Bridge

This week we are reporting deals from the American Trials held five years ago. Today’s deal comes from the semifinals between Team Goldman and the Cayne squad.

Not satisfied with the excellent piece of larceny reported in Tuesday’s column, Michael Seamon started the second segment of the match against Jacobs with another fine play – this one based on a second-degree assumption rather than deception.

Against three no-trump West led the spade 10 to the jack and king, and East returned a low spade. Michael overcame his first hurdle when his queen held the trick, but he was still a long way from home. Since the defense had four spade winners and the club ace, he needed nine tricks on the go. To get them, he would have to find the diamond queen and also negotiate the heart suit for three tricks – a fairly unlikely combination of events. However, his first move was to cash the heart king, and he noted the fall of the eight from West. Needing this to be from shortness (specifically the queen doubleton), Seamon inferred that West’s diamonds would then be longer than East’s. He backed his judgment by cashing the diamond king and finessing West for the queen on the next round.

When in due course dummy’s heart ace brought down the queen, he had nine tricks without touching clubs, and a hand for us all to admire – together with a game swing.

Bid with the aces

Answer: Pass, rather than opening one heart. While I am a big fan of light and lead-directional opening bids, your lack of honors in hearts makes a one-heart call misleading and unhelpful. (Personally, I’d rather open one spade, but do not tell anyone else, please.)