ACES ON BRIDGE

There is always a pleasure in unraveling 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, which was ducked, and continued with the club queen, which was 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 take the diamond finesse. However, West went in with the spade king and played a club to East’s jack. East cashed one top heart before playing a fourth round of clubs to force a trick for West’s diamond king.

At the table where Meckstroth was declarer, West led a low heart to East’s king, East returned a spade to the king and West led another spade. Notice that Meckstroth could have won in dummy and taken a diamond finesse, but instead he overtook 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 would have started with a higher honor than the jack.) Ergo, West must hold the diamond king. ANSWER: Did you pass, assuming partner wanted to defend? If so, write out 100 times: “I will not pass my partner’s takeout double.” Once a player doubles for takeout, he can’t convert the meaning of a second low-level double to penalties. The second double is takeout again, showing extras. Repeat your hearts as your weakest option, unless you play the cheapest call to be a second negative here.