With four-card trump support, do you always respond to a major suit transfer request at the lowest level, or do you break the transfer? Here North-South here took a simple route to game after a transfer break, and declarer won the spade queen with dummy’s ace, then drew trumps. The contract appears to hinge on finding the club queen onside, but South found an extra chance when he immediately tried a low diamond towards dummy. As no honor appeared from West, declarer tried the effect of inserting the eight. When the eight forced East’s king, declarer was home. A low spade from East to West’s 10 was followed by the club 10. South won, then led the diamond queen to knock out the defense’s diamond ace. At that point South had established two winners in his hand, on which to discard dummy’s losing clubs.

Dealer: S Vul: N-S

North ♠94 ♥QJ964 ♦Q8 ♣KJ54

West ♠ Q J 10 3 2 ♥53 ♦A95 ♣ 10 9 3

East ♠K765 ♥82 ♦K763 ♣Q87 South ♠A8 ♥ A K 10 7 ♦ J 10 4 2 ♣A62

South 1 NT 3♥

West Pass Pass

North 2♦ 4♥

East Pass All pass

Opening Lead: ♠Q

Declarer’s diamond play looks illogical, as if he were creating an extra loser for himself, but in practice his maneuver was relatively unlikely to cost, since he was going to have two top losers in the diamond suit anyway, whatever he did. Had the diamond eight lost to the nine, South would still have lost only two diamond tricks, and there was always the club finesse in reserve. Notice that East could not have both high diamonds as well as the club queen – if he did, given that he also held the spade king, he would surely have opened. So leading to the diamond eight was very unlikely to give up on a legitimate play for the contract. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠94 ♥QJ964 ♦Q8 ♣KJ54 South Pass 1♥ ?

West Pass Pass

North 1♦ 1 NT

East Pass Pass

ANSWER: The question is whether to correct to two hearts when partner has suggested a balanced hand. The 5-4 shape (and shortage in the major partner is unlikely to have length in) makes a two heart call reasonable. I wouldn’t hesitate to make that call if my heart nine were the 10. Now, even facing two small hearts I would have some guarantees that the heart fit would be relatively solid.

The Aces on Bridge: Wednesday, September 23rd, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on October 7th, 2015 “There is always a pleasure in unravelling a mystery, in catching at the gossamer clue which will guide to certainty.” — Elizabeth Gaskell

Today’s deal comes from the San Remo Mixed Teams. Jeff Meckstroth would have many people’s vote for the title of ‘Best Declarer Player in the World’. Would you have played as he did on today’s deal? Both tables in an international match reached three diamonds here. Where the American team was defending, West led the club king, ducked, and continued with the club queen, won by declarer who now played a low spade. He was hoping to force an entry to dummy with the spade queen in order to be able to take the diamond finesse. However, West went in with the spade king, played a club to East’s jack and East cashed one top heart before playing a fourth round of clubs to force a trick for West’s diamond king.

Dealer: N Vul: None

North ♠Q5 ♥ 10 9 4 3 2 ♦732 ♣983

West ♠ K 10 9 8 4 2 ♥J75 ♦K ♣KQ5

East ♠73 ♥AK86 ♦964 ♣ J 10 7 4 South ♠AJ6 ♥Q ♦ A Q J 10 8 5 ♣A62

South

West

1♣* 3♦

2♠ All pass

North Pass Pass

East Pass Pass

*Strong, 16+

At the table where Meckstroth was declarer, West led a Opening Lead: ♥5 low heart to East’s king and East returned a spade to the king, for another spade. Notice that Meckstroth could have won in dummy and taken a diamond finesse, but instead he overtook it with the spade queen with the ace, and laid down the diamond ace, dropping West’s king. Why did he do this? East had passed on the first round of the auction and was already marked with the heart ace and king. Presumably he had a club honor or else West would have preferred a club lead (I imagine declarer thought East was favorite to have started life with a higher honor than the jack). Ergo, West must hold the diamond king. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠Q5 ♥ 10 9 4 3 2 ♦732 ♣983 South 1♥ ?

West 1♣ 2♣

North Dbl. Dbl.

East Pass Pass

ANSWER: Did you pass, assuming partner wanted to defend? If so, write out 100 times “I will not pass my partner’s take-out double”. Once a player doubles for take-out, he can’t convert the meaning of a second low-level double to penalties. The second double is take-out again, showing extras. Repeat your hearts as your weakest option (unless you play the cheapest call to be a second negative here).

The Aces on Bridge: Thursday, September 24th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on October 8th, 2015 “Arm the obdured breast With stubborn patience as with triple steel.” — John Milton

Co-operation in defense should be one of the great pleasures of this game. On this deal, however, it was declarer who enjoyed East-West’s efforts when they combined to help him to get rid of three potential losers, all in the space of one trick! West led the club seven against four hearts (there is a case for leading a top trump) and, after taking his two top clubs, East felt something dramatic was required. Could his partner hold something like K10x or Q9xx in trumps? Then the winning defense would be to lead a third round of clubs, promoting a second trump trick for West (who would either score a trick immediately with his heart intermediate or via a refusal to overruff if South ruffed high).

Dealer: South North Vul: East♠A64 West ♥863 ♦J9762 ♣QJ West ♠J972 ♥ J 10 9 5 ♦K83 ♣75 South ♠K83 ♥AKQ742 ♦A5 ♣ 10 4 South 1♥ 4♥

West Pass All pass

North 2♥

East ♠ Q 10 5 ♥— ♦ Q 10 4 ♣AK98632

East 3♣

Opening Lead: ♣7

Accordingly East led another club. Declarer discarded the diamond five from hand, West ruffed with the heart nine, and dummy’s losing spade went away. South was now home and dry. After ruffing a spade on the table and drawing trumps, he had the rest of the tricks. Of course, East’s play could have been right if the cards had lain as he visualized, but the real mistake was made by West. If he simply discards on the third round of clubs, declarer is still one trick short. It is something of an optical illusion, but the trump trick is a sure one, whether you ruff in or not; while if you do use up your trump trick, you let declarer discard a loser and have gained nothing in the process. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠K83 ♥AKQ742 ♦A5 ♣ 10 4 South 1♥ ?

West Pass

North Pass

East 2♣

ANSWER: Once partner passes your opening call, disappointing as that may seem, your chances of making game here are virtually nil (yes there are hands, but he won’t have one of them, trust me). So rather than trying for game and getting too high, just rebid two hearts, which already shows extras, when facing a known weak hand.

The Aces on Bridge: Friday, September 25th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on October 9th, 2015 “The bad end happily, the good unluckily. That is what tragedy means.” — Tom Stoppard

In today’s deal from a pairs game I know that South’s three diamond opening would not get the approval of purists – it is arguable that the hand is not really good enough vulnerable, and holding two three-card majors is dangerous because a possible major-suit game in a 5-3 fit may well be missed. But as the opponents were vulnerable, South had hopes of talking them out of a game, or perhaps prompting them into an indiscretion. Also, the weak majors with all the values in diamonds argued for taking the risk of missing a higher scoring contract. In response, North’s five diamond bid was well judged (a call of three no-trump would have received the fate it deserved). West found the attacking lead of the heart three. It seemed right to finesse and the queen held, and now South played the club king, covered by the ace, and ruffed. How would you take it from there?

Dealer: E Vul: Both

North ♠A85 ♥AQ86 ♦A ♣KQ874

West ♠Q732 ♥KJ3 ♦4 ♣ 10 6 5 3 2

East ♠K96 ♥ 10 7 4 ♦Q653 ♣AJ9 South ♠ J 10 4 ♥952 ♦ K J 10 9 8 7 2 ♣—

South

West

North

3♦

Pass

5♦

East Pass All pass

Opening Lead: ♥3

Curiously, the winning line just involves taking the diamond finesse! At trick three play a diamond to the ace, cash the club queen and ruff a club. Now play a heart to the ace, ruff a club, then another spade to the ace and ruff a club. That is where the diamond finesse comes in: with West unable to overruff, you have scored the first nine tricks. You are left with the diamond K-J and all you need to do now is exit with a major-suit card, and wait for the last two tricks. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠A85 ♥AQ86 ♦A ♣KQ874 South 1♣ 2♥ ?

West Pass Pass

North 1♦ 3♠

East Pass Pass

ANSWER: Responder’s jump should be played as a splinter – a singleton in support of the last bid suit. So here responder should have short spades and heart support. You are never going to give up short of slam, so it looks simple enough to ask for aces (using keycard to check out the trump king if you play that). It is a good rule that almost all unnecessary jumps are assumed to be shortness, agreeing the last-bid suit.

The Aces on Bridge: Saturday, September 26th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on October 10th, 2015 “Creativity is not intelligence, it is the ability to do what you did not know through the use of what you know.” — Michael Bassey Johnson

Today’s deal strikes me as complex, because you seem to have a quite a few equivalent lines available here, and no clear direction in which to go. The hardest hands are those where there are either no good lines or too many competing attractions. Declaring six spades you must take the lead of the spade 10 in hand, rather than in dummy. Next you take the heart ace-king, and must throw a diamond. Now the entry position requires you to play a low diamond next. As it happens you cannot guess correctly. But let us say you put in the 10, losing to East’s jack. That player can do no better than return a second trump. You win the trump in hand with the spade king, and now ruff a heart to dummy. Then you can return to hand with the diamond ace. A diamond ruff followed by a club ruff allows you to draw the last trump with the spade queen, and claim the balance.

Dealer: S Vul: E-W

North ♠J643 ♥5 ♦ Q 10 6 ♣J8632

West ♠ 10 9 8 ♥ 10 2 ♦982 ♣AQ974

East ♠52 ♥J976 ♦KJ74 ♣ K 10 5 South ♠AKQ7 ♥AKQ843 ♦A53 ♣—

South 2♣ 2♥ 3♠ 6♠

West Pass Pass Pass All pass

North 2♦ 2 NT 4♠

East Pass Pass Pass

Opening Lead: ♠10

Had the defenders forced declarer by leading clubs at every turn, declarer brings home 12 tricks with the aid of a dummy reversal. He ruffs the opening lead, cashes two hearts, discarding a diamond from dummy, then ducks a diamond as before. He can ruff the next club and draw two rounds of trump, then ruff a heart to dummy to establish the hearts. Next he draws the last trump, while pitching his last diamond from hand, and the South hand is now high. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠J643 ♥5 ♦ Q 10 6 ♣J8632 South ?

West

North 1♦

East Pass

ANSWER: My answer may raise eyebrows, but I respond light to minor–suit openers, so I’d bid one spade here. I am happy to try to keep the opponents out by simulating more values than I hold. Yes, partner may overdo things; but the usual cliché about omelets and eggs applies here. I’d pass facing an opening bid in any other seat; as soon as one opponent has passed, the need to keep the enemy out declines.

The Aces on Bridge: Sunday, September 27th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on October 11th, 2015

Dear Mr. Wolff:

Dear Mr. Wolff:

Several years ago I saw a suggestion from you that it may be right to open in first or second seat on a balanced hand with 11 points, consisting of two aces and a king. I have been doing so ever since – admittedly with mixed results. Could you please comment on whether I understood you right, or whether there are other factors to consider.

We can’t believe we disagree on such a simple sequence after playing 2/1 for 14 years, but we need advice regarding a response of two clubs to one diamond. Has responder denied a major? Should opener always show a major at his second turn? And should opener rebid diamonds if he can?

— Stepping Out, Lakeland, Fla. ANSWER: Opening a balanced 11-count is not mandatory even with great controls, though I might open for the lead with acekingfourth in a minor. With any real distributional shape in the hand, I believe 2½ honor tricks constitute a valid opening bid. Non-vulnerable, you want to get your blow in first. Dear Mr. Wolff: I find the question of whether to advance facing an overcall especially hard. For example, holding ♠ 9-2, ♥ Q-7-6-2, ♦ J-2, ♣ A-Q-7-4-3 should you keep the action open in the fourth seat after hearing one diamond to your left, and one spade from partner, when your RHO passes? If so, what would you bid? — Lying Low, Kingston, Ontario ANSWER: I think this hand has just too much to pass here. Responding two clubs may get partner off to the right lead if you end up defending, and you can surely stand a retreat to spades from your partner. I do not like the idea of raising with this particular spade holding, and the diamond stopper is too feeble for a call at no-trump. Dear Mr. Wolff: What is a weak no-trump, and how can a bridge player tell if a bidder is opening with a weak or a strong no-trump? — Square Basher, Selma, Ala. ANSWER: One can play weak, or 12-14 notrump “instead of” a strong notrump not “as well as”. Some people do play weak notrump when non-vulnerable, and strong when vulnerable, but one cannot play both at the same time. In duplicate it is customary to announce the range of your partner’s notrump call each time it is opened — so it should not come as a surprise to the opponents.

— John and Dee, Salinas, Calif. ANSWER: There is no ‘right’ answer. My personal preference is for opener to rebid no-trump when balanced, with or without a major, to use calls in a major as natural, guaranteeing long diamonds and some extras, and to raise with four (occasionally three) trumps. A rebid in diamonds shows at least five and an unbalanced hand. Dear Mr. Wolff: When should you try to find partner’s suit, rather than leading your own, against notrump? Suppose the bidding has gone one notrump, three no-trumps and you have to lead from: ♠ 7, ♥ 10-9-7-4-3, ♦ Q-8-7, ♣ 9-86-2. Since you have little chance to both set up and cash out your anemic heart suit, does it make sense to lead a spade, since partner is likely to have five or more? — Unselfish, Macon, Ga. ANSWER: Leading short/weak suits with bad hands against notrump is a reasonable policy. But leading a singleton seems wrong, since if this would set the hand, partner might have doubled to get me to lead my short suit. With a 2-4-4-3 Yarborough, a spade is certainly not silly. But on your example hand I’d guess to lead hearts, I think.

The Aces on Bridge: Monday, September 28th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on October 12th, 2015 “It is life near the bone where it is sweetest.” — Henry Thoreau Dealer: E Vul: E-W

Defending to three hearts, West cashes two top spades then plays a spade to his partner’s ace. East shifts to a trump, won by declarer in dummy, who crosses to hand with a trump, to find the 3-1 break.

North ♠ 10 8 7 ♥QJ63 ♦754 ♣AQ4

West ♠KQJ2 ♥8 ♦ K 10 9 ♣K9732

Now declarer needs to protect against West having both minor-suit kings. He takes the club finesse, cashes the club ace, pitching a diamond, and ruffs a club, then draws the outstanding trumps by crossing to dummy with a trump.

East ♠A63 ♥952 ♦J83 ♣ J 10 6 5 South ♠954 ♥ A K 10 7 4 ♦AQ62 ♣8

At this point nine cards have been played and declarer is down to three diamonds and a trump in each hand. Meanwhile both defenders still have their original diamond holding and one club.

South

West

North

1♥ 3♦

Dbl. Pass

2 NT* 3♥

East Pass Pass All pass

*Jordan – a raise to at least three hearts Since the black suits have been eliminated, the defenders now have to be very careful when declarer leads a low Opening Lead: ♠K diamond from dummy. If East plays low (or even if he puts in the eight) declarer follows with his small diamond. West must win the trick and then either concede a ruff and discard or lead away from his diamond king into declarer’s diamond acequeen; either way, South has nine tricks. The defense fares better if East covers the diamond four with the jack. South plays the queen and West will win the king; now his remaining diamond spots will be good for a trick. Note that even had trumps been 2-2, the entry position would have been very awkward to strip out the clubs. On the auction, the club finesse may be the right play, even when trumps divide evenly. And yes, a diamond shift at trick four would have been fatal. LEAD WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠Q74 ♥Q74 ♦AQ76 ♣K76 South 1♦ All pass

West Dbl.

North Pass

East 2♠

ANSWER: Neither a trump nor a diamond lead looks at all attractive, so the choice comes down to a club or a heart – and again we are looking at the least of evils. There is not much to go on here, but if I am going to lead a heart I might choose the seven not the four. If dummy hits deck with the aceking, maybe I can persuade declarer not to finesse.

The Aces on Bridge: Tuesday, September 29th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on October 13th, 2015 “Poor intricated soul! Riddling perplexed Labyrinthical soul!” — John Donne

This deal emphasizes that there is a time and a place for rules at bridge, but there is no substitute for using your intelligence at the table. Relying too much on bridge maxims like ‘third-hand high’ can be fatal. When this deal came up in a pairs tournament, the standard auction was for South to play three no-trump after an uninformative auction. After a diamond lead by West, declarer could win in hand and play a club. When East won the trick, unless his partnership were playing the Smith Echo so that West could strongly suggest to East that he switch the attack, it was hard for East to find the spade shift.

Dealer: S Vul: Both

North ♠J95 ♥KQ8 ♦K98 ♣ J 10 9 5

West ♠ A 10 8 6 ♥ 10 4 3 ♦ 10 7 4 2 ♣74

East ♠Q742 ♥7652 ♦J53 ♣AK South ♠K3 ♥AJ9 ♦AQ6 ♣Q8632

South 1 NT

West Pass

North 3 NT

East All pass

But the hand also proved a problem when West led a Opening Lead: ♠6 spade to the first trick, South inserting the nine from dummy. After the lead of the spade six, East can tell from the bidding his partner does not have both top spades. Declarer has opened a strong notrump, while East and South have 20 HCP between them. So West cannot have more than 5 HCP. Also from the rule of 11, South has at most one card higher than the spade six. If East plays the spade queen to trick one, declarer makes three no-trump easily, since the spade jack in dummy represents a second spade stopper. But if East plays low, the defense will take five tricks whenever West has the spade ace. And note that if the ace and king were the other way round, declarer would have two spade tricks whatever the defenders did. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠Q742 ♥7652 ♦J53 ♣AK South ?

West 1♦

North Dbl.

East Pass

ANSWER: As 10-counts go, this is bare enough to be positively parched. The choice is to cuebid and raise partner’s major, inviting game in the process, or to go with a heavy one spade response, planning to bid hearts if there is further competition. As a passed hand I’d go the more aggressive route, but at pairs I think the discreet one spade call has a lot going for it.

The Aces on Bridge: Wednesday, September 30th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on October 14th, 2015 “Great actions are not always true sons Of great and mighty resolutions.” — Samuel Butler

In today’s deal you are faced with a dilemma that often occurs at pairs: should you go active or passive on defense? There are just enough clues here to work out the answer – see if you can do so. After a straightforward auction in which North produced a nonforcing raise and South suggested either a little extra, or maybe just a dose of optimism, partner leads the spade 10 to your queen. You then cash the ace, declarer following suit with the jack and partner playing the seven. What now?

Dealer: N Vul: Both

North ♠32 ♥QJ62 ♦ A J 10 3 ♣QJ3

West ♠ 10 7 ♥ 10 ♦K542 ♣A98765

East ♠AKQ965 ♥73 ♦Q96 ♣ 10 4 South ♠J84 ♥AK9854 ♦87 ♣K2

South

West

North

Ignore declarer’s false-card in spades. Partner’s lead of 1♦ the 10 guarantees shortness; so declarer has three 2♥ Pass 3♥ 4♥ All pass spades and at least five hearts. For the defense to succeed, you need to come to a trick in each minor. The Opening Lead: ♠10 minimum that you need to set the contract is for your partner to hold at least two of the missing high honors in clubs and diamonds – try it for yourself and you will see that declarer always has 10 tricks if he has the club ace or king, together with the diamond king.

East 1♠ Pass

Assuming that partner would have led a club if he held the ace-king, you must switch to a diamond, hoping partner has both the diamond king and club ace. If partner has a top trump and the club king, a club shift may be necessary – less likely I think. If you exit passively with a third spade or a club, declarer will build dummy’s clubs into a discard for his diamond loser, and will come to six hearts, a ruff, and three tricks in the minors. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠32 ♥QJ62 ♦ A J 10 3 ♣QJ3 South Dbl. ?

West Pass Pass

North 1♣ 2♦

East 1♠ Pass

ANSWER: There is no universal agreement on what opener is showing here. I suggest it shows both minors (4-4 with better clubs or, more likely, 4-5 in the minors) without real extras. With a real reverse, opener jumps to three diamonds, or forces to game by cuebidding two spades. You have just enough to invite game by raising two diamonds to three; but do not suggest notrump. Let partner do that if he has extras.

The Aces on Bridge: Thursday, October 1st, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on October 15th, 2015 “A great social success is a pretty girl who plays her cards as carefully as if she were plain.” — F. Scott Fitzgerald

In today’s deal declarer appears to have an embarrassment of aces and kings, but the route home in three no-trump is less straightforward than it might initially appear. And the play would be considerably more complicated at pairs, where overtricks are, if not worth their weight in gold, certainly selling at a premium. Against the no-trump game West leads a top spade, and since South does not want to see the defenders shifting to clubs, he wins the first trick and ducks a diamond to East.

Dealer: S Vul: Both

North ♠953 ♥742 ♦AK842 ♣64

West ♠ Q J 10 8 ♥J9 ♦ Q J 10 6 ♣J85

East ♠742 ♥ Q 10 6 5 ♦9 ♣ Q 10 9 3 2 South ♠AK6 ♥AK83 ♦753 ♣AK7

That player wins and presses on with spades, and when South West North South ducks, West plays a third spade. Now declarer 2 NT Pass 3 NT knows that spades are 4-3, he can duck the next diamond to protect himself against the admittedly unlikely 4-1 Opening Lead: ♠Q diamond break. Today that care is justified! At matchpoint pairs it is far from clear that you would give up on the overtricks; it is far more likely that diamonds break (or are long in the hand with short spades) than that today’s distribution needs to be protected against. At teams or rubber, making the contract is paramount and one can let the overtricks look after themselves.

East All pass

If spades had turned out to be 5-2, declarer would win the third spade and lead a low diamond towards dummy. West would follow suit, and declarer would have to rely on diamonds breaking, since he could not afford to duck the diamond and see West win the trick and cash out. When the diamonds do not break, he would have no realistic chance of success. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠742 ♥ Q 10 6 5 ♦9 ♣ Q 10 9 3 2 South ?

West

North 1♣

East Dbl.

ANSWER: Without the opposition intervention you would surely have bid one heart rather than pass, since you don’t want to let the opponents get together cheaply and admit weakness here. Now that they have come in, I can see a good case for a jump to three clubs, preemptive, rather than bidding hearts. Your target is to make LHO’s task as hard as possible; this seems to do the trick.

The Aces on Bridge: Friday, October 2nd, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on October 16th, 2015 “Tomorrow is not a promise. Tomorrow is a second chance.” — J. R. Rim

In today’s deal when North set up a game-forcing auction and raised to three spades, South got slightly carried away. With no losers in the red suits, South checked on keycards and ended the auction in six spades when he discovered they were missing only one. West led the diamond 10, and with dummy having so little in the way of extras, declarer could predict an almost certain club loser. So it seemed that the chances boiled down to the favorable trump division. His hopes were raised when a finesse of the queen won, but dashed when East showed out on the second round. There was no squeeze and South lost a club as well as a trump.

Dealer: S Vul: Both

North ♠AQ ♥J973 ♦J74 ♣A752

West ♠K32 ♥Q62 ♦ 10 9 8 ♣ K 10 6 3

East ♠5 ♥ K 10 8 5 4 ♦6532 ♣J98 South ♠ J 10 9 8 7 6 4 ♥A ♦AKQ ♣Q4

South 1♠ 2♠ 4 NT 6♠

West Pass Pass Pass All pass

North 2♣ 3♠ 5♠

Declarer should have reasoned that, if he had to lose a trump trick, it might be possible that when an opponent eventually won with the king he would be forced to lead Opening Lead: ♦10 away from the club king. At trick two South should cash the heart ace; then he finesses in trumps, ruffs a heart and crosses to the spade ace to reveal the sure trump loser. Next he ruffs another heart and cashes his remaining top diamonds before putting West in with his trump winner. Now, with no safe exit cards left, West is reduced to leading a club. The chances of success for this line, once West turns up with three trumps, depend on West having precisely three hearts and no more than three diamonds. Additionally, if the heart king-queen fell early, dummy would offer a discard for the club loser.

East Pass Pass Pass

BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠AQ ♥J973 ♦J74 ♣A752 South ?

West 1♦

North Dbl.

East 1♥

ANSWER: This is a complex hand, and at the moment you have no idea where you are going. Start by doubling one heart, which is penalty not responsive – with any moderate hand and four or more spades you would just bid the suit, even if you had longer clubs. The question of how to develop the hand at your next turn may depend on where the opponents run.

The Aces on Bridge: Saturday, October 3rd, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on October 17th, 2015 “Invention, strictly speaking, is little more than a new combination of those images which have been previously gathered and deposited in the memory; nothing can come from nothing.” — Sir Joshua Reynolds

One of my regular correspondents is Tim Bourke, winner with Justin Corfield of “The Art of Declarer Play”, bridge book of the year in 2014. Tim never ceases to impress me with his fertile imagination. Here West leads the spade queen against five clubs; plan the play. While the diamond ace looks likely to be offside, a simple line would be to play on diamonds, hoping for the diamond queen to be with East; but you can do better. Declarer wins the spade lead in dummy, ruffs a heart, then takes the next six tricks by crossruffing the majors, ruffing the remaining hearts high in hand as West pitches a diamond on the last. By this point, West, whose bidding has suggested close to invitational values, needs the diamond queen to justify his actions.

Dealer: E Vul: Both

North ♠A ♥J7542 ♦K62 ♣ 10 9 5 3

West ♠QJ94 ♥ A 10 6 ♦Q943 ♣84

East ♠ K 10 7 5 ♥KQ983 ♦ A 10 7 ♣7 South ♠8632 ♥— ♦J85 ♣AKQJ62

South

West

North

2♣ 3♣

Dbl. 3♥

2♥ 5♣

East 1♥ 2♠ All pass

Opening Lead: ♠Q

Accordingly, in the five-card ending declarer crosses to dummy in trumps and leads the last heart from dummy, throwing the diamond five as East wins his king. If West discards a diamond, East’s diamond ace takes trick 11 but the diamond king and club ace represent the last two tricks. If West ruffs his partner’s winner and leads a diamond, then playing low is obvious. This forces the ace, and declarer claims the rest. If West had turned up with better hearts earlier, so that East appeared to have both top diamonds, then instead of ruffing out the hearts, declarer would need to switch tack by leading a diamond from dummy and playing to set up a diamond. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠A ♥J7542 ♦K62 ♣ 10 9 5 3 South Pass ?

West 1♦ 1 NT

North 1♠ 2♦

East Dbl. Pass

ANSWER: In auctions of this sort your partner’s bid of the opponent’s suit on the second round should be natural. I admit that the action is somewhat unexpected, but your partner could be 5-5 in spades and diamonds, with your RHO holding five or six clubs, and four hearts. While you do have fitting honors you don’t have quite enough to raise to three diamonds, so pass.

The Aces on Bridge: Sunday, October 4th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on October 18th, 2015

Dear Mr. Wolff:

Dear Mr. Wolff:

Please help me to understand a little bit more about inverted minor raises. To start with, are you in favor of them, and should they apply either in competition, or by a passed hand? If you do play them, should the jump raise be weak, or simply less than an invitation – and how many trump should it promise?

I encountered an unusual problem when my partner opened one heart in third seat and the next hand overcalled one no-trump. I held ♠ 2, ♥ Q-J-9-6-2, ♦ K-Q-6-3, ♣ J-7-4. I jumped trustingly to four hearts, doubled and down one when partner had only a four-card suit and 11 points. But doubling one notrump would not have worked either. What should I have done?

— Helping Hans, Walnut Creek, Calif.

— Too Trusting, Union City, Tenn.

ANSWER: I like inverted raises; they help constructive bidding by letting good hands start low. They apply by a passed hand; but they are not used in competition. I play a jump raise is weak when non-vulnerable, but invitational to three no-trump facing an 18-19 count if we are vulnerable. A jump raise of a minor will always deliver five, an inverted raise of diamonds may deliver only four diamonds.

ANSWER: Two hearts would be a gross underbid and three hearts would be preemptive here, so I suggest you add a small systemic wrinkle to your partnership agreements. Use a call of two no-trump in this sequence to be a limit raise in hearts instead of natural or takeout for the minors. This way, you let partner get involved intelligently.

Dear Mr. Wolff:

Dear Mr. Wolff:

Do you always lead from length on a blind auction (such as one notrump – three notrump) or do you prefer to lead from a sequence in a shorter holding? And what about leading from a major as opposed to a minor?

I held ♠ A-J-8-6-4-2, ♥ 6-2, ♦ A-9-8, ♣ Q-4, and heard my partner open one club and rebid two clubs after my one spade response. I jumped to three spades, raised to four, and could not bring it home facing the singleton spade king. My partner suggested that I should bid only two spades. I felt that my hand justified an invitational jump bid. What would you have bid?

— Opening Fire, Pueblo, Colo. ANSWER: With values, I tend to lead from a long suit, of five or more cards, be it a major or a minor, unless the action clearly makes that a bad idea. But if I have a broken fourcarder and a sensible three-card holding, I may go passive against a blind auction. Additionally, I am not a fan of leading from ace-fourth into a strong hand; but leading from other honor holdings do not bother me as much. Dear Mr. Wolff: As dealer I passed, holding ♠ 5, ♥ K-10-7-62, ♦ A-Q-10-8, ♣ 10-6-4, and heard my partner open one diamond and the next hand overcall one spade. Would you double, or bid hearts, or raise diamonds? I chose to bid two hearts. Now I heard two spades to my left and two no-trump from my partner. When the next hand bid three spades, what would you do now? — Friar John, Carmel, Calif. ANSWER: For what it is worth, my bid over one spade would be three hearts, since I play fit-jumps by a passed hand. I cannot simply hold hearts or I’d have preempted at my first turn, or would bid two hearts or double now. Over three spades I’d bid four diamonds. I can’t keep quiet about that support any longer.

