Bridge

On today’s deal from the Dyspeptics Club, South might have been forgiven by any partner except his actual one for taking his eye off the ball.

On the opening top-diamond lead against four spades, South ruffed high, then played a spade to dummy’s 10 for another diamond ruff high. He went back to dummy with a trump to ruff the last diamond high. Now he led a third trump to dummy, planning to lead a low club to the nine to endplay West. However, East thoughtfully inserted the 10, and when South played the king, West won his ace. Now a low club came back to East’s jack, followed by a third club to West’s queen. Next came a low heart.

South played low from dummy, and when East’s 10 forced the ace, declarer next finessed dummy’s heart jack with some confidence. Unlucky. East had both the high hearts, so down South went.

As North pointed out, at trick one West is known to have the diamond ace, so South should simply discard a heart on the opening diamond-king lead. Say West continues with a trump. South can win, play heart ace and king, then ruff a heart high, and return to dummy with a trump to ruff the diamond nine high. Then he would go back to dummy with a trump and play the diamond queen, throwing a club from hand. West is endplayed into either presenting South with a ruff and discard or leading around to the club king.

Bid with the aces

South holds:

Answer: Bid three clubs. Your partner’s cuebid shows a limit raise or better in diamonds. You are too good to sign off now; your attractive shape entitles you to make a descriptive bid below the level of three diamonds to let partner describe his hand further.