“We have in the darkest moments of our national trials retained our faith in our own ability to master our own destiny.” - Franklin D. Roosevelt

Anyone who believes that reading bridge books does you no good should look at today’s deal from the semifinal match between Richard Schwartz and Russ Ekeblad (the eventual winners) in the U.S. Trials last summer.

At both tables the club lead against four spades was won by dummy’s jack, and declarer played a trump to the eight, jack and queen. Back came a club, won in dummy.

After a spade to the 10 king and ace, the only remaining issue was whether West should take his diamond ace, holding declarer to 10 tricks, or duck, hoping to set the game.

At one table the defender ducked; at the other table he took the ace.

OK, you’ve had a chance to look at all four hands.

Which defender missed his chance to set the game?

Surprisingly, it was East on his apparently irrelevant one-count who might have set the game by following with the spade 10 on the first round of the suit!

Put yourself in declarer’s position after the first trump goes to the 10, jack and queen.

You win the club return in hand and lead a low trump to the three … and which trump from dummy?

If trumps are 4-1, you need to put in the six, so you have to weigh up that likelihood as opposed to East’s having found this nice deceptive play from A-10-8 or from 10-8 doubleton.

Even if you get the play right, East has taken a few years off your life – and earned your respect!

Bid with the aces

South holds:

Answer: Although I am a big fan of raising partner with three trumps, I also believe that with a 4-3-3-3 pattern, one should always rebid one no-trump, no matter how wide open one or more of your side suits might appear to be.

The point is that your hand is so balanced that you do not want to suggest playing in a trump suit when you lack four trumps for partner.