The Aces On Bridge 2019 - Bobby Wolff PDF

The Aces on Bridge: Tuesday, January 1st, 2019
by Bobby Wolff on January 15th, 2019
“There is only one cure for the evils which newly acquired freedom produces, and that
cure is freedom.”
— Lord Macaulay
Dealer: E North
North’s jump to two no-trump is the Jacoby convention, Vul: None ♠Q9652
showing game-forcing values with a real spade fit. In ♥AQ62
♦KJ
essence, North promises an opening bid and four or more ♣53
trumps, although with an unbalanced hand including a West East
♠74 ♠ 10
singleton and trump support, he might jump directly to the
♥J753 ♥ K 10 9
four-level in his shortage, a splinter bid. South has ♦A962 ♦ Q 10 5 4
minimum values and no shortage, so he shows this by ♣ J 10 9 ♣KQ872
South
bidding game at once. While other methods may be more ♠AKJ83
effective, this has the virtue of simplicity, if nothing else. ♥84
♦873
♣A64
After the initial club lead, declarer ducks (hoping the
defenders will not shift to diamonds and put him on the South West North East
spot). As hoped, the defense continue clubs, and South Pass
wins the ace at the second trick. 1♠ Pass 2 NT * Pass
4♠ All pass
Next, he draws two rounds of trumps, ending in hand, and *Game-forcing, with spades
leads a heart to the queen and king. Back comes a heart;
Opening Lead: ♣J
declarer wins the ace and ruffs a heart. Finally, declarer
ruffs a club to dummy and a heart to hand, leaving himself with the diamond guess for his
contract. Is it a blind guess, or can South tilt the odds in his favor?
All he has to do is to count the hand: The way the plays in clubs have worked out so far,
he can reasonably assume East has the heart king and the king-queen of clubs. But he
passed in first seat, so he cannot hold the diamond ace or he would have opened the
bidding.
Thus, the correct play is to lead a diamond toward the king, intending to put up that card if
West plays low.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: Are you prepared to force this
South Holds: hand to game? I’m not sure yet, but I would
♠AKJ83 start by bidding three clubs for the time
♥84 being, bidding where I live. If my partner bids
♦873 three diamonds, suggesting no heart stopper
♣A64 and no delayed spade support, I will plan to
pass. If I bid over three diamonds, it sets up
South West North East a game force, and I don’t think this hand is
1♦ Pass worth that.
1♠ Pass 2♦ Pass
?
The Aces on Bridge: Wednesday, January 2nd, 2019
“It is easier to resist at the beginning than at the end.”

— Leonardo da Vinci
Dealer: S North
Today’s deal shows a type of problem that is often Vul: E-W ♠KQ32
encountered in real life. It is necessary to plan the play ♥8
♦ Q 10 7 3
right from the start in order to visualize the ending. ♣ A 10 3 2
West East
As South, when you take advantage of the vulnerability to ♠J ♠976
♥ A K J 10 7 3 ♥65
open one spade, you hear West overcall in hearts. North
♦852 ♦KJ9
drives to game showing short hearts, and you wrap up the ♣K95 ♣Q8764
bidding in game. South
♠ A 10 8 5 4
♥Q942
When dummy comes down, you can see that you are ♦A64
certainly high enough. West kicks off with the heart king ♣J
and shifts to the spade jack. You must now plan how to
South West North East
reach 10 tricks. The obvious line to follow is a cross-ruff, 1♠ 2♥ 4♥* Pass
but be careful! The key is that you must win the trump 4♠ All pass
shift in hand to ensure that your cross-ruff will not be *Short hearts, agreeing spades
interrupted by an over-ruff.
Opening Lead: ♥K
Your plan will be to ruff one heart low and two hearts high
in dummy, while crossing back to hand with two club ruffs. Specifically, you win the spade
ace and ruff a heart low, then cash the club ace and cross-ruff the next four tricks.
After taking seven tricks in a row, declarer can cash the diamond ace and exit from hand
with a diamond. In theory, either defender can win the diamond, but in today’s three-card
ending, declarer will be able to score both his 10 and eight of trumps in hand for his 10
tricks, no matter what the defenders do.
Note that if West had an original 2-6-2-3 shape with the spade nine and diamond king, he
would win the trick with his king, but would only be able to lead hearts or a trump, so
declarer would still be safe.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: Your right-hand opponent
South Holds: presumably has long clubs — do you have
♠KQ32 any reason to act again? I see no reason to
♥8 bid now; you have a minimum hand with
♦ Q 10 7 3 reasonable defense in clubs. If your partner
♣ A 10 3 2 cannot compete to two spades, you should
not assume that it would be a desirable
South West North East contract.
1♣ 1♦ 1♥ Pass
1♠ Pass Pass 2♣
?
The Aces on Bridge: Thursday, January 3rd, 2019
“Generosity is a virtue for individuals, not governments. When governments are generous,
it is with other people’s money, other people’s safety, other people’s future.”
— P.D. James
Dealer: S North
The British home international open series is the Camrose Vul: Both ♠A9
Trophy. From the English Camrose pretrials a few years ♥Q832
♦653
ago, John Froztega played this hand very nicely; but it ♣AJ72
was Marc Smith, the injured party in the East seat, who West East
♠ K 10 6 5 2 ♠843
generously reported it. Given perfect defense, it is hard to
♥— ♥ K 10 9 7
believe that any of the four or more top tricks that East- ♦AQJ984 ♦ 10
West have against four hearts could get away! ♣54 ♣ Q 10 8 6 3
South
♠QJ7
Peter Czerniewski as West had done well for his side, up ♥AJ654
to a point, by not sacrificing in four spades, which would ♦K72
♣K9
probably have gone at least two down. Instead, he passed
out four hearts and led a low spade, and dummy’s nine South West North East
held. A heart to the jack exposed the 4-0 break, and there 1♥ 2♦ 3♦ Pass
seem to be at least two inevitable losers in each red suit. 4♥ All pass
Still, Froztega did not give up hope; he set about playing a Opening Lead: ♠2
cross-ruff in the black suits. He cashed the club king and
ace and ruffed a club, then took the spade ace and ruffed another club. When he then
ruffed a spade, he had reached a five-card ending with three diamonds and two hearts in
each hand.
Now came a diamond exit to the king and ace. Czerniewski could cash one more diamond
to let Smith discard his club, but then had to lead either a spade or a diamond, which
Smith was forced to ruff at trick 11. That in turn required him to lead away from the heart
king into dummy’s trump tenace, to concede 10 tricks. Remarkably, the defense’s sure
trump winners had completely vanished.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: If your side isn’t in the midst of a
South Holds: bidding accident, you made a penalty
♠843 double, and your partner has now shown a
♥ K 10 9 7 strong hand with long spades. Cautious
♦ 10 players will bid only three spades, but I’d
♣ Q 10 8 6 3 argue that the little you have may be very
useful. So, I would simply jump to four
South West North East spades. With an additional top honor in
2♦ Dbl. 2♥ spades, I’d do more, perhaps a splinter jump
Dbl. Pass 2♠ Pass
to four diamonds.
?
The Aces on Bridge: Friday, January 4th, 2019
“The tempter or the tempted, who sins most?”

— William Shakespeare
Dealer: N North
Opinions vary as to whether South should bid diamonds Vul: E-W ♠K
or spades here in response to one club. With less than an ♥AK43
♦932
invitation, you might prefer to respond one spade; the ♣AK432
problem with auctions where you bid diamonds is that West East
♠87654 ♠ A 10 9
opener must then either bid a major if he has one (which
♥QJ ♥ 10 9 8 5
makes it hard to get to clubs with confidence) or rebid one ♦J ♦ Q 10 8 7
no-trump if balanced. In the latter scenario, you might ♣ Q 10 9 8 5 ♣J7
South
miss a 4-4 major-suit fit. ♠QJ32
♥762
Here, in a teams game, South reached three no-trump on ♦AK654
♣6
the lead of the spade seven to the king and ace. East
figured the auction had marked declarer with both missing South West North East
spade honors, so he found the threatening shift to the 1♣ Pass
heart 10. What would you have done as South after West 1♦ Pass 1♥ Pass
1 NT Pass 3♦ Pass
contributed the jack to this trick? 3 NT All pass
Declarer could see that ducking might leave him behind in Opening Lead: ♠7
the race to five tricks, after a club shift by West. So, he
took the trick and ducked a diamond, with West winning his jack to return a heart.
Declarer now resisted the temptation to win and play on diamonds — in case one
defender had four diamonds and four hearts. Ducking the heart would at worst cost the
overtrick, but today it left West unable to continue the suit. West shifted to a club, which
declarer won in dummy, remaining vigilant. He led a second diamond from dummy, and
even though East tempted him by following with the queen, he ducked again. Now he had
three tricks in diamonds and two in each of the other suits.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: This hand is way too good to
South Holds: pass now (even though I can imagine that
♠K we might not be able to make anything). The
♥AK43 choice is between a raise to three clubs and
♦932 a double. The former suggests extra shape;
♣AK432 the latter, extra high cards. I prefer to
double, assuming that, if necessary, my
South West North East partner can repeat clubs. If partner does
1♦ Pass 1♠ pass out two spades doubled, I’d hope to
Dbl. Pass 2♣ 2♠ beat the part-score on heart ruffs.
?
The Aces on Bridge: Saturday, January 5th, 2019
“In war there is no second prize for the runner-up.”

