Bridge: “I might give my life for my friend, but he had better not ask me to do up a parcel.” – Logan Pearsall Smith
On today’s deal from last year’s U.S. trials to select the second team to play in the Bermuda Bowl, which trick should you, as declarer, lose in six clubs?
Clearly East-West has a paying sacrifice in six spades, which costs only 1100, but who wants to take so expensive a sacrifice if the opponents’ slam is not making?
However, the play in six clubs appears to come straight out of a textbook.
On a bad day, you might run the risk of losing a trick in each red suit.
Although you have three heart discards coming to you on the diamonds, you still will have a heart loser left in dummy.
Not to worry: You have a resource, so long as you were thoughtful enough to reach the right slam – six clubs as opposed to six diamonds.
You ruff the opening spade lead, draw trump in two rounds, then cash a top diamond, go to dummy with the third trump and pass the diamond 10.
If the diamond 10 holds the trick, you take the heart finesse for the potential overtrick.
If it loses, you have endplayed West, who now will have to choose between two unpalatable alternatives.
He can either lead a spade to give you a ruff and discard, or play a heart into your tenace, giving up his side’s trick in that suit.
Either way, you will have your 12 tricks, guaranteed.
Bid with the aces
South holds:
| ♠A K 10 9 5 | |
| ♥K 9 8 6 | |
| ♦Q 6 | |
| ♣5 2 |
| South | West | North | East |
| 1 ♠ | 2 ♣ | Dbl. | 3 ♣ |
| ? |
Answer: Bid three hearts.
Yes, you have a minimum opening bid, which has not improved dramatically on the auction.
But your partner’s negative double is looking for a heart fit, and you therefore should let your partner know you have the four-card suit he is looking for.
Since this is not a jump bid, your action does not promise extras.