— Steamroller, Columbia, S.C. ANSWER: With the spade 10 in addition to your other assets, three spades would be unimpeachable. As it is, you have a marginal opener – so your choice would be the mainstream action, along with comments from an expert panel that this is ‘the least lie’. For the record, if an initial jump to two spades was non-forcing and weak, then without the spade jack you might content yourself with a simple rebid of two spades.

The Aces on Bridge: Monday, October 5th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on October 19th, 2015 “Civilization is like a thin layer of ice upon a deep ocean of chaos and darkness.” — Werner Herzog

Today’s deal is from the women’s world championships in Sanya, China last October. It is from the match between the Moss team of the USA, against Singapore. Disa Eythorsdottir, originally from Iceland, but now living in Huntsville, Alabama, was declarer. After her partner Lynn Deas had doubled twice, Disa assumed correctly that she had sufficient extra values for three no-trump to have decent play. So she leaped directly to the contract she thought she could make.

Dealer: S Vul: None

North ♠ A J 10 ♥3 ♦KQ98 ♣AJ853

West ♠Q432 ♥ K 10 6 5 4 ♦A74 ♣2

East ♠K95 ♥J98 ♦J3 ♣Q9764 South ♠876 ♥AQ72 ♦ 10 6 5 2 ♣ K 10

Disa won the lead of the heart five in hand with the queen, South West North and led a diamond to the king, a club to the king and a Pass 1♥ Dbl. diamond to the queen. With two diamond tricks in the bag Pass Pass Dbl. 3 NT All pass she now required just four club tricks, so she thoughtfully led a low club from the board to make full use of her Opening Lead: ♥5 intermediates. Had East ducked, declarer would have reverted to diamonds, but East accurately rose with the club queen, and the 5-1 split meant one of South’s contemplated nine tricks had vanished.

East 2♥ Pass

East now reverted to hearts. Disa ducked, pitching a club from dummy, (necessary, since if she had discarded a diamond, West would have cashed the diamond ace and exited in spades). Disa won the next heart, discarding a diamond, and now led a spade to the 10. When East won her spade king, she had to lead a club; so Disa cashed both clubs and forced West to let go both her hearts. Now a diamond exit endplayed West to lead spades at trick 12, and declarer finessed for her ninth trick. LEAD WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠ J 10 6 ♥Q875 ♦864 ♣QJ7 South Pass All pass

West 1♣ 1♠

North Pass Pass

East 1♥ 2 NT

ANSWER: The opponents are clearly in a limited auction, and will not have any values to spare. (If they did, they would be playing in game.) The diamond lead is most passive, while a spade lead is most likely both to set up tricks for your side, but it may well cost a trick if it is wrong. I’m going to lead diamonds, on the grounds that I may be able to shift to spades later, if need be.

The Aces on Bridge: Tuesday, October 6th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on October 20th, 2015 “I don’t see it as my role to save or rescue anybody any more than regular people feel the need to rescue each other from sleeping and dreaming.” — Jed McKenna

Since the eastern Indian city of Chennai is currently hosting the Bermuda Bowl, we shall be considering deals from last October’s world championships in Sanya, China. Today’s exhibit from the Rosenblum semifinal between Monaco and Diamond nearly rescued the event for the latter. In one room Helness and Helgemo for Monaco had stopped in three diamonds, for a comfortable 10 tricks, after Helness, North, had opened the bidding. Curiously, South had bid two no-trump in the face of West’s spade bid. Had North raised to three no-trump, we would have had a chance to see if West would have led the spade ace. Of course declarer would still have had to negotiate the diamonds after any other lead. In the other room Brink and Drijver for the Diamond team pursued the sensible policy of ensuring that with an opening bid facing an opening bid, they would at least get to game.

Dealer: East- North West Vul: North ♠875 ♥ A 10 8 6 4 ♦KJ7 ♣A6 West ♠ A Q 10 9 4 3 ♥72 ♦3 ♣QJ43 South ♠K ♥Q5 ♦ A 10 8 5 4 2 ♣K982 South

West

2♦ 3♠ 4♥

2♠ Pass Pass

North 1♥ 3♦ 4♣ 5♦

East ♠J62 ♥KJ93 ♦Q96 ♣ 10 7 5

East Pass Pass Pass All pass

Opening Lead: ♣Q

West led the club queen against five diamonds. Declarer won in dummy and played a spade to the king and ace. West returned the spade queen, and declarer ruffed, cashed the club king, then ruffed a club with the diamond jack. He next ruffed a spade, ruffed a club with the diamond king, played a diamond to the 10, cashed the diamond ace, and exited with a diamond. East had to win his diamond queen, and had no choice now but to lead into declarer’s heart tenace, and Drijver could not guess wrong. That was 11 tricks and a worthy gain of 7 IMPs for Diamond. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠875 ♥ A 10 8 6 4 ♦KJ7 ♣A6 South

West

1♥ ?

2♠

North 1♦ Pass

East Pass Pass

ANSWER: In almost every situation where a double is made under the trumps, you are trying to show cards, not play for penalty. I would describe this double as take-out, so I would not expect your partner to play for blood without sure trump tricks. If your partner supports hearts you will raise, and you will correct three clubs to three diamonds. If he bids three diamonds, that will be trickier. Sufficient unto the day…

The Aces on Bridge: Wednesday, October 7th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on October 21st, 2015 “Courage and grace are a formidable mixture. The only place to see it is in the bullring.” — Marlene Dietrich

The mixed teams event at the world championships in Sanya saw the Willenken team of the USA defeat Binkie, a combined Anglo/Australian squad. This deal turned out to be critical. In one room the Willenken team had reached four spades by North and been treated to a friendly low club lead. Declarer had come home with 10 tricks by running the lead to his hand. He played on trumps, then, after a helpful heart switch by West, he had set up hearts for one loser, eventually taking the diamond finesse for his 10th winner.

Dealer: N Vul: Both

North ♠J973 ♥AJ53 ♦AQ93 ♣J

West ♠AQ62 ♥ Q 10 6 ♦ K 10 7 2 ♣62

East ♠4 ♥K74 ♦865 ♣ Q 10 9 8 7 3 South ♠ K 10 8 5 ♥982 ♦J4 ♣AK54

South

West

North 1♦ 4♣

In the other room Jane Dawson for Binkie declared the Dbl. Pass 4♠ All pass contract as South on the auction shown. West’s club opening lead did not cost a trick. Dawson won with the Opening Lead: ♣6 ace in hand and led to the diamond queen. When that held, she cashed the ace of diamonds, ruffed a diamond and cashed the club king, discarding a heart from dummy.

East 3♣ Pass

Declarer then ruffed a club, as West discarded a heart, and ruffed another diamond in hand before playing her fourth club. She ruffed in dummy as West discarded another heart. In the five-card ending if declarer had now cashed the heart ace and exited with a heart, West would have been forced to ruff her partner’s winner and been trump-endplayed. But declarer misread the position by playing a low heart from dummy, and went down anyway. Note, though, that West had missed her chance by not ruffing low on the previous club. Had she kept two hearts and three trumps in the ending, declarer would have been helpless. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠ K 10 8 5 ♥982 ♦J4 ♣AK54 South ?

West 1♦

North Pass

East 1♥

ANSWER: Opinions differ as to whether one should get involved with a shape-suitable minimum. Bidding is not without risk – you may tip declarer off to how to tackle the red suits, for example, as well as running the risk of going for a number. That said, too dangerous is no excuse. I would double on the grounds that it is safer to bid now than later.

The Aces on Bridge: Thursday, October 8th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on October 22nd, 2015 “Lost time is never found again.” — Benjamin Franklin

In the round of 32 knock-out phase of the mixed teams at Sanya the easiest winners were Moss, who ended up winning by 100 IMPs — despite conceding an 1100 penalty on the very first deal, just to make it more interesting. This was the second deal. Where Sylvia Moss and Michael Seamon were East-West, a quiet one heart opening by West saw their opponents collect plus 150 in three clubs. Moss’ teammate Kerri Sanborn found herself in four spades after her opponents as West bid much more aggressively. Curiously, though nobody defended four hearts doubled here, quite a few pairs were caught in three hearts when North guessed well to pass out South’s balancing take-out double.

Dealer: W Vul: N-S

North ♠K53 ♥ 10 4 3 ♦A87 ♣ A K 10 7

West ♠ 10 4 ♥AKQJ965 ♦42 ♣Q4

East ♠9876 ♥87 ♦QJ96 ♣J98 South ♠AQJ2 ♥2 ♦ K 10 5 3 ♣6532

South 4♠

West 4♥ All pass

North Dbl.

East Pass

Opening Lead: ♥K So how should Sanborn have played four spades on repeated heart leads? It is best to ruff, cross to a top club in dummy and ruff another heart. East can do no better than pitch a diamond, so you unblock your trump honors from hand, cross to a second club in dummy, and draw a third round of trump, leaving East with the master spade and winning club. When you play a third club, East is on lead. If he cashes his master trump, you pitch diamonds from both hands, and claim the balance. He does much better to shift to a diamond, but whether he leads a high one or low one, your diamond 10 is enough to ensure you three diamond tricks as the cards lie. You end up scoring two ruffs and three trumps, and five tricks in the minors, one way or another. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠K53 ♥ 10 4 3 ♦A87 ♣ A K 10 7 South 1♣ 1 NT ?

West 1♦ Pass

North 1♥ 3♦

East Pass Pass

ANSWER: Since two diamonds by your partner would set up a force, three diamonds should specifically be short diamonds (singleton or void). Obviously three no-trump is no longer in the picture as a final contract; with three-card heart support, raise hearts now, and take it from there. You have a superb hand for slam if partner tries to encourage you to cooperate.

The Aces on Bridge: Friday, October 9th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on October 23rd, 2015 “As far as it’s ideal that you get helped by people, it doesn’t mean they are compelled to make your dreams come true without your efforts.” — Israelmore Ayivor

Benedicte Cronier and Sylvie Willard of France are generally ranked as one of the world’s top women pairs – and they are also charming partners and teammates. In the most recent world championships where duplicated boards were in use Willard outplayed most of the declarers (male and female) in her seat. She declared six clubs on a top diamond lead. She won in dummy and tried the club ace, believing her RHO’s play of the club queen. So she played the spade ace and ruffed a spade, crossed to the diamond king and ruffed another spade, (West missing her chance by following low at every turn). Then declarer tried two top hearts, and when East also fell from grace by failing to drop one of the heart jack or 10 under the king, Willard decided the suit was not breaking.

Dealer: S Vul: Both

North ♠AQJ62 ♥Q964 ♦AK ♣A4

West ♠ K 10 9 7 ♥85 ♦ 10 9 6 ♣J952

East ♠543 ♥ J 10 7 3 ♦J8743 ♣Q South ♠8 ♥AK2 ♦Q52 ♣ K 10 8 7 6 3

South 1♣ 2♣ 3♣ 3♥ 5♥

West Pass Pass Pass Pass Pass

North 1♠ 2♥ 4♣ 4 NT 6♣

East Pass Pass Pass Pass All pass

She ruffed her diamond winner to dummy, then judged Opening Lead: ♦10 perfectly to ruff a spade to hand and exit in hearts. This forced West to ruff and lead away from her trump trick. Plus 1370 meant Willard was the only declarer to make her slam in the McConnell Cup. As indicated above, West could surely have made Willard’s life far harder by dropping the spade king on the third round of spades. Now declarer would surely have played for hearts to break, allowing West to ruff in while she could still exit with the fourth spade, defeating the slam. Just for the record: at least two tables in the open event played partscore here with the NorthSouth cards, picking up a very undeserving swing. BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: Is this last call natural or a cuebid supporting hearts? Opinions vary – and it is far more important to reach agreement with your partner than with me. I vote for cuebid, but you don’t have to commit yourself – bid four diamonds as a repeat cuebid and see what happens next.

South Holds: ♠AQJ62 ♥Q964 ♦AK ♣A4 South 1♠ 3♥ ?

West Pass Pass

North 1 NT 4♣

East Pass Pass

The Aces on Bridge: Saturday, October 10th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on October 24th, 2015 “He who does not fear death cares naught for threats.” — Pierre Corneille

On this deal from the Mixed Teams at Sanya both Souths were faced with a choice of whether to go high or low at their first turn to speak. The fact that you have no sure defensive trick argues for preempting to the limit. Both Souths duly preempted to four diamonds and were raised to game. What should one lead from the West hand? In one room West selected the club four. I’m not convinced about the technical merits of this approach — but it worked a treat. Declarer had no choice but to finesse, and East won with the king and returned the spade four, West’s major-suit aces producing a rapid one down.

Dealer: S Vul: None

North ♠ K J 10 9 ♥ K 10 7 3 ♦A3 ♣AQ3

West ♠A72 ♥AQJ54 ♦J4 ♣964

East ♠Q8643 ♥82 ♦7 ♣ K 10 8 7 5 South ♠5 ♥96 ♦ K Q 10 9 8 6 5 2 ♣J2

South 4♦

West Pass

North 5♦

East All pass

In the second room, where Mike Cappelletti Jr. was Opening Lead: ♥A declarer, West went for the heart ace. I admit it: this is what I would have done too. She then switched to an honest club nine, and declarer played her to be an upright citizen, and not to have the club king. He put up dummy’s ace and then treated the defenders to eight rounds of diamonds. When the last of them hit the table, declarer had a club menace in hand and a threat card in each major. West had to keep two hearts and the spade ace, thus discarded her last club. With the communications cut between the two defenders, declarer could come down to two spades and one heart in dummy, and lead a spade toward the king for his 11th trick. That was a well-played +400 and 10 IMPs. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠Q8643 ♥82 ♦7 ♣ K 10 8 7 5 South

West

1♠ ?

Pass

North 1♦ 2♣

East Pass Pass

ANSWER: You may think you have a pile of garbage, but I would nonetheless raise to three clubs now. There are two reasons for this: you may keep opponents out of their heart fit, and facing a hand with shape you might make a lot of tricks. (Incidentally, I wouldn’t sit for three no-trump here if my partner makes that call next – this hand looks like it should be played in clubs.)

The Aces on Bridge: Sunday, October 11th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on October 25th, 2015

Dear Mr. Wolff: I was dealt ♠ J-2, ♥ A-J-10-6-4, ♦ Q-7-6, ♣ K7-4, and responded one heart to one diamond. When my partner jumped to two spades, I was afraid to give preference to diamonds in case he passed. Should I have bid two or three notrump, used fourth suit, or even rebid hearts? — Multiple Choice, Hamilton, Ontario ANSWER: Remember, two spades sets up a game force, so you should not worry about playing partscore here. Rebidding hearts should promise a better suit, and to bid notrump you would like a more solid club stopper than this. Giving preference to three diamonds is economical and descriptive. More importantly it leaves room for partner to describe his hand, and tell you why he set up a game force. Dear Mr. Wolff: What is the current expert position on signaling suit-preference on defense? Where does suit-preference rank in terms of signaling count or attitude? And what should I be thinking about when deciding which signal to give? — Self-referential, Wheaton, Ill. ANSWER: On opening lead I signal attitude unless I am sure my partner should know who has any missing honors in the suit led. Thereafter, the default signal becomes count. It is only when the need to shift is obvious that suit preference kicks in. By contrast, when a suit is played for the second time, I will often give suit preference, unless I believe partner really needs to know count. Dear Mr. Wolff: I picked up a hand at rubber bridge yesterday, which left me stuck for a bid. I held ♠ 3, ♥ A-9-6, ♦ A-7-6-4, ♣ A-K-7-4-2. I responded two clubs (game forcing) to one spade, and when my partner bid three spades I had no idea how to advance. What would you suggest? — Menace to Society, Naples, Fla.

ANSWER: Since partner’s three spade call promises good spades, I would need to make at least one slam-try. My choice would be a jump to five spades to focus on partner’s spades. I need him to bid slam with a one-loser suit. I think he should appreciate that I have at most a small doubleton in spades for this auction, but all the sidecontrols. Dear Mr. Wolff: How much do I need to rebid one no-trump when I open one of a suit and hear my LHO overcall at the one level, passed back to me? I tried this on a bad 15-count that I had elected to open one no-trump, and was told in no uncertain terms that this was theoretically unacceptable. — Two Stools, Casper, Wyo. ANSWER: Whether the language used was unparliamentary or not, the idea of a rebid in no-trump facing a silent partner is that it should be 18-19, i.e. more not less than a strong no-trump. With a minimum balanced hand facing a presumably weak partner, let the opponents play in peace and quiet – though you can reopen with a double when short in their suit, of course. Dear Mr. Wolff: If my partner bids one diamond, do I have to have five hearts to say one heart or am I able to do it with only four? Does one have discretion to bypass a weak major? — Nearly a Novice, Lorain, Ohio ANSWER: You ask an important question — never be afraid to ask even if you think you should know the answer. One level majorsuit responses only guarantee four cards. They may have more of course. Opener raises with four (and sometimes with three and an unbalanced hand). One needs the response to show four-plus cards or one can never find the 4-4 fits with confidence. Bypassing a major is rare, but possible after your RHO doubles a minor.

The Aces on Bridge: Monday, October 12th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on October 26th, 2015 “You have to learn the rules of the game. And then you have to play better than anyone else.” — Albert Einstein

Iconoclasts will tell you rules are meant to be broken. Up to a point, perhaps. The reasons the rules exist is because they tend to have at least an underlying grain of sense. However, applying the rules without pausing for reflection is as dangerous as ignoring the rules altogether. Let’s look at today’s deal, from a team game. What should West lead? In one room West settled for the low club lead, and declarer guessed extremely well to let it run, judging that West might well have been unhappy underleading a king here. East took his club king and shifted to spades, and the defenders took the ace and pressed on with that suit. Declarer pitched his spade loser on the clubs, and discarded his diamond loser on the club nine as West ruffed in. With the heart jack falling, declarer could claim the rest.

Dealer: N Vul: None

North ♠K63 ♥— ♦KJ9872 ♣AQ96

West ♠AQ8 ♥8532 ♦ A 10 4 ♣J53

East ♠ J 10 5 2 ♥J4 ♦Q63 ♣K874 South ♠974 ♥ A K Q 10 9 7 6 ♦5 ♣ 10 2

South

West

1♥ 4♥

Pass All pass

North 1♦ 2♣

East Pass Pass

Opening Lead: ♠A

In the other room West was not put off by his awkward spade holding. South’s bidding suggested little outside a strong heart suit, so any missing spade honors were relatively likely to be in dummy, and spades was the most likely suit for East-West to have winners in, either to cash or to establish. After the spade ace and another spade, declarer was locked in dummy. He elected to play a third spade, and West won and shifted to clubs, setting up his side’s fourth winner in plenty of time. Declarer finessed the queen, and East took his king and knew to shift to diamonds, to cash out for down one. LEAD WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠KJ5 ♥J9 ♦Q742 ♣ K 10 8 3 South

West

1♦ 2♣ All pass

Dbl. 2♥

North 1♣ Pass 3♣

East Pass 1♥ 3♥

ANSWER: It may feel right to attack trump, but your holding is an extremely dangerous one from which to lead. and it is somewhat unlikely that you can lead enough trumps to stop a cross-ruff, if that is what declarer intends. I’d settle for the mundane low club and hope to muddle through the defense on sheer power.

The Aces on Bridge: Tuesday, October 13th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on October 27th, 2015 “Those who are easily shocked should be shocked more often.” — Mae West

The surprise result of the 2011 European Open Championships was the capture of the Gold Medal in the Women’s Teams by the Turkish team. They beat a tough French squad in the semi-finals and a very distinguished Netherlands team in the finals. This hand is from the finals of that event, demonstrating that preempting is a two-edged sword. In both rooms South opened one heart. Bep Vriend for the Netherlands had an uninterrupted passage to four hearts. West cashed the club ace and declarer ruffed the club continuation. With only a slight clue that anything might be amiss, Vriend made the natural play of the heart ace from hand, and that left her with two inevitable trump losers. Needing to set up spades, South tried a spade to the 10, and when this lost to the queen she could not avoid going one down.

Dealer: S Vul: N-S

North ♠ K J 10 8 3 ♥KJ95 ♦— ♣8742

West ♠754 ♥— ♦6542 ♣ A K 10 9 6 5

East ♠Q9 ♥ Q 10 8 4 ♦AKJ73 ♣Q3 South ♠A62 ♥A7632 ♦ Q 10 9 8 ♣J

South 1♥

West 3♣

North 4♥

East All pass

Opening Lead: ♣K

In the second room West overcalled South’s one heart opener with three clubs. North bid four hearts, and the lead and continuation duplicated the action from the other table. On ruffing the second club, Dilek Yavas knew enough from the auction to start trump by leading a heart to the king, then continued with the spade jack, which held. A spade to the ace was followed by a third spade. East ruffed and returned the diamond ace, trumped in dummy. Now, using spades in the manner of a second trump suit, Yavas played on that suit, and East could come to just one further trick, the heart queen. Game made. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠ K J 10 8 3 ♥KJ95 ♦— ♣8742 South ?

West

North 1♦

East 3♣

ANSWER: There is no good answer here. If you pass you may defend when your side can make game in a major. If you bid, and partner repeats his diamonds, then you will wish you had kept silent. My vote is for the pessimistic pass. Partner will re-open with short clubs, and you can re-assess the position. If partner passes with club length, you may have missed nothing.

The Aces on Bridge: Wednesday, October 14th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on October 28th, 2015 “That arithmetic is the basest of all mental activities is proved by the fact that it is the only one that can be accomplished by a machine.” — Arthur Schopenhauer

At the Dyspeptics Club, when South heard East preempt in spades, his natural ebullience persuaded him that his partner would not contribute wasted values in that suit, so that six hearts would have decent play. Right he was, but that same optimism that had taken him to slam led to his misplaying his contract and suffering the consequences. After the lead of the spade nine, South elected to win and draw trump ending in dummy. Then he played the nonpreempter for the diamond queen, by cashing the king and finessing, and claimed he was unlucky when the missing queen turned up in the wrong place. It often seems that North likes nothing better than to have a reason to criticize his partner, but on this occasion the intricacies of the play so occupied him that his analysis was delivered quite politely. What line of play do you think he suggested?

Dealer: N Vul: N-S

North ♠A7 ♥ A 10 9 7 ♦AJ94 ♣ K 10 6

West

East ♠ K Q J 10 8 6 32 ♥4 ♦Q2 ♣Q5

♠95 ♥652 ♦865 ♣J9872 South ♠4 ♥KQJ83 ♦ K 10 7 3 ♣A43 South

West

6♥

All pass

North 1 NT

East 4♠

Opening Lead: ♠9

After drawing trump and ruffing out the spades, you find East with nine cards in the majors. Next play off the club ace and king. When East follows twice, cashing the diamond king and running the 10 is guaranteed to endplay East to give a ruff-sluff if he can win the trick. But if East turns up with a singleton club, he surely has 8=1=3=1 pattern. Cash both top diamonds and play a third, to endplay East in parallel fashion. And if East turns up with a club void, then lead a diamond to the ace and finesse in diamonds with complete confidence, because West can have no more diamonds. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠A7 ♥ A 10 9 7 ♦AJ94 ♣ K 10 6 South

West

2♦ ?

Pass

North 1♠ 2♠

East Pass Pass

ANSWER: If playing two-over-one game forcing, jump to three notrump now with this hand. This is emphatically not a weak signoff. In a game-forcing auction this shows a strong no-trump or its equivalent. With less, or more, bid two no-trump first, planning to move on over a sign-off with the hand with extras. It is sensible to agree that all jumps in no-trump in game-forcing auctions show moderate extra values.

The Aces on Bridge: Thursday, October 15th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on October 29th, 2015 “If you cannot get rid of the family skeleton, you may as well make it dance.” — G. B. Shaw

The three famous bridge players named Hackett, Paul and his sons Jason and Justin, have recently augmented to four. Barbara Stawowy, who has won World Championship Gold and Silver medals while playing for the German Women’s Team, is now married to Justin Hackett. Here, she is at work in the 2011 Women’s European Championships, held in Poznan, Poland. As a note to the auction, North’s three diamond call showed 10-12 points, plus exactly three-card spade support. Hackett went straight to the spade game, and West led a heart. With possible losers in each black suit, declarer’s focus was to avoid a guess in the diamond suit.

Dealer: E Vul: None

North ♠ K 10 4 ♥AK7 ♦83 ♣ J 10 6 5 2

West ♠Q7 ♥QJ432 ♦AQ6 ♣Q43

East ♠983 ♥ 10 9 6 5 ♦ 10 9 5 4 2 ♣8 South ♠AJ652 ♥8 ♦KJ7 ♣AK97

South

West

North

1♠ 4♠

Pass All pass

3 ♦*

East Pass Pass

She won the heart lead with dummy’s ace then led a low *Invitational spade raise with three spade to her jack, finessing into the safe hand. West won trump with the queen and back came another heart, taken with the king in dummy, a diamond departing from South. After Opening Lead: ♥Q drawing the rest of the trump, ending in dummy, Hackett continued by taking her second black suit finesse, West capturing the club jack with the queen. But from that side of the table, no damage could be done, and eventually South could throw another diamond from the South hand on dummy’s fifth club. Just one further trick – a diamond – had to be lost. Of course at double-dummy declarer can always do better, but only by endangering the contract against an unfavorable lie of the cards. And just for the record, an argument could certainly be made for running the spade 10 from dummy at trick two. BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: Despite your own hand indicating otherwise, this double just shows real extras, and is not specifically for penalties. With a so far unshown four-card major, bid two hearts and try to look as cheerful as your miserable hand will permit you to do.

South Holds: ♠983 ♥ 10 9 6 5 ♦ 10 9 5 4 2 ♣8 South Pass ?

West 1♦ 2♣

North Dbl. Dbl.

East 1♠ Pass

The Aces on Bridge: Friday, October 16th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on October 30th, 2015 “Life is not a miracle. It is a natural phenomenon, and can be expected to appear whenever there is a planet whose conditions duplicate those of the earth.” — Harold Urey

Sometimes in bridge a perfectly reasonable bidding sequence can lead to the most horrible contract. But if the cards cooperate, miracles sometimes may happen. Today’s deal, from rubber bridge, is a case in point. When partner had denied a four-card major there didn’t seem any point in bidding the spade suit, so North simply raised to three no-trump. After a heart lead, South may have thought that a concession of one down would be his best chance of avoiding too big a loss here. Remarkably, though, even after the heart lead he received, three notrump is unbeatable.

Dealer: N Vul: E-W

North ♠KJ94 ♥A5 ♦ A Q 10 8 7 3 ♣A

West ♠765 ♥ Q 10 9 7 4 3 ♦K ♣652

East ♠ A Q 10 2 ♥K6 ♦J95 ♣9874 South ♠83 ♥J82 ♦642 ♣ K Q J 10 3

South

West

North 1♦ 3 NT

South ducked the lead, won the heart continuation and 1 NT Pass unblocked the club ace. He then cashed the diamond ace. When the king came tumbling down, it didn’t help a great Opening Lead: ♥10 deal, but declarer tried a low spade from dummy, more in hope than expectation. East went in with the 10, but could do nothing other than exit with a low spade. Declarer won and played another spade and East was in again.

East Pass All pass

That player could cash his spades, so the defenders had four tricks now. But at that point East had to choose between giving dummy the rest with its diamonds, or leading a club and letting declarer take the rest with the help of his solid suit. As an aside: though it looks normal enough to lead your long suit even when you have a weak hand, an initial spade lead by West would have beaten the contract. Now on accurate defense East-West must come to three spades, a heart and a diamond. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠ A Q 10 2 ♥K6 ♦J95 ♣9874 South

West

1♠ ?

Pass

North 1♥ 2♣

East Pass Pass

ANSWER: The choice is a simple one here: since we are far too good to pass, should we invite game by raising to three clubs, or give reference to two hearts? In favor of the invitational raise is that this gets our values across, in favor of giving false preference to two hearts is that this keeps us low and gets us to the most likely strain we can make game in. I lean toward the two-heart call, but it is certainly very close.

The Aces on Bridge: Saturday, October 17th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on October 31st, 2015 “I want minimum information given with maximum politeness.” — Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis

This deal featuring Sally Brock caught my eye. Brock sat North in a team of eight event (two pairs sitting one way, two the other). Her four clubs was a splinter-bid agreeing hearts; her partner’s four diamonds was a mild slamtry (known as ‘Last Train’) rather than promising a diamond control. When her partner signed off in five hearts Brock knew he must have a spade control but he couldn’t have both top honors, so it was easy to bid the small slam. That was the par contract, but none of the other tables managed it. Brock’s teammates with the North-South cards climbed to the grand slam. East doubled for no obvious reason, and West interpreted it as a Lightner double and made the unfortunate choice of the spade jack as his opening lead. That ended the defense, and led to a score of 2470.

Dealer: S Vul: Both

North ♠Q8743 ♥AK93 ♦AK87 ♣—

West ♠J2 ♥— ♦J9543 ♣KQ9842

East ♠K6 ♥ 10 8 6 5 ♦Q62 ♣J753 South ♠ A 10 9 5 ♥QJ742 ♦ 10 ♣ A 10 6

South 1♥ 4♦ 5♥

West 2 NT Pass Pass

North 4♣ 5♦ 6♥

East Pass Pass All pass

Opening Lead: Today’s topic…

One of Brock’s opponents also bid to the grand slam. Here, though, West led a quiet club king and the grand slam was one down.