— General Omar Bradley
Dealer: S North
When North jumped to four diamonds, systematically Vul: Both ♠A7653
showing a balanced slam try in support of hearts, South ♥AQ42
♦A7
rejected the try. But after he showed only one key-card, ♣AQ
his partner next made a slightly optimistic grand slam try, West East
♠ 10 8 4 ♠QJ2
promising all the key-cards. With all the kings and a little
♥8 ♥ 10 9 7 5
extra shape, South decided he had enough to go for the ♦ 10 9 8 3 2 ♦J4
brass ring. ♣J852 ♣ 10 6 4 3
South
♠K9
West had a suitably passive lead against seven hearts in ♥KJ63
the form of the diamond 10. Declarer needed to decide ♦KQ65
♣K97
which would be the master hand, and in which hand he
would take ruffs. Sensibly, he decided to take ruffs in South West North East
dummy, so he wib the diamond ace and carefully drew 1 NT Pass 2♣ Pass
two rounds of trumps with dummy’s high hearts. 2♥ Pass 4♦* Pass
4♥ Pass 4 NT Pass
5♣** Pass 5 NT Pass
When the heart ace-jack revealed the bad break, South
7♥ All pass
understood that it might be difficult to take the one ruff he
*Artificial, setting hearts as trump
needed in dummy. But he found the best line when he
**One of four key-cards
cashed the club ace-queen. He then crossed back to
hand by leading a spade to the king, pitched dummy’s Opening Lead: ♦10
remaining diamond on the club king, and ruffed a diamond
in dummy. He could next lead a heart to his hand, draw the last trump, and claim the rest.
Players tend to assume that any line that needs two favorable breaks will generally
require more luck than a line that needs just one. But here declarer played a line that
needed very little from both minor suits (East having at least three clubs and two
diamonds) as opposed to that player having three or more diamonds. South’s chance of
losing to a ruff on his chosen line was relatively small by comparison to the risk of
encountering a 5-2 diamond break.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: Yes, you could try to land on a
South Holds: pin-head by passing. But it seems like an
♠QJ2 acceptable risk to get too high in the attempt
♥ 10 9 7 5 to find a fit. I would use Stayman, though
♦J4 with all these assets in the short suits, I can
♣7643 imagine that simply raising to three no-trump
might be the winning strategy.
2 NT Pass
?
The Aces on Bridge: Sunday, January 6th, 2019
Dear Mr. Wolff: Dear Mr. Wolff:

When opener supports responder’s major If you were in fourth seat with ♠ J, ♥ Q-10-6,
suit, I know that you believe the raise can be ♦ K-Q-10-6-4-2, ♣ K-3-2, would you use
based on either three or four trumps. Can Pierson points (spades plus high-card
responder ask his partner to describe his points) to determine whether to open the
hand more precisely? bidding? Would the vulnerability affect that
decision?
— Define and Dandy, Waterbury, Conn.
— Keeping the Peace, Fort Worth, Texas
ANSWER: A convention, called “Spiral

Scan” by some, is used after opener raises ANSWER: Playing pairs, I tend to open my
responder’s major-suit response. A call of balanced 11-12 point hands when vulnerable
two no-trump over the raise lets opener use (even when relatively short in spades, a
a four-step response; minimum with three criterion others take seriously). Partner tends
and four trumps, respectively, maximum with to have the hand closest to an opener in
three and four trump, respectively. such circumstances. But this collection is an
Responder’s two-spade call over two hearts unbalanced hand with very little in the
tends to show four, to help reach a 4–4 fit if majors and no aces. I don’t expect the
opener has raised hearts with four spades opponents to be able to make game — but it
and three hearts. wouldn’t completely surprise me. I’d pass
and apologize if I were wrong; but if I did
open, it would be with a call of three
Dear Mr. Wolff: diamonds.
If you were dealt ♠ A-9-7-4-2, ♥ J-5-2, ♦ A-K-
7, ♣ Q-2, and heard your partner open one Dear Mr. Wolff:
no-trump, would you merely drive to game,
or would you invite slam? (As the cards lie, Holding ♠ A-J-3-2, ♥ Q-4-2, ♦ K-Q-4, ♣ K-10-
my partner had king-queen-third of spades 2, I assume you would open one no-trump in
and a 16-count, but he had all the missing an uncontested auction. But what would you
controls bar the club ace, and we had 12 top do if your right-hand opponent opened the
tricks). bidding? When would you pass, when would
you double, and when would you overcall
— Underdone, Memphis, Tenn. one no-trump?
— Call My Bluff, Willoughby, Ohio
ANSWER: I would simply transfer to spades
and then bid three no-trump, not considering
slam unless my partner broke the transfer at ANSWER: I would open one no-trump
his first turn. But if, over my jump to three happily enough, and I would overcall one no-
no-trump, my partner made a call other than trump over the opening bid of a minor or one
four spades, it should show a maximum with spade, but I would double one heart. Having
three trumps. Then I’d probably up and bid said that, if my partner were a passed hand
slam. and I heard a minor suit to my left, I might
double and take the low road. I would never
pass with this hand.
Dear Mr. Wolff:
Please explain how leading third-and-fifth or
third-and-low works — as opposed to fourth
highest. What are the main differences, and
which would you recommend I play?
— Spot Belly, Staten Island, N.Y.
ANSWER: Leading fourth-highest, but also

lowest from three, may make those two
holdings hard to differentiate. By contrast,
leading a high spot card from two or four
cards, but lowest from three or five, means
that any ambiguity should be between
holdings that are two cards apart. This
makes confusion rather less likely, so an
experienced partnership might consider
moving on from fourth highest.
The Aces on Bridge: Monday, January 7th, 2019
by Bobby Wolff on January 21st, 2019
“With consistency a great soul has simply nothing to do. He may as well concern himself
with his shadow on the wall. Speak what you think now in hard words, and tomorrow
speak what tomorrow thinks in hard words again, though it contradict everything you said
today.”
— Ralph Waldo Emerson
Dealer: N North
To mark the first full week of the New Year, I’m going to try Vul: E-W ♠K54
an experiment. In all the deals this week, declarer will be ♥QJ32
♦A5
faced with an eight-card trump fit missing the king. But the ♣Q986
individual facts and circumstances will produce different West East
♠ Q 10 6 ♠J9872
conclusions as to the best play for declarer.
♥ K 10 8 7 ♥9
♦ J 10 7 4 ♦Q8632
Beginners are taught that the way to play a suit in which ♣32 ♣ 10 5
you have the ace, queen and jack is to finesse. So when South
♠A3
you look at the North and South hands in today’s deal, ♥A654
you might assume that you are supposed to finesse ♦K9
♣AKJ74
against the king by leading the queen. But that would be a
grave mistake! South West North East
1♣ Pass
With no side-suit losers in your slam, your goal is to hold 1♥ Pass 2♥ Pass
your trump losers to one; the absence of the 10 and nine 4 NT Pass 5♦ Pass
6♥ All pass
from your hand and dummy’s means that no matter who
has the king, at least one loser is inevitable. You must Opening Lead: ♦J
therefore find the safest line to avoid losing two trump
tricks.
If trumps are 3-2, your task is easy. But what if they are 4-1? You will see that no matter
which four trumps East has, if they include the king, the contract is hopeless. But what if it
is West with length? Running the queen or jack will not be a success.
Instead, cash the ace, then lead up to the queen-jack. If trumps break, you are home, and
if trumps break 4-1 onside, then come back to hand in spades and lead a heart toward
dummy’s remaining honor. The defense will be helpless.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: Your controls and shape give you
South Holds: just enough to drive to game with a call of
♠A3 two hearts. This suggests a minimum of 5-4
♥A654 distribution and a hand of this strength,
♦K9 leaving open all possible strains for game
♣AKJ74 and slam. You won’t always be able to make
game here, but you should be in one.
1♣ Pass 1♦ Pass
?
The Aces on Bridge: Tuesday, January 8th, 2019
by Bobby Wolff on January 22nd, 2019
“I am a bear of very little brain, and long words bother me.”

