ACES ON BRIDGE

The souls of emperors and cobblers are cast in the same mold.The same reason that makes us wrangle with a neighbor causes a war betwixt princes. — Michel de Montaigne

One declarer resolved his entry problems nicely on today’s deal by playing for at least one of the heart honors to be onside. He had no use for a discard on the second diamond, so he took West’s diamond-queen lead with the ace and ran the heart jack to the king. He won the club lead with dummy’s ace and then ran the heart nine successfully. All that remained was to draw trumps, and he had 10 tricks.

At another table, declarer let the diamond lead float around to his king. Then he crossed to the club ace and finessed the spade queen. West won and returned a club, ruffed by South. The spade ace failed to fell the 10, and West was put in with the third round of trumps. How should West defend from here?

It looks all too natural to exit with a safe club, denying declarer an entry to dummy, but watch what happens. Declarer ruffs that and may now guess to lead a low heart from hand. West goes in with the heart king but must then give declarer a minor-suit entry to table for the heart finesse. Perhaps West’s best bet would be to play low on the first heart. If he does, declarer must guess to hop up with the ace on the next round.

West need not put himself in this position, though. He should save his club exit for a rainy day, putting declarer in dummy with a diamond instead. Even if declarer were to ruff a club next, West would pounce on the first heart and get out with a diamond to protect his partner’s heart queen.

ANSWER: Respond one no-trump. This is a more apt description than a raise of clubs, and with all of your high cards outside partner’s suit, one no-trump may easily play as well as clubs. You can always raise clubs happily enough at your next turn in competition.