Finally, at the fourth table, South passed as dealer and North opened one spade. South now made a splinter bid of four diamonds which encouraged North to use Blackwood (not the best choice with a void). That led to South making a five heart response, which West doubled for the lead. North now bid six spades and East duly led a heart, which West ruffed. Unsurprisingly, declarer now did not guess trumps, so six spades went down one, and Brock’s team got the maximum possible swing, of 24 IMPs. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠ A 10 9 5 ♥QJ742 ♦ 10 ♣ A 10 6 South ?

West 1♦

North 2♣

East Pass

ANSWER: A simple change of suit is best played as forcing after a two-level overcall. Though your plans are to reach game, you have no idea yet which strain will prove best, so you can wait to show your club support. Bid two hearts, and you can be confident that partner will introduce a spade suit next, if he has one.

The Aces on Bridge: Sunday, October 18th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on November 1st, 2015

Dear Mr. Wolff: Please tell me what is the right call for me to make at my second turn with the following hand? I opened one diamond and my partner responded one spade. What was I to do next with: ♠ A-Q-4-2, ♥ 2, ♦ A-K-J-6-3-2, ♣ Q-3? — Power to the People, Mitchell, S.D. ANSWER: You have enough to drive to game of course – bidding three spades would be cowardly and taking control with Blackwood a wild overbid, while a jump to four spades should be a balanced hand of 18-19 or so. So I’d settle for one of the following: either a splinter jump to four hearts — unambiguous, I think – or my favorite, a jump to four diamonds. This should show 6-4 pattern with good diamonds, worth at least game. Dear Mr. Wolff: From time to time in the learned textbooks, and occasionally in the bridge columns, I see a squeeze being referred to as ‘without the count’. Could you explain to me what this means – bearing in mind that long words bother me!

ANSWER: Unless dummy has a card in between your two highest cards (typically the jack or queen, while you hold a high card with the 10 or nine) play third hand high. If dummy does have the jack or queen, particularly at a suit contract, you may well consider finessing against dummy. Unless the defense need to cash winners quickly, this play generally breaks even at worst. But each case is different. Dear Mr. Wolff: I’d appreciate your input on matchpoint strategy. My partner opened a strong notrump and I had the bare spade ace and acefifth of clubs, with three hearts and four diamonds. I passed and my partner scored well in one no-trump when the opponents mis-discarded. In fact she made 11 tricks, but I wondered if I had been right to pass. — Lemmy Caution, Bay City, Mich. ANSWER: You were right. Protect the plus score, since looking for game rates to turn a plus into a minus. However, you could certainly argue that with a four-card heart instead of diamond suit, you might have used Stayman. There are more upsides here since finding a fit in a major will pay dividends.

— Duck Soup, Hartford, Conn. Dear Mr. Wolff: ANSWER: No squeeze is simple, but the least complicated tend to involve trying to take all the tricks when you have all but one of the tricks in top winners. A squeeze that operates where a trick still has to be lost is known as one without the count. If you need to lose a trick in order to produce the desired position, this is known as rectifying the count. Dear Mr. Wolff: I have a lot of problems with the rule for third-hand high. When holding two nontouching honors (like the king or queen together with the nine or 10) I can never decide whether to play as high as I can or to finesse against dummy (or partner) at the first trick. — Fair to Middling, Grand Junction, Colo.

In the Fayetteville Observer a week ago, your column mentioned how to tell your partner when using Blackwood if you had a void. I believe it began; if partner asked for aces and I had one, I would respond as if I had two. May I ask what convention that was and if you could reprint it for me in an email? — Madonna Complex, Fayetteville, La. ANSWER: I suggest that with no aces, you ignore the void. With one or three, jump in the suit where you have a void, unless if it is higher than the trump suit. In that case you jump in the trump suit. A call of five no-trump shows two aces and a void. Caveat: it must be a useful void, so not in partner’s suit.

The Aces on Bridge: Monday, October 19th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on November 2nd, 2015 “It is common sense to take a method and try it. If it fails, admit it frankly and try another. But above all, try something.” — Franklin D. Roosevelt

Determining which order to cash your winners is often critical, for a number of reasons. The lie of the cards in one suit may dictate the play in another, or you may need to take advantage of a favorable lie of the cards in order to avoid giving up the lead or taking a dangerous finesse. That concept applies nicely to today’s deal. When you play three no-trump on the lead of the club six you duck in dummy. East wins the jack and returns the eight, West helpfully following with the four, which tells you the suit started out 5-3. If you surrender the lead, the defenders will cash out for at least down one.

Dealer: S Vul: None

North ♠ Q 10 6 3 ♥A54 ♦K865 ♣A2

West ♠J87 ♥973 ♦Q9 ♣ K 10 7 5 4

East ♠9542 ♥ K 10 8 ♦ 10 3 2 ♣QJ8 South ♠AK ♥QJ62 ♦AJ74 ♣963

South 1 NT 2♥

West Pass Pass

North 2♣ 3 NT

Your best combination of plays to come to nine tricks is to unblock the top spades, then cross to the diamond king and play the spade queen. If the jack does not appear, put Opening Lead: ♣5 all your eggs in one basket by taking the diamond finesse. If the finesse works, you will be home unless the suit breaks 4-1, when you will also need the heart finesse.

East Pass All pass

But if the jack pops up, as here, you cash the fourth spade, then lead a diamond to the ace. Now you get to combine the chances of finding the diamond queen doubleton or falling back on the heart finesse. Since the diamond queen will fall in two rounds nearly one third of the time, you will make whenever that happens, plus half the rest of the time – a two-thirds chance. The straight diamond finesse is of course a 50-50 chance. LEAD WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠QJ4 ♥432 ♦J6 ♣K9653 South Pass

West 1♦ 2♠

North Pass All pass

East 1♠

ANSWER: Leading a spade or diamond is obviously impractical. So the choice comes down to a heart or club, and my instincts are to try to set up slow club winners or give my partner club ruffs rather than making a relatively passive heart lead. With the club ace instead of the king, I would of course lead a heart.

The Aces on Bridge: Tuesday, October 20th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on November 3rd, 2015 “Atonement was powerful; it was the lock on the door you closed against the past.” — Stephen King

Most of the hands provided to the ACBL bulletins congratulate someone on their good play; it takes a very modest player to report their own errors, in the hope of helping others. Mary Oshlag brought this hand in with her tip — I will give it to you at the end of the hand. Slam is no bargain here. Since Mary had upvalued her strong no-trump into an acceptance of the quantitative four no-trump call, having already shown decent clubs at her second turn) she would have no-one to blame but herself if she failed. How would you play the slam on a low diamond lead? Mary played low from dummy, and took the queen with her ace. She crossed to dummy with a spade and played a heart towards her hand. East hopped up with the ace and played a trump, and Mary drew two further rounds finishing in hand, but no longer had a winning line.

Dealer: S Vul: Both

North ♠AKJ ♥7 ♦ K 10 9 2 ♣QJ863

West ♠ 10 8 3 ♥Q643 ♦J654 ♣92

East ♠Q974 ♥A9852 ♦Q ♣ 10 5 4 South ♠652 ♥ K J 10 ♦A873 ♣AK7

South 1 NT 3♣ 3 NT 5♥

West Pass Pass Pass Pass

North 2 ♠* 3 ♥** 4 NT 6♣

East Pass Pass Pass All pass

*Clubs **Short hearts

Opening Lead: ♦4 If she threw one of dummy’s diamonds on the heart king she would eventually lose a spade. Equally, if she discarded dummy’s spade on the heart king, the entry problem would prevent her from taking two diamond finesses after drawing trump. More contracts are defeated by a trick-one error than from any other mistake. As Mary realized, if she had initially unblocked a diamond intermediate from table, she could have drawn trump, and pitched North’s spade loser on the heart king. Then she could have run the diamond eight and repeated the diamond finesse. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠AKJ ♥7 ♦ K 10 9 2 ♣QJ863 South ?

West Pass

North Pass

East 1♠

ANSWER: The danger with overcalling two clubs is that with so much defense outside clubs and so weak a suit, you could hardly blame your partner for misjudging whether to compete or sacrifice. Still it may be better than passing on the first round and balancing when and if the opponents find a heart fit. The opponents do not always cooperate to give you a second chance.

The Aces on Bridge: Wednesday, October 21st, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on November 4th, 2015 “A sound discretion is not so much indicated by never making a mistake as by never repeating it.” — Christian Nevell Bovee

Bridge seems to make more of a splash in Scandinavia than in the US. One of the leading Copenhagen newspapers, Politiken, devoted two full pages to a tournament played there. Of course, it may not have been entirely irrelevant that they were the sponsors… The late Omar Sharif in partnership with Jose Damiani (ExPresident of the World Bridge Federation) was pleasantly surprised to find that their simple auction of Pass – one no-trump; three no-trump (with at least nine top winners) earned a top score. The partnership did not have a weak two-diamond opening in their arsenal, and Sharif deemed his hand not worthy of a one-level opener. I’m not sure I agree, but never mind.

Dealer: S Vul: None

North ♠85 ♥AQ76 ♦AQ54 ♣AJ3

West ♠ J 10 9 7 4 2 ♥J85 ♦3 ♣965

East ♠K63 ♥K92 ♦87 ♣ K Q 10 8 4 South ♠AQ ♥ 10 4 3 ♦ K J 10 9 6 2 ♣72

South 1♦ 2♦ 3 NT 5♦

West Pass Pass Pass All pass

North 1♥ 3♣ 4♣

East Pass Dbl. Pass

The rest of the room played in diamonds, some even climbing to a hopeless slam. Indeed, only one declarer Opening Lead: ♠J made as many as 11 tricks. But how would you tackle five diamonds after a spade lead? Presumably, after drawing trump, you would play on hearts, but nothing quite works when, after taking their first heart trick, the defenders switch to clubs. The successful South had the benefit of a lead-directing double by East of a club bid made by North. Ignoring his partner’s suggestion, West still led a spade. After cashing the second spade winner and drawing trump, a low club was led from dummy. East took his 10 and returned the club king but, but after winning on the table, declarer led the club jack and discarded a heart. Bingo! East was end-played. Omar will be a great loss to the game he loved so much. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠85 ♥AQ76 ♦AQ54 ♣AJ3 South

West

2♦ ?

Pass

North 1♠ 2♥

East Pass Pass

ANSWER: This may be a simple point but it is worth emphasizing. In modern Standard American, which we might abbreviate to “two-over-one” or “two-over-one game forcing bar responder’s suit rebid” a raise by responder to three hearts is forcing here. One can play it as stronger than a fourheart call, if using the Principle of Fast Arrival – a common approach, even if not my favorite style.

The Aces on Bridge: Thursday, October 22nd, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on November 5th, 2015 “The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place.” — G. B. Shaw

Today’s deal came up in a duplicate pair game. East decided that his balanced hand with weak trump and soft cards on the side meant that he was far better suited for a simple spade raise rather than a preemptive raise. The only alternative to the preemptive raise would have been a mixed raise – and that requires a little extra side-suit shape — and maybe the spade queen instead of the two. East was correct that his side should be defending not declaring, but he undid all his good work immediately. When South declared four hearts on a top diamond lead, the 10 going to the queen, king and ace, he played off his two top trumps, then took three rounds of clubs, ruffing the third in hand. He next crossed to the diamond jack, and pitched a loser on the fourth club as East ruffed in. There were still two black-suit losers to come, but the contract was secure.

Dealer: S Vul: Both

North ♠ 10 6 ♥J72 ♦QJ5 ♣K9653

West ♠AQJ87 ♥5 ♦ 10 9 8 3 ♣Q87

East ♠9532 ♥ Q 10 9 ♦K76 ♣ J 10 2 South ♠K4 ♥AK8643 ♦A42 ♣A4

South 1♥ 4♥

West 1♠ All pass

North 2♥

East 2♠

Opening Lead: ♦10

Can you see where the defensive mistake came? At trick one, East’s decision to cover the diamond queen was an error. Had he ducked the diamond, there would have been no delayed entry to dummy in a side-suit. Now no matter what declarer does, he cannot reach the established clubs, and he will be left with three plain losers and a trump loser. For the record, on a different day, if West did not have the diamond eight, and East had the spade entry, covering the first diamond might be the only way to avoid a later endplay. But not today. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠9532 ♥ Q 10 9 ♦K76 ♣ J 10 2 South ?

West 4♥

North Dbl.

East Pass

ANSWER: You are facing a takeout double, and you do have four spades…but there are limits. With a very weak spade suit and potential half-tricks on the side, this feels as if it is much closer to a pass than a call of four spades. While this could certainly be wrong, I cannot see four spades making unless four hearts is heavy favorite to be defeated. The reverse does not apply.

The Aces on Bridge: Friday, October 23rd, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on November 6th, 2015 “We may have a perfectly adequate way of doing something, but that does not mean there cannot be a better way. So we set out to find an alternative way. This is the basis of any improvement that is not fault correction or problem solving.” — Edward de Bono

When the defenders lead a low spade against three notrump, you must put up the jack. It will do you no good to play low from dummy and force an honor, since dummy’s remaining spade honor is bare. With three spades in dummy instead of two, the percentage action at trick one would be to play low, hoping West had led from honor-10 fourth or fifth of spades. When the spade jack is covered, you duck and win the next spade, West playing the spade two to indicate an initial five-card suit. Now how do you combine the club and heart chances?

Dealer: S Vul: Both

North ♠J8 ♥ 10 8 5 ♦AK5 ♣ A K J 10 5

West ♠ K 10 6 4 2 ♥Q4 ♦Q864 ♣87

East ♠Q753 ♥9632 ♦ J 10 ♣Q43 South ♠A9 ♥AKJ7 ♦9732 ♣962

South 1 NT*

West Pass

North 3 NT

With the heart nine in hand instead of the seven, you *12-14 would cash the heart ace then the club aceking. If the club Opening Lead: ♠4 queen had not fallen, you would lead the heart 10, intending to run it. (It is marginally better to take the top clubs as opposed to the top hearts, since the chance of a doubleton club queen exceeds that of a doubleton heart queen). However, you cannot follow this line here, since you might still go down if the heart queen was onside but the suit did not break 3-3.

East All pass

Your best way to augment your chance of the club finesse is to take the club ace, then the heart ace, unblocking dummy’s eight, and the heart king unblocking dummy’s 10 when West follows with the heart queen. You can then cash the diamond aceking and finesse the heart seven, to make nine tricks. If the hearts did not behave, you would run the club nine, of course. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠J8 ♥ 10 8 5 ♦AK5 ♣ A K J 10 5 South

West

North

1 NT ?

Dbl.

Pass

East 1♦ Pass

ANSWER: I’m setting my flag to read ‘Coward of the county’. With two suits open I won’t wait around to see whether both hearts and spades run against me. I’m removing myself to two clubs and apologizing to my partner if I am wrong. One can only go for 800 so many times before learning caution.

The Aces on Bridge: Saturday, October 24th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on November 7th, 2015 “However brilliant an action, it should not be esteemed great unless the result of a great motive.” — Duc de La Rochefoucauld

Today’s deal from a Polish teams tournament saw South miss his chance to draw the correct inference from the auction. He might have put himself in line for a brilliancy prize, but had to content himself with the consolation prize of nursing a beer in the bar while uttering the Polish equivalent of “I could have been a contender.” When East opened two spades, which in his methods guaranteed precisely five spades and four or more cards in one of the minors, South had no convenient way to describe his assets. He opted for an agricultural leap to five diamonds, and the defenders led a spade and shifted to hearts.

Dealer: E Vul: E-W

North ♠743 ♥ 10 7 5 ♦954 ♣AK73

West ♠86 ♥KJ9642 ♦— ♣QJ862

East ♠ A J 10 9 2 ♥Q ♦Q32 ♣ 10 9 5 4 South ♠KQ5 ♥A83 ♦ A K J 10 8 7 6 ♣—

South

West

5♦

All pass

North

East 2 ♠*

Declarer won in hand, and was all set to claim 12 tricks. *Spades and a minor, preemptive He cashed one top diamond and was hugely taken aback Opening Lead: ♠8 when it was West who discarded. The best he could do now was tempt East by advancing the diamond jack. When East rejected the Greek gift, declarer had no option but to run his trump, and concede two heart tricks in the ending, when the defenders made no mistake. Can you see somewhat abstruse play that declarer might have found? He must unblock a spade honor at trick one. This gives up on the overtrick in most cases, but here it is essential. You win the heart shift, and cash one top trump. When the bad break comes to light, cash the remaining top spade then duck a spade to East, who cannot afford to duck dummy’s seven, and must now lead a trump, spade or club, all of which are fatal. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠743 ♥ 10 7 5 ♦954 ♣AK73 South 2♣ ?

West 1♦ Pass

North Dbl. 2♥

East Pass Pass

ANSWER: Facing a partner with real extras, you have enough to drive to game in hearts. But might nine tricks be easier than 10? The alternative to jumping to four hearts is to cuebid three diamonds and respect partner if he bid three no-trump next. Both routes make perfect sense, but I think I prefer the more flexible cuebid.

The Aces on Bridge: Sunday, October 25th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on November 8th, 2015

Dear Mr. Wolff: What is your view on attitude leads, where against no-trump the smaller the card you lead, the more likely it is that you have a good or long suit? — Wally Pipp, Seneca, S.C. ANSWER: The idea of attitude leads is to help partner work out at once whether the lead is from a strong or weak suit, relative to the rest of the hand. To that extent they are a good idea, but I’m not convinced they are a major improvement on standard fourthhighest leads. I give them a qualified approval! Dear Mr. Wolff: We play negative doubles, with the agreement that the higher the level of the double, the more optional they become. So when I held: ♠ —, ♥ A-Q-6-4-3-2, ♦ J-6, ♣ AQ-7-4-3, and opened one heart, and heard my LHO bid four spades, doubled by my partner, I did not know what to do. I chose to bid five clubs, and found my partner with a 42-5-2 shape. Was I out of line to bid here? — Missed Doubt, Jackson, Tenn. ANSWER: I’m happy to tell you that I agree with your choice absolutely. Your partner’s double tends to show ‘transferable values’ — cards that will work well on offense or defense, and you were right to remove with your extreme distribution, whatever the result. If your partner just has trump tricks he should pass and await your re-opening double. Dear Mr. Wolff: When your right hand opponent opens one diamond, and you have a balanced hand with a five-card major in the range to overcall one no-trump, such as ♠ K-10-5-3-2, ♥ J-6-3, ♦ A-Q-6, ♣ A-Q, should you double, overcall in spades, or bid one no-trump? — Balanced Response, Augusta, Maine

ANSWER: With a respectable five-card major I would try to avoid either doubling or bidding one no-trump, since the risk of losing your suit altogether is a little too high for me. I am not a fan of doubling with 5-3 in the majors – partner does the wrong thing rather too often. I know many players bid one notrump here; it is not unreasonable, I admit. Dear Mr. Wolff: Have you ever heard of the principle of the transferred king? It sounds like a Sherlock Holmes story, but my partner referred me to it after a bidding accident following a protective no-trump sequence. — Weighed in the Balance, Charlottesville, Va. ANSWER: The idea of action in the balancing seat is that the minimum for any call is about a king less than in the direct seat. So in responding to a balancing call, you need about a king more to act than you would have done. In other words if a balancing one no-trump bid is 12-14, you can only invite facing it with a 12count, not a nine-count. Dear Mr. Wolff: What would you bid with the following hand: ♠ K-10-5, ♥ 9-6, ♦ A-K-Q-6-3, ♣ J-7-4 after opening one diamond and hearing a one spade response? I could not decide between a raise, and rebidding in diamonds or notrump. — Seconds Out, Las Vegas, Nev. ANSWER: I prefer the raise to an antipositional rebid in no-trump or a rebid of my own suit — which ought to show six. Yes, a raise of spades delivers four trump more often than it does three, but when as here you have ruffing values and good trump, the raise seems right to me.

The Aces on Bridge: Monday, October 26th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on November 9th, 2015 “If every conceivable precaution is taken at first, one is often too discouraged to proceed at all.” — Archer J.P. Martin

When this deal came up at a European Junior championships, Evgeni Rudakov of the Russian Junior team was apparently the only declarer who played today’s three no-trump contract correctly when confronted with the problem. Rudakov declared three notrump as South on the lead of the two of hearts. He correctly took the ace immediately for fear of a diamond switch. Now how should you tackle the club suit? One possible approach is to run the club eight. This works if West has a small singleton club, but loses to both a singleton jack or 10. Rudakov tried a different approach when he led the club eight from dummy, and when East followed small unconcernedly, he put up the queen.

Dealer: N Vul: Both

North ♠AQ982 ♥A8 ♦A854 ♣85

West ♠ 10 7 6 5 3 ♥K32 ♦9632 ♣ 10

East ♠J ♥ Q J 10 9 ♦ K J 10 7 ♣KJ43 South ♠K4 ♥7654 ♦Q ♣AQ9762

South

West

1 NT 2 NT

Pass Pass

North 1♠ 2♦ 3 NT

East Pass Pass All pass

Opening Lead: ♥2 Several other declarers did something similar, but on seeing the fall of the 10, they simply cashed the club ace next and could not recover. However, there is a way to ensure five club winners, and that is the number required to guarantee the contract. Rudakov played the spade four to dummy’s queen at trick three, then led the remaining club from dummy. When East correctly played low, declarer overtook with the nine. Now two more rounds of the suit gave him nine tricks – five clubs, two spades and two red aces. Had the club nine lost to the 10, it would have meant that the suit had broken evenly, of course, and he would still have had nine tricks. Note that if declarer takes the king and ace of spades before playing on clubs, he cuts himself off from the long clubs. LEAD WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠ 10 7 2 ♥Q73 ♦J963 ♣Q63 South

West

North

Pass

3 NT

All pass

East 1 NT

ANSWER: Auctions of this sort scream for a passive lead, and a diamond from jackfourth does not fall into that category. When in doubt I try to lead from a sequence, but I have none. The next alternative is the most neutral lead available in a major, and 10third of spades meets that criterion. Some would lead the seven as opposed to the two; much depends on partnership style.

The Aces on Bridge: Tuesday, October 27th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on November 10th, 2015 “Bobbing and weaving are methods and maneuvers by which we bend ethics, water down morals, and parse down values to serve our agendas.” — Craig D. Lounsbrough

Today’s deal comes to me in the form of an ethical question. What should you do if you believe partner has forgotten the system? Declarer, a top professional was using a complex system of transfers after the one no-trump response, but was aware that her partner did not know it as well as she would have liked. The deal came up in a club duplicate, with North’s two spade call a transfer to clubs! South correctly alerted it, but was fairly sure that her partner had forgotten. She felt her hand was so suitable for a club slam that she could not ethically try to get back to spades – even though they were playing matchpoints. After she raised clubs, she landed in what she fully expected to be an unappetizing spot.

Dealer: N Vul: N-S

North ♠AK9864 ♥A ♦Q82 ♣ Q 10 4

West ♠QJ7 ♥K92 ♦A943 ♣KJ5

East ♠53 ♥8753 ♦ K J 10 7 5 ♣92 South ♠ 10 2 ♥ Q J 10 6 4 ♦6 ♣A8763

South

West

1 NT 3♣ 4♦ 5♣

Pass Pass Pass All pass

North 1♠ 2♠ 4♣ 4♥

East Pass Pass Pass Pass

When West led the diamond ace and switched to a heart, Opening Lead: ♦A South won the ace, ruffed a diamond and ran the heart queen. When it held, she played a club to the 10, a club to the ace and took another ruffing heart finesse. West covered, so declarer ruffed, trumped a diamond, and all West could make was his trump trick. South opened the travelling score slip with little confidence, but to her surprise the rest of the field were making just nine tricks in spade games or partscores. The hand doesn’t play so well in spades by North. After a club lead and continuation, the defenders will surely come to four tricks whatever declarer tries. A trump lead will also leave declarer with an impossible task. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠ 10 2 ♥ Q J 10 6 4 ♦6 ♣A8763 South Pass ?

West Pass

North 1♥

East 2♠

ANSWER: As a passed hand you should have no concern about driving to game – your partner will not play you for the earth. But you have too much side-suit shape for a jump to four hearts. Depending on partnership style, a jump to four diamonds is either a splinter or a fit-jump by a passed hand. If you play the latter style, then bid four clubs, to help partner decide what to do over the opponents’ bid of four spades.

The Aces on Bridge: Wednesday, October 28th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on November 11th, 2015 “Man is the only kind of varmint sets his own trap, baits it, then steps in it.” — John Steinbeck

Today’s deal is from a reader of mine, Jacques Guerin. It was played 57 years ago, but it has matured nicely in the interim. At duplicate pairs you play four hearts on a top spade lead, and duck, winning the continuation of the spade jack in hand. East’s echo in spades suggests an original 5-2 distribution in that suit. The first question is how many rounds of trump to draw before playing diamonds. Two seems right to me. However, at the table most Souths drew all the trump, and played on diamonds. The trap of the hand is to lead to the king or queen; if you do, East will duck. On the actual lie of the cards, the hand can be made by simply continuing any diamond from dummy – but this would look foolish if West could win the jack and cash out his spade winner.

Dealer: S Vul: None

North ♠973 ♥ K 10 5 ♦ K Q 10 5 4 ♣K8

West ♠KQJ64 ♥62 ♦87 ♣ 10 9 4 3

East ♠82 ♥874 ♦AJ3 ♣QJ762 South ♠ A 10 5 ♥AQJ93 ♦962 ♣A5

South 1♥ 2♥ 4♥

West Pass Pass All pass

North 2♦ 3♥

East Pass Pass

Opening Lead: ♠K

Many declarers led to a top diamond, ducked, then came back to the club ace to lead another diamond toward dummy. Curtains! East won the trick and knocked out the club king, killing the diamonds. Down one. Guerin drew all the trump and played a diamond to the 10. From the play, it seemed that with West holding five decent spades but not having overcalled, the diamond ace was surely with East. Since South wanted to prevent West from getting on lead in diamonds, it looked right to force East to win the first diamond. Guerin could win the club return in hand and knock out the diamond ace, eventually discarding a spade on a good diamond. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠973 ♥ K 10 5 ♦ K Q 10 5 4 ♣K8 South ?

West 1♣

North 1♥

East 1♠

ANSWER: You could opt to raise hearts at once (either by a pessimistic simple raise or an optimistic cue-bid raise). But a reasonable alternative is to start by doubling. This is a competitive (also called Fourth-suit or Snapdragon) double, suggesting the fourth suit, and values. You plan to compete to three hearts if given the chance.

The Aces on Bridge: Thursday, October 29th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on November 12th, 2015 “People think that I must be a very strange person. This is not correct. I have the heart of a small boy. It is in a glass jar on my desk.” — Stephen King

Today’s deal is something of a curiosity. Suppose West takes the club king and ace against four spades, and shifts to the heart jack. Declarer has nine winners, but the blockage in diamonds is extremely inconvenient, and the sight of East’s heart queen argues that hearts will not be breaking for him. For the time being, South does not have to commit himself. He wins the heart ace, takes his three top spades and then unblocks the diamond ace. Now he plays the heart king. If East ruffs, he has to lead a diamond round to dummy’s winners, so he must discard a diamond. But South has a counter. He leads the spade three, forcing East to win and give dummy the diamond tricks on which declarer’s losing hearts go away. Declarer makes five trumps, two hearts and three diamonds. It does not help West to play a third top club at trick three – so long as South follows the same general approach.

Dealer: E Vul: None

North ♠62 ♥864 ♦ K Q J 10 ♣9763

West ♠8 ♥ J 10 9 7 3 ♦75 ♣ A K J 10 8

East ♠ 10 7 5 4 ♥Q ♦986432 ♣52 South ♠AKQJ93 ♥AK52 ♦A ♣Q4

South

West

North

2♣ 2♠ 3♥ 4♠

Pass Pass Pass All pass

2♦ 3♦ 3♠

East Pass Pass Pass Pass

Opening Lead: ♣K

However, while even a single top club lead allows declarer to come home, there is a defense. An initial heart lead defeats four spades, as it enables the defenders to prevent the club link between the East-West hands being prematurely severed in time. If declarer plays a club before drawing trump, the defense gets two heart ruffs. If he draws three rounds of trump, then plays a club, West gives his partner a heart ruff and East gets out with a club. And if South draws all the trump, West makes two heart tricks on power alone. BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: Some dreams were born to wither and die. Your promising hand has turned to dust and ashes when partner bids your short suits. Rebid one notrump and hope to go plus; unless partner produces unexpected extra shape or high-cards, the one-level will be high enough.

South Holds: ♠8 ♥ J 10 9 7 3 ♦75 ♣ A K J 10 8 South

West

1♥ ?

Pass

North 1♦ 1♠

East Pass Pass

The Aces on Bridge: Friday, October 30th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on November 13th, 2015 “Yesterday is not ours to recover, but tomorrow is ours to win or lose.” — Lyndon B. Johnson

Sometimes the most straightforward of deals becomes complex when a suit splits unexpectedly badly. In today’s example you would expect to be able to claim 13 tricks, barring a very hostile break in hearts. But even then you may be able to recover, so long as you plan efficiently, and take note of your opponent’s discards. Against seven no-trump West leads the club jack, dummy and East playing low. Declarer wins in hand with the ace and counts 12 top tricks. He cashes the heart ace, getting the bad news that the hearts will not run. So he continues with the spade ace and queen, then the three top diamonds, ending in dummy. No luck there either, but had East been long in both suits, running all the black-suit winners ending in dummy would have squeezed him.