— Winnie-the-Pooh
Dealer: N North
Setting a trump suit after using Stayman over 1NT may Vul: None ♠Q732
not be complex, but it does require discussion. The key is ♥K82
♦ J 10 7 6
that using Stayman and jumping to four no-trump after ♣AJ
hearing a response in a major is best used as quantitative West East
♠ 10 8 6 ♠K9
without a fit, because you really have no other way to
♥ 10 9 3 ♥J764
show that hand. Conversely, to set partner’s major as ♦853 ♦92
trump after you find a fit, bid the other major at the three- ♣9832 ♣ K 10 7 6 4
South
level. Since you can’t be looking for a fit there with a five- ♠AJ54
card suit (or you’d have begun with a transfer), this simply ♥AQ5
♦AKQ4
sets trump and shows interest in slam. ♣Q5
In today’s deal, North-South use this identical structure South West North East
over a two no-trump opener; as South, you drive to six Pass Pass
spades after your partner shows extras. When West leads 2 NT Pass 3♣ Pass
3♠ Pass 4♥* Pass
the heart ten, you determine that you will need one black 6♠ All pass
suit or the other to behave well. How can you maximize
*Slam-try for spades
your chances?
Opening Lead: ♥10
Although you can come home easily when the trump king
is doubleton onside, as here, you should also be able to succeed when East has three
trumps instead of two, as long as you are careful. Win the heart lead in dummy and
finesse the spade jack, then cash the ace. When the king drops, draw the last trump. If it
doesn’t, play three rounds of hearts, then start running the diamonds. Unless East has two
or fewer hearts, he will have no exit card when he ruffs in, and he will be forced to lead a
club for you. If he discards on the winning diamonds, throw him in with the third trump,
and the result will be the same.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: At any vulnerability and form of
South Holds: scoring, you should balance with one no-
♠Q732 trump now. The range for this call over a
♥K82 minor-suit opening bid is approximately 11-
♦ J 10 7 6 15 points; with more, you would double and
♣AJ rebid one no-trump. The range for this call is
admittedly wide, but your partner can ask for
South West North East range and shape with a call of two clubs at
1♦ Pass Pass his next turn.
?
The Aces on Bridge: Wednesday, January 9th, 2019
by Bobby Wolff on January 23rd, 2019
“The meaning doesn’t matter if it’s only idle chatter of a transcendental kind.”
— W.S. Gilbert
Dealer: N North
The common theme that runs through the deals this week Vul: E-W ♠QJ54
is how to tackle a trump suit where you are missing the ♥AQ7
♦K852
king but not the queen or jack. The simplistic answer ♣Q2
would be to say, “Finesse against it!” But sometimes you West East
♠9873 ♠K
must look beyond the major honors to find the winning
♥986 ♥K432
line, as in today’s example. ♦J6 ♦ 10 9 7
♣ K 10 9 6 ♣AJ753
Your contract of four spades looks sound enough; but South
♠ A 10 6 2
when West leads the heart nine and East wins his king to ♥ J 10 5
return the suit, your chances appear to have come down ♦AQ43
♣84
to the trump finesse. Is that the full story, or is there more
to it? South West North East
1♦ Pass
While you clearly need the trump finesse, you should 1♠ Pass 2♠ Pass
carefully consider whether you also need the trump break, 2 NT * Pass 3♠ Pass
4♠ All pass
and if so, whether you can protect against any or all 4-1
breaks. Your lack of trump intermediates produces a stark *Forcing
conclusion: If East has four trumps to the king, you are Opening Lead: ♥9
doomed no matter what they are. Therefore, you should
ignore that possibility and instead focus on the one 4-1 break that you can actually cope
with. Lead a low trump toward the A-10, planning to cross back to the diamond king and to
repeat the trump finesse if the first finesse holds.
That may seem straightforward enough, but consider that if the seven and six of spades
were switched, now you might be able to handle West having either the bare eight or nine
in that suit — assuming you’ve husbanded your resources carefully. We will be discussing
that very theme later this week.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: This hand is definitely not worth
South Holds: a drive to game, although if you had a
♠K singleton spade and king-third of diamonds,
♥K432 you might feel slightly different. That said,
♦ 10 9 7 this is not worth a response of two clubs;
♣AJ753 you should instead bid one heart to make
sure you find your heart fit as quickly as
South West North East possible. If your partner bids spades, you
1♦ Pass will jump to two no-trump to invite game.
?
The Aces on Bridge: Thursday, January 10th, 2019
“As distrust, in some sense, is the mother of safety, so security is the gate of danger. A
man had need to fear this most of all, that he fears not at all.”
— Thomas Brooks
Dealer: S North
When West pre-empts to three diamonds over the strong Vul: Both ♠AK54
no-trump, it may inspire North to contemplate exploring for ♥J762
♦2
slam. But his four-diamond cue-bid in support of hearts ♣AJ75
leaves South cold, and North wisely subsides in game — West East
♠ 10 7 6 ♠J93
which may yet prove uncomfortably high if South does not
♥4 ♥ K 10 9 5
take the proper precautions. ♦AJ98753 ♦ 10 6 4
♣83 ♣ Q 10 6
After the lead of the club eight, South plays low from South
♠Q82
dummy and takes East’s 10 with his king. He plays back ♥AQ83
the diamond queen for West to capture and return a ♦KQ
♣K942
second club, won by dummy’s ace.
Now the only real danger to the contract is losing two 1 NT 3♦ Dbl. Pass
trump tricks; to guard against that, South leads the heart 3♥ Pass 4♦ Pass
jack from dummy, covered all around, then goes to the 4♥ All pass
spade ace and finesses in trump by running the seven if
Opening Lead: ♣8
East plays low. If the finesse should lose to the nine or 10
in West’s hand, then trumps will have broken 3-2, and declarer will be able to get back in
soon enough to draw the last trump. Should East split his intermediates on the second
round of trumps, declarer has complete control. He can simply give up a club trick and
play on trumps, to knock out East’s winner and eventually to draw his last trump.
If the defenders lead and continue diamonds at every turn, conceding a ruff-sluff in the
process, declarer should be able to take six tricks in the plain suits and maneuver to take
three trump tricks in one hand and a ruff in the other. Again, though, declarer must start
trumps by leading the jack initially.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: Your controls argue for bidding
South Holds: on past four spades, even though you don’t
♠AK54 have much “stuffing” in your suits. I would
♥J762 bid five clubs now to cue-bid my ace, and let
♦2 partner take it from there. As a general rule,
♣AJ75 the hand with the aces and spaces shouldn’t
use Blackwood, since the response won’t be
South West North East helpful.
1♠ Pass
4♦ Pass 4♥ Pass
?
“Taste does not come by chance: It is a long and laborious task to acquire it.”
— Sir Joshua Reynolds
Dealer: N North
Manipulating a trump suit that includes the ace, queen Vul: Both ♠ J 10 2
and jack (with or without the 10 and nine) has many ♥QJ63
♦K5
possibilities. Sometimes even the eight and seven play a ♣AK85
role in determining best practice. Take a look at today’s West East
♠K964 ♠875
deal.
♥4 ♥K972
♦ 10 8 7 3 ♦A962
With no violently bad breaks in the side suits, a four-heart ♣ J 10 7 4 ♣Q6
contract appears to hinge on either the spade finesse or South
♠AQ3
trumps playing for no loser. After a top club lead from ♥ A 10 8 5
West, there is no reason for declarer to delay going after ♦QJ4
♣932
trumps. What is his best approach to play the suit for no
loser, in case the spade finesse fails? South West North East
1♣ Pass
As we have already seen this week, there are positions in 1♥ Pass 2♥ Pass
which you should lead low to the 10, guarding against the 2♠ Pass 4♥
singleton king with East. But that is not the case here;
Opening Lead: ♣J
declarer must worry about the three small singletons with
West as opposed to the singleton king with East.
To guard against the more likely case, declarer must first run the trump queen or jack from
dummy. When it holds, he must repeat the finesse by leading the other top honor from the
board. Leading to the 10 on the second round of trumps would leave East with a sure
trump trick today.
When East covers on the second round of trumps, declarer wins in hand, discovering the
bad break, then knocks out the diamond ace and wins the club return to pitch a spade
from dummy. He can take a third trump finesse and lead the spade queen from hand,
losing to the king, but virtually ensuring he can take the rest of the tricks.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: It would be nice if a double here
South Holds: were for penalties, but it isn’t. A double here
♠875 would be for take-out. (Switch the diamonds
♥K972 and spades to produce a minimum
♦A962 example.) Generally, low-level doubles —
♣Q6 especially those early in the auction and
under the trumps — are more for take-out
South West North East than penalty. I guess I’d pass; defending
1♣ Pass against two diamonds undoubled looks like
1♥ 2♦ Pass Pass our best possible result.
?
“There’s not a joy the world can give like that it takes away.”
— Lord Byron
Dealer: N North
This is the last of the week’s examples of manipulating a Vul: None ♠Q653
trump fit missing the king. Here, South’s three-no-trump ♥QJ5
♦A764
call offers a choice of games. North is allowed to pass, ♣K2
though he would normally convert to four spades with West East
♠ 10 9 7 ♠K4
four-card trump support, if not owning a completely
♥ 10 8 6 3 ♥974
square shape or terrible trumps. Today, though, North ♦Q52 ♦ K J 10
might see the possibility of a club ruff in his hand. ♣ J 10 8 ♣A9763
South
♠AJ82
As declarer in four spades, you cover the lead of the club ♥AK2
jack with the king, win the club continuation and lead a ♦983
♣Q54
heart to dummy for the winning spade finesse. It looks
best now to take the diamond ace and spade ace. If the South West North East
king does not fall, eliminate your clubs and hearts, then 1♦ Pass
play a second diamond, hoping West began with the 1♠ Pass 2♠ Pass
3 NT Pass 4♠ All pass
doubleton diamond king and just two spades. If so, he will
be forced to lead a club or heart and let you pitch your Opening Lead: ♣J
third-round diamond loser.
As it happens, the spade king falls, and declarer can draw trumps and claim 10 tricks.
Should anything different have happened?
Maybe, though much may depend on the ability (actual and perceived) of South and
West. When declarer leads a trump to the jack, West has an obligatory false-card of
dropping the nine or 10; this costs nothing and may create a losing option for declarer. If
South has not encountered this maneuver before, he may decide to play West for a
singleton or the doubleton 10-9 of trumps, then cross to dummy to lead the spade queen
in an attempt to pin the remaining intermediate.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: When your partner introduces a
South Holds: major after the double of a minor, it tends not
♠Q653 to be a call made with four small cards or
♥QJ5 dead minimum values. So, I would raise to
♦A764 two hearts now, aware that we might just
♣K2 miss a spade fit, but expecting even a 4-3
heart fit to play reasonably well.
1♦ Dbl. 1♥ Pass
?