Dealer: S Vul: E-W

North ♠K42 ♥73 ♦KQ75 ♣K864

West ♠87653 ♥— ♦ J 10 8 4 ♣ J 10 9 2

East ♠ J 10 9 ♥ 10 9 8 6 5 ♦32 ♣Q75 South ♠AQ ♥AKQJ42 ♦A96 ♣A3

South 2♣ 3 NT

West Pass Pass

North 2♦ 7 NT

East Pass All pass

Opening Lead: ♣J As it is, South next plays the spade king, discarding a low heart from hand, reducing everyone to five cards. As East has to keep four hearts, he can only keep one club. When declarer cashes the remaining top hearts, West has to throw either his diamond jack, establishing dummy’s seven, or a club. In the latter case dummy discards the diamond seven and the club king is cashed to establish the eight as declarer’s 13th trick. For those of you who like to categorize the position this is a double squeeze, and since the opponents were squeezed on different tricks, it is technically a nonsimultaneous double squeeze. Easier to name than to play! BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠AQ ♥AKQJ42 ♦A96 ♣A3 South ?

West Pass

North Pass

East 3♣

ANSWER: Whenever you hold a powerhouse of this sort you do best to start by doubling. You may not learn anything from a minimum response, but once in a while partner shows extra shape or values, after which the sky will be the limit. If your partner makes a minimum call in spades or diamonds, as you expect him to do, you will have to judge whether to settle for game or try for more.

The Aces on Bridge: Saturday, October 31st, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on November 14th, 2015 “People count up the faults of those who keep them waiting.” — French Proverb

Today’s theme emphasizes the fact that it is essential for the defenders to try to count declarer’s hand. East failed to do the necessary work, and paid the penalty. West led the heart three against four spades and East won. Although he might have underled in hearts on the second round, this seemed an unnecessary gamble, so he continued the suit from the top. Declarer ruffed the third heart and drew trump in two rounds with the queen and ace. He continued by running the club nine to East’s jack. A heart lead would now concede a ruff and discard and a club appeared suicidal, being straight into dummy’s ace-queen. So East decided to lead a low diamond.

Dealer: E Vul: None

North ♠ Q 10 7 3 ♥985 ♦A3 ♣ A Q 10 6

West ♠82 ♥Q73 ♦J764 ♣7543

East ♠54 ♥AKJ64 ♦K92 ♣KJ2 South ♠AKJ96 ♥ 10 2 ♦ Q 10 8 5 ♣98

South

West

North

1♠

Pass

4♠

East 1♥ All pass

Opening Lead: ♥3 There was the chance that West might hold the queen or that South might misguess or that declarer would still be left with a club loser. However, declarer went up with the queen and when this held, could now claim his contract on a cross-ruff. What did East see, all too late, that prompted subsequent selfflagellation? That the apparently foolish club return was in fact safe! South was known to have started with five spades and two hearts – hence he held six cards in the minor suits. However they were distributed, he would not be able to get enough discards on dummy’s clubs and East would be bound to come to his diamond king at the end. Admittedly had East underled in hearts at trick two the defenders could have defeated the hand more easily, but this would have been fatal on a different day. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠AKJ96 ♥ 10 2 ♦ Q 10 8 5 ♣98 South

West

1♠ ?

Pass

North 1♣ 2♣

East Pass Dbl.

ANSWER: You would have passed out two clubs had your RHO not bid. As it is, should you redouble, and try to make him pay for his indiscretion? I think so. You hope to get your partner to double a call of two hearts to your left, or perhaps to rebid three clubs, with extra offense and maybe a seven-card club suit. Incidentally, passing then doubling, would be the way to prevent partner exercising judgment.

The Aces on Bridge: Sunday, November 1st, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on November 15th, 2015

Dear Mr. Wolff: One of the issues I struggle with is whether to open borderline hands in first seat. For example I held ♠ Q-10-7-2, ♥ A-8-3, ♦ Q-7-3 ♣ A-9-4. First seat vulnerable, do you open? And does vulnerability affect your call?

ANSWER: You are right and they are wrong. Contrast the inelegance of bidding spades then jumping in diamonds (when you won’t know which suit to play if you receive preference to spades) That is by contrast to bidding diamonds then jumping and rebidding in spades, when you can trust your partner to make an informed decision.

— Head-Scratcher, Pleasanton, Calif. Dear Mr. Wolff: ANSWER: While to a certain extent this is more about style than anything else, you DO have two quick tricks and a good holding in the master suit. Your aces are undervalued even though your honors are scattered and the 4-3-3-3 pattern is a negative. Incidentally, I always like jack-less hands, if you can find a fit. In summary, though: get in cheaply at low risk, at any vulnerability if you can.

Recently in a club game I determined after both sides had taken several bids that my partner was balanced and “had” to have points in clubs (which were never bid). That was all I needed to bid and make three notrump, which duly scored us well. Would an expert ever make such a bid in normal circumstances?

Dear Mr. Wolff:

ANSWER: With enough high cards you can sometimes gamble out a stop if you are sure partner is balanced. You might even play notrumps without a stopper in the opponents’ suit if you have a source of tricks, and can infer neither opponent has more than four cards in the danger suit. This is not unknown after for example, a Flannery opening, or after the opponents raise opener’s second suit.

I am organizing an in-house duplicate game, and wonder how long to allow for a bridge hand to be played. My weekly rubberbridge group always goes too slowly for me, what with players chatting and too much time devoted to eating and drinking. How are tournaments timed and organized? — Martinet, Sunbury, Pa. ANSWER: Fifteen minutes for two hands is a decent pace, with 17 minutes the most you should allow. In serious competition eight minutes a deal is what is generally budgeted for. Dear Mr. Wolff: What would you open with ♠ A-9-7-4-2, ♥ AQ, ♦ A-K-J-9-6-5, ♣ —? I opened one diamond, planning to reverse or jump shift over a response of one heart, then bid spades again. My rationale was that the suit quality was such that the length difference was more like two cards than one, and I would never be able to show my true strength if I opened one spade. My partner felt that with five spades I should open one spade. — Canape Diane, Olympia, Wash.

— Riverboat Ron, Lorain, Ohio

Dear Mr. Wolff: In the Fayetteville Observer a recent column mentioned how to tell your partner when answering Blackwood if you had a void. Could you run through the scheme again for me please? — Merry Andrew, Nashville, Tenn. ANSWER: With no aces, ignore the void. With one or three aces (or keycards) jump in the suit you have a void in, or if that suit is higher than the trump suit, jump in the trump suit. A response of five no-trump shows two aces and a void. Caveat: it must be a useful void, thus not in partner’s suit.

The Aces on Bridge: Monday, November 2nd, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on November 16th, 2015 “The instructions for well-being… Knowing how to answer one who speaks, To reply to one who sends a message.” — Amenemope

Today’s deal contains a somewhat complex example of a very simple theme. All players are taught when it comes to signaling that you use high cards to encourage the lead, and low cards to discourage. That is the simple concept, but the more advanced idea is not to consider signals in a vacuum. Using the concept detailed by Pamela and Matthew Granovetter in their books on the Obvious Shift, one can extend the idea of a positive signal to encourage partner to continue leading his suit, to prevent him shifting, and one can discourage the opening lead, if what you want is a shift to the obvious suit. Here is an example: this deal was played in the second qualifying session of last year’s Kaplan Blue Ribbon Pairs. At many tables South passed initially but drove to game in four spades after North doubled East’s one diamond opening and then cuebid at his next turn.

Dealer: S Vul: None

North ♠AKQ ♥Q97 ♦94 ♣ A K J 10 3

West ♠ 10 8 7 ♥AK84 ♦ A Q 10 8 6 ♣2

East ♠5 ♥ 10 5 2 ♦J73 ♣Q98764 South ♠J96432 ♥J63 ♦K52 ♣5

South Pass 1♠ 3♠

West 1♦ Pass Pass

North Dbl. 2♦ 4♠

East Pass Pass All pass

Opening Lead: ♥K

When West led the heart ace, what happened next depended on the defenders’ signals. At one table, after the heart ace went to the seven two and six, West decided he needed to cash out. Even after the heart king drew the nine, five and jack, it wasn’t clear that East liked clubs, not diamonds – was it? In any event, when West tried the diamond ace, hoping East had the king, declarer claimed ten tricks, for plus 420. By contrast when Doug Doub, playing with Adam Wildavsky, sat East, he helped his partner out. He played an encouraging spot card on the first heart lead. Now after three rounds of hearts, the bad breaks in the black suits meant there were two inevitable diamond losers. LEAD WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠653 ♥J853 ♦KJ2 ♣872 South

West

North

Pass Pass All pass

2♣ 3♣

Pass Pass

East 1♠ 2♠ 4♠

ANSWER: This deal comes from Larry Cohen’s recent book (Larry Teaches Opening Leads). Whether or not the two club response is game-forcing, your primary fear must be that declarer can draw trump and run the clubs. It looks right to get aggressive with a diamond lead, playing partner for one of the ace or queen of diamonds, rather than hoping he has two top heart honors.

The Aces on Bridge: Tuesday, November 3rd, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on November 17th, 2015 “Pulling together is the aim of despotism and tyranny. Free men pull in all kinds of directions.” — Terry Pratchett

On this deal from a Junior European championships in Prague four spades was reached at both tables and the Italians played nicely both as declarer and defenders. As West, Matteo Sbarigia’s lead was the first key to the success in the Open Room. His partner had opened one club but had had the chance to double a diamond call, so he led the diamond seven, and declarer let East, Fabio Lo Presti, win the first trick with the diamond jack. Lo Presti cashed the club ace, receiving an encouraging signal, then made the second key play when he continued with a low club to West’s queen. Sbarigia could lead a second diamond, and there was nowhere for the diamond loser to go. Very nicely defended by the Italians. In the other room, on the auction shown, Stelio di Bello was declarer. West led the club 10 and East won and switched to a spade. Di Bello drew trump, then led to the heart 10. When it held the trick, he played two more rounds of hearts then played the club jack from his hand.

Dealer: E Vul: N-S

North ♠AKQ3 ♥A762 ♦AQ8 ♣73

West ♠J87 ♥84 ♦9762 ♣ Q 10 9 2

East ♠ 10 6 ♥Q93 ♦KJ3 ♣AK654 South ♠9542 ♥ K J 10 5 ♦ 10 5 4 ♣J8

South

West

North

Pass 1♠ 2♥ 4♠

Pass Pass Pass All pass

Dbl. 2♣ 3♠

East 1♣ Pass Pass Pass

Opening Lead: ♣10

West correctly rose with his queen, to play a diamond through declarer. Di Bello played low from dummy, and when East won the trick with the diamond jack he was endplayed in the process. He had no hearts left to play, while a club would concede a ruff and discard, so whatever he did, declarer was sure to make his contract. That was a very well deserved 12 IMP swing to Italy. BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: You could argue that this hand is too strong to invite slam with a jump to four notrump. I’m not sure I agree, since with no eight-card fit we really need partner to have a maximum to find a way to 12 tricks. I’d be more aggressive if I had a single working spot-card. But I don’t; so four no-trump it is.

South Holds: ♠AKQ3 ♥A762 ♦AQ8 ♣73 South 1♥ ?

West Pass Pass

North 1♣ 1 NT

East Pass Pass

The Aces on Bridge: Wednesday, November 4th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on November 18th, 2015 “Now is not the hour that requires such help, nor such defenders.” — Virgil

Today’s deal presents a problem in both the auction and play. As South you show your two suits at your first two turns, and receive tepid preference to spades from your partner. Should you pass, or try for game? In my opinion your intermediates make you just worth a call of three diamonds, which shows real extras and suggests a fragment (three-card suit) in diamonds. When partner raises to four diamonds, it might be most discreet to pass. However, you decide to take a shot at four spades, and when dummy comes down you realize that neither you nor your partner has exactly underbid the hand. Against four spades West leads the heart four to East’s queen, and that player switches to the club four. Plan the play.

Dealer: S Vul: Both

North ♠63 ♥ 10 9 8 5 2 ♦AQ653 ♣6

West ♠985 ♥J764 ♦J7 ♣KJ97

East ♠ A 10 7 ♥AKQ ♦842 ♣8432 South ♠KQJ42 ♥3 ♦ K 10 9 ♣ A Q 10 5

South 1♠ 2♣ 3♦ 4♠

West Pass Pass Pass All pass

North 1 NT 2♠ 4♦

East Pass Pass Pass

It looks as if you need spades to break 3-3 (which is Opening Lead: ♥4 probably the case or East might have continued hearts at trick two). If you rise with the club ace and try to ruff clubs in the dummy, you run the risk of losing a diamond ruff or a trump promotion. Better is to take the finesse of the club queen. First of all, the finesse might win. If it doesn’t then West won’t be able to continue the suit, so does best to revert to hearts. You ruff the heart, ruff a club in dummy, and start on trumps. Since trumps break 3-3, the defenders are helpless. They can force you again, but you draw trump, and take four spades, two clubs and four diamonds, to emerge with 10 tricks. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠ A 10 7 ♥AKQ ♦842 ♣8432 South 1♣ ?

West Pass

North 1♥

East Pass

ANSWER: For all those fans of quality over quantity, I just threw this problem in to see if you had been paying attention. There are few people keener on raising with three trump than me – but not with a 4-3-3-3 pattern. This is a one no-trump rebid; let partner look for three-card heart support if he wants.

The Aces on Bridge: Thursday, November 5th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on November 19th, 2015 “Experience is the name everyone gives to their mistakes.” — Oscar Wilde

In a teams match neither North-South could manage to declare three no-trump the right way up. North would have had no problems, but as it was, only one of the two Souths succeeded. He found a simple but easily overlooked ruse, though he was admittedly helped by his opponent’s lead-style. In both rooms when North rebid his diamonds, South jumped to the no-trump game, not prepared to risk a cuebid of three hearts taking his side past three no-trump.

Dealer: N Vul: None

North ♠Q ♥Q93 ♦ A K Q 10 7 5 ♣Q32

West ♠J54 ♥876 ♦J642 ♣ A 10 5

East ♠A962 ♥ K J 10 5 4 ♦— ♣9876 South ♠ K 10 8 7 3 ♥A2 ♦983 ♣KJ4

In one room West led the heart six, covered by the nine South West and 10. South won, led a diamond to the ace to discover the bad break, and followed with a club. This was not a 1♠ Pass 3 NT All pass success, because West won and led another heart for his partner to take the next five tricks. In effect, declarer was Opening Lead: ♥6 hoping that East held both black aces as well as his heart suit. But might East then have doubled the opening bid rather than make a overcall, especially if he also held four spades?

North 1♦ 3♦

East 1♥ Pass

simple

At the other table South received the lead of a MUD heart seven. South introduced a neat diversion by allowing East’s heart 10 to win the first trick. East fell for it – he decided that declarer had played low from ace-third, and that his partner had a doubleton heart. In that case leading another heart would have cost a trick. He switched to a club: West took his ace and led another heart, but it was all too late now. With the help of the marked diamond finesse, South had his nine tricks. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠ K 10 8 7 3 ♥A2 ♦983 ♣KJ4 South ?

West Pass

North 2 NT

East Pass

ANSWER: The first question to decide is whether to invite slam or drive to slam – this hand is certainly too good to sign off in game. Inviting slam seems best to me, so I want to show my spades and give partner the information to make the decision. Thus the right route is to transfer to spades and jump to four no-trump, quantitative. To use Blackwood I would transfer at the four level, and then bid four no-trump.

The Aces on Bridge: Friday, November 6th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on November 20th, 2015 “If irony was made of strawberries, we’d all be drinking a lot of smoothies right now.” — Trey Parker and Matt Stone

One of the things this column does is to try to give some general rules, but when I am in a more than usually playful mood I try to present the reader with a hand that confounds the general maxims. Today’s deal is a fine example of the paradoxical nature of the game we all love. Against three no-trump the spade five was led. You can guarantee two spade tricks by playing low, whereas if you go up with the queen and West has led from the jack, you have turned two tricks into one. Nonetheless, if you play low from dummy today you go down on the layout shown. You win the first spade and drive out the diamond ace, but West wins the diamond ace, and ducks a spade, waiting to regain the lead and cash out.

Dealer: S Vul: E-W

North ♠Q4 ♥AKJ6 ♦ Q 10 7 6 ♣Q64

West ♠K9752 ♥84 ♦A942 ♣K5

East ♠J83 ♥Q732 ♦83 ♣ J 10 8 2 South ♠ A 10 6 ♥ 10 9 5 ♦KJ5 ♣A973

South 1♣ 1 NT

West 1♠ Pass

North Dbl. 3 NT

East Pass All pass

Opening Lead: ♠5 As the lead looks likely to be from five, you may want to cut communications between the opposing hands. If so, playing the spade queen at trick one is certainly a reasonable play, and it turns out to be necessary today. When the queen holds the trick, play on diamonds. West wins, and if he continues the attack on spades, declarer holds up the spade ace until the third round. Then he takes the heart finesse into the safe hand, and can come to three tricks in each red suit and his three black winners. I admit there are lies of the cards where playing low from dummy at trick one might be critical, but I believe the auction makes the winning line today the best one. BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: You have exactly the hand you promised at your last turn. Yes, you have a maximum for your bidding – by virtue of the heart jack. That is no reason to bid your hand a second time. You described what you have when you raised hearts. Partner is the captain; respect his authority.

South Holds: ♠Q4 ♥AKJ6 ♦ Q 10 7 6 ♣Q64 South 1♦ 2♥ ?

West Pass Pass

North 1♥ Pass

East Pass 2♠

The Aces on Bridge: Saturday, November 7th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on November 21st, 2015 “Cusins is a very nice fellow, certainly: nobody would ever guess that he was born in Australia.” — G. B. Shaw

Today’s deal is a constructed hand from the fertile mind of Tim Bourke, who sent it to me as a puzzle. Tim is a gifted composer who has worked on many projects with David Bird, and also won the International Bridge Press book of the year for ‘The Art of Declarer Play’ – for experts only! After West has shown extra length or high cards, or both, he leads the heart king against four spades. It looks right to duck this to cut the defenders’ communications, and now comes a second heart, which you win in hand. The diamond ace is obviously offside, and West is almost certainly at least 5-5 in the red suits. To have any chance to make this game you must therefore try to bring in the club suit. If trumps break but clubs do not, you need to ruff two clubs in hand, but can you also survive if spades do not break and clubs are 3-2?

Dealer: S Vul: E-W

North ♠KJ3 ♥76 ♦54 ♣ K 10 7 6 5 2

West ♠7 ♥ K Q J 10 2 ♦AQJ93 ♣94

East ♠ 10 9 8 5 ♥9843 ♦ 10 6 ♣QJ3 South ♠AQ642 ♥A5 ♦K872 ♣A8

South Dbl. 3♠

West 1♥ 2♦ 4♥

North Pass 3♣ 4♠

East Pass 3♥ All pass

Opening Lead: ♥K

The answer is yes, but you must be careful. Play the spade ace from hand and lead the club ace and a club toward dummy. If West ruffs in you can establish the clubs easily later on. If he discards, you win the king, ruff a club high, draw a second trump, ruff another club, and draw the last trump, conceding the last two tricks. If West follows suit on the second club ruff a club LOW. Cross to dummy with a trump and lead winning clubs. When East ruffs in, overruff and draw trumps, then run the clubs. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠AQ642 ♥A5 ♦K872 ♣A8 South 1♠ ?

West Pass

North 1 NT

East Pass

ANSWER: This hand presents options: invite or force to game, bid diamonds, or notrump? The hand is unquestionably worth an invitation, not a force, to game, and one simple call would be to bid two no-trump. My preference, though, would be to bid two diamonds; if partner passes, I’ll hope we didn’t miss anything. If partner bids two spades, I can move on with two no-trump and show my hand precisely.

The Aces on Bridge: Sunday, November 8th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on November 22nd, 2015

Dear Mr. Wolff: Having opened one diamond in a Swiss Teams event with ♠ K-10, ♥ 7-2, ♦ A-K-Q-94, ♣ A-Q-7-4, I heard my partner respond two clubs and had no idea what to do next. I chose to rebid two hearts rather than jump to four clubs, to discourage a heart lead if three notrump became the final contract. Was I simply being too clever for my own good? — Second Degree, Bay City, Mich. ANSWER: I would have bid four clubs at my second turn – there are plenty of major-suit losers, but once partner showed a decent hand I can’t believe three notrump is our last making game. There are hands where bidding a weak suit as a semi-psychic maneuver can pay dividends. But the problem may be that partner will never believe you have this much support for clubs. Dear Mr. Wolff: Are honors counted if four or five of the top honors are held in an opponent’s hand? This happened in our game when the final contract was four spades. Declarer had six spades to the ace and his partner had a doubleton, but one of the opponents had KQ-J-10 of spades. Who gets the honors? — Topped and Tailed, White Plains, N.Y. ANSWER: Yes, honors are counted in the opponents’ hands. Once on an unopposed auction where my partner had opened one heart and had raised himself to three hearts after I had given delayed preference, I conceded 900 (a penalty of 800 and one opponent had 100 honors to six [!] hearts). Worse, this was at Rubber Bridge. That was a supposedly fun experience I’ll try never to do again. Dear Mr. Wolff: In a recent column of yours on West’s opening lead of the spade king against notrump, East followed with the four, top of a doubleton, to give count. This worked well here, but in general is it best to give count or to give attitude in cases like this? — Frere Jacques, Newark, Calif.

ANSWER: Against no-trump I advocate keeping the king as a strong holding requesting unblock, or failing that, count. Then the lead of an ace or queen receives an attitude signal. By partnership agreement one can invert this: The lead of an ace or queen respectively requests the unblock of the queen or jack, while the king receives an attitude signal. Either way works – as indeed do Rusinow leads (second highest lead from touching honors). But make sure you and your partner agree. Dear Mr. Wolff: I am looking for the best book to teach me Bridge rules and strategies. I am a beginner with no experience in the game of Bridge. — Christmas Tree, Muncie, Ind. ANSWER: I’m assuming you have mastered the rules via something like Five Weeks to Winning Bridge by Alfred Sheinwold. 50 years old and still the best. For the improving player check out Eddie Kantar Teaches Modern Bridge Defense and Eddie Kantar Teaches Topics in Declarer Play at bridge, the latter of which can also be purchased as an interactive CD-ROM. Anything at the basic end by Kantar will be a good read, well written and funny – so I can guarantee you will enjoy it. Dear Mr. Wolff: If you have a blind guess for the queen of trumps, should you play for the queen to lie over the jack? — Ruling Class, Fayetteville, N.C. ANSWER: That is an old wives tale. If you REALLY can’t decide which way to play trumps, finesse into the hand of the opponent you like more – no one likes to lose a finesse to an enemy! This is known as Bentley’s Law. More seriously, if your LHO had a non-obvious lead, when he might have led a trump from two or three small cards, play him for the trump queen. Equally, if one hand overcalls or bids to show shape, perhaps play his partner for trump length.

The Aces on Bridge: Monday, November 9th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on November 23rd, 2015 “The relationship between superiors and inferiors is like that between the wind and the grass. The grass must bend when the wind blows across it.” — Confucius

The 1997 Cavendish tournament moved from New York to Las Vegas, because the prize money had become so significant that the organizers were running the risk of falling foul of the state gambling laws. That year the total auction pool was 1.3 million dollars, and the owner of the winning pair collected about $350,000. Since the winners, Harry Tudor and Michael Seamon, had bought more than half of themselves at a cost of $15,000 this made for a pretty good investment. Here they are in action, this board being a slight indication of how the wind was going to blow for them throughout the event.

Dealer: S Vul: Both

North ♠— ♥A7642 ♦K5 ♣Q86532

West ♠K84 ♥ 10 9 8 3 ♦QJ8 ♣ K 10 4

East ♠ J 10 9 7 3 ♥QJ5 ♦74 ♣J97 South ♠AQ652 ♥K ♦ A 10 9 6 3 2 ♣A

South 1♦ 2♠ 3♠ 5♣

West Pass Pass Pass Pass

North 1♥ 2 NT 4♦ 6♦

Game looks comfortable enough for North-South, particularly three no-trump by South, and the very fortunate position in diamonds means that if you reach five diamonds you can survive even on a trump lead by dropping the spade king in three rounds. That does not Opening Lead: ♥10 make it a great spot however. Seaman and Tudor were more ambitious; they reached six diamonds from the South seat after an auction that they were not prepared to release to adults of a nervous disposition. I have made my best guess at it.

East Pass Pass Pass All pass

They were lucky enough to get a club lead — can you spot the winning line now? Take the ace of clubs, ruff a spade, and ruff a club, then play a trump to dummy, and ruff another club. When clubs break three-three, play ace and another trump, and claim the rest, with three club discards for your losing spades. LEAD WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠ 10 3 2 ♥KQ65 ♦7 ♣Q9843 South Pass Pass All pass

West 1♣ 2♠

North Pass Pass

East 1♠ 4♠

ANSWER: Two experts whom I respect, Anders Wirgren and Benito Garozzo have written very intelligently on the subject of when to lead shortage and when to lead from length or honors. In essence, both conclude that leading singletons is much better in practice, and I see no reason to disagree with them. Lead your diamond and blame me if it is wrong.

The Aces on Bridge: Tuesday, November 10th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on November 24th, 2015 “It is always so simple, and so complicating, to accept an apology.” — Michael Chabon

Are you a good partner? When your partner goes down in a makeable game contract, how do you tend to react? Say nothing, mutter under something inaudible or unprintable, sympathize, or apologize for your aggressive bidding? In today’s deal North was not sure if he was in a forcing auction but felt he had enough to take a shot at game. He was right in a sense… When West led the spade six against five clubs, after winning with dummy’s ace, declarer decided that a simple trump finesse was his best bet. It was not.

Dealer: N Vul: Both

North ♠A ♥J5 ♦AJ9863 ♣Q853

West ♠ 10 7 6 ♥K8742 ♦Q52 ♣K2

East ♠KQ9842 ♥ Q 10 9 3 ♦ K 10 ♣4 South ♠J53 ♥A6 ♦74 ♣ A J 10 9 7 6

South

West

2♣

2♠

North 1♦ 3♣ 5♣

It is often right to set up a second suit before tackling 4♣ Pass trump. Instead of taking the club finesse, declarer should have concentrated on establishing the diamonds for a Opening Lead: ♠6 heart discard. Best is to come to hand by leading the club queen to the ace (the queen might get covered, or the king might drop!). When it does not, run the diamond seven. East wins with his 10 and switches to hearts, but now declarer can win, play a diamond to the ace, and ruff a diamond. Then he enters dummy with a spade ruff to discard the losing heart on a winning diamond. This line fails when West holds the guarded club king and a doubleton diamond, and so can over-ruff the third diamond and cash a heart. But then you were never making your game.

East 1♠ 3♠ All pass

More to the point, it succeeds whenever East holds the club king and when West holds three diamonds and the club king. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠A ♥J5 ♦AJ9863 ♣Q853 South 1♦ ?

West Pass

North 1♥

East Pass

ANSWER: Everyone has their own algorithm as to how to deal with 6-4 hands, and my simple rule is: always bid the second suit if you can do so economically, unless you are both a dead minimum and the sixcarder is strong, the four-carder a weak minor. This is the case here, so I would bid two diamonds — but not with any great degree of confidence.

The Aces on Bridge: Wednesday, November 11th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on November 25th, 2015 “Over the mountains and over the sea You shall go happy and handsome and free.” — W. H. Auden

One of the most difficult aspects of defense is a position defined neatly by Bill Pencharz as ‘overkill’. When defending notrump, most partnerships’ signals are set up to try to work out when to continue a suit or not. But when they hold every high honor in a suit, they may sometimes confuse the position with one where they hold rather less. Does that sound abstruse? Maybe; but this is an example. Against three no-trump your partner West leads the heart queen, in partnership style consistent with a holding of kingqueen but not a sufficiently strong holding to encourage an unblock. You encourage with the seven and declarer wins the ace. Declarer now plays a low diamond and partner plays the queen. How are you going to help partner do the right thing?

Dealer: S Vul: Both

North ♠ Q J 10 9 ♥98 ♦ J 10 6 3 ♣A83

West ♠86532 ♥ K Q 10 4 ♦Q ♣Q97

East ♠74 ♥J7632 ♦K5 ♣ K 10 6 4 South ♠AK ♥A5 ♦A98742 ♣J52

South 1♦ 1 NT* 3 NT

West Pass Pass All pass

North 1♠ 2 NT

East Pass Pass

*15–17

The problem is that you would also encourage from an Opening Lead: ♥Q initial holding of J-7-x, when it is right for partner to continue with a low heart. On declarer’s play of the diamond suit it cannot possibly harm the defense for you to overtake with your diamond king – after all, either partner has the diamond ace or your king of diamonds is dead meat. Once you are on lead you can safely continue the attack on hearts with a low heart from your side. As you must have at least four hearts for this play (from J-7-x you would have played back the jack), partner shouldn’t go wrong now, whether he has an original threeor four-card holding. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠ Q J 10 9 ♥98 ♦ J 10 6 3 ♣A83 South ?

West Pass

North 1 NT

East Pass

ANSWER: I’d generally advocate going low rather than high with an eight-count facing a strong notrump. It is so easy to turn a plus score into a minus, by chasing rainbows. But not all eight-counts are equal: your intermediates are so good that this hand is well worth a try for game. Indeed, if partner shows four spades, I might well bid game rather than invite it.

The Aces on Bridge: Thursday, November 12th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on November 26th, 2015 “Women are wiser than men because they know less and understand more.” — James Stephens

Today’s deal comes from the World University championship, played in Taiwan a few years ago. It contains an important point of partnership agreement – but it also emphasizes the point that one can only go so far with signals and discards. No matter what message the signal carries, the partner of the player giving the signal has both to interpret the signal and then decide what to do next. Graeme Robertson, representing England, led the club ace, and his partner followed with a middle spot card at the first trick.