How would you handle a hand like ♠ J-4, My partner and I have been arguing about
♥ K-6-5-4, ♦ K-Q-4-2, ♣ 8-7-2, facing a whether there is any sort of hand that would
strong no-trump? Would vulnerability or the pass in first or second chair and then back
form of scoring affect your decision? into the opponent’s auction with a pre-empt.
Is such a thing possible?
— Gun for Hire, Orlando, Fla.
— Better Late Than Never, Springfield,
Mass.
ANSWER: It seems clearly right to start with
a Stayman two-club call, with the intention of
merely inviting game even if you find a heart ANSWER: There must be hands with the
fit. The honors in the long suits somewhat shape for a pre-empt but not the right honor
compensate for your lack of intermediates. location, where you might pass initially but
With some heart intermediates, you might decide to pre-empt later. Similarly, you may
persuade me to do more. If vulnerable at have a hand with too much defense or with a
teams, I might bid to four hearts if we found sidesuit. When vulnerable, you might also
a fit. not have a good enough suit to act on
initially. Whenever your partner bids, though,
jumps by a passed hand in a new suit will
Dear Mr. Wolff: not be a single-suited pre-empt but should
show fit for your partner.
If the opponents intervene over our no-
trump, what would you recommend I play to
describe my hand? Is Stolen Bid an Dear Mr. Wolff:
approved gadget?
Holding ♠ Q-7-3-2, ♥ K-Q, ♦ A-J-4-3, ♣ A-Q-
— Barabbas, Madison, Wis. 3, please discuss what you might open and
why.
ANSWER: Both opener and his partner must — No Way Jose, Bellingham, Wash.
be able to bid all the suits efficiently. (The
transfer element is less vital.) Each player
should be able to double with shortage since ANSWER: Not all 18-counts are created
that is the hand you are most likely to want equal. This hand, with its doubleton heart
to compete on. Responder can play honors not pulling their full weight and no
transfers and Stayman over an artificial intermediates, looks like a strong no-trump
double or a call of two clubs — with double to me. You could persuade me that if your
acting as Stayman. After higher intervention, no-trump range includes good 14-counts,
new suits should be natural at the two-level then you should go high and not low; I’ll take
and forcing at the three-level. The meaning that under advisement. At pairs, though, I’d
of a two-no-trump call as Lebensohl is reluctantly open one diamond so as to go
discussed at with the field.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lebensohl.
Dear Mr. Wolff:

In second seat, I had ♠ A-Q-7-2, ♥ K-4, ♦ K-
Q-J-9-5, ♣ Q-4, and opened one diamond.
The next hand overcalled two hearts, my
partner doubled, and the next player jumped
to four hearts pre-emptive. I had planned to
jump to four spades and wasn’t sure if that
call would suffice here — or what slam try to
make.
— Missing Out, Mexico City, Mexico
ANSWER: If your right-hand opponent had

let you jump to four spades, you would
probably have made that call. As it is, you
certainly want to make a slam try; but does a
jump to five spades ask for a heart control?
Does four no-trump suggest the minors here
rather than being key-card? I’ll settle for
bidding four spades and hope partner can do
more with real extras.
“He who receives a benefit with gratitude repays the first installment on his debt.”
— Seneca
Dealer: N North
As bidding methods develop, it has become customary for Vul: N-S ♠A2
new-suit responses to a two-club opener to promise good ♥AK
♦A85
suits, so the response of two diamonds becomes a mark- ♣AK8642
time action. Players tend to avoid bidding two no-trump West East
♠ 10 9 8 5 ♠Q643
with a balanced hand, or they reserve the call for a
♥9742 ♥863
different hand type altogether. ♦ K J 10 ♦964
♣ J 10 ♣Q95
Today, though, South hogged the no-trump, and when he South
♠KJ7
was unable to raise clubs directly, his partner closed his ♥ Q J 10 5
eyes and jumped to a contract he hoped South could ♦Q732
♣73
make. This seems premature to me, since if South had
held the doubleton club queen, there easily could have South West North East
been 13 tricks on top. It would have cost nothing to bid 2♣ Pass
four clubs, giving South the chance to cue-bid a second- 2 NT Pass 3♣ Pass
3 NT Pass 6 NT All pass
round control.
When West led the spade 10 against the no-trump slam, Opening Lead: ♠10
South instinctively ducked in dummy, realizing too late that
not only were the hearts now blocked, but the spades were too! He tried to recover by
cashing his heart and spade winners then playing three rounds of clubs. However, when
East was able to win and shift to diamonds, declarer had to play for his only chance of
putting up the queen, so he finished an ignominious two down.
Had declarer paused for thought when it was necessary, he would have put up dummy’s
ace at trick one, then unblocked his heart winners. Now come the clubs, and when they
break 3-2, declarer can clear the suit.
The spade king represents the entry to the two heart winners, with the diamond ace still in
place to reach the long clubs.
LEAD WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: The spades may not be splitting
South Holds: for declarer, but it still seems right to go
♠ K 10 7 6 active by leading a top diamond rather than
♥9862 a relatively passive heart. Anytime your
♦QJ2 partner has diamond length or one of the top
♣J2 three diamonds, this is a sensible lead.
Moreover, if the diamond ace-king are to
South West North East your right, the lead doesn’t cost a trick.
1 NT
Pass 2♥ Pass 2♠
Pass 3 NT All pass
“Every Communist must grasp the truth: Political power grows out of the barrel of a gun.”
— Mao Zedong
Dealer: S North
The modern defender has to have a number of weapons Vul: Both ♠ K 10 6
in his armory. These include a method of leading (top of ♥863
♦ K 10 6 3
honor sequences, fourth-highest from length, occasionally ♣KJ6
second-highest from four or five small against no-trump). West East
♠987 ♠QJ543
Then he needs a system of signaling — high cards for an
♥A9542 ♥ Q J 10
even number or encouragement — plus the judicious use ♦98 ♦542
of suit-preference signals. When attitude and count are ♣A75 ♣98
South
irrelevant or already known, high cards suggest the higher ♠A2
suit, low cards the lower. ♥K7
♦AQJ7
♣ Q 10 4 3 2
A hot potato when it comes to signaling at no trump is the
Smith Echo. After the opening lead, each defensive hand South West North East
can use this tool to reinforce whether they like that suit as 1 NT Pass 3 NT All pass
soon as possible. Following to declarer’s first lead, when
not giving count, a defender’s high spot card encourages
Opening Lead: ♥4
the suit of the opening lead, while a low spot card denies
extras in that suit. This signal can produce tempo problems – and sometimes the
message can be conveyed in other ways, as in today’s deal.
Against three no-trump, West’s heart four went to the 10 and king. South played on clubs,
West winning the second round as East echoed, to say he liked hearts. West now decided
that South might be left with the bare heart queen, so he cashed the ace, which was fatal
since it blocked the suit.
Note: If East had broken the bridge rules by playing the heart jack to trick one, then West
knows that a low heart at his next turn is right, whether East has the queen or not, since
South surely has the 10! West can subsequently overtake the queen to run the suit and
defeat the game.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: Whether playing inverted raises
South Holds: or not (where a simple raise promises a limit
♠ K 10 6 raise or better), this hand is on the cusp
♥863 between a diamond raise and a one-no-
♦ K 10 6 3 trump response. In a strong no-trump base, I
♣KJ6 lean slightly toward bidding one no-trump,
since it isn’t entirely clear I will be wrong-
South West North East siding no-trump. As a passed hand, I might
1♦ Pass raise diamonds, since partner is slightly
?
more likely to have real diamonds.
“A mind quite vacant is a mind distressed.”

— William Cowper
Dealer: S North
After South opens one spade, North should want to drive Vul: None ♠QJ62
his side to game. However, a jump to four spades sounds ♥52
♦ A Q 10 8 7 4
purely pre-emptive (a similar hand with less in diamonds, ♣6
maybe). Depending on his methods, North might be able West East
♠9 ♠ 10 5 3
to show a side-suit singleton with less than game values,
♥ Q 10 6 4 3 ♥J9
if using a jump to three no-trump as 9-12 with trump ♦52 ♦KJ963
support and an as yet undisclosed shortage in a side suit. ♣ K 10 7 4 3 ♣Q82
South
Or, he could use a call of three no-trump to show a ♠AK874
constructive raise to four spades. ♥AK87
♦—
♣AJ95
Either way, though, South should end up in six spades,
and on a diamond lead, the timing of the crossruff may South West North East
prove to be more than a little inconvenient. 1♠ Pass 4♠ Pass
6♠ All pass
My preferred line is to finesse the diamond queen and ruff
away East’s king. Then the club ace and a club ruff Opening Lead: ♦5
followed by the diamond ace will allow South to re-enter
hand with the heart ace for a second club ruff. A heart to hand for a third club ruff high lets
declarer ruff a diamond high in hand, and a heart in dummy with North’s last top spade.
After 10 tricks (three diamonds, four clubs and three hearts), the lead is in dummy, which
has three diamonds left, while declarer still has the A-8-7 of spades. Declarer leads a
diamond and ruffs with the spade seven, not caring that West may be able to over-ruff.
Even if he can, he will be forced to lead a card back into declarer’s spade tenace, and
South will have his 12 tricks.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: In second seat, your pre-emptive
South Holds: opening bids should be relatively disciplined.
♠QJ62 Even when at favorable vulnerability, I would
♥52 not want to open two diamonds with such a
♦ A Q 10 8 7 4 potentially powerful major suit on the side.
♣6 To change this to a hand that I might pre-
empt with, move the spade queen into either
South West North East side suit, or make the spade queen the
Pass three.
?
“Curfew must not ring tonight.”