Dealer: W Vul: N-S

North ♠9532 ♥972 ♦KQJ9 ♣ K 10

West ♠6 ♥ A J 10 8 3 ♦ 10 8 6 5 2 ♣A8

East ♠ J 10 8 ♥65 ♦A4 ♣QJ9742 South ♠AKQ74 ♥KQ4 ♦73 ♣653

South

West Pass Pass

North Pass 4♠

How should you signal here? You could certainly argue 3♠ that this position should be suit preference. The point is that West may want a ruff in clubs – and whether he does Opening Lead: ♣A or not, East can’t know that he doesn’t. Additionally, continuing clubs looks unlikely to be necessary, since it can hardly promote a trump or kill an entry to dummy.

East 3♣ All pass

However, according to this partnership’s methods, the seven was simply a regular count signal. Robertson inferred that his partner had six clubs. He sensibly decided that his partner could not hold more than one card from the top two hearts or the diamond ace. The play that covered the most bases was to shift to the heart 10, this being the card that the partnership would lead from an interior sequence. His partner was able to win the diamond ace and return a heart to allow the defenders to take four winners. This won him a game swing and the award for the best played/defended hand of the tournament. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠ J 10 8 ♥65 ♦A4 ♣QJ9742 South ?

West Pass

North 1 NT

East Pass

ANSWER: If your first reaction was to show your clubs, or to invite game, think again. I admit you might not always make game, but this may not depend on whether partner has a maximum. If your partner can find a way to bring the clubs in for five or six tricks, you are heavy favorite to bring three no-trump home. Just up and bid three no-trump, protecting partner’s tenaces and giving nothing away.

The Aces on Bridge: Friday, November 13th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on November 27th, 2015 “Trying to predict the future is like trying to drive down a country road at night with no lights while looking out the back window.” — Peter Drucker

At the table, the opening lead against five diamonds was the spade two. The original declarer played the queen from dummy, ruffed away the spade king, then led a diamond to the jack. Next came the spade jack, covered by the ace and ruffed. Declarer played a second trump to dummy and tried to endplay West with the spade 10, discarding a heart from hand, but West won the 10 and played back a spade. That left declarer dependent on the heart finesse, and when that failed he had to go down one. It is better to play the spade nine or seven from dummy at trick one. The logic is that the contract is cold unless the heart ace is wrong. If it is, then both spade honors rate to be on declarer’s right.

Dealer: E Vul: E-W

North ♠QJ97 ♥642 ♦KJ5 ♣K86

West ♠ 10 5 3 2 ♥A97 ♦62 ♣9532

East ♠AK864 ♥ Q J 10 8 ♦3 ♣ J 10 7 South ♠— ♥K53 ♦ A Q 10 9 8 7 4 ♣AQ4

South

West

North

2♦ 5♦

2♠ All pass

2 NT

East 1♠ Pass

Opening Lead: ♠2 Suppose declarer puts in the spade seven. When East covers with the eight, declarer ruffs high, crosses to table with a medium trump to the jack and leads the spade queen. East covers and South ruffs. A medium diamond to the king sees the spade jack, covered yet again, and ruffed by South. The club ace, king and queen then sees South lead the spade nine, throwing a heart from hand. When West wins the 10, he is endplayed, obviating the need to play East for the heart ace. Finally, if East turns up with all four high spades, declarer can discard a heart from hand on the fourth round of spades, and still make his contract if the heart ace is onside. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠QJ97 ♥642 ♦KJ5 ♣K86 South Dbl. ?

West Pass Pass

North 1♦ 2♣

East 1♥ Pass

ANSWER: A jump to three diamonds would show genuine invitational values, and perhaps suggest a hand like this but perhaps with a ruffing value in clubs, or a slightly more useful spade holding than this, having contributed a free bid at my first turn I feel comfortable in giving simple preference to two diamonds and relying on partner to make another move with real extras.

The Aces on Bridge: Saturday, November 14th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on November 28th, 2015 “But I, I cannot read it (Although I run and run) Of them that do not have the faith And will not have the fun.” — G. K. Chesterton

At a recent Las Vegas tournament I was greeted by an old friend with a hand written on a scrap of paper. Why is it that the better the deal, the smaller the scrap and the more illegible the handwriting?

Dealer: W Vul: Both

North ♠ 10 5 4 ♥A6 ♦ A K Q 10 5 4 ♣83

West ♠— ♥82 ♦J632 ♣AQJ7654

My friend told me that this was a missed opportunity on his part but did not tell me which seat he had been South occupying. At the table against four spades West started ♠AKQ762 with the club ace and a second club to East’s king. East ♥ Q J 10 3 ♦9 played a spade, knowing that there was no way declarer ♣ 10 2 was going to run it to dummy. Declarer won the spade ace, cashed his other top spades, and played diamonds. South West North East ruffed the queen but was endplayed into leading a 3♣ 3♦ 4 ♠ All pass heart. Had he not trumped, declarer would have been able to ruff the diamonds good and then either throw East Opening Lead: ♣A in with a spade, or simply cross to the heart ace to play an established diamond, discarding his last heart as East ruffed with his winning trump.

East ♠J983 ♥K9754 ♦87 ♣K9

East 4♣

Had West switched to a heart at trick two, declarer would simply have won the ace and discarded his club loser on one of dummy’s diamonds before conceding a spade and a heart. Can you see how the defense can prevail? East must play his club king under the ace, and then West must cash the club queen before switching to a heart. Now, whatever he does, declarer must lose two clubs, a heart and a spade. At the vulnerability, one might find this play, I suppose, assuming that West’s clubs rate to include the queen. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠ 10 5 4 ♥A6 ♦ A K Q 10 5 4 ♣83 South 1♦ ?

West Pass

North 2♣

East Pass

ANSWER: Whether two clubs is a oneround force or a game-force, I believe you are supposed to jump to three diamonds now, suggesting a solid suit (or solid missing the ace or king) and a non-minimum hand. Purists or pedants may quarrel with my interpretation of this hand as possessing a solid suit – or indeed, extras. I stand by my guns.

The Aces on Bridge: Sunday, November 15th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on November 29th, 2015 ANSWER: My instinct is to lead a diamond to set up a trick/cash a trick before it goes Dear Mr. Wolff: away. Declarer might have a six-four hand with a slow diamond loser – or we might just Can you tell me how fourth-suit works and cash two diamonds. Declarer might even why you bid a suit when you don’t have it? reject the diamond finesse to play for — Champion the Wonder Horse, Portland, something else. Or conceivably we might tap Maine the dummy. ANSWER: At his second turn, responder’s new suits are forcing. Bidding a third suit is natural, but bidding the fourth suit only suggests rather than guarantees length. Opener can raise the fourth suit with four, bid no-trump with a stopper, raise partner, or rebid one of his own suits. After three suits are bid, the next player assumes the danger suit is the unbid one. (This applies when the opponents bid a suit too.) In summary: as responder when you have the danger suit stopped you bid no-trump. When you don’t, but want help, you bid the fourth suit or cuebid the unbid suit. Dear Mr. Wolff: I have a query on bidding: after a two notrump overcall by me, can my partner use transfers? When my LHO bid one diamond, raised to two on my right, I bid two notrump. My Left Hand Opponent then passed and my partner bid three diamonds – and I wasn’t sure if this was a forcing call or a transfer. — Bristol, Va. ANSWER: I have no partnership agreement here (this may be because I do not play two no-trump here as natural but two-suited here). However, my instinctive response is that if the call is natural then transfers should apply. Certainly over a natural one no-trump overcall in sandwich seat I do play transfers, so I suppose I would play them here as well. Dear Mr. Wolff: Playing against a good but unsophisticated pair I heard my Left Hand Opponent open one club in fourth chair. His partner responded one spade, and he jumped to six spades! I held ♠ Q-10-8, ♥ 8-7-6, ♦ K-J-9-7-5 ♣ J-5. What do you think would be the killing lead? — Bobby Shafto, East Lansing, Mich.

Dear Mr. Wolff: I have a quibble on the English in your column. I think the plural of trump is trumps. You draw a round of trumps, and you trump someone’s ace. You play a round of diamonds, not diamond, so why say you draw a round of trump? — Durham, N.C. ANSWER: The English say trumps, the Americans say trump rather more often. One can ask ‘What are trumps?’ but one draws trump. The word is derived from triumph, I believe and Noah Webster is inconclusive on the matter. There is a house style, and just like Lola; what the syndicate wants, the syndicate gets! Dear Mr. Wolff: My partner and I bid unopposed as follows: one diamond – one spade – two spades – three clubs – three spades – four diamonds — four hearts — five spades. What does this last call ask for? Is the call focusing on trumps, and if so how should opener respond with kingjack-ten fourth of spades? — Vancouver, British Columbia ANSWER: Holding king-jack-tenfourth you should accept a slam try – partner’s indicated spade holding is queen-fourth or queen-fifth. Why? The responder would use key-card Blackwood if he held the queenjack of trumps, to find what he needed to know. Jumps to the five-level normally ask for trumps – but if not, they focus on a single suit which has not been cue-bid, or on the opponents’ suit if no control has been promised there. Neither of those exceptions apply here.

The Aces on Bridge: Monday, November 16th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on November 30th, 2015 “Philosophy is perfectly right in saying that life must be understood backward. But then one forgets the other clause – that it must be lived forward.” — Soren Kierkegaard

One of the most interesting bridge sites on the Internet is bridgewinners.com. A few weeks ago, one of the contributors posted a deal, and compared it to a play made by Zia. The latter deal had been reported in an earlier New York Times column, which was no longer accessible. But an indefatigable reader reconstructed the hand, and I thought it so entertaining that it was worth exposure to a wider audience. Here it is – from 25 years ago. Just look at the North and South hands please, to give yourself the full enjoyment of the deal. Zia played three no-trump on a low heart lead to the ace, with East returning the heart six. Plan the play, assuming hearts are 4-3.

Dealer: N Vul: Both

North ♠AK753 ♥J82 ♦AQJ ♣A5

West ♠94 ♥ Q 10 9 3 ♦K982 ♣964

East ♠ J 10 8 6 ♥A64 ♦5 ♣ K 10 7 3 2 South ♠Q2 ♥K75 ♦ 10 7 6 4 3 ♣QJ8

South

West

1 NT 3 NT

Pass All pass

North 1♠ 2 NT

East Pass Pass

Zia won the heart king and took the diamond finesse – Opening Lead: ♥3 which held, as one might expect against good players whether the king was onside or not. At this point it would be simple to cross back to hand with the spade queen and repeat the diamond finesse; but if that lost, the defenders would win and cash out hearts. Now you would need spades to break to make your game. Alternatively, if you play ace then queen of diamonds, West ducks, and you will need to pick the position very precisely to come close to making your contract. Seeing this, Zia led the diamond queen from dummy before cashing the ace. If West ducked this, declarer would simply go after spades. If West took this trick, declarer’s communications to hand in spades to cash out the diamonds could not be attacked. LEAD WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠K754 ♥A854 ♦J765 ♣2 South

West

Pass

3 NT

North Pass All pass

East 1 NT

ANSWER: When this deal came up in The Common Game, best for the defense was a diamond, but at the table I would have led a spade rather than a heart. Leading from acefourth, especially into a strong hand, is rarely successful and all too often gives up a trick unnecessarily, so it is a council of desperation. The spade lead, by contrast, is far more appealing and you have a sideentry if you can set up the suit.

The Aces on Bridge: Tuesday, November 17th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on December 1st, 2015 “Most kids don’t believe in fairy tales very long. Once they hit six or seven they put away Cinderella and her shoe fetish, The Three Little Pigs with their violation of building codes, Miss Muffet and her well-shaped tuffet.” — Rob Thurman

After the Forest Duplicate finished, the Three Bears met up with Goldilocks in the local tavern. As they sat outside (Baby Bear nursing his lemonade) Papa Bear showed Goldilocks the North and South cards on today’s deal. “I must be the most unlucky player in the world” he said. “I won the opening spade lead in hand and took a diamond finesse. East won and shifted to a low club. When I finessed West won and reverted to spades. Down two!” “You think that’s unlucky?” said Mama Bear heatedly. “I covered the spade 10 at trick one to block the suit. East won and played a club. I finessed and West won and reverted to spades, and I went the same two down.”

Dealer: N Vul: Both

North ♠Q93 ♥AQ ♦ A Q J 10 5 ♣J76

West ♠ 10 4 ♥95432 ♦8732 ♣K4

East ♠AJ875 ♥KJ6 ♦K6 ♣852 South ♠K62 ♥ 10 8 7 ♦94 ♣ A Q 10 9 3

South

West

1 NT

Pass

North 1♥ 3 NT

East 1♠ All pass

Baby Bear recounted his tale of woe next. “I covered the Opening Lead: ♠10 first spade and finessed in clubs at trick two. My West shifted to hearts at trick three! I finessed of course, and now the defenders cleared hearts. When the diamond finesse lost I was down THREE!” Goldilocks sympathized with all three of them. “You were all terribly unlucky – up to a point.” When asked what she meant, Goldilocks told them how she had played the hand. “I covered the first spade, then went up with the club ace at trick two and played on diamonds. When East won and played a club, I lost just a spade, diamond and club trick. There was nothing the defenders could do to defeat the game.” BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠AJ875 ♥KJ6 ♦K6 ♣852 South 1♠ ?

West Pass

North 1 NT

East Dbl.

ANSWER: It may sound obvious, but if partner makes a forcing no-trump response, and the next hand doubles, pass with a minimum balanced hand. A bid in a minor guarantees a four-card or longer suit. The fact that your clubs are so bad means you were not exactly looking forward to bidding the suit anyway. If the no-trump was not forcing, your call becomes even easier, of course. Pass, without a care in the world.

The Aces on Bridge: Wednesday, November 18th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on December 2nd, 2015 “Evangelical vicar in want of a portable second-hand font, would dispose of the same for a portrait (in frame) of the bishop-elect of Vermont.” — Mgr. Ronald Knox

In today’s deal three no-trump would have been the easiest spot, and maybe South should have tried that contract at his final turn to speak, if he was going to move on over three hearts. Against four hearts West took his three top diamonds. That was the easy part of the defense; what would you do next? At the table West spotted the danger of the clubs as a parking place for losers, and shifted to the spade king. This entry-destroying play is known as a Merrimac coup. Declarer won the spade ace and ran the trump, forcing West to work out what to keep in the four card ending.

Dealer: N Vul: None

North ♠A72 ♥K5 ♦873 ♣AK984

West ♠KJ6 ♥432 ♦AKQ9 ♣ Q 10 7

East ♠9853 ♥876 ♦654 ♣J53 South ♠ Q 10 4 ♥ A Q J 10 9 ♦ J 10 2 ♣62

South

West

1♥ 2♥ 4♥

Dbl. Pass All pass

North 1♣ Pass 3♥

East Pass 1♠ Pass

At the table East discarded spades, but West relied on his partner to have five spades and came down to a bare Opening Lead: ♦K spade jack. Declarer noted that both opponents had kept clubs, and decided from the signals, and West’s tempo that he was guarding something in spades, so worked out to drop the jack of spades in the ending. Nicely done — but a shame that the defense lost their way. The primary responsibility lay with East to make it clear what his spade holding was. After discouraging on the first spade, his first discard should be the nine (implicitly denying the 10). Since South is now marked with the spade queen and 10, West can work out to pitch clubs on the basis that if declarer has the club jack, he should make the hand on a squeeze or by taking two club finesses, whatever West does. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠ Q 10 4 ♥ A Q J 10 9 ♦ J 10 2 ♣62 South 2♥ ?

West 1♦ Dbl.

North Dbl. Rdbl.

East Pass 3♣

ANSWER: There is no need to bid right now. You described your hand nicely at your first turn and have no idea whether to play for penalties or declare hearts. Fortunately you do not have to decide. Your partner knows approximately what you have, so pass and let him decide what to do next. Incidentally, with your spades and clubs switched you might double.

The Aces on Bridge: Thursday, November 19th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on November 3rd, 2015 “[Man] Placed on this isthmus of a middle state, A being darkly wise and rudely great.” — Alexander Pope

The Dyspeptics Club is a place where the kibitzers come as much for the post mortem as they do to watch the bridge. Zero Tolerance is not part of the club’s bylaws, and while the members draw the line at physical violence, verbal outrages are considered the norm, and some would say, positively encouraged. In today’s deal South played four hearts by winning the top spade lead in hand, drawing trump, then playing the club ace, king and a third club. West had supinely failed to unblock his club queen on the second round of the suit, so he was forced to give the lead to dummy and declarer had 10 tricks. As South waited for applause from his partner, and East gnashed his teeth at his partner’s incompetence, North wryly remarked that if South was half as good as he thought he was, he would still be twice as good as he actually was. Why was he unhappy with his partner?

Dealer: W Vul: Both

North ♠K52 ♥ K 10 9 ♦963 ♣A754

West ♠QJ98 ♥85 ♦AQJ7 ♣Q93

East ♠ 10 7 6 4 ♥762 ♦ 10 8 5 ♣ J 10 6 South ♠A3 ♥AQJ43 ♦K42 ♣K82

South Dbl. 2♥

West 1♦ Pass Pass

North Pass 2♣ 4♥

East Pass Pass All pass

Opening Lead: ♠Q

Declarer must duck the spade queen; he wins the next one with the ace, cashes the club ace and king, throws a club on the spade king, then ruffs the clubs good. Next he draws three rounds of trump ending in dummy, so that he can cash the established club as his 10th trick. Incidentally, if West has a 3-3-5-2 shape with all the high diamond honors, declarer might still succeed. He strips off all West’s black cards and after drawing trump leads a low diamond to endplay West to lead diamonds round to the king. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠K52 ♥ K 10 9 ♦963 ♣A754 South ?

West Pass

North 1♥

East Pass

ANSWER: My general advice to you with a 10-count and a balanced hand with no source of tricks is to raise to two hearts (constructive in the context of a forcing notrump base). This hand is one of the rare exceptions where your good trump spots and excellent controls mean that even with a 4-3-3-3 pattern, you could sensibly choose between either the simple raise or the limit raise, via the forcing no-trump.

The Aces on Bridge: Friday, November 20th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on December 4th, 2015 “I wanted to have the adoration of John Lennon but have the anonymity of Ringo Starr. I didn’t want to be a frontman. I just wanted to be back there and still be a rock and roll star at the same time.” — Kurt Cobain

Today’s deal is from one of my readers, who preferred to remain anonymous. It came with the comment that the writer did not object to his partner’s going down if defeat was unavoidable. But it was irritating when they gave up before they started, in a contract that they could have made with just a little imagination. At the table my correspondent was North, and admitted to having raised his hearts with some trepidation. Still, support with support, they say. South duly went on to four hearts, against which West led the club queen. East took his ace and switched to the spade three.

Dealer: E Vul: None

North ♠ Q 10 6 2 ♥9763 ♦K873 ♣7

West

East ♠3 ♥KQ ♦AJ6 ♣ A 10 9 8 6 4 3

♠KJ9854 ♥4 ♦ 10 9 5 2 ♣Q2 South ♠A7 ♥ A J 10 8 5 2 ♦Q4 ♣KJ5 South

West

North

Now what? At the table, declarer played low: West took 1♥ 1♠ 2♥ the spade king, gave his partner a spade ruff, and the 4♥ All pass diamond ace became the setting trick. This really was a little wooden on South’s part. With the spade two on view, Opening Lead: ♣Q that spade three had all the hallmarks of being a singleton. By far and away the best chance was to find East with a singleton spade and all the possible entries.

East 1♣ Pass

Playing on these assumptions, South should win with the spade ace, cash the ace of trump and the club king, ruff the winning club jack, and lead a low diamond from the table. East must play low on this and, after winning with his queen, declarer exits with a trump to end-play East. A club gives South a ruff and discard, while a diamond return established dummy’s king as a home for the spade loser, and the 10th trick. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠KJ9854 ♥4 ♦ 10 9 5 2 ♣Q2 South ?

West Pass

North 1♣

East 1♥

ANSWER: This is the same auction as in today’s deal. However I would recommend a weak jump response in competition by an unpassed hand. Note: I play weak jump responses in very few positions. For example I don’t play them by a passed hand, nor in response to an overcall. But in this precise sequence they do make sense.

The Aces on Bridge: Thursday, November 19th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on December 3rd, 2015 “[Man] Placed on this isthmus of a middle state, A being darkly wise and rudely great.” — Alexander Pope

The Dyspeptics Club is a place where the kibitzers come as much for the post mortem as they do to watch the bridge. Zero Tolerance is not part of the club’s bylaws, and while the members draw the line at physical violence, verbal outrages are considered the norm, and some would say, positively encouraged. In today’s deal South played four hearts by winning the top spade lead in hand, drawing trump, then playing the club ace, king and a third club. West had supinely failed to unblock his club queen on the second round of the suit, so he was forced to give the lead to dummy and declarer had 10 tricks. As South waited for applause from his partner, and East gnashed his teeth at his partner’s incompetence, North wryly remarked that if South was half as good as he thought he was, he would still be twice as good as he actually was. Why was he unhappy with his partner?

Dealer: W Vul: Both

North ♠K52 ♥ K 10 9 ♦963 ♣A754

West ♠QJ98 ♥85 ♦AQJ7 ♣Q93

East ♠ 10 7 6 4 ♥762 ♦ 10 8 5 ♣ J 10 6 South ♠A3 ♥AQJ43 ♦K42 ♣K82

South Dbl. 2♥

West 1♦ Pass Pass

North Pass 2♣ 4♥

East Pass Pass All pass

Opening Lead: ♠Q

Declarer must duck the spade queen; he wins the next one with the ace, cashes the club ace and king, throws a club on the spade king, then ruffs the clubs good. Next he draws three rounds of trump ending in dummy, so that he can cash the established club as his 10th trick. Incidentally, if West has a 3-3-5-2 shape with all the high diamond honors, declarer might still succeed. He strips out all West’s black cards and after drawing trump leads a low diamond, to endplay West to lead a diamond round to the king. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠K52 ♥ K 10 9 ♦963 ♣A754 South ?

West Pass

North 1♥

East Pass

ANSWER: My general advice is to raise one heart to two with a 10-count and a balanced hand with no source of tricks (which is constructive in the context of a forcing notrump base). This hand is one of the rare exceptions where your good trump spots and excellent controls mean that even with a 4-3-3-3 pattern, you could sensibly choose between either the simple raise or the limit raise, via the forcing no-trump.

The Aces on Bridge: Saturday, November 21st, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on December 5th, 2015 “New lamps for old.” — Arabian Nights

Today’s deal features an old idea in a new setting. When East opens two hearts you elect to overcall two spades rather than jump to four spades, which ought to be a stronger hand than this. Incidentally, just for the record, a jump to three spades is a strong jump overcall not a preempt. One doesn’t preempt against a preempt – one needs the space for constructive bidding. The defenders lead the heart eight against four spades, and you win the ace. Plan the play. Your thoughts should be that if East has the diamond king, there are no real prospects of making four spades, since the club ace is clearly going to be offside, unless you can duck a club to West. But there is a better chance, which is to rely on West holding the diamond king. So play a spade to the ace at trick two, then lead the diamond queen from your hand. When West covers, you duck!

Dealer: E Vul: Both

North ♠Q532 ♥ A Q 10 7 ♦A7 ♣974

West East ♠9 ♠6 ♥8 ♥KJ6532 ♦ K 10 9 8 5 3 2 ♦J64 ♣A862 ♣ Q J 10 South ♠ A K J 10 8 7 4 ♥94 ♦Q ♣K53 South

West

North

2♠

Pass

4♠

East 2♥ All pass

Opening Lead: ♥8

At this point West is out of major-suit cards; he can do no better than play a second diamond. Now you throw your heart nine on the diamond ace, then lead the heart queen and ruff East’s king with a high trump. Lead the spade four to dummy’s five, which allows you to lead the heart 10. East covers and you ruff, cross to the spade queen, and throw a club loser away on the established heart seven. You can lead a club to the king as a try for the overtrick. BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: Do not commit yourself to playing three no-trump – you could easily find yourself facing a small singleton in spades… or worse. Use the fourth suit forcing by bidding two spades and take it from there. With the spade 10 instead of the two, a three notrump call would be reasonable, however.

South Holds: ♠Q532 ♥ A Q 10 7 ♦A7 ♣974 South 1♥ ?

West Pass Pass

North 1♦ 2♣

East Pass Pass

The Aces on Bridge: Sunday, November 22nd, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on December 6th, 2015

Dear Mr. Wolff:

Dear Mr. Wolff:

Say your partner opens one spade and you hold ♠ —, ♥ 4-3, ♦ K-Q-J-4-3, ♣ A-Q-J-10-94. Do you bid two diamonds or two clubs — and why?

What is the appropriate procedure to follow when using of bidding boxes – specifically the fingering of bids before making a call? I would like to stop my partner and especially my opponents from doing it. What advice would you give me in the face of an infraction?

— Open Mike, Selma, Ala.

— Peanuts, Cartersville, Ga.

ANSWER: With game-forcing values I won’t say it is ALWAYS right to bid the longer suit — but it is normal. (A common exception occurs when you hold a decent four-card major and a weak five-card minor, where you envisage a 4-3 fit might be right). Here you must construct an auction where you bid clubs then diamonds. This doesn’t guarantee real diamonds but it is the best way to paint the picture. You certainly don’t want partner to give preference to diamonds if he doesn’t really prefer that suit.

ANSWER: You are correct, in that if you finger more than one bid before coming to a final decision, you are conveying information just as inappropriately as you would do if you change an oral statement. Encourage your partner to make up his mind what he wants to bid before touching any part of the box. And the same applies to playing cards from your hand as well.

Dear Mr. Wolff:

Dear Mr. Wolff:

I held ♠ 9-8, ♥ A-Q-6-4-3, ♦ 6-3, ♣ A-K-8-6 and heard my LHO open one spade and my RHO bid one no-trump, forcing. Would you bid two hearts now, and if not would you balance with two hearts when LHO bids two diamonds, passed round to you? Partner had a 4-2-4-3 pattern and defending was right today.

Holding: ♠ J, ♥ K-J, ♦ K-J-7-6-4-3-2, ♣ Q-102 would you open with a weak call such as two or three diamonds, or would you consider the hand too strong for this bid? How would you be affected by vulnerability and position? — Hi-Lo Country, Orlando, Fla.

— Pistol Pete, Little Rock, Ark. ANSWER: I would indeed either bid two hearts directly or over two diamonds. I bid first because it is harder for them to double, and because they might lose their minor-fit if I bid directly. (Not that they want to find it today – but they might…) Dear Mr. Wolff: What is the rule about whether to use the Jacoby two-notrump as a raise of partner’s major? Does it require a balanced hand or are you allowed to have a singleton or even a void? — Geek Squad, Palm Springs, Calif. ANSWER: The jump to two notrump in no way denies a splinter. The idea should be that immediate splinters should be a precise high-card range – let’s say limited to 10-14 or with enough to drive to slam. That way partner knows you have only limited slam interest. Hence opener only moves with wellfitting extras. With 15-17 and a splinter, one can start with Jacoby, and cue-bid later.

ANSWER: There is no hand too good for a weak-two that I would not open at the onelevel; there are plenty of hands that are unsuitable for other reasons though. Here the hand has a good suit; I’d open one diamond non-vulnerable in first seat, but at most other vulnerabilities and positions I would not consider it unduly strong for a weak-two bid. The seventh trump is not a deal-breaker for a weak-two bid when vulnerable, but I rarely do this nonvulnerable, even in second seat.

The Aces on Bridge: Monday, November 23rd, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on December 7th, 2015 “There is a strength in union even of very sorry men.” — Homer

All the deals this week come from the Fall Nationals, a year ago in Providence, Rhode Island. This deal comes from a qualifying round in the Keohane North American Swiss Teams. On this deal, declarer is in danger from both opponents, but can navigate his way between Scylla and Charybdis. Let’s say you manage successfully to negotiate away from the lures of diamonds (not that five diamonds is a bad spot) to play three no-trump. You duck the heart lead — king, two, jack, nine) and if the defenders continue hearts you will take a diamond finesse. Then if it loses, you will later play clubs from the top to try to keep West off lead. Instead, the defenders shift to spades at trick two. You win, and cash a top diamond then a top club, and take a losing diamond finesse. If a heart comes back you revert to the above-mentioned avoidance play strategy to try to keep West out.

Dealer: W Vul: E-W

North ♠75 ♥832 ♦AK86 ♣ J 10 8 6

West ♠ 10 9 8 ♥ K Q 10 7 6 5 ♦93 ♣Q3

East ♠QJ632 ♥J4 ♦Q54 ♣974 South ♠AK4 ♥A9 ♦ J 10 7 2 ♣AK52

South Dbl. 3 NT

West 2♥ Pass All pass

North Pass 3 ♦*

East Pass Pass

*Constructive Opening Lead: ♥K

But the defenders meanly win the second diamond and play a second spade. You duck, and now with spades 5-3 the defenders have two choices, both bad. If they continue spades, you now simply take a club finesse, not caring if it loses since West will not have a spade to play. If the defenders revert to hearts, you play clubs from the top again. This way you make game not only when either finesse wins but also when the club queen is offside doubleton, as here. LEAD WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠J8754 ♥95 ♦K2 ♣ 10 9 3 2 South 3♠ Pass

West 1♣ 4♥ Pass

North 1♠ 4♠ Dbl.

East 2♥ 5♥ All pass

ANSWER: Does this double call for an unusual lead, (the so-called Lightner double) or is it simply an indication that the contract rates to go down? I wish I could answer with confidence, but I’m going to go out on a limb and read this as asking for a club lead. I will lead a low club to stop partner underleading his spade ace.

The Aces on Bridge: Tuesday, November 24th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on December 8th, 2015 “Show me a gambler and I’ll show you a loser, show me a hero and I’ll show you a corpse.” — Mario Puzo

Since the Fall Nationals are about to start, all the deals this week come from last November’s Nationals from Providence. Down at the half in his Senior Knockout Teams match, John Lusky first took a somewhat aggressive action in the bidding then found the way home in his slam, which in the end constituted considerably more than the margin of his team’s victory. Facing a strong no-trump with some heart support, but nonetheless a hand that wasn’t worth a cuebid at its second turn, Lusky elected to use keycard for hearts and bid on to slam. He was hoping, of course, not to buy too many wasted values in spades.

Dealer: W Vul: Both

North ♠AQ84 ♥KJ9 ♦Q982 ♣K5

West ♠92 ♥Q83 ♦KJ765 ♣ 10 9 2

East ♠ K J 10 6 5 3 ♥5 ♦ 10 ♣QJ863 South ♠7 ♥ A 10 7 6 4 2 ♦A43 ♣A74

South 3♥ 4 NT 6♥

West Pass Pass Pass All pass

North 1 NT 4♥ 5♥

East 2 ♠* Pass Pass

Having won the opening spade lead with the ace in *Spades and a minor dummy, how would you have advanced from there? Lusky **Two key cards, counting the heart king as a key card played the club king and a club to the ace, then ran the heart 10! When it held and both opponents followed, he Opening Lead: ♠9 ruffed his club loser, unblocked the heart king, returned to hand with the diamond ace and drew the last trump. The way the cards lay, he couldn’t misguess diamonds, so that was 13 IMPs to the good guys. His logic was that with East marked with long spades, West was favorite to have heart length, and thus the queen. When one defender shows real length in a side-suit, finessing the other defender for the trump queen becomes much more attractive. Incidentally had trumps been 4-0, Lusky would have needed to find East with a singleton diamond honor, so that he could set up the diamonds for three tricks. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠7 ♥ A 10 7 6 4 2 ♦A43 ♣A74 South 1♥ ?

West Pass Pass

North 1♦ 2♥

East Pass Pass

ANSWER: It is a little lazy to jump to game here. Yes you have only a 12-count but facing the right 12-count (the spade ace, heart king, and five diamonds to the kingqueen) you might make a grand slam! While as Bob Hamman says, partner NEVER has the right hand, give him one chance. Jump to three spades, a splinter-bid in support of hearts, and let him make the running thereafter.

The Aces on Bridge: Wednesday, November 25th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on December 9th, 2015 “A man must make his opportunity, as oft find it.” — Francis Bacon

At work today from the Providence Nationals last fall is Steve Garner, who took his best chance on this deal from a pairs game early in the tournament. After East’s opening bid, West decided to try to construct an auction to allow himself to buy the hand in five clubs doubled. As you can see, this was well-judged, up to a point, since five clubs doubled goes for 500, less than the value of his opponents’ game. But having unsuccessfully tried to walk the dog, West then continued his imaginative play by leading the spade jack. This was indeed the most effective start for the defenders. Garner won the spade ace, cashed the heart ace and king to get the bad news, ruffed a club, then led a diamond to the ace. A second diamond picked up that suit without loss, then he carefully exited with a spade, not a trump.

Dealer: E Vul: Both

North ♠A742 ♥AK97 ♦A853 ♣J

West

East ♠KQ ♥6 ♦Q4 ♣ Q 10 9 7 6 5 32

♠ J 10 9 6 ♥ Q 10 2 ♦97 ♣AK84 South ♠853 ♥J8543 ♦ K J 10 6 2 ♣— South

West

North

Pass 3♥ Pass 5♥

Pass 4♣ 5♣ All pass

Dbl. 4♥ Dbl.

East 3♣ Pass Pass Pass

Opening Lead: ♠J East won the trick but had only clubs to lead, and had to concede the ruff-sluff. Why was it important to lead a spade, not a heart? The point is that East could have set five hearts by pitching his spade honor at trick three on the second trump. Although he had failed to take advantage of his first opportunity, had Garner played a third trump, might East have woken up and taken his second chance? We’ll never know! Double-dummy experts might care to look for the line to make five hearts by force after a spade lead. Hint: don’t draw all the trump. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠A742 ♥AK97 ♦A853 ♣J South 1♦ ?

West Pass

North 1♠

East Pass

ANSWER: Were you tempted to jump to four spades, or make an even stronger call of four clubs? That last call shows short clubs and at least a raise to four spades. Both of those calls should be reserved for stronger hands (a balanced 18-19 count, and the same hand with an extra king, respectively). This is a raise to three spades; if partner passes, game is highly unlikely to be good.

The Aces on Bridge: Thursday, November 26th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on December 10th, 2015 “Put not your trust in money, but put your money in trust.” — Oliver Wendell Holmes

This deal is from the first semifinal session of the Kaplan Blue Ribbon Pairs at Providence last fall. Most of the field found spades: half played in game, half in partscore. Take a moment to decide how you would tackle the play in four spades on a trump lead. It feels right to go after clubs – assuming decent breaks, you can come to three club winners, five trump tricks, and two tricks in the red suits. The entry position argues that you should win the opening lead in hand and advance the club king. West wins and continues with a trump, taken in dummy. Now you pass the club jack. No luck there either: West wins the club queen and plays a third trump. When you cash the club 10, you find the bad break in that suit has reduced your ten tricks to nine.

Dealer: S Vul: N-S

North ♠KQ63 ♥Q543 ♦— ♣ J 10 9 6 3

West ♠842 ♥ 10 6 2 ♦J7 ♣AQ872

East ♠J7 ♥AJ9 ♦ K 10 9 8 4 3 ♣54 South ♠ A 10 9 5 ♥K87 ♦AQ652 ♣K

South 1♦ 1♠ 3♥

West Pass Pass Pass

North 1♥ 2♠ 4♠

East Pass Pass All pass

However you are not out of chances. After cashing the Opening Lead: ♠2 club nine, pitching a heart from hand, you need to find East with both key red honors (not that unlikely given his black-suit doubletons and thus red-suit length). You next lead a heart, which East must duck, and can then give up a heart to East. He can try to cash the heart ace, which you ruff, leaving dummy good after you discard dummy’s club on the diamond ace, or he can play a diamond. That allows you to finesse the queen, in order to pitch dummy’s two heart losers. Then you can cross-ruff the rest. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠842 ♥ 10 6 2 ♦J7 ♣AQ872 South ?

West 1♠

North 2♣

East 2♠

ANSWER: While your hand is balanced, the weak length in spades rates to be opposite partner’s shortage on this auction. Does that mean you should bid game? I think not, since you are far too often handing your opponents 500 in a doubtful cause. Better may be to bid four clubs; this shows less than a cuebid raise of clubs but real trump support.

The Aces on Bridge: Friday, November 27th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on December 11th, 2015 “The problem in defense is how far you can go without destroying from within what you are trying to defend from without.” — Dwight D. Eisenhower

On this deal from the final of the Baze Senior Knockout Teams at Providence last November, Matt Granovetter made a nice defensive play to earn a swing for his team. In one room West had led the heart king, ducked by Fred Stewart, who had set up clubs and taken the diamond finesse for nine tricks. At the other table Jeff Meckstroth took the opening heart lead in dummy. He played a low club from dummy at trick two, his jack losing to Granovetter’s king. At trick three, Granovetter played the spade jack, pinning Meckstroth’s singleton 10 and threatening communications between the East and West hands.

Dealer: W Vul: E-W

North ♠AKQ54 ♥ A 10 8 ♦4 ♣ 10 9 5 4

West ♠J7632 ♥KQ76 ♦832 ♣K

East ♠98 ♥932 ♦KJ9 ♣A8762 South ♠ 10 ♥J54 ♦ A Q 10 7 6 5 ♣QJ3

South

West

North

1♦ 2♦ 2 NT

Pass Pass Pass

1♠ 2♥ 3 NT

Meckstroth took the spade ace and played another club, winning the queen when Dan Morse played low. Opening Lead: ♥Q Meckstroth exited with a club to dummy’s nine and Morse’s ace. The heart nine came next. Meckstroth played the jack and Granovetter ducked. Granovetter won the next heart with the king, cashed the heart seven and got out with a diamond. Meckstroth won the diamond king with the ace and cashed the queen, but had to give up the setting trick on the final play. North-South took two clubs, two hearts and a diamond for one down.

East Pass Pass Pass All pass

Double-dummy, Meckstroth could have survived West’s clever play by winning the spade and playing another club from dummy, unblocking the club queen if Morse rose with the ace. If Morse played low, Meckstroth could have won the club queen, and exited with a low heart. Whether West won or ducked, there would be a route to nine tricks on careful play thereafter. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠ 10 ♥J54 ♦ A Q 10 7 6 5 ♣QJ3 South 1 NT ?

West Pass Pass

North 1♠ 2♥

East Pass Pass

ANSWER: On the right day a cautious pass or a somewhat distorted raise to three hearts might win out. But my preference is for a rebid of two no-trump, suggesting invitational values and no particular fit. If partner shows five hearts you will play that suit, of course. Otherwise notrump looks as good as anywhere to me.

The Aces on Bridge: Saturday, November 28th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on December 12th, 2015 “O fat white woman whom nobody loves, Why do you walk through the field in gloves… Missing so much and so much?” — Frances Cornford

This board came up on the first day of the Baze Senior Knockout Teams at Providence last fall. Neither table got it right – but I thought it a fine example of playing for your best chance. Beware! The early planning will be critical. You play in four spades as South on the lead of the club king. You can see that finding a doubleton heart ace will suffice. Can you do better? The best line bears the cryptic name of an incomplete elimination. After ducking the first club and winning the second, you draw only two rounds of trumps, and must be careful to use one high trump from each hand. Assuming trumps split, you then ruff out the diamonds and exit with a club.

Dealer: E Vul: None

North ♠AK52 ♥K743 ♦A5 ♣A84

West ♠94 ♥ 10 6 ♦J872 ♣KQJ52

East ♠ 10 7 3 ♥AJ82 ♦ Q 10 4 3 ♣ 10 6 South ♠QJ86 ♥Q95 ♦K96 ♣973

South

West

North

Pass 1♠ 4♠

Pass Pass All pass

1♣ 3♠

East Pass Pass Pass

If West is left on lead in clubs with no trump to play, the best he can do is lead the heart 10. But declarer puts up Opening Lead: ♣K dummy’s king and has a finesse against East’s jack on the second round of the suit. Equally, if East ruffs his partner’s winner, he can give a ruff and discard or lead hearts. Either way, the defenders can take only one heart trick. The play is called an incomplete elimination because one trump is left out. Critically, you must use a high trump from each hand to draw trumps, since if you use both high trumps from dummy, West can exit with a fourth club and East can overruff dummy, preventing the ruff and discard. Note that if the cards do not cooperate, you can always fall back on playing East for the doubleton heart ace. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠QJ86 ♥Q95 ♦K96 ♣973 South ?

West Pass

North 1♥

East Pass

ANSWER: As a general rule, when worth a simple raise of partner’s hearts, make the direct raise rather than introduce a spade suit, however strong it is. The logic is that delayed support or simple preference suggests only two trump. If you plan to jump raise partner, by all means bid spades first – especially if it will help partner evaluate his hand. That is not the case today, though.

The Aces on Bridge: Sunday, November 29th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on December 13th, 2015

Dear Mr. Wolff: Why does the IMP table exist in team games? Would it not be simpler just to use total points? — Midshipman Easy, Monterey, Calif. ANSWER: The answer is that it would be simpler but not necessarily fairer. The point is that one giant swing (a grand slam for example on finding a queen) is nearly equivalent to four game swings at the same vulnerability in total points. The idea of the IMP table is to equalize out the big swings with the medium and smaller swings. It is relatively easy to get the hang of – trust me!

ANSWER: I think your two club call is best, since a jump to three no-trump may lead to playing game off the whole heart suit. This problem is not resolved at your second turn, so I might cuebid two spades now, planning to raise diamonds or bid no-trump as appropriate. The two spade call initially asks, not tells. Dear Mr. Wolff: I was in third seat holding ♠ A-K-8-6, ♥ J-9-4, ♦ Q-10-7, ♣ K-9-2 and heard my partner open two hearts in first seat vulnerable. How close is this to inviting to game? I passed and found my partner with six solid hearts, so three no-trump had decent play, while four hearts was poor. — Stick-in-the-Mud, Augusta, Ga.

Dear Mr. Wolff: I held ♠ Q-9-8-4, ♥ A-3, ♦ K-10-6-3, ♣ Q-8-6 and elected to open one diamond in third seat. When my partner responded one heart, I did not think I could pass, so bid one spade. The next thing I knew I was in four spades, doubled and down 500. My partner said he thought I must have a good opener or I would have passed at my second turn. Do you agree? — Two in the Glue, Wilmington, N.C. ANSWER: I do not agree. Your second call shows shape, not necessarily high cards. You can bypass a weak spade suit with 4-4 pattern if you want, but I agree with your actions here. Your partner was simply guilty of wishful thinking. Dear Mr. Wolff: At teams my partner opened one diamond, and my RHO overcalled one spade. I held ace-queen fourth of spades, a doubleton heart, queen-third of diamonds and kingqueen fourth of clubs. What do I bid – do I blast three no-trump directly, or start by bidding two clubs? If the latter, any thoughts as to what to do over a two diamond rebid from my partner? — Modern Millie, East Stroudsburg, Pa.

ANSWER: Your caution was reasonable, since your balanced hand-pattern made the prospects for game relatively limited. Make the club two the diamond two, and I do try for game, since the prospect of a club ruff in your hand or the possibility of establishing a diamond has improved your hand significantly. Dear Mr. Wolff: Say you hold ♠ Q-4-2, ♥ A-2, ♦ A-J-9-3, ♣ Q4-3-2. I assume you would open one diamond? If so, you hear partner bid one spade; what should you do next? Is two clubs acceptable? And what if your Left Hand Opponent had overcalled one heart and partner had bid one spade – only guaranteeing four spades? — Raised to the Ground, Bristol, Va. ANSWER: In both cases a call of one notrump defines the basic nature of the hand – a minimum balanced opening bid, without four spades. I would raise the response of one spade if it were known to be five, (as it would do if your negative double showed four spades) but I would, if possible, avoid rebidding bid two clubs, which almost guarantees nine cards in the minors.

The Aces on Bridge: Monday, November 30th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on December 14th, 2015 “Success breeds complacency. Complacency breeds failure. Only the paranoid survive.” — Andy Grove

Today’s deal came up at teams, where the focus is always on making or defeating the contract. It offers some interesting points of technique both at teams and pairs. At the table, the club queen was led to the ace, against four spades. Declarer should calculate that he must try to hold his combined trump and diamond losers to two. Cashing the top spades will expose you to risk if East has all four trumps. So safest is to win the club and run the spade five if East follows with the three. Then take the top two spades, and next play the diamond king and a diamond to the nine. The two safety plays are necessary if the cards lie as in the diagram. Incidentally, if East plays the spade eight on the first round of the suit, win the ace then lead a low spade to the seven and 10. You win the club return and lead the spade jack, neutralizing the spade queen.

Dealer: W Vul: N-S

North ♠J975 ♥Q3 ♦A952 ♣AK4

West ♠— ♥ J 10 5 4 ♦ Q 10 8 4 ♣QJ987

East ♠ Q 10 8 3 ♥A9872 ♦7 ♣ 10 6 2 South ♠AK642 ♥K6 ♦KJ63 ♣53

South 1♠ 4♠

West Pass Pass All pass

North 1♦ 2♠

East Pass Pass

Opening Lead: ♣Q

However, I admit that at pairs I would cash the spade ace at trick two, and go down. One cannot afford to give up on the chances of an overtrick in a normal contract. Once you have two spade losers, you need to play diamonds for no loser. Best is to lead to the jack, rather than play the ace then finesse. This not only guards against singleton queen on the right, it also allows you to cash the king then take a later finesse. This holds your losses to one down if East has any small singleton. LEAD WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠QJ62 ♥Q7 ♦Q62 ♣ K 10 9 4 South

West

Pass All pass

1♥

North Pass Pass

East 1♦ 1♠

ANSWER: There are some auctions where the suit you should lead to trick one stands out. This is one of them. You should lead a trump almost without reference to your hand, since dummy is almost sure to want to ruff a diamond or two on the board. It is quite close as to whether to lead a high or low trump; I go for low; my reasoning is that when partner has any doubleton honor, this lead rates to work out far better.

The Aces on Bridge: Tuesday, December 1st, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on December 15th, 2015 “Not merely a chip off the old ‘block’ but the old block itself.” — Edmund Burke

Today’s deal features an unusual auction. North’s most likely hand-type for his one club opening was a weak notrump, and the one heart response was a transfer, showing spades. But the final contract was an entirely normal four spade game, though reached in somewhat unusual fashion. West cashed his minor-suit winners and exited with a club, ruffed by declarer, ex-Scots star Victor Silverstone. Maybe it would have been correct to have won the club in dummy and taken a first-round spade finesse but at trick five declarer actually cashed the spade ace and received the bad news.

Dealer: N Vul: N-S

North ♠95 ♥AJ9 ♦QJ7 ♣K7543

West ♠— ♥ K 10 8 5 2 ♦AK52 ♣ A 10 9 2

East ♠Q732 ♥743 ♦984 ♣QJ6 South ♠ A K J 10 8 6 4 ♥Q6 ♦ 10 6 3 ♣8

South

West

1 ♥* 4♠

Dbl. Dbl.

North 1♣ Pass All pass

East Pass Pass

He next played a heart to his jack and advanced the *Spades spade nine, which East had to duck. Now Silverstone ruffed another club, went over to the diamond queen, Opening Lead: ♦K ruffed another club, and crossed back to the heart ace. In the two-card ending, he was in dummy with the spade K-J in his hand poised over East’s Q-7, and could make both the last two tricks.

Do you see how West might have done better? To start with, he should have continued with a diamond at trick four, to remove a dummy entry prematurely rather than helping declarer shorten his trump. And, secondly, when declarer played his low heart towards the dummy, West should have inserted his king — which would have been another opportunity to cut down declarer’s entries to dummy. Equally, had declarer led the heart queen from hand, the winning defense would have been to duck this card, for the same reason. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠— ♥ K 10 8 5 2 ♦AK52 ♣ A 10 9 2 South 5♥ ?

West Pass

North 1 NT

East Pass

ANSWER: Facing a forcing notrump your choice is to bid two clubs then perhaps introduce the diamonds, or bid the minors in the other order. I marginally prefer bidding diamonds first. That keeps the auction more under control. Note that partner almost certainly has a respectable hand; the opponents haven’t bid spades with 10 spades between them.

The Aces on Bridge: Wednesday, December 2nd, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on December 16th, 2015 “If ever I was foxed, it was now.” — Samuel Pepys Dealer: N Vul: Both

The final contract of four spades was the same at both tables on this deal from match-play. There were problems in the play, however, and the two declarers tried different approaches, with mixed success. North got the auction underway with one club, East overcalled one heart, and South contented himself with a quiet one spade. When all North could do was rebid one no-trump, however, South jumped to game in spades and everybody passed. West led the heart jack against four spades and you can see South’s problem: there were plenty of winners, but how could he reach them? One declarer tried the heart queen from dummy at trick one. His idea was that after East had won he might well return a heart. Then the club ace could be discarded and the losing diamonds thrown away once clubs were unblocked. But after East took his king, he unsportingly switched to diamonds. Now there was no escape, and the contract failed.

North ♠5 ♥AQ3 ♦8543 ♣ K Q J 10 5

West ♠K42 ♥ J 10 2 ♦ 10 9 6 ♣8632

East ♠A ♥K98654 ♦KQJ ♣974 South ♠ Q J 10 9 8 7 6 3 ♥7 ♦A72 ♣A

South

West

1♠ 4♠

Pass All pass

North 1♣ 1 NT

East 1♥ Pass

Opening Lead: ♥J

The second declarer played low from dummy at trick one, with the same plan in mind. East followed with the nine and now one can hardly blame West for leading another heart. South pitched his club ace and was home and dry. Still, since West knew that East held the heart king, he might have asked himself why did his partner play the nine? Surely to show he held an even number of cards in the suit, which could hardly be four. And maybe a clairvoyant East could even have overtaken with his heart king and switched to diamonds. Maybe not… BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠5 ♥AQ3 ♦8543 ♣ K Q J 10 5 South 1♣ ?

West Pass

North 1♠

East Pass

ANSWER: You have a choice of rebid here; you can either bid one no-trump, or you can repeat your clubs. Normally I’d veer toward rebidding one no-trump with this pattern, but on this occasion your good club spots coupled with the singleton spade suggests the twoclub rebid. Switch the club queen into the diamond suit, and the decision is much closer.

The Aces on Bridge: Thursday, December 3rd, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on December 17th, 2015 “A man may build himself a throne of bayonets, but he cannot sit on it.” — Dean Inge

Today’s deal features an interesting combination of plays for declarer and the defense. Everyone knows that it is generally wrong to over-ruff with a useful trump, but just how small can a useful trump be? Consider this hand, from a Junior European Tournament, where the popular contract was four spades by South, which was usually defeated on the heart king lead. However, at most tables, the line of play selected by declarer was an inferior one. The best play is to win the heart lead with the ace and cash the diamond ace before crossing to dummy with a low spade to the queen. Now comes a low diamond, ruffed with the spade nine. If West overruffs, the rest of the play is very straightforward; so let’s say West declines to overruff. Declarer now continues with the spade king, which West cannot afford to duck (or declarer scores four plain suit winners and six trump tricks).

Dealer: N Vul: N-S

North ♠QJ87 ♥32 ♦KQ9752 ♣4

West ♠A52 ♥ K Q J 10 9 8 ♦3 ♣K98

East ♠ 10 6 ♥4 ♦ J 10 8 6 4 ♣ Q J 10 7 2 South ♠K943 ♥A765 ♦A ♣A653

South

West

1♣ 3♠

2♥ Pass

North Pass Dbl. 4♠

East Pass Pass All pass

Opening Lead: ♥K

So West takes his spade ace and continues hearts, forcing dummy to ruff the third round. Declarer now leads a second low diamond and ruffs with his last trump in hand, the four. West must decline to over-ruff with the five, otherwise dummy is now high. When he discards, the hand falls to pieces. At double-dummy (but not in real life) when declarer leads a diamond from dummy at trick four he must discard from hand! East is left on lead and can do no better than return a club. Declarer wins his ace and leads a spade up, and the defense is helpless. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠QJ87 ♥32 ♦KQ9752 ♣4 South Pass ?

West 1♣

North 1♥

East 2♣

ANSWER: In this position double by you would be take-out. Should you make that call? I think not. With such a skewed hand, it feels right to bid diamonds now. You may decide to act again, but for the time being, the main feature of your hand is your diamond suit. I agree with the decision to pass initially, by the way. You rate to lose the spades for good if you preempt here.

The Aces on Bridge: Friday, December 4th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on December 18th, 2015 “The first blow is half the battle.” — Oliver Goldsmith Dealer: N Vul: E-W

In today’s deal when you make a game-try of three diamonds, North’s call of four clubs is a cuebid in case you have slam interest. Maybe you aren’t worth a drive to slam, but in fact you reach a respectable contract – one that is no worse than the spade break. West leads the diamond jack against the slam. You try the queen, but East covers with the king.

North ♠K982 ♥K7 ♦Q6 ♣AJ874

West ♠QJ4 ♥ Q 10 3 ♦ J 10 9 ♣9532

East ♠ 10 ♥J98652 ♦K754 ♣Q6 South ♠A7653 ♥A4 ♦A832 ♣ K 10

You will have no problem with your contract if trumps break 2-2, so you must start by drawing trump. Lead the spade ace then play to the king, discovering West with three trumps. Plan the play now. Your only chance is to be able to discard all your diamonds from hand on dummy’s clubs. As you can see, any 3-3 break gives you no chance, and equally, if the man with the long trump has the doubleton club, there will be nothing you can do. So you must try to find a lie of the cards where you can succeed. You need the player with the doubleton queen in clubs.

South

West

1♠ 3♦ 6♠

Pass Pass All pass

North 1♣ 2♠ 4♣

East Pass Pass Pass

Opening Lead: ♦J singleton trump to hold the

The best play is therefore to lead a club to your 10, cash the club king, then cross to dummy with a heart. Now you cash the club winners, pitching as many of your losing diamonds as you can. When West has to follow to four rounds of clubs you can run the whole suit. West can ruff the last one, but that is the defenders’ only trick, since all three of your diamonds have gone away. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠K982 ♥K7 ♦Q6 ♣AJ874 South 1♣ 1♠ ?

West Pass Pass

North 1♥ 2 NT

East Pass Pass

ANSWER: This is an invitational sequence, and while you have no real extras in high cards, your fifth club and reasonable spotcards suggest you give partner a try at making game. There is no reason why the clubs won’t prove a useful source of tricks; if they don’t, even two no-trump might be a struggle.

The Aces on Bridge: Saturday, December 5th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on December 19th, 2015 “Nothing defines humans better than their willingness to do irrational things in the pursuit of phenomenally unlikely payoffs.” — Douglas Adams

In today’s deal you play four spades, and receive the lead of the heart king to the ace. What are your thoughts? The spade king is surely with West; and the risk is that you will lose two spades, and two hearts. A simple line, such as playing the spade ace and another spade will lead to West winning his king and persisting with hearts, the fourth round promoting a trump for East. The same danger applies if you play for the intra-finesse (leading low from dummy and covering East’s card, hoping that he began with J-8 or 10-8 doubleton.

Dealer: W Vul: E-W

North ♠A764 ♥984 ♦K4 ♣ K Q J 10

West ♠K8 ♥ K Q J 10 7 ♦ Q J 10 8 ♣54

East ♠ J 10 2 ♥3 ♦97652 ♣8762 South ♠Q953 ♥A652 ♦A3 ♣A93

South

West

North

One possibility is the specific doubleton J-10 with East. 1♥ Pass Ace and another trump would work in that instance; but 1 NT Pass 2♣ 2♠ Pass 4♠ West is more likely to be short in spades than East. You should turn your attention to the idea of negotiating against length in spades with East. That being so, it looks Opening Lead: ♥K right to duck trick one, hoping East will ruff his partner’s winner on the second round. But West continues with the heart jack, and East pitches a club.

East Pass Pass All pass

When you win the heart ace you could now play West for a singleton spade king, but better is to play him for precisely the doubleton K-2 or K-8 of spades. Lead the spade nine from hand, with the intention of passing it. If West follows with the eight or two, play low from dummy and let East win the spade 10. You win the club exit and cash the spade ace, then finish drawing trump. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠Q953 ♥A652 ♦A3 ♣A93 South 1♣ ?

West Pass

North 1♦

East Pass

ANSWER: Fasten your seat belts; this may be a bumpy ride. I’m not a dedicated follower of Dick Walsh but in response to one club I will bypass a four- or even-fivecard diamond suit to bid a four-card major, with a one-bid hand short of sound invitational values. So I would rebid one notrump now as opener, expecting partner either not to have a major or to be able to bid it over one no-trump.

The Aces on Bridge: Sunday, December 6th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on December 20th, 2015

Dear Mr. Wolff: My colleagues and advisers never seem to agree about how and when the Gerber convention can be used. Most agree that if clubs have been bid, the Blackwood convention is appropriate. Others maintain that it is still correct to bid four clubs. — Iceberg, Kelowna, British Columbia ANSWER: Here’s when to use Gerber in suit auctions: never. I suggest to you that a call of four clubs is always a cuebid, rather than Gerber, unless it is a jump after a call of notrump. I know my readers will never buy this, and that it is a losing battle to suggest it. So let’s at least agree that when it isn’t a jump, a call of four clubs is never Gerber. And it is never, ever, Gerber when clubs are trump. Dear Mr. Wolff: Recently as dummy I saw my partner playing a three heart contract in which the opponents revoked in mid-hand. If the renege had not been caught, declarer would have been down one. He now receives two tricks from opponents. The question is, do these tricks give him game or just the contract and an overtrick? — Cereal Killer, Pinehurst, N.C. ANSWER: The contract is three hearts – regardless of any revoke(s). The penalty can’t exceed the number of tricks taken by the offenders on or after the offence. If the revoker (personally, not his partner) won the revoke trick, the penalty is two tricks. If the revoker didn’t win that trick, the penalty is one trick, UNLESS the revoker subsequently won a trick with a card he could have played legally on the revoke trick. Also, a director can restore equity if the penalty does not suffice. Dear Mr. Wolff: We have a pair at our club who play a weak no-trump. Do you consider that it is best to play a double of Stayman or of their transfer call by an unpassed hand as relating to the suit they have just bid, or to show points? — Al Dente, Cincinnati, Ohio

ANSWER: By a passed hand, all doubles are lead directing. A double of Stayman or an artificial transfer call by an unpassed hand might sensibly be played as strong, unlinked to clubs. But a double of a natural response should just be take-out. Dear Mr. Wolff: Holding: ♠ Q-2, ♥ A-Q-7-5-2, ♦ A-J-9-3, ♣ 3-2 I opened one heart and after a two club response I bid two diamonds. Now my partner bid two spades and the next hand doubled. What should I have bid without the double – and what with it? — Wheaties, Tacoma, Wash. ANSWER: Without the double, you would have to bid two no-trump – the doubleton queen is almost as good as a stopper, and if partner has an honor, no-trump is probably better played your way up. After the double you can pass, suggesting this pattern, or a hand with three spades but no wish to bid no-trump. Dear Mr. Wolff: Please advise your bid with this hand. Holding ♠ Q-7-2, ♥ 2, ♦ J, ♣ A-K-Q-10-8-4-32 I gambled to open two clubs, and rebid three clubs. My partner used Blackwood and drove us to six no-trump, which made on a finesse. Was I out of line to do so much? — Fortunate Son, Myrtle Beach, S.C. ANSWER: Your idea was not a bad one, but the problem is that when partner has scattered values he will assume you own more quick tricks than you have. Here is a good rule; with a long strong suit open two clubs if all one-level responses from partner would leave you without a bid. Even so, open at the one-level unless you have at least one and a half quick tricks outside your long solid suit. Change a red card to an ace here, and you are closer to the mark.