— Rose Hartwick Thorpe
Dealer: S North
No one could be more enthusiastic than I about the merits Vul: Both ♠8
of reading bridge hands in books and especially ♥86
♦ A 10 7 2
newspapers (a fact that may not entirely surprise you). ♣AKQ753
However, when you do so, you will often be consciously or West East
♠ 10 5 ♠9743
subconsciously aware that there is a critical play or kill-
♥AKQ742 ♥95
point in the deal. At the table, of course, the players may ♦J8 ♦KQ963
not hear the bell ring to tell them to focus their attention. ♣J64 ♣92
South
By the time the bell does ring, it may be for their own ♠AKQJ62
funeral. ♥ J 10 3
♦54
♣ 10 8
Consider the contract of four spades here. When West
leads the heart king, East gives count by starting an echo, South West North East
so West continues by leading out his high hearts. Would 1♠ 2♥ 3♣ Pass
this seem like a critical moment in the deal to you? It 4♠ All pass
should, since if declarer ruffs the third heart with dummy’s
solitary trump, East will over-ruff, and a diamond return Opening Lead: ♥K
means that declarer cannot escape a diamond loser.
As declarer can afford to lose three tricks, it is sensible to retain dummy’s lone trump as
an entry to the South hand to allow him to draw trumps. The discard of a minor-suit card
from dummy at trick three solves the problem. A further heart lead by West can be ruffed
in hand. Trumps will be drawn, and South’s losing diamond vanishes on a club.
Similarly, of course, the defenders cannot profit by shifting to a minor at trick four. After
winning the trick in dummy, declarer can draw trumps, following which, once again, the
losing diamond can be disposed of on a club.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: Yes, your partner may have been
South Holds: dealt two trump tricks and not much else.
♠8 But it is far more practical to play this double
♥86 as a decent hand, asking you to decide
♦ A 10 7 2 whether you want to play offense or defense.
♣AKQ753 If so, you must bid on now. A call of four no-
trump to suggest the minors and a hand like
South West North East this will let partner determine the best trump
1♠ suit and what to bid over further competition.
2♣ 4♠ Dbl. Pass
?
by Bobby Wolff on February 1st, 2019
“The rich have become richer and the poor have become poorer; and the vessel of the
state is driven between the Scylla and Charybdis of anarchy and despotism.”
— Percy Shelley
Dealer: E North
When East upgraded his 14-count into a strong no-trump, Vul: None ♠853
South came in to show the majors. He ended up in two ♥Q96
♦AQ75
spades when North wisely opted to find his partner’s ♣K83
better major and not to invite game. That was sensible West East
♠92 ♠A64
enough, since these deals are so much more often about
♥K2 ♥ A J 10 3
contesting the part-score than about reaching game in the ♦ 10 6 4 3 2 ♦KJ9
teeth of a strong opening bid. ♣Q742 ♣J96
South
♠ K Q J 10 7
When West led a diamond against two spades, South flew ♥8754
up with the ace and ruffed a diamond to hand with a high ♦8
♣ A 10 5
trump (necessary as the cards lay, to preserve a possible
entry to dummy) before leading a heart toward the queen. South West North East
West took his king and shifted to a low club to the jack 1 NT
and ace. Now came a second heart to the nine and 10. 2♣* Pass 2 ♦** Pass
2♠ All pass
Seeing dummy’s weak trump holding, East won and
*Majors
continued with the ace and another heart. That let West
**Asking for the longer major
score his spade nine, but declarer was able to discard a
club from dummy and eventually ruff a club loser on the Opening Lead: ♣4
board for his contract.
It would not have done East any good to continue clubs when in with the second heart,
assuming declarer guessed correctly which club to play from hand (not so easy to do).
In fact, though, the only way to beat the game by force is to lead a trump to the first trick.
This is often sensible when declarer has shown a two-suiter and you either have a
strength in declarer’s second suit or can infer that your partner does, as is the case when
he has opened one no-trump.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: Your cue-bid shows a limit raise
South Holds: or better in diamonds. That said, you have
♠853 nothing in reserve, but just enough in hearts
♥Q96 to bid two no-trump now. This suggests a
♦AQ75 hand in the invitational range and is not
♣K83 forcing, which perfectly describes your
assets. Let partner make the next decision, if
South West North East any, as to strain and level.
1♦ 1♥
2♥ Pass 2♠ Pass
?
by Bobby Wolff on February 2nd, 2019
“The public … demands certainties … but there are no certainties.”

— H.L. Mencken
Dealer: S North
Different partnerships play inverted raises (a system in Vul: Both ♠K94
which the direct raise of a minor in an uncompetitive ♥ A J 10
♦AQ3
auction is strong, while a jump raise is weak) in different ♣ 10 8 5 2
ways. West East
♠ J 10 8 ♠Q7652
♥854 ♥932
South had agreed that the simple raise was forcing as far
♦95 ♦ J 10 8 7 4
as three of a minor. Thus, his two-no-trump call was ♣QJ943 ♣—
forcing, suggesting 12-14 or 18-plus. When he bid on over South
♠A3
three no-trump, he showed the extra values, and North ♥KQ76
had such weak trumps that he had no reason to choose to ♦K62
♣AK76
play in the suit contract, especially because South could
have moved on with a call of four clubs over three no- South West North East
trump if he had wanted to set clubs as trump. That was a 1♣ Pass 2♣* Pass
good idea today! 2 NT Pass 3 NT Pass
West put the spade jack on the table, and declarer won in
hand and led a heart to dummy to advance a low club *Forcing
from that side. When East showed out, declarer saw that Opening Lead: ♠J
his only chance now would be to strip West of all his plain
cards and force him to lead clubs at trick 12.
So he cashed his three remaining heart winners, West pitching his fifth club, after which
three rounds of diamonds forced a spade out of West. South had a complete count of the
West hand now, but when he took his last spade winner, he was locked in dummy, forced
to lead a club and concede two of the last three tricks.
Too late, South realized that to make his slam he had needed to win trick one in dummy.
Then, in the same three-card ending, he would have been able to lead a low club from
hand, and West would have been forced to concede the last two tricks.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: This feels like a good hand for
South Holds: hearts, but the issue is whether partner is
♠K94 showing a good hand or merely an
♥ A J 10 invitational one. If you were sure that your
♦AQ3 partner had a good hand, you could bid
♣ 10 8 5 2 three hearts and intend it to be forcing. To
me, though, the three-club call sounds non-
South West North East forcing, so you should just bid four hearts
1♣ 1♠ 2♥ Pass now and avoid accidents.
2 NT Pass 3♣ Pass
?
by Bobby Wolff on February 3rd, 2019

I know that my one-level overcalls should be I was in third seat with ♠ 9-2, ♥ K-Q-6-4-3,
on five-card suits or longer, but I have seen ♦ A-7-4, ♣ 10-3-2, playing teams, and I heard
you recommend the action of overcalling my partner open three diamonds at
with only four on occasion. And what about favorable vulnerability. What is the right
two-level overcalls — would you say five- tactical approach in situations like this,
card suits, as opposed to six-, are the playing with a relatively aggressive pre-
exception, not the rule? empter?
— Short Shrift, New Haven, Conn. — Movers and Shakers, Riverside, Calif.
ANSWER: Four-card suit overcalls at the ANSWER: To give your opponents the
one-level are rare. Bidding a strong four- hardest problem, you can jump to five
carder with opening values may occur when diamonds, fortified by the knowledge that
you can’t double because of a shortage in an partner could have pre-empted to two
unbid major and the hand isn’t suitable for a diamonds but chose to do more. After a club
one-no-trump call. Don’t overcall on a bad pre-empt, you would not have quite as much
suit at the two-level, but sometimes your confidence. Make them guess!
values require you to bid with only five and a
reasonable suit in a strong hand when
nothing else will do. Dear Mr. Wolff:
I dealt myself ♠ A-J-10-2, ♥ A-K-7, ♦ 4, ♣ Q-
Dear Mr. Wolff: 10-6-3-2, and opened one club. When I
heard one diamond from my partner, I bid
Holding ♠ A-J-2, ♥ K-9-6, ♦ Q-10-7-4, ♣ 10-6- one spade, of course, and was given
3, I decided to raise my partner’s one-spade preference to two clubs. How much more
opener to two (suggesting 7-10 in our style, would I need to bid on, and if I do act, how
as we play forcing no-trump). Do you agree? should I proceed?
After my partner tries for game with a call of
three clubs, what do you recommend? — Spare Change, Pueblo, Colo.
— King Creole, Selma, Ala.
ANSWER: You have a nice hand, but your
second action (one spade instead of one no-
ANSWER: I like the simple raise. Now you trump) suggests an unbalanced or semi-
can assume your partner has made a game- balanced hand, and your partner could have
try suggesting three or four clubs in a suit invited to three clubs easily enough. So I
where he needs help. Your club suit is as would surely pass, but I would not need
bad as it could be, but you have a maximum much more in the club suit (say K-J-10-6-3)
hand in high cards and decent spot cards. to consider bidding on with a call of two
Maybe you could try three no-trump to hearts, which might suggest a pattern very
suggest these values and let partner decide similar to this one.
what to do next.
Dear Mr. Wolff:

If you open a minor suit and your partner
responds with one no-trump, are you
allowed to invite to two no-trump with a good
16-count, or do you have to pass? What is
the minimum you need to bid two no-trump,
or even three no-trump?
— Simple Simon, Vero Beach, Fla.
ANSWER: A jump to three no-trump

suggests either a 19-count or a running
minor and no shortage (since a jump to three
in a new suit would be a self-agreeing
splinter here). With an unbalanced 16-17 or
a balanced 18, you can raise to two no-
trump instead. You may be single-suited or
have a 5-4 shape with a second suit you no
longer feel like you need to introduce.
The Aces on Bridge: Monday, January 21st, 2019
by Bobby Wolff on February 4th, 2019
“Fraud includes the pretense of knowledge when knowledge there is none.”