The Aces on Bridge: Monday, December 7th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on December 21st, 2015 “Nature’s own nobleman, friendly and frank, Is a man with his heart in his hand!” — Martin Tupper

One of my good writing and bridge-playing friends is Frank Stewart. Frank has been writing books regularly over the last decade, and donating the profits to local causes. His most recent project, “Play Bridge with Me,” is available from the writer $23.95 postpaid to the US (signed on request) from PO Box 962 Fayette AL 35555. This week’s deals come from his book. Here Stewart hears his partner open one club in fourth chair and raise his response of one spade to two. Stewart now sensibly up-values his five-card suit and red-suit controls, and drives directly to game.

Dealer: E Vul: N-S

North ♠AJ97 ♥753 ♦KJ5 ♣AQ6

West ♠42 ♥ J 10 9 6 ♦ A 10 8 6 ♣842

East ♠K5 ♥Q84 ♦Q9732 ♣K95 South ♠ Q 10 8 6 3 ♥AK2 ♦4 ♣ J 10 7 3

South

West

North

On the lead of the heart jack North puts down a 15-count Pass Pass 1♣ 1♠ Pass 2♠ that some would have opened a strong no-trump. Not 4♠ All pass surprisingly, the contract is excellent, but there is a possible loser in each suit. If the defenders get in, they will Opening Lead: ♥J lead a second heart, setting up a winner, so it is imperative to establish a discard for the heart loser quickly. Stewart leads a diamond at the second trick, and when West plays low, Stewart observes that if either black-suit finesse wins he will be home.

East Pass Pass Pass

But given that East didn’t open the bidding and has the heart queen, the right play from dummy must be the king. If East has the ace, declarer will not have a heart discard, but now one of the black-suit finesses will be sure to win, since East would probably have been in the bidding with such a good hand. So playing the diamond king means declarer will make four spades whatever the lie of the cards. LEAD WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠65 ♥Q63 ♦ 10 9 3 ♣Q9532 South Pass Pass

West Pass 3♣ 4♥

North Pass Pass All pass

East 2 NT 3♥

ANSWER: When leading at suits into a strong hand, you must often choose between active, passive, or playing for a ruff. My computer buffs tell me: when in doubt, lead from a sequence or play for a ruff. So a club would be last on my list. With a possible trump trick, I feel a diamond is more likely to be effective than a spade.

The Aces on Bridge: Tuesday, December 8th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on December 22nd, 2015 “The living need charity more than the dead.” — Sir Edwin Arnold

All the deals this week come from Frank Stewart’s new book, “Play Bridge with Me,” for which all the profits will be going to local charities. Stewart opens one spade in second seat and when North responds two clubs (not forcing to game), he rebids two spades then raises an invitational three spades to four. West leads the heart jack, and Stewart sees that he is off a diamond, a heart, a possible trump, and at least one club trick. Setting up a diamond winner to discard a heart loser from dummy is essential. Declarer cannot afford an early trump finesse, since if East took the king, a heart return would be fatal.

Dealer: E Vul: None

North ♠A982 ♥K63 ♦76 ♣KJ92

West ♠7 ♥ J 10 9 4 ♦9832 ♣A875

East ♠K53 ♥Q85 ♦ A 10 5 4 ♣Q63 South ♠ Q J 10 6 4 ♥A72 ♦KQJ ♣ 10 4

South

West

North

1♠ 2♠ 4♠

Pass Pass All pass

2♣ 3♠

East Pass Pass Pass

So Stewart wins the opening lead in dummy, saving the heart ace as an entry, and leads a diamond. East takes Opening Lead: ♥J the second diamond and returns a heart. Stewart wins, cashes the diamond jack, pitching dummy’s last heart. Now he can take the losing trump finesse and win the spade return. The contract now hinges on the club guess. Luckily, there is enough information to eliminate the guess. Can you see why? East, who passed as dealer, has shown the spade king, heart queen and diamond ace, so West must have the club ace. Stewart can lead a club to the king and lose only three tricks in all, scoring up his game. As Stewart says, counting the losers, will indicate the necessity of delaying drawing trump in order to set up the critical discard. Going right in clubs is then a simple matter of counting to 13. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠A982 ♥K63 ♦76 ♣KJ92 South 1♠ ?

West Pass Pass

North 1♦ 2♠

East Pass Pass

ANSWER: This is close to an opening bid in strength, and many would boost themselves to four spades without a second thought. I’d prefer a slower approach. Since I raise happily with three trump a more cautious call would be three clubs. This is ostensibly a game-try suggesting club length. Let’s find out just a little more about partner’s hand. Two no-trump is also a sensible call now.

The Aces on Bridge: Wednesday, December 9th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on December 23rd, 2015 “Some people think they are concentrating when they’re merely worrying.” — Bobby Jones

Today’s deal from Frank Stewart’s new book “Play Bridge with Me” sees him playing in a local IMP Teams event. Frank opens one diamond, his partner responds one spade and he rebids one no-trump. Partner huddles and jumps to four spades, and everyone passes. West leads a low heart, to East’s king; how would you plan the play? At the table South took the ace and led the diamond queen, covered by West’s king. South won dummy’s ace and next let the spade queen ride. He ruffed a diamond, cashed the spade ace and led the spade jack. East took the king and returned a heart. When the club finesse lost, that was down one.

Dealer: N Vul: Both

North ♠Q ♥7643 ♦A872 ♣AKJ2

West ♠82 ♥ Q 10 8 5 ♦ K 10 9 6 4 ♣94

East ♠K754 ♥K2 ♦J53 ♣ Q 10 8 6 South ♠ A J 10 9 6 3 ♥AJ9 ♦Q ♣753

South

West

1♠ 4♠

Pass All pass

North 1♦ 1 NT

East Pass Pass

South wasn’t happy with his partner’s bidding, North wasn’t happy with his partner’s play. But it is easy to Opening Lead: ♥5 justify the rebid of one no-trump, as opposed to a two-club call, which might easily lose hearts. And the spade queen is almost as good trump support as a small doubleton. And after all that, four spades was cold. (Only a club opening lead would always defeat it.) After the spade queen wins, South ruffs a diamond and crosses to dummy with the club ace and king, to ruff two more diamonds. With eight tricks in the bag, South exits with a club or heart, and is sure of two more tricks with the spade ace jack. What is more — though Frank does not say this — South might have found the winning line had he not been grumbling internally about the auction. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠82 ♥ Q 10 8 5 ♦ K 10 9 6 4 ♣94 South ?

West Pass

North 1♣

East Dbl.

ANSWER: While you would happily have responded to one club had East passed (I’d bid one heart, some would respond one diamond) when the opponents double you are off the hook. You can pass and only come into the auction if it looks like the opponents have a spade fit or if partner reveals extra shape or high cards.

The Aces on Bridge: Thursday, December 10th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on December 24th, 2015 “Labor. A noun, one of the processes by which A acquires property for B.” — Ambrose Bierce

The profits for Frank Stewart’s latest book go directly to local causes. “Play Bridge with Me” is available from the writer $23.95 postpaid to the US (signed on request) from PO Box 962 Fayette AL 35555. Frank declared this deal from the book in a Sectional Swiss Teams. Against six spades West led the diamond two, East playing the jack, and Stewart ruffed and drew trump, finding East with a singleton. That player discarded two diamonds, as dummy also let go of a diamond. With 11 top tricks, there are many chances for one more. One option is to take the top hearts and ruff a heart, hoping for a 3-3 break. If hearts broke 4-2, declarer could try a club finesse of the jack. If it won, he could ruff another heart, setting up the fifth heart for 13 tricks. If the club finesse lost, declarer would still get home if the clubs broke 3-3 or perhaps (if East failed to return a club) with a squeeze.

Dealer: S Vul: Both

North ♠96 ♥AK652 ♦963 ♣KJ5

West ♠ 10 5 4 ♥QJ97 ♦ 10 7 4 2 ♣96

East ♠8 ♥ 10 3 ♦AKQJ85 ♣ Q 10 8 4 South ♠AKQJ732 ♥84 ♦— ♣A732

South 1♠ 3♠ 5♦ 6♣ 6♠

West Pass Pass Pass Pass All pass

North 2♥ 4♠ 5♥ 6♥

East 3♦ Pass Pass Pass

Opening Lead: ♦2

But Stewart did better. At the fifth trick he led a heart, and when West followed low, instead of playing an honor from dummy, he ducked in dummy. He ruffed the diamond return, then took both top hearts and ruffed a heart. Now he crossed to dummy with the club king to take the fifth heart for his 12th trick. As you can see, the unfriendly lie in hearts and clubs make this the only winning line; and had hearts broken 5-1, declarer would still have been able to fall back on the club finesse of course. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠96 ♥AK652 ♦963 ♣KJ5 South 1♥ ?

West Pass Pass

North 1♣ 1♠

East Pass Pass

ANSWER: I tend to rebid one no-trump over one heart with a completely balanced 4-3-33 pattern, and may even do so with 4-2-3-4 shape. So a one spade rebid here tends to deliver extras in high cards or shape. That allows me to jump to three clubs in response, knowing of at least four clubs opposite. With the diamond jack in addition I might stretch to use fourth suit forcing and drive to game.

The Aces on Bridge: Friday, December 11th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on December 25th, 2015 “Man is an embodied paradox, a bundle of contradictions.” — Charles Colton

Today’s deal comes from Frank Stewart’s new book, “Play Bridge with Me,” as do all the deals this week. At the first trick West can work out declarer’s point count. There are 17 HCP missing between East and South. East couldn’t respond to an opening bid, but South couldn’t open the bidding. So South has 12 points, and East has five. South wins trick one with the club 10 and leads the heart four from hand. Before mechanically following small, you must first think about how you can beat three no-trump. Spades are surely the only hope for the defense. If East had the heart queen and either the spade king or diamond king, declarer would have finessed in hearts. More likely, East has the spade king-queen or the spade queen and a red king. In either case, an early spade shift is paramount.

Dealer: E Vul: Both

North ♠J73 ♥ J 10 9 ♦ A Q 10 3 ♣A84

West ♠ A 10 8 6 ♥A2 ♦2 ♣QJ7632

East ♠Q52 ♥K763 ♦87654 ♣5 South ♠K94 ♥Q854 ♦KJ9 ♣ K 10 9

South

West

North

Pass 1 NT

1♣ Pass

Pass 3 NT

East Pass Pass All pass

Opening Lead: ♣6

(It is too risky for West to duck the first heart. If East has the spade queen and no spade nine, the first spade lead must come from West to be effective.) So West must rise with the heart ace and shift to the spade 10. Declarer can do no better than cover with dummy’s jack and capture East’s queen. East wins the next heart and leads a spade, and the defenders can cash out. If West had played low on the first heart, East would take the king, but the spade shift comes too late. Nor would it help East to duck the first heart, since declarer would continue hearts. When West attacks spades, it constitutes South’s ninth trick. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠Q52 ♥K763 ♦87654 ♣5 South ?

West Pass

North 1♣

East Pass

ANSWER: This is the auction from today’s deal. Would you pass as South here? Put me down as a bidder, in an attempt to improve the contract or maybe steal from the opponents. I tend to bid the major here, not so much because it is higher scoring but because it is where I live. Passing might work if partner has a strong single-suiter, but I’d guess clubs isn’t our best trump suit.

The Aces on Bridge: Saturday, December 12th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on December 26th, 2015 “The right thing at the wrong time is the wrong thing.” — Joshua Harris

Frank Stewart regularly donates the profits from his books to local causes. His most recent project, “Play Bridge with Me,” is available from the writer — $23.95 postpaid to the US (signed on request) from PO Box 962 Fayette AL 35555. In today’s deal Stewart overcalls two hearts in fear and trembling, but it turns out well when his partner raises to four hearts. Everyone passes, and East (wrongly, it transpires) encourages on West’s lead of the spade king. West leads another spade to East’s ace for a third spade, and Stewart decides to ruff with the jack, since East probably has the heart queen for his opening bid.

Dealer: E Vul: Both

North ♠QJ74 ♥ K 10 8 6 4 ♦Q7 ♣Q6

West ♠K2 ♥73 ♦J954 ♣ 10 8 7 4 2

East ♠A9853 ♥Q ♦ A 10 6 3 ♣KJ9 South ♠ 10 6 ♥AJ952 ♦K82 ♣A53

South

West

North

2♥

Pass

4♥

East 1♠ All pass

Since East’s opening bid also marks him with the diamond ace and club king, Stewart leads a trump to the king, Opening Lead: ♠K dropping East’s queen. Now when declarer leads the diamond seven from dummy, East is caught. If he takes the ace, Stewart can discard a club from dummy on the diamond king later; so he must play low, and declarer’s king wins. Stewart then draws West’s last trump with dummy’s 10, discards a diamond from hand on the spade queen and leads the diamond queen. East takes the ace but is endplayed. He must lead from the club king or give declarer a ruff-sluff, and so the contract comes home. The key in the play was not to take an immediate discard on the spade queen. If Stewart throws a diamond prematurely, East can grab the diamond ace and exit safely with a diamond, leaving declarer with a club to lose. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠QJ74 ♥ K 10 8 6 4 ♦Q7 ♣Q6 South Pass ?

West 1♦

North 2♣

East Pass

ANSWER: As a passed hand you have two sensible choices (pass not being one of them). I don’t like raising clubs, and bidding no-trump feels premature, so I have to choose between a two diamond cue-bid, which will get us to a major-suit fit but may suggest more club-tolerance than this, and two hearts, which over-emphasizes the major at the expense of the spades. I prefer the former, as slightly more flexible.

The Aces on Bridge: Sunday, December 13th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on December 27th, 2015

Dear Mr. Wolff:

Dear Mr. Wolff:

In the past, you have mentioned opening two clubs with a two-suiter including one or both majors. The idea would be to avoid getting passed out by partner holding less than a traditional response. Recently you showed a hand 6-4 in the black suits with the acequeen of spades and ace-king sixth of clubs, plus the diamond ace. Applying the same principle, with this four-loser hand, why not open two clubs here?

Playing pairs as dealer I held: ♠ Q, ♥ J-9-7-64, ♦ 9-3, ♣ A-K-J-7-2. In the hand below I ignored my weak hearts, after a one diamond opener by my partner. Instead I passed, discounting the two points for the singleton spade queen, particularly since the hearts were so ugly. Was I unduly pessimistic? We missed the chance to blow the opponents out of the water in hearts.

— Rocket Man, Houston, Texas

— Dropping the Pilot, Hazelton, Pa.

ANSWER: My view on hands of this sort is that I run the risk of getting too high with a two club opener, and that someone will be short enough in clubs to find a call, even when partner is weak and might have passed the deal out. We might miss game I admit; those are the eggs that have to be broken for the perfect omelet.

ANSWER: Your action was entirely reasonable. Switch the hearts and clubs and I ignore the high card issue and open one heart to get my partner off to the right lead. One can become unduly hung up on points, and in the process you fail to bid the suits that you want partner to lead, or raise. With weak hearts, as here, your pass makes good sense.

Dear Mr. Wolff:

Dear Mr. Wolff:

Holding ♠ Q-7-5-2, ♥ A-2, ♦ A-9-3, ♣ A-J-3-2 I heard my partner pass and my RHO opened one diamond. Is it better to double or bid one notrump?

How many trump should a weak jump raise promise? In the hand below I ignored my weak hearts, which I would have bid had they constituted a better suit. Instead I responded three diamonds at favorable vulnerability with ♠ J-10-2, ♥ 9-6-4-2, ♦ J-106-4, ♣ 5-2 trying to mess up the opponents. We ended up down three for a bottom (though had partner escaped for two down it would have been a very decent score). My partner said he hated my choice; what say you?

— Monkey Mike, Carmel, Calif. ANSWER: You should never double with a doubleton in an unbid major, unless you had much more than a strong no-trump. While overcalling one no-trump facing a passed partner is not without risk, you are just about within range. Passing, planning to back in with a double if the opponents get to hearts, is not absurd. Dear Mr. Wolff: I read your columns online and would appreciate some help here. North was dealer and East bid first — out of turn. Would it be possible for you to explain the rules concerning penalties for this and other bids out of turn? — Chaos Warrior, London, England ANSWER: The auction reverts to the real dealer. After a second in hand opening out of turn, if the real dealer passes, the call out of turn must be accepted, and there is no penalty. If the dealer opens, or if it is a player in any other seat who has opened out of turn, the auction reverts to the real dealer, but now the partner of the offender must pass throughout. There may also be lead penalties on defense. Note: the offender can bid what he likes whenever it is his turn to speak.

— Princess Pushy, Albuquerque, N.M. ANSWER: I may be getting old, but your action is just too rich for me. I like to play the jump as promising five trump if weak. When vulnerable, though I prefer a range of 6-9 not 0-4 HCP; one man’s meat is another man’s poison. It all depends on style, I admit, but I think I’m closer to your partner.

The Aces on Bridge: Monday, December 14th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on December 28th, 2015 “Rejoice, O young man, in your youth.” — Ecclesiastes, the Bible

While the ACBL has an active junior bridge program, Silicon Valley Youth Bridge (SiVY Bridge), co-founded by Debbie Rosenberg, is one of the most successful youth bridge programs in the US right now. Recently, SiVY Bridge held two week-long Summer Camps and the SiVY Youth NABC Sponsorship program helped 14 Bay Area kids attend the Youth NABC in Chicago. For more information, check out their website. The other night one of my correspondents had the pleasure of playing a team match on BBO against two camp participants, brothers Brent and Rory Xiao, aged 14 and 11 respectively. They’ve clearly been excelling in SiVY Bridge (as well as the USBF Junior training program) because they played very well throughout the match. Here declarer Rory Xiao played three no-trump on the lead of the club nine to the ace.

Dealer: W Vul: N-S

North ♠75 ♥ J 10 ♦AJ653 ♣Q653

West ♠ 10 6 4 ♥Q862 ♦ 10 9 8 ♣982

East ♠Q932 ♥K954 ♦K4 ♣ A 10 7 South ♠AKJ8 ♥A73 ♦Q72 ♣KJ4

South 1 NT 2♠

West Pass Pass Pass

North Pass 2♣ 3 NT

East 1♣ Pass All pass

Opening Lead: ♣9

East accurately shifted to a low heart, to the queen. Back came a heart to the king, also ducked. Now came a third heart, won by South with a diamond discard from dummy. Rory cashed the club kingjack, led a diamond to the ace, then took the club queen, squeezing East out of a spade, since he had to preserve the diamond king and his fourth heart (or declarer would set up a diamond winner). With East down to just three spades, Rory took the spade finesse and cashed out the suit for nine tricks. Note that if declarer takes the heart ace prematurely, East can defeat the game by discarding a blocking heart on the fourth club. LEAD WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: Nothing is attractive here, of course, but my best guess would be to lead from my heart fragment. Declarer rates to have four or more cards in both hearts or clubs, but when picking between those two suits it feels better to lead from length rather than shortness, and hope for the best.

South Holds: ♠ 10 8 6 4 ♥J73 ♦A964 ♣J7 South Pass Pass All pass

West 1♠ 2♦

North Pass Pass

East 1 NT 2 NT

The Aces on Bridge: Tuesday, December 15th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on December 29th, 2015 “A man should have the fine point of his soul taken off to become fit for this world.” — John Keats

The three bears have taken to playing with non-family members, after the post mortems at their local club started bringing them into possible violations of Zero Tolerance. But since they were all playing East in the local duplicate, they could compare performances with Goldilocks when they came home from their session. As befitted his status as leader of the pack, Papa Bear was first to speak. The board that had upset him the most was this one. Against four spades Papa took his diamond king and ace, then had to consider what to do next. More in hope than expectation he tried a club, and declarer won in dummy and drew trump for a comfortable +620.

Dealer: S Vul: Both

North ♠QJ6 ♥ K J 10 5 ♦74 ♣KJ96

West

East ♠ K 10 ♥A ♦ A K 10 8 6 5 3 ♣ 10 5 2

♠93 ♥987642 ♦92 ♣874 South ♠A87542 ♥Q3 ♦QJ ♣AQ3 South 1♠ 2♠

West Pass Pass

North 1 NT* 4♠

East 2♦ All pass

*Forcing Mama Bear was unimpressed; she had played a third Opening Lead: ♦9 diamond at trick three, hoping for a somewhat unlikely trump promotion. South threw a heart and overruffed West’s spade nine with dummy’s jack. However, after cashing the ace of trump, declarer played on clubs, discarding his remaining heart on the fourth one; contract made. As Baby Bear pointed out, it was possible to go one step further along this chain of analysis. The problem with declarer discarding his heart loser could have been avoided. Baby Bear won the diamond ace, cashed the heart ace then played the diamond king and a third round of diamonds. When West ruffed in with the spade nine, dummy had to overruff, and now declarer had to lose a trump trick; down one. And note that had West started with a singleton diamond, he could have ruffed his partner’s second diamond winner to give him a heart ruff. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠QJ6 ♥ K J 10 5 ♦74 ♣KJ96 South 1♥ ?

West Pass Pass

North 1♦ 2♣

East Pass Pass

ANSWER: Your soft values argue strongly for doing no more than inviting game. It is easy to imagine that no-trump might be right. The simple invitational call of two no-trump is entirely reasonable. But if partner has a singleton spade, clubs could be far superior. Raising to three clubs will let partner look for alternative strains if appropriate. It is arguably easier to get to notrump from clubs than vice versa.

The Aces on Bridge: Wednesday, December 16th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on December 30th, 2015 “I believe in intuitions and inspirations…I sometimes feel that I am right. I do not know that I am.” — Albert Einstein

Today’s deal features a piece of deception that occurs so frequently that we should all have it in our data base. Put yourself in the East seat and plan the defense to three notrump after the lead of the club queen goes to dummy’s king. Are you ready for all eventualities at trick two? At the table declarer saw that the straightforward line would be to drive out the diamond ace, win the club return and run the diamonds, hoping for a miracle. It would not be forthcoming. On all normal lies of the cards he would be on track to lose at least three clubs and two aces. So he tried a bit of deception. He took the opening lead with dummy club king and led the spade jack, hoping to catch East napping. If East plays low, as he did at the table, declarer could hop up with the king, then shift his attention to diamonds. After knocking out the diamond ace, he had nine tricks; a spade, two hearts, four diamonds and two clubs.

Dealer: N Vul: N-S

North ♠J942 ♥ A 10 5 ♦K853 ♣K7

West ♠Q86 ♥J76 ♦A7 ♣ Q J 10 9 2

East ♠A53 ♥Q943 ♦94 ♣8643 South ♠ K 10 7 ♥K82 ♦ Q J 10 6 2 ♣A5

South

West

1♦ 1 NT 3 NT

Pass Pass All pass

North Pass 1♠ 2 NT

East Pass Pass Pass

Opening Lead: ♣Q

Had East risen with the spade ace and continued the attack on clubs, declarer would have stood no chance to succeed. But also note that if declarer’s clubs were A-10-9, unlikely but not impossible, East must win the first spade to continue the attack on clubs. This idea of protecting partner’s entry or of simply saving a tempo by flying up with an ace is definitely counter-intuitive, but it is a ‘club’ you should keep in your bag. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠A53 ♥Q943 ♦94 ♣8643 South 1♥ ?

West Pass 1♠

North 1♦ 2♠

East Pass Pass

ANSWER: Your partner’s cuebid should be construed initially as asking for a spade guard, not a heart raise, so bid two no-trump now. With support doubles becoming more and more popular on all hands with three trump, your partner rates either to have four trump (when he will let you know about it unambiguously at his next turn) or be looking for a spade stop. Assume the latter until he tells you different.

The Aces on Bridge: Thursday, December 17th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on December 31st, 2015 “When nobody around you seems to measure up, it’s time to check your yardstick.” — Bill Lemley

In today’s deal it was a pity that South’s card play did not measure up to the optimism of his partner’s bidding. In the contract of six spades, declarer’s focus should have been on the relative solidity of his side’s trump spots. At the table declarer won the heart lead in hand and immediately took the spade finesse successfully. (Had the finesse lost, declarer would likely have fallen into the right line, on a heart return.) But the spade finesse won, and declarer followed up with the spade ace. The writing was on the wall when East showed out, but declarer soldiered on by cashing dummy’s last trump, after which he turned to clubs. So long as West held at least three clubs declarer would still have been in business – but, annoyingly, West did not. The third round of clubs was ruffed, South discarding a heart, but West’s heart queen was the setting trick.

Dealer: S Vul: E-W

North ♠AK8 ♥5 ♦K964 ♣ A Q J 10 5

West ♠Q532 ♥KQJ9 ♦J53 ♣94

East ♠4 ♥ 10 7 6 4 2 ♦Q82 ♣8732 South ♠ J 10 9 7 6 ♥A83 ♦ A 10 7 ♣K6

South 1♠ 2 NT 4♠

West Pass Pass Pass

North 2♣ 3♠ 6♠

East Pass Pass All pass

Opening Lead: ♥K

It would not have helped if South had started on clubs at trick four before dummy was denuded of spades, for West could have ruffed this low, then returned a heart, to promote the spade queen. In order to preserve his entries and not force himself, best is to ruff a heart high at trick two, return to hand in a minor, then ruff the last heart, again with a high trump. Now the spade eight is overtaken with the jack, and whether West wins his queen or not, trump can safely be drawn. The defense score only the spade queen, since dummy’s clubs will take care of South’s third round diamond loser. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠ J 10 9 7 6 ♥A83 ♦ A 10 7 ♣K6 South 1♠ ?

West 1♣ Pass

North 1♦ 2♣

East Pass Pass

ANSWER: Your partner’s two club call is a one-round force, but does not guarantee another call, so you must show extras. A jump to three diamonds might be appropriate if the club king were the jack. As it is, I prefer a repeat cuebid of three clubs to show that you have extras, setting up an unequivocal game force. Bidding three notrump now seems overly committal.

The Aces on Bridge: Saturday, December 19th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on January 2nd, 2016 “The real menace in dealing with a five-year-old is that in no time at all you begin to sound like a five-year-old.” — Jean Kerr

Today’s deal features an unusual theme, in a hand where you are declaring a diamond slam on an auction where West is marked with the heart king from his initial preempt. The defenders lead clubs, the two going round to your ace. you next cash the diamond ace and queen. When you lead a spade to your queen, one of your best chances for the contract appears to have vanished when West wins the king and exits with a trump. The chance of clubs breaking 3-3 has still not gone up in smoke, but the opening lead makes that remote. A better chance might be to try and exert pressure on one opponent or the other in the ending. Can you see how you might do that? The answer is to win the third trump in hand and to try to catch East in a heart-club squeeze. To transfer the menace in hearts to him, lead the heart queen, covered by the king and ace. Now comes the spade ace, and a spade ruff. Then you lead a club to your queen.

Dealer: W Vul: N-S

North ♠73 ♥A65 ♦QJ86 ♣K864

West ♠KJ6 ♥K98743 ♦942 ♣2

East ♠ 10 9 8 4 2 ♥J2 ♦3 ♣ J 10 9 7 3 South ♠AQ5 ♥ Q 10 ♦ A K 10 7 5 ♣AQ5

South Dbl. 3♦ 3 NT 4♠ 6♦

West 2♥ Pass Pass Pass Pass All pass

North Pass 3 ♣* 3♥ 4♦ 5♣

East Pass Pass Pass Pass Pass

*Constructive, 7-11 or so Opening Lead: ♣2

You are now in position to run the trumps, and after three spades, one heart, five diamonds and two clubs, you are down to a two-card ending with the heart 10 and a club in hand and the doubleton club king in dummy. At this point you squeeze East in clubs and hearts. He must pitch his heart jack to keep the clubs guarded, hoping his partner has the heart 10, but now you can cash that card at trick 12. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠73 ♥A65 ♦QJ86 ♣K864 South Pass Pass ?

West 1♠ Pass

North Pass Dbl.

East 2♠ Pass

ANSWER: Why force yourself to guess which minor to play in? Bid two no-trump to show a two-suited hand, and partner will now bid his lowest four-card suit. When both hands have passed, two no-trump is never natural and to play. It is always two-suited, and partner assumes the minors unless you put him right subsequently.

The Aces on Bridge: Friday, December 18th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on January 1st, 2016 “I am fond of children (except boys).” — Lewis Carroll

The ever-increasing average age of the tournament bridge player is a much-discussed cause for concern, so it is always a pleasure to report on a good play by a young player. Today’s deal is from a recent World University championships. Declarer was Tzu-Lin Wu, of Chinese Taipei, who managed to justify his ambitious bidding (his four heart bid was a successful effort to try to avoid a heart lead). West led the spade jack against six diamonds. Can you see any hope for the contract? Declarer created an intriguing mirage when he covered the jack with dummy’s queen. This went to the king and ace.

Dealer: S Vul: None

North ♠Q95 ♥Q653 ♦ K 10 8 ♣A43

West ♠ J 10 8 6 ♥ A 10 4 ♦762 ♣876

East ♠K7432 ♥K987 ♦94 ♣52 South ♠A ♥J2 ♦AQJ53 ♣ K Q J 10 9

South 1♦ 3♣ 4♣ 4♥ 6♣

West Pass Pass Pass Pass Pass

South then crossed to dummy with a diamond and played a heart to his jack and West’s ace. Put yourself in the West seat, and think what you would do now. Not unreasonably, West tried to cash the spade 10; wouldn’t Opening Lead: ♠J you? Of course now declarer had a winner in dummy in the form of the spade nine to take care of the heart loser, and the slam was home.

North 2 NT 3♦ 4♦ 5♣ 6♦

East Pass Pass Pass Pass All pass

This year the World Youth Open Championships took place in Croatia, with the US having a modest attendance. But I was particularly pleased to see that at Chicago this summer a team consisting of four juniors and Steve Zolotow of Las Vegas put together a convincing win in the 0-5000 Spingold. I’m hoping this squad should go on to bigger and better things in the under-25 events, and we also have a highly promising under-21 squad too, which won the silver medal at the 2014 world championships. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠Q95 ♥Q653 ♦ K 10 8 ♣A43 South ?

West Pass

North Pass

East 3♣

ANSWER: Don’t even think about doubling for take-out. Yes, the opponents may be trying to steal from you, but that is no excuse for bidding without any justification. You have no shape, no high cards – and more importantly you have a passed partner who can re-open if he has attractive distribution, with no fear of being taken too seriously.

The Aces on Bridge: Sunday, December 20th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on January 3rd, 2016

Dear Mr. Wolff: My partner and I can’t agree about the handling of big hands. We just had two twoclub auctions in the same session that went awry. I am looking for suggestions on the best approach to second-round responses. (We currently use a controlshowing response, where a call of two diamonds shows one or fewer kings, two hearts shows an ace or two kings, and two spades shows an ace or king or three kings.) — Great Scott, Tucson, Ariz. ANSWER: After the two diamond response you can use the Kokish scheme of responses. All other calls are natural – except that opener’s direct jump to three of a major should be long diamonds and four cards in the bid major. I like responder being able to use a next-suit negative if opener bids two spades or three clubs at his second turn. Dear Mr. Wolff: Holding ♠ A-J-2, ♥ K-6-4, ♦ Q-10-9-3-2, ♣ J-4 is there any merit to opening this hand in any seat at pairs? How important is the vulnerability issue here? — First Blow, Greenville, S.C. ANSWER: Non-vulnerable at pairs I would consider opening this hand – but only because of the diamond spots. Vulnerable I think I’d pass – there are too many bad things that can happen. At least when you bid diamonds, partner knows you actually have the suit you have bid. If I did open, I would plan to raise a major-suit response rather than rebid one no-trump.

ANSWER: Your opening bid should definitely unequivocally and without exception be the major on a 5-5 two-suiter. Suit quality is truly not relevant. I know some people treat 5-5 in the black suits as a one club opener. Not me – unless I had an honorless spade suit and 150 honors in clubs, when I’d feel someone was sending me a message. Equally, your partner’s call was flat-out wrong; new suits are forcing. Don’t preempt your own side for no reason. Dear Mr. Wolff: At duplicate with both sides vulnerable my LHO opened two diamonds, weak, passed round to me. I held ♠ K-Q-6-4, ♥ K-9, ♦ Q-5, ♣ Q-9-6-4-2 and chose to bid two notrump, but afterwards my partner told me that this shows a strong no-trump, and that I should have doubled. — Torn in Two, Milwaukee, Wis. ANSWER: Bidding either black suit suggests a better holding, and doubling with only two hearts is very risky. Meanwhile, a call in notrump does suggest a better hand – though I admit it might work! I prefer to pass; this works if your best available result is to concede two diamonds, or if you can set two diamonds, but can’t make a game. These are two quite likely options. Dear Mr. Wolff: At duplicate with only our side vulnerable I held ♠ 9-4, ♥ Q-9-7-4-3, ♦ J-7-5, ♣ Q-9-2. My LHO opened one club, my partner doubled, and my RHO bid one spade. I passed, and my LHO raised to three spades, ending the auction. Four hearts our way would have made; should I have bid at my first turn with this hand? — Chicken Little, Naples, Fla.

Dear Mr. Wolff: Yesterday, at our duplicate group, my hand was ♠ 7, ♥ A-9-7-6-5, ♦ K-J, ♣ A-K-J-10-8. I opened one club and heard my partner respond four spades. I passed, thinking her bid was a “close out” bid. Was I wrong, and what would you have done? My partner actually had a strong hand and slam was in the cards. — Don Draper, St Louis, Mo.

ANSWER: Bidding two hearts is probably right at your first turn. You have a five-card suit and a few values, and partner has promised at least heart tolerance. Don’t let your opponents push you around; your partner might hope for a little more for a twoheart call, but he will not expect the World’s Fair.

The Aces on Bridge: Monday, December 21st, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on January 4th, 2016 “Stick a fork in him. He’s done.” — Leo Durocher

History buffs will be familiar with John Morton, Archbishop of Canterbury to King Henry VII. His role included collecting taxes from London merchants. Should the merchant follow a luxurious lifestyle, Morton would argue that he could well afford to pay up. But if he lived frugally, Morton would infer that his thrift indicated he had plenty of money saved up. This trap is known as Morton’s Fork, and one can also encounter this maneuver at the bridge table. South’s rebid of one no-trump showed extras, in the context of a weak no-trump base. North could have checked back for a fit in the majors, but South’s second call denied four hearts or four spades, allowing North to close up shop with a call of three no-trump.

Dealer: S Vul: Both

North ♠ K Q 10 8 ♥9762 ♦A5 ♣ K 10 8

West ♠9654 ♥AK84 ♦ 10 7 ♣Q74

East ♠72 ♥ 10 5 3 ♦K9832 ♣J63 South ♠AJ3 ♥QJ ♦QJ64 ♣A952

South 1♣ 1 NT

West Pass Pass

North 1♥ 3 NT

East Pass All pass

Opening Lead: ♠6

When West led a spade, South won in hand, played a diamond to dummy’s ace then another diamond toward his hand. Had East had gone in with his king, declarer would eventually have made his game. But East held off, and now South set about clubs. When West came on lead with the queen, he shifted to hearts. The defenders were able to cash three hearts and the diamond king for one down. See the difference if, declarer crosses to the club and leads a low diamond away from the ace. Now East is impaled on Morton’s Fork. If he flies up with the king, declarer has his nine tricks. And if the king is withheld, declarer can set up a club for his ninth trick, with the diamond king not yet established as a defensive winner. LEAD WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠Q93 ♥A72 ♦J964 ♣ 10 7 4 South

West

Pass Pass All pass

1 NT 3♥

North Pass Pass Pass

East 1♥ 2♥ 4♥

ANSWER: I do not see any reason to get aggressive here. Dummy rates to put down some length in a minor but that suit may or may not breaking for him. The most passive lead is a small trump – that can hardly do anything too terrible to partner’s holding and may, for example, make a ruff in dummy more awkward.

The Aces on Bridge: Tuesday, December 22nd, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on January 5th, 2016 “Silence more musical than any song.” — Christina Rossetti

Today’s deal comes from the Brighton Teams in the UK, from a couple of years ago. At one of the tables in a team game South opened four hearts, silencing West, so there was no reason for declarer to suppose any opponent was more likely than the other to hold the heart length. After ruffing the second spade at trick two, declarer crossed to a club and led a heart from the dummy, hoping to cater for the possibility of East’s holding the singleton heart ace. Now a vital entry had gone from the dummy; but even so, it was now critical for East-West not to play spades again. When West correctly shifted to clubs, declarer could not avoid losing a further trump trick, and eventually a diamond as well.

Dealer: S Vul: E-W

North ♠8543 ♥6 ♦A8754 ♣K32

West ♠AK972 ♥A ♦J32 ♣J985

East ♠ Q 10 6 ♥ 10 5 3 2 ♦ K 10 9 ♣ 10 6 4 South ♠J ♥KQJ9874 ♦Q6 ♣AQ7

South 1♥ 4♥

West 1♠ All pass

North Dbl.

East Pass

Opening Lead: ♠K In the other room on the sequence shown South ended up in four hearts after West had overcalled in spades. West started with two rounds of spades, the second of which was ruffed by declarer. Not blessed with second sight, declarer led the heart king from hand, won by West’s ace. West now switched to a club. South won in hand, and cashed the heart queen, finding the bad news. He then cashed the other top club from his hand, crossed to dummy’s club king and ruffed another spade. This was followed by a diamond to dummy’s ace and another spade ruff. Finally declarer exited with a diamond, and waited to score both the heart jack and nine at tricks 12 and 13. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠8543 ♥6 ♦A8754 ♣K32 South Pass ?

West 1♣

North Dbl.

East 1♥

ANSWER: Never be afraid to introduce a major, no matter how weak it is, into an action of this sort. After all partner has promised both majors (admittedly only threeplus cards) when he doubled one club. There will be time to introduce diamonds later if necessary. But note that a double of one heart is penalty not responsive.

The Aces on Bridge: Wednesday, December 23rd, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on January 6th, 2016 “It is imperative, for our own survival, that we avoid one another, and what more successful means of avoidance are there than words?” — Janet Frame

A highly competitive auction saw East-West do well to push South to the three-level. After the lead of a top club, declarer was forced to make a somewhat unusual play to prevent East from getting on lead for the killing diamond shift. Declarer ducked the opening lead of the club queen, then ducked the continuation of the club jack, because he did not want East on play; this second duck prevented East from ever gaining the lead in clubs. South won the third round of clubs with the ace, then played the heart king. West won his ace and took his diamond ace, knowing declarer’s diamonds would disappear on dummy’s hearts if he did not. That left declarer needing to negotiate spades, and when he led to the king and back toward his hand, he was spared the guess.

Dealer: W Vul: E-W

North ♠ K 10 4 ♥QJ53 ♦873 ♣874

West ♠62 ♥A92 ♦AQJ9 ♣ Q J 10 2

East ♠Q7 ♥8764 ♦6542 ♣K93 South ♠AJ9853 ♥ K 10 ♦ K 10 ♣A65

South 1♠ 2♠ Pass

*Promises hearts

West 1♦ Dbl.* Dbl. Pass

North Pass Pass Rdbl. 3♠

three-card

East 1♥ 2♦ 3♦ All pass

support

for

Opening Lead: ♣Q Well played by declarer, but can you see how the defenders could have done better? The fault was West’s at trick two. When he continued with the club jack, he denied possession of the 10, so East could not overtake his partner’s honor. Had West played the club 10 at the second trick, East could safely have overtaken. Declarer must now win the club ace and go after hearts, by leading the king as before. West could now have won the heart ace and played a low club to his partner’s nine to create the entry for the diamond shift. That lets the defenders cash out for down one. BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: This hand is certainly too good to pass. The question is whether you are worth more than a simple raise to two spades. I’d say no: with such sterile distribution, maybe a little caution is appropriate. Give yourself a doubleton diamond, and I might think about a jump to three spades.

South Holds: ♠ K 10 4 ♥QJ53 ♦873 ♣874 South 1♥ ?

West 1♣ Pass

North Dbl. 1♠

East Pass Pass

The Aces on Bridge: Thursday, December 24th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on January 7th, 2016 “Madam, I have been looking for a person who disliked gravy all my life; let us swear eternal friendship.” — Sydney Smith

Today’s hand does not look like an exciting one; you’d expect whether it was teams or pairs to have 10 top tricks, losing a trump and a heart. The club finesse would determine whether you made an overtrick or not. But the unexpected 6-1 heart break puts you to the test. After the lead of the heart queen to dummy’s ace, declarer can lead trump from dummy, or more deviously come to hand with his club ace and try to steal a trump trick, by leading the jack, just in case he can catch West napping. However, the result will be the same. West will take his trump ace and lead a second top heart, forcing dummy to play the king and East to ruff. Let’s follow through the play when East returns a diamond. Declarer wins in hand, draws the last trump, cashes his remaining diamond winner, and then crosses to dummy with a trump to ruff dummy’s third diamond.

Dealer: S Vul: Both

North ♠Q953 ♥AK5 ♦763 ♣KJ7

West ♠A2 ♥ Q J 10 9 8 6 ♦QJ2 ♣ 10 8

East ♠86 ♥2 ♦ 10 9 8 5 4 ♣Q9642 South ♠ K J 10 7 4 ♥743 ♦AK ♣A53

South 1♠ 4♠

West 2♥ All pass

North 3♥

East Pass

Opening Lead: ♥Q

At this point declarer has a complete count of the deal. West is counted out for two trumps, six hearts and at least three diamonds. Therefore he has at most two clubs. Consequently, declarer cashes the club ace and king, and then decides which of his opponents he wants to torment the most. He plays a heart if he likes West less than East, or a club if his inclinations are the other way around. Whoever wins the trick will be endplayed to give a ruff-sluff, and the remaining loser can be discarded from one hand or the other. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠Q953 ♥AK5 ♦763 ♣KJ7 South 1♣ ?

West Pass

North 1♥

East Pass

ANSWER: This hand poses a challenge. A call of one spade tends to promise real clubs (with this pattern one tends to rebid one notrump and rely on finding spades later if partner has a good hand). But with no diamond stopper and great hearts might you consider raising hearts instead? All three calls are plausible; but the balanced nature of the hand wins out. One no-trump for me.

The Aces on Bridge: Friday, December 25th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on January 8th, 2016 “No man is a hero to his valet.” — Madame de Cornuel

Christmas always makes me nostalgic for times past. So I am irresistibly drawn to consider the life of Omar Sharif, who died this year. As well as being a fine actor, he knew his way around the game, and he was unceasingly available to the World Bridge Federation in the role of a glamorous figurehead for bridge. Here he is playing the part of the hero (a role he was not unfamiliar with). Against three spades West led a top diamond and switched to a trump to East’s ace, aiming to prevent Sharif as South scoring any diamond ruffs in dummy. Back came the spade two. How would you have played the contract?

Dealer: W Vul: None

North ♠987 ♥AK84 ♦82 ♣ 10 9 8 4

West ♠ 10 5 3 ♥QJ9 ♦ A K Q 10 ♣K75

East ♠A2 ♥ 10 7 6 3 ♦9653 ♣632 South ♠KQJ64 ♥52 ♦J74 ♣AQJ

South 2♠

West 1♦ 3♦

North Pass 3♠

East 2♦ All pass

See what happens if you cross to a top heart to finesse in clubs. West wins with the club king and returns another Opening Lead: ♦K heart, knocking out the last entry to dummy while the club suit is blocked. If you try a diamond to the jack next, West will be able to win and lead another trump, leaving you with just eight tricks. Although East might have held the club king, Omar saw that there was no need to finesse in clubs. Instead he led the club queen from his hand (better than playing ace then queen of clubs, in case there was a ruff coming to the defense). West won with the club king and played a third trump, but the contract could not be beaten. Declarer simply unblocked the club honors from his hand, then crossed to dummy with a heart to discard a diamond loser on the club 10. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠A2 ♥ 10 7 6 3 ♦9653 ♣632 South ?

West Pass

North 2 NT

East Pass

ANSWER: The first question is whether to respond to the two notrump opening at all. The second is whether to bid Stayman. I would certainly act, but whether to check for the fit and give away information to the opponents (as well as maybe give the chance for a lead-directing double of three clubs) is a very close one. I go for the raise to three no-trump. Were my ace in a long suit, I’d use Stayman.

The Aces on Bridge: Saturday, December 26th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on January 9th, 2016 “When you reach for the stars you may not quite get one, but you won’t come up with a handful of mud either.” — Leo Burnett

Plenty of players swear by leading middle from three or four small cards. They believe that the ambiguity on count is outweighed by the knowledge of the presence of an honor making third hand’s defense easier. I don’t agree – though second highest from four small at no-trump does make sense. I believe third and lowest leads, coupled with occasionally leading high from small-card holdings is more helpful to partner overall. Note that it is not only third hand but also declarer who may benefit from the informative lead. Consider today’s deal, for example.

Dealer: S Vul: Both

North ♠K5 ♥J92 ♦ K Q J 10 7 ♣ J 10 9

West ♠86 ♥ K 10 6 ♦9653 ♣Q842

East ♠ 10 4 2 ♥Q85 ♦A842 ♣A63 South ♠AQJ973 ♥A743 ♦— ♣K75

South 1♠ 2♥ 3♣ 4♠

West Pass Pass Pass All pass

North 2♦ 2♠ 3 NT

In one room in a team game the defenders led and continued clubs against four spades. Declarer ended up losing two hearts and two clubs. In the other room when a fourth-highest club two was led to the ace, South dropped Opening Lead: ♣2 the king. Why? Given that West was marked with three or four clubs, including the queen (he would have led a higher card without it), declarer’s best chance was to discard his heart losers on dummy’s diamonds. For that to work he needed not only additional entries to dummy but also for East to have the diamond ace.

East Pass Pass Pass

East shifted to a low heart, and declarer played low from hand. West won the heart king and had only losing options left. He chose to return a heart, and declarer was home when he played low from dummy to force the queen. But had West played the club queen and another club, declarer would have been in dummy. He could then have taken the ruffing finesse in diamonds against East while dummy still had a trump entry. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠K5 ♥J92 ♦ K Q J 10 7 ♣ J 10 9 South 2♦ ?

West Pass 3♠

North 1♥ Pass

East 1♠ Pass

ANSWER: You might not feel you are worth a bid of four hearts, but I encourage you to make that call. The opponents may or may not make three spades, but your spade king is likely to be pulling its weight, and you have enough fit and high cards for four hearts to be in the picture. Don’t be pushed around by your opponents here.

The Aces on Bridge: Sunday, December 27th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on January 10th, 2016

Dear Mr. Wolff:

Dear Mr. Wolff:

At rubber, with both sides vulnerable my LHO opened a strong no-trump, and my partner doubled, which we play as penalty. When my RHO ran to two clubs, should I have acted with ♠ Q-4, ♥ K-6-5-3, ♦ 10-9-5, ♣ Q-8-7-4?

Do you have strong opinions as to what defense to a strong club most disturbs the opponents? I know you played a variety of artificial systems, but since you no longer do, can you let us in on the secret?

— Dumbbell, Jupiter Island, Fla. ANSWER: You should double two clubs. Your hearts are not strong enough or long enough to bid, but the opponents must have less than half the deck without a great fit. If your partner has a long suit of his own, he will surely bid it over the double. If not, you will be happy to defend – and remember, two clubs doubled is not game! Dear Mr. Wolff: Do you have any comment on the prevalence of bad ethics or cheating at the top level of the game? I ask because of the scandals currently blowing up involving several pairs of foreign experts. — Witch-finder General, Newport, R.I. ANSWER: There are fewer than five top pairs suspected of collusion not already being investigated. Most of the expert community knows who the cheaters are, and the issue is whether the major federations will have the courage to go after them. Most of the guilty pairs were under suspicion for at least five years, but it took some brave individuals to publish and risk reprisals. I hope we won’t have to go that route again. Dear Mr. Wolff: I held ♠ Q-J-9-4-2, ♥ 10-3, ♦ K-J-5, ♣ K-8-4. My partner opened one diamond and I responded one spade. When he rebid two diamonds, should I have rebid spades, tried for no-trumps, or raised diamonds? — Truth Seeker, Arlington, Texas ANSWER: Simply raise to three diamonds. Do not repeat the spades on a five-card suit, since raising diamonds shows an invitational hand with diamond support – and with any luck partner will support your spades or bid three no-trumps with the appropriate hand. Whoever first said “Support with support” knew what he was talking about.

— Behind the Curtain, Detroit, Mich. ANSWER: Low level intervention doesn’t really help mess up your opponents’ responses. I like the idea of coming in with one heart and one spade on one- or twosuited hands when you can. And do preempt if the vulnerability will let you. Meanwhile, psyching against the strong club may score an occasional goal but will discourage partner on future occasions from bidding his hand. Dear Mr. Wolff: At teams with nobody vulnerable my partner held ♠ A-9-6-5-3, ♥ J-10-4-2 ♦ K-5, ♣ Q-2. When I opened one diamond my LHO overcalled one spade, and my partner decided to pass and then passed out the reopening double. We collected one undertrick for plus 100, but we could have made four hearts. What would you have done? — Underwhelmed, Venice Beach, Calif. ANSWER: Your partner’s spade spots were a little weak to go for the throat. A negative double – intending to rebid two no-trump if no heart fit comes to life – looks plausible. But bidding no-trump directly is also reasonable, in which case one no-trump seems closer to the mark than bidding two no-trump. By the way, that action might have lost the heart fit altogether, so this is not an easy hand.

The Aces on Bridge: Monday, December 28th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on January 11th, 2016 “Man is but a reed, the weakest in nature, but he is a thinking reed.” — Blaise Pascal

The Brighton Congress in the UK lasts for 10 days every August, and like a US Nationals has something for everyone. The Swiss Pairs and Swiss Teams take up one weekend each. But there is also a Seniors Congress, for pairs and teams as well a “Really Easy Congress” for tournament novices, not to mention a host of other enjoyable singlesession events. And for those for whom two sessions a day are not enough, there are the Midnight Owls Speedball pairs and teams. In today’s deal after a pass from South, West opened the bidding with one diamond, over which North made a takeout double. South now cuebid two diamonds though arguably his balanced shape suggested a simple invitational call of two hearts would have been enough. West’s three diamonds was passed back to South, who now bid a forcing three hearts, and North raised to four hearts.

Dealer: S Vul: Both

North ♠8743 ♥KJ93 ♦— ♣AQ986

West ♠KQ2 ♥ 10 6 ♦AKQ985 ♣KJ

East ♠ 10 9 5 ♥752 ♦ J 10 6 2 ♣ 10 7 5 South ♠AJ6 ♥AQ84 ♦743 ♣432

South 2♦ 3♥

West 1♦ 3♦ Pass

North Dbl. Pass 4♥

East Pass Pass All pass

Opening Lead: ♦K

West led a top diamond, which declarer ruffed in dummy. He was faced with some awkward communication problems at trick two, since he needed to get the clubs going, but had to concede at least one club trick in the process. He solved his problems by leading a low club from dummy at trick two, away from the ace and queen. West won with the jack then switched to the spade king. Declarer simply allowed this to hold and West was stuck. A diamond would have accomplished nothing, so he continued with the club king, losing to dummy’s ace. When trump were drawn declarer had four club tricks, five trumps and a spade. LEAD WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠QJ7 ♥A32 ♦ Q 10 7 ♣J954 South All pass

West

North

East 1 NT

ANSWER: Neither red suit lead appeals to me, so it is a question of which black suit is the least offensive. Leading from length is hardly a serious infraction, but still, the spade sequence gets my vote. We all remember how when we lead from this holding, the first four cards dummy puts down are king-10 fourth in our suit; we forget how often the lead is effective, or at least not costly.

The Aces on Bridge: Tuesday, December 29th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on January 12th, 2016 “A place for everything, and everything in its place.” — Samuel Smiles

It is odd how even experienced players get a fixed idea about a hand and, in pursuing their plan relentlessly, miss something obvious that has turned up. South opened four clubs – known as Namyats (Stayman backwards!) or South African Texas, the call showing a strong opening bid of four hearts, but without the all-round strength to open with a two-bid. By arrangement it showed either a solid suit, or a one-loser suit with an outside ace. This made it easy for the partners to exchange cue-bids on the way to six hearts, against which West led the diamond king. At first glance it seemed the slam would depend on the spade finesse but, with three entries to dummy, declarer soon saw the extra chance of the club king coming down in three rounds.

Dealer: S Vul: Both

North ♠AQ653 ♥K7 ♦A4 ♣Q952

West ♠J984 ♥52 ♦KQJ87 ♣ J 10

East ♠ K 10 ♥4 ♦ 10 6 3 2 ♣K87643 South ♠72 ♥ A Q J 10 9 8 6 3 ♦95 ♣A

South 4♣* 5♣ 6♥

West Pass Pass All pass

North 4♦ 5♠

East Pass Pass

*Sound four heart opener

Opening Lead: ♦K South played off the club ace, crossed to the heart seven, and ruffed a club. The fall of West’s jack looked promising and, after crossing to the trump king declarer ruffed another club. There was no joy there, and, when the spade finesse failed, so did the slam. What was it South missed? On the first two rounds of clubs West had played the 10 and jack. This left dummy’s queen and nine as equals. Therefore, instead of ruffing the third club, declarer should simply discard his losing diamond on the club queen. If West has the club king he is welcome to it, for now South’s losing spade goes away on the established club. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠AQ653 ♥K7 ♦A4 ♣Q952 South 1♠ 2♣ ?

West Pass Pass

North 1 NT 2♠

East Pass Pass

ANSWER: Had partner raised directly to two spades, you would either have made a game-try of three clubs or even driven directly to game. But this is a very different auction: if partner has three trump he has less than a two-spade raise. If he has only two trump he has less than invitational values. Either way, it feels right to pass now.

The Aces on Bridge: Wednesday, December 30th, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on January 13th, 2016 “We’ll get them in singles, Wilfred.” — George Hirst

Today’s deal comes from a recent knock-out teams event played at the 10-day Brighton Summer Congress, one of England’s premier events. South, Steve Raine, played in four spades, and West led the club queen, the suit his partner had opened. When dummy went down it all appeared to be plain sailing to declarer. So long as trumps broke 3-2 there would be one loser in each of the side suits.

Dealer: E Vul: N-S

North ♠5 ♥ A K 10 ♦J9854 ♣9763

West ♠4 ♥J952 ♦ Q 10 6 2 ♣ Q J 10 4

East ♠ J 10 3 2 ♥Q73 ♦K7 ♣AK85 South ♠AKQ9876 ♥864 ♦A3 ♣2

On ruffing the club continuation, two top spades were cashed, declarer getting the bad news of the 4-1 trump South West North break. At first glance it appears that the contract must now fail, but declarer turned his attention to a trump coup – 4♠ All pass where he could try to single in his small trump separately. Opening Lead: ♣Q Accordingly Raine continued with the diamond ace, then another diamond to the eight and king. East helpfully returned a club, which South ruffed, and he next played a heart to the ace and ruffed his last club.

East 1♣

At this point declarer played a heart to the king, then a diamond from the dummy. This left East with no winning option: if he discarded, South would ruff with the spade nine for his 10th trick. And if he ruffed in, declarer would pitch his losing heart and take the rest. Incidentally, declarer had been assisted in his task by inaccurate defense. East could have beaten declarer by returning a heart when on lead, as now declarer cannot shorten his trump sufficiently. If declarer has the heart jack, there is no defense to the game. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠5 ♥ A K 10 ♦J9854 ♣9763 South ?

West

North 1♦

East Pass

ANSWER: This would be easy if a simple raise in diamonds was 6-9 HCP. But it is not, it is inverted, showing a limit raise (plus) in diamonds, with a jump raise preemptive here. So our choice is to invent a heart suit, respond one no-trump with a singleton in a major, or pick between the underbid of three diamonds and the overbid of two diamonds. I go for the overbid in diamonds. That fifth trump is worth quite a lot.

The Aces on Bridge: Thursday, December 31st, 2015 by Bobby Wolff on January 14th, 2016 “Men of genius do not excel in any profession because they labor at it, but they labor in it because they excel.” — William Hazlitt

If you were North at the helm in three no-trump, the best play on a spade lead might be to win and take the heart finesse rather than ducking. Even if the heart finesse lost, you might still come home against 6-1 spades, and if you ducked the first spade a club shift would probably doom you. But that is not the problem today. As South you get to declare four hearts, and West dutifully leads the spade king. You hop up with the ace and lead the heart 10, optimistically hoping for a cover. Next comes a heart to the queen, but though the finesse succeeds, you still do not have 10 tricks, since the club ace rates to be offside. The auction has suggested that, given East’s overcall, he is slightly more likely to have the club ace than West.

Dealer: W Vul: Both

North ♠AJ3 ♥ 10 8 4 ♦A984 ♣K73

West ♠K9 ♥5 ♦J7653 ♣Q9654

East ♠ Q 10 6 4 2 ♥K76 ♦Q2 ♣ A 10 8 South ♠875 ♥AQJ932 ♦ K 10 ♣J2

South 2♥ 4♥

West Pass Pass All pass

North 1♣ 2 NT

East 1♠ Pass

Opening Lead: ♠K However, you should still survive by running five trumps, keeping two spades, two clubs and three diamonds in dummy. Then lead the diamond king and a diamond to the ace. As you lead the last diamond from dummy, East will have had to reveal something about his shape; if you believe he has come down to one club and three spades, ruff the diamond and lead a club to dummy, collecting a spade trick at the end. If he comes down to two spades and two clubs, exit with a spade to the jack, hoping that East will have to lead away from his club ace at trick 12. BID WITH THE ACES

South Holds: ♠ Q 10 6 4 2 ♥K76 ♦Q2 ♣ A 10 8 South 1♠ ?

West Pass 1 NT

North Pass Dbl.

East 1♦ Pass

ANSWER: I think your partner’s double should be played as take-out for the two unbid suits, especially by a passed hand; you will never want to double for penalty here. This gives you the problem of whether to head for the ‘known’ heart fit or to bid two clubs, perhaps planning to compete over two diamonds to two hearts. I’ll try two clubs first, expecting one opponent or the other to bid two diamonds.