— Benjamin Cardozo
Dealer: N North
In today’s deal from the Yeh Bros. tournament last July, Vul: E-W ♠ Q 10 7 6
one South opened and rebid clubs, and played in two ♥A9862
♦ Q 10 9
clubs. The other followed the sequence shown; readers ♣2
can decide whose method of handling the South cards West East
♠AJ942 ♠853
they prefer. But certainly, reaching four hearts while
♥Q754 ♥K
concealing the major elements of the strong hand has ♦43 ♦A8765
something to recommend it. ♣QJ ♣6543
South
♠K
For Chinese Taipei, Sidney Yang led a top club, and David ♥ J 10 3
Yang (East) won the first heart to play back a club. ♦KJ2
♣ A K 10 9 8 7
Declarer Keyzad Anklesaria put in the 10, forcing the jack,
and ruffed in dummy, then led a spade to the king and South West North East
ace, and ruffed the next spade high. Now he lead a heart Pass Pass
to the nine and got the good and bad news. 1 NT Pass 2♣ Pass
2♦ Pass 3♠* Pass
4♥ All pass
Next he played a low diamond from dummy; had East
ducked, declarer would have put in the jack and led clubs *Smolen: five hearts and four
spades
to neutralize West’s trump holding, with a diamond re-
entry to hand if West ruffed the first club. East actually Opening Lead: ♣Q
took his diamond ace and played back a second diamond,
but declarer could simply win in hand and run clubs through West for the trump coup.
Nicely played by declarer, but where the New Zealand team was defending four hearts on
a similar auction, also on a top club lead, Matthew Brown as East won the heart king at
trick two and shifted to a low diamond. To make four hearts now, declarer would have had
to put in the jack — a tough but not impossible play. When he played low, he found
himself stuck in dummy and could do nothing but led a spade to West’s ace, after which a
diamond return for the ruff settled declarer’s hash.
LEAD WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: Even if your partner has three
South Holds: hearts, you seem to have no entry to your
♠985 suit. Therefore, I would try to find partner’s
♥QJ942 long suit, which is surely clubs, not spades.
♦Q4 If he had a five-card suit and values, he
♣532 might have overcalled in spades, but may
not have had enough to bid at the two-level.
1♦ Pass 1♥
Pass 2♦ Pass 3 NT
All pass
The Aces on Bridge: Tuesday, January 22nd, 2019
“Now is not the hour that requires such help, nor those defenders.”
— Virgil
Dealer: S North
Today’s deal comes from the Swiss Qualifier at the Yeh Vul: N-S ♠J7
Bros. tournament in China last year. The tournament is ♥43
♦ A 10 5 3
the biggest cash prize event on the regular calendar; it ♣A9832
consists of a Swiss qualifying tournament followed by a West East
♠AQ53 ♠64
knockout.
♥ K 10 9 8 5 ♥J76
♦J9 ♦Q864
Today’s deal presents a defensive problem. Put yourself in ♣K4 ♣ J 10 7 5
the West seat and see what you would do. You start by South
♠ K 10 9 8 2
leading the heart 10 against three no-trump; partner’s ♥AQ2
seven is discouraging as declarer wins the queen. South ♦K72
♣Q6
now plays a diamond to the ace, and partner’s diamond
four is part of a style where echoing in diamonds would South West North East
have been a further discouragement in hearts. 1 NT 2♣* 3 NT All pass
Declarer now passes the spade jack to you, partner’s four *Majors
suggesting an even number. Can you think of a good
reason not to win this — and what will you do next? Opening Lead: ♥10
At the table, West took his queen and decided the play so far was consistent with declarer
holding A-Q-J of hearts. So, he decided to go for the gold with a shift to the club king. I’m
not sure what he intended to do if declarer had ducked — as he surely would have if this
shift had been the best defense. But as you can see, this line of defense did not test
declarer.
In the other room, Ivan Nanev for Bulgaria, sitting East, did not give his partner, Julian
Stefanov, that problem. He followed with the heart jack to his partner’s lead of the 10 at
trick one. There were no further complications in the defense now. When you think about
it, how can that be wrong?
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: This is the precise hand that
South Holds: makes a Flannery opening to show the
♠AQ53 majors and a minimum opener a good idea.
♥ K 10 9 8 5 Alternatively, playing the no-trump response
♦J9 as non-forcing would let you pass with a
♣K4 clear conscience. If you play the one no-
trump response as forcing (I don’t), you
South West North East should bid two clubs as smoothly as you
1♥ Pass 1 NT Pass can, hoping to get by this round of the
? auction.
The Aces on Bridge: Wednesday, January 23rd, 2019
“The struggle to reach the top is itself enough to fulfill the heart of man.”
— Albert Camus
Dealer: S North
Today’s deal from the Yeh Bros. tournament last year is Vul: Both ♠J97
out of character for this column: While the play is easy, the ♥Q3
♦—
bidding is unusual. But the auction shows how good ♣ K Q 10 9 8 6 5 4
players think, even in a relatively unfamiliar partnership. West East
♠ Q 10 8 2 ♠K6543
♥K98754 ♥ 10 6
When the Poles were eliminated from the main event,
♦KJ7 ♦ Q 10 5 3 2
they swapped partnerships for the consolation event. ♣— ♣7
Michal Klukowski and Piotr-Pavel Zakorski won it, having South
♠A
found their way to a grand slam with the splendid auction ♥AJ2
shown here. ♦A9864
♣AJ32
The one-club opener didn’t promise a good hand, but it
could have had short clubs. After North’s natural and non- 1♣* 1♥ 2♣ Pass
forcing two-club response, Klukowski (South) set clubs as 4♣ Pass 4♦ Pass
trump with his rebid, then bypassed his heart ace to cue- 4♠ Pass 5♣ Pass
5♥ Pass 5 NT Pass
bid his spade ace, knowing that if North did anything but
7♣ All pass
bid five clubs, he would have a heart control. Then
*12-14 or any 18-plus
Klukowski would bid the grand slam.
Opening Lead: ♠2
When North denied a heart control, Klukowski’s five-heart
call showed the ace and promised interest in a grand slam. That would let his partner bid
the grand slam, sign off with no extras, bid five spades with second-round control (which
would be bad news) or do anything else appropriate. North’s five no-trump call was
intended — and interpreted — as extra club length or an extra diamond control.
Klukowski now knew his partner had at least two spades and two hearts, so relatively
short diamonds were guaranteed. If his partner had seven clubs, he would be almost able
to claim the grand slam; as the cards lay, there were indeed 13 top tricks.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: It is tempting to run from the
South Holds: double, but do you have any reason to
♠K6543 assume spades or diamonds will play
♥ 10 6 better? Your partner surely has some heart
♦ Q 10 5 3 2 length here, or the opponents might be
♣7 playing in that suit, so I suspect you won’t
have an eight-card fit elsewhere. I would
South West North East pass, albeit reluctantly. Give me the diamond
1♦ jack instead of the two, and I might run.
Pass 1♥ 2♣ Pass
Pass Dbl. Pass Pass
?
“Feeling does not succeed in converting consolation into truth, nor does reason succeed
in converting truth into consolation.”
— Miguel de Unamuno
Dealer: N North
At the Yeh Bros. tournament last summer, the New Vul: E-W ♠ A Q 10 8
Zealand team did not have much to cheer about. But GeO ♥Q96
♦98732
Tislevoll (formerly of Norway, but now a New Zealand ♣3
resident) found a nice line in the game here. West East
♠KJ5 ♠9432
As South, declaring four hearts after a straightforward, if ♥ 10 5 4 3 ♥A
♦ K 10 ♦AJ54
optimistic, unopposed Drury sequence, he received a club ♣ Q 10 8 2 ♣J654
lead. He won the ace and took a spade finesse, then South
♠76
played the ace and another spade, ruffing with the seven. ♥KJ872
Then he played the club king and ruffed a club, and led ♦Q6
♣AK97
his winning spade 10. When East followed small, Tislevoll
carefully ruffed it with the jack as West pitched a diamond. South West North East
That allowed declarer to ruff his last club in dummy and Pass Pass
lead dummy’s heart queen. 1♥ Pass 2 ♣* Pass
4♥ All pass
East had to win his ace, of course, and he was then able *maximum pass, with heart support
to cash the diamond ace, felling his partner’s king for the
Opening Lead: ♣2
defenders’ second trick. East could give his partner a
diamond ruff now, but GeO’s trump ten-ace of the king-eight was good enough to take the
last two tricks when West had to lead away from his 10.
Did you note the defensive resource? When declarer ruffs his winning spade to hand at
trick seven, West must underruff, preserving his diamond holding.
The key difference here is that when declarer leads his trump from dummy, East can win
the heart ace and underlead his diamond ace. Now the defenders cash two diamonds,
ending in East, after which the defense can promote a trump for West on the lead of either
plain card in the two-card ending.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: There are some who play this
South Holds: call as unusual (showing 5-5 in the black
♠ A Q 10 8 suits), but it is far more effective for an
♥Q96 unpassed hand to use this call to show a
♦98732 good strong no-trump. That said you hand
♣3 now seems to be worth a bid of Stayman,
both to invite game and to try to find a spade
South West North East fit. If you don’t find a spade fit, bid two no-
1♣ trump.
Pass 1♥ 1 NT Pass
?
“O fat white woman whom nobody loves,
Why do you walk through the field in gloves…
Missing so much and so much?”

— Frances Cornford
Dealer: S North
Today’s deal was a missed opportunity in the match Vul: E-W ♠ A 10 5
between Zimmerman and the Netherlands: If the ♥ K 10 8 2
♦J63
Netherlands had made their game here, they would have ♣J76
won their match instead of missing out on a chance of West East
♠864 ♠K
winning a large prize purse.
♥J5 ♥Q743
♦ 10 7 4 2 ♦KQ8
For Zimmerman, Lauria-Versace had played in three no- ♣Q532 ♣ K 10 9 8 4
trump rather than four spades. After a club lead, declarer South
♠QJ9732
naturally finessed in spades and was down at once. ♥A96
♦A95
In the room shown, Simon De Wijs played four spades ♣A
after a blind auction where his partner’s initial response to
his strong club opener had shown a balanced positive. 1♣* Pass 1 NT Pass
After a trump lead, De Wijs finessed, and Geir Helgemo 2♠ Pass 4♠ All pass
won to return a club, reasonably enough. What should De
Wijs do now? *Strong, artificial
Declarer led a trump to dummy and a heart to the nine Opening Lead: ♠4
and jack. (Yes, maybe leading the heart 10 from dummy
wouldn’t hurt — even against a player of Helgemo’s class.) Back came a club; now De
Wijs simply played for hearts to break and went down.
A slight improvement at trick three might have been to lead a high trump from hand, or
after playing a trump to dummy, to ruff a club back to hand. When East discards, West is
more likely to have begun with honor-doubleton in hearts than with two small, since in that
case he likely would have led a heart, not a spade, to trick one.
That being so, the right play is to lead a low heart to the eight at trick four or trick five, as
appropriate. As the cards lie, you will now have three heart tricks and your contract.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: This hand is on the cusp of a
South Holds: jump to two hearts, for which the range is
♠ A 10 5 approximately 9-11 high-card points. My
♥ K 10 8 2 view is that the balanced nature of the hand
♦J63 argues for a simple call of one heart rather
♣J76 than the jump. You are relatively unlikely to
miss game by hearing everybody pass now,
South West North East and if the opponents bid again, you will be
1♦ Dbl. Pass able to show your extra values one way or
? another.
“It is better to know some of the questions than all of the answers.”
— James Thurber
Dealer: S North
At last year’s Yeh Bros. tournament, both North-South Vul: Both ♠J98
pairs bid to four spades here, and they could have ♥ 10 9 2
♦ 10 6
doubled their opponents if they had dared to bid on. ♣ A K 10 8 3
West East
In one room, West sacrificed in five hearts doubled; the ♠— ♠Q652
♥KQ8743 ♥A65
defenders took their club ruff, then played a top spade.
♦A532 ♦K74
What would you do now? If you tested trumps before ♣Q92 ♣J74
ruffing a diamond in dummy, you weren’t quite careful South
♠ A K 10 7 4 3
enough. That was what our West did. North was able to ♥J
pitch spades on the third and fourth diamonds, so though ♦QJ98
♣65
declarer could ruff his diamond loser and unblock the
heart ace, he was locked in dummy and had to concede a South West North East
trump promotion against himself for minus 800. (You have 1♠ 2♥ 2♠ 3♥
to play three rounds of diamonds without touching trump 3♠ Pass Pass 4♥
4♠ Pass Pass Dbl.
at all in order to escape for two down.) All pass
In four spades doubled in the other room, the defenders Opening Lead: ♥K
led two rounds of hearts, and South ruffed. Like his
teammate, he innocently played a top trump, which should have proved fatal.
He next crossed to dummy in clubs to lead the spade jack — ducked by East, of course —
then ran the diamond six around to the queen and ace. West could force declarer in
hearts once more, but when East took his diamond king, he did not have a fourth heart left
to tap declarer for the last and critical time. So the contract came home. East would have
had to fly up with the diamond king on the lead of dummy’s six, to continue with hearts.
That would have let his partner play the fatal fourth round of hearts when in with the
diamond ace.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: In real life, you know what is
South Holds: going to happen next, don’t you? Your left-
♠J98 hand opponent is going to bid spades, and
♥ 10 9 2 your side will be defending against game or
♦ 10 6 part-score in that strain. That said, what do
♣ A K 10 8 3 you want your partner to lead? A club, of
course. In this auction, many people play
South West North East that whether you are a passed hand or not,
2♥ Dbl. a call of three clubs here shows heart
?
tolerance and asks for a club lead. Perfect!

Which countries do you expect to see We had an accident at our club recently, and
competing for the world championship in I’m not sure the director handled it right. If a
open and women’s events in the next few pair cannot play a board because of an
years, other than USA? accident in the movement where East-West
came to the wrong table and it wasn’t
— Prognosticator, Muncie, Ind. spotted till too late, how should the unplayed
board(s) be scored?
ANSWER: Based on their performances at — Board Stiff, Trenton, N.J.
junior level, you should expect to see
Sweden competing at the top level in both
events. China ought to break through, given ANSWER: If you cannot play a deal
their strength in numbers, and similarly the because of a problem to which you
three countries that encourage bridge as a contributed (by playing the deal at the wrong
sport: Netherlands, Israel and Poland. table), you get an average or average-
minus. Your real opponents — who also
cannot play the board but did nothing wrong
Dear Mr. Wolff: — get an average-plus. The result on the
board between the two pairs who did play
In fourth chair, a weak two-diamond bid on the deal will normally stand, if feasible. The
my left came around to me with: ♠ 5, ♥ A-J-9- director may allow a pair who started but did
7-2, ♦ K-6-2, ♣ Q-10-4-2. I was worried by not finish a board to replay the deal at the
my spade shortage that I might reopen the right time and place, if they can fairly do so.
opponents into a better spot. Would you be
influenced in your decision to bid by the fact
that your right-hand opponent (whom you Dear Mr. Wolff:
can trust not to be coffee-housing you)
seemed to have a problem? We had an awkward deal recently where, as
a passed hand, my partner held ♠ 10-9-8-2,
— Beyond Belief, Lakeland, Fla. ♥ A-J-3, ♦ 5-4, ♣ K-6-5-2 and heard me open
one spade. Would you consider using Drury
to show a maximum pass, or would you
ANSWER: Without any table action, a call of simply raise to two spades? The hand
two hearts looks right to me. Once the opposite was a powerful 5-5 in spades and
opponents have not found spades already, diamonds with a club void, and six spades
the risk that they will do so later is somewhat was excellent. After the simple raise, it
reduced. But you are certainly entitled to wasn’t easy to reach slam.
take any table action by your opponents
(though not your partner) into consideration. — Bart of Avon, Stratford, Conn.
With a really close decision, that might tip
you into inaction.
ANSWER: Responder’s assets are just
enough for a Drury call in my mind. The
Dear Mr. Wolff: trump spots, doubleton and combined heart
honors make it on the cusp for that call, but
Please comment on how to treat 17-counts the fourth trump is really useful. A simple
when you have either a five-card suit or a 5- route for opener at his second turn would be
4 distribution. Under what circumstances to use jumps as splinters.. An alternative is
would you simplify the auction by opening to combine long and short trial bids. Some
one no-trump, and when would you bid out options are discussed at
your shape — albeit at the cost of a slight en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Game_try.
overbid?
— Pork Pie, North Bay, Ontario
ANSWER: Any 17-count with shape is worth

a reverse or upgrading to 18-19, so open
your long suit and plan to bid (or reverse
into) your four-card suit. On single-suited
hands, go high unless you have a 5-3-3-2
pattern with a weak suit. With even a weak
five-card major, you may still prefer to be
aggressive if you have a small doubleton.
Sometimes the hand may play better at no-
trump with that suit protected.
“One will seldom go wrong to attribute extreme actions to vanity, moderate ones to habit
and petty ones to fear.”
— Nietzsche
Dealer: S North
Schadenfreude, enjoying the discomfort of your friends Vul: None ♠Q9432
and acquaintances, is a powerful emotion. It can be ♥KJ3
♦K3
entertaining to be a fly on the wall when two teams are ♣765
scoring up their match, particularly if you are watching West East
♠ 10 6 ♠J8
friends of yours in the middle of trying to justify their losing
♥ 10 7 6 2 ♥AQ94
efforts. It is not that you want your friends to fail, but you ♦AJ5 ♦ 10 9 6 2
may not mind seeing them do less well than you. ♣J982 ♣ Q 10 4
South
♠AK75
In today’s deal, which came from a Spingold knockout ♥85
match from a decade ago, I was sitting out for a set and ♦Q874
♣AK3
took the opportunity to spectate at the table of some
fellow Texans. After the set was over, the scoring-up South West North East
started, and when it reached this deal my friends called 1 NT Pass 2♥* Pass
out minus 50. “Lose 10 IMPs” came the riposte, and I 3♠ Pass 4♠ All pass
could see my friends biting their tongues to keep from

*Transfer to spades
asking what had happened, until the scoring was
complete. Opening Lead: ♥2
But after the set was scored, one of them dropped an offhand comment about the deal,
and his teammate asked him what had happened. “They led a heart to the jack and
queen, and I lost another trick in each side-suit” came the response. “And at your table?”
His teammate replied, “I also led a heart, but declarer cleverly played low from dummy at
trick one. He knew he could always finesse against the jack on the next round, but as it
was, I had to guess who had the heart 10 at the first trick. When I got it wrong and put up
the queen, the hearts played for a discard for the slow club loser.”
LEAD WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: Leading from a doubleton heart
South Holds: certainly doesn’t seem right: Partner is
♠J632 unlikely to have enough in the suit. But since
♥J3 a club would be a wild gamble if dummy has
♦ Q 10 9 2 at least five, I’d take my shot on finding
♣J75 partner with a high diamond (or the jack) and
kick off with the diamond 10.
1♣ Pass 1♠
Pass 2♦ Pass 3 NT
All pass
“The years teach much which the days never know.”

Dealer: S North
Put yourself in declarer’s shoes, playing three no-trump as Vul: None ♠ A Q 10
South, before I disclose the theme of today’s deal. ♥A32
♦K9842
♣J4
When West leads his long suit against South’s game, West East
declarer should be able to see that the risk of taking the ♠75 ♠J6432
♥K9864 ♥J7
first trick and playing on diamonds is that East will get in
♦A65 ♦Q3
with the diamond queen and lead back a heart. This ♣K83 ♣ 10 9 6 5
establishes West’s long suit, while that player still has an South
♠K98
entry in the form of the diamond ace. Indeed, that is ♥ Q 10 5
exactly what will happen if South takes the first trick and ♦ J 10 7
♣AQ72
leads the diamond jack around to East; but South does
not have to allow this position to materialize. South West North East
1♣ 1♥ 2♦ Pass
The crux of the deal is that South should allow the heart 2 NT Pass 3 NT All pass
jack to win the first trick, which has the effect of beginning
to exhaust East of hearts. East can play a second heart,
Opening Lead: ♥6
but South will take West’s heart king in dummy and play a
spade to hand, then run the diamond jack.
East gets his diamond queen, but no longer has a heart to play. He shifts to a club, but
South carefully hops up with the club ace and plays a second diamond. West can only
score one further trick in each minor suit. That is four tricks for the defense — but declarer
has his contract.
In a similar position, declarer might be able to tackle diamonds deceptively by leading the
suit initially from dummy. (Switch the heart 10 and nine, and declarer might choose to
approach the play in this way.)
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: Your opponent’s double does not
South Holds: really affect your call, except that it makes it
♠75 sound as if your kings might be pulling their
♥K9864 full weight. It is hard to do more than invite
♦A65 game with a call of three diamonds, but you
♣K83 are certainly full value for that action.

1♦ Dbl.
1♥ Pass 2♦ Pass
?
“Life is one long struggle in the dark.”

— Lucretius
Dealer: W North
In today’s deal from the annals of the Dyspeptics Club, Vul: None ♠753
North felt obligated to double four hearts for takeout, a ♥A5
♦KJ32
reasonable action despite holding only three cards in the ♣AKJ3
other major, over which South leapt ebulliently to slam. West East
♠9 ♠ J 10 8 2
When dummy came down, South uttered the words no
♥ K Q J 10 7 6 3 2 ♥84
partner of his would ever want to hear: “Might have ♦86 ♦ Q 10 9
missed it, partner.” ♣86 ♣ 10 7 4 2
South
♠AKQ64
He won the heart lead and drew three rounds of trumps, ♥9
his natural optimism abating slightly when they failed to ♦A754
♣Q95
break. Then he could see nothing better than taking the
diamond finesse, and his discomfiture was complete when South West North East
the diamond queen was offside. 4♥ Dbl. Pass
6♠ All pass
Before he could expostulate on his ill luck, North cut him
short by remarking that if he had focused on the bad Opening Lead: ♥K
breaks instead of trying to make the overtrick, he might
have emerged with less egg on his face. Do you see what he meant?
South should have ruffed a heart at the second trick. Then he could cash the three top
spades and go after clubs. It wouldn’t have mattered if East had been able to ruff in, since
he would have had nothing but diamonds left to lead into dummy’s tenace. If East didn’t
ruff, then when declarer finished running clubs, he could cross to the diamond ace and
exit in trump, throwing East in to lead diamonds and concede the contract.
The contract cannot be made if East starts with three hearts and the guarded diamond
queen, since he can exit in hearts after ruffing a club.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: The fact that your opponents
South Holds: have bid and raised clubs makes your hand
♠AKQ64 better by suggesting shortness in clubs
♥9 opposite, even if your partner may still have
♦A754 as many as three clubs. So, it is certainly
♣Q95 worth a try for game, and bidding three
diamonds will let your partner ascertain
South West North East whether his cards are working.
1♣
1♠ 2♣ 2♠ Pass
?
The Aces on Bridge: Thursday, January 31st, 2019
“No treaty is ever an impediment to a cheat.”

— Sophocles
Dealer: S North
In today’s deal, let’s look at how North-South should Vul: Both ♠K63
decide whether to play slam, and which contract to head ♥AQ3
♦ 10 9 5
to in a pairs event. ♣AQJ7
West East
South hears his partner force to game, then support ♠ J 10 8 5 2 ♠Q94
♥5 ♥ K 10 8 2
hearts. At his third turn, South can jump to three no-trump
♦J763 ♦Q2
to show specifically a strong no-trump in values, plus a ♣ 10 6 4 ♣9532
spade stopper. With less (or more), he can bid two no- South
♠A7
trump, planning to move on with the extras over any ♥J9764
signoff from North. North can then select the no-trump ♦AK84
♣K8
slam over hearts, since there is no ruff necessary in his
hand. South West North East
1♥ Pass 2♣ Pass
After a spade lead against six no-trump, most declarers 2♦ Pass 2♥ Pass
will lose the heart finesse to East, then win the return and 3 NT Pass 6 NT All pass
cash the heart ace, finessing against East’s 10 and
wrapping up 12 tricks. But what if East wasn’t born Opening Lead: ♠J
yesterday and ducks the first heart smoothly? South will
probably continue with the heart ace and still emerge with 12 tricks.
Thus, East has to go the extra mile to coax South down the primrose path. He must drop
the heart eight under the queen, suggesting that if anyone is long in hearts, it will be West.
Be honest: Playing matchpoints as South, wouldn’t you cross back to hand to lead the
heart jack, trying to pin East’s putative doubleton 10-8 of hearts? If you do, you will have
turned 12 tricks into dust and ashes — and East will own you. Correct is to give up on the
overtrick and run the heart nine at trick four, which guards against all possible bad breaks
at the cost of the overtrick.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: The problem with bidding three
South Holds: no-trump is that you have no tricks — but
♠Q942 that will be the case in any contract. It may
♥2 be right to temporize with a call of three
♦QJ32 diamonds and hope partner bids three no-
♣9532 trump. If he rebids clubs, you can raise to
five, conscious that he may not be favored to
South West North East succeed either way.
1♥ Pass
1♠ Pass 3♣ Pass
?
The Aces on Bridge: Friday, February 1st, 2019
“I bend and I break not.”

— Jean de la Fontaine
Dealer: W North
One of the most difficult parts of the game is declaring the Vul: Both ♠63
4-3 fit, with trump control frequently a paramount issue. ♥AK5
♦AQ4
So it is rare when playing in a 4-3 fit that you want the ♣AQ874
outstanding trumps not to break. West East
♠KQJ94 ♠ 10 5
♥3 ♥ Q 10 8 4 2
However, when the late Alan Truscott (longtime bridge
♦975 ♦J862
columnist of The New York Times) declared today’s deal, ♣ J 10 6 5 ♣K9
he needed to hope for precisely that. South
♠A872
♥J976
In response to the double of two spades, Truscott’s three- ♦ K 10 3
heart call showed constructive values — with less, he ♣32
would have bid two no-trump to show fewer than 7 high-
card points. His wife, Dorothy, raised to four hearts, aware 2♠* Dbl. Pass
that it might be a 4-3 fit, but expecting it to be the most 3♥** Pass 4♥ All pass
practical contract.
*Five spades, plus a minor
Truscott ducked the spade lead, won the next spade and **Constructive
lost the club finesse to East. He won the club return, then
ruffed a club back to hand, as East discarded. Since West Opening Lead: ♠K
had at least nine cards in the black suits, Truscott needed
West to have no more than one heart.
So, he cashed dummy’s heart king, then three rounds of diamonds, ending in dummy. In
the four-card ending, declarer had just two trumps in both hand and dummy, while East
had only hearts left. But when he played a club from dummy, East could take no more
than his heart queen. If he ruffed low, South would over-ruff, trump a spade with the heart
ace and play another club to score his last heart en passant. If East ruffed high, South
would discard a spade and win the trump return in hand. Then he could score the trump
jack and ace separately.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: Your partner appears to have
South Holds: scattered values and at least five hearts. Is
♠63 there any doubt as to what your final
♥AK5 contract should be? I hope not! With your
♦AQ4 great trump support (in context) and source
♣AQ874 of tricks, game is highly unlikely to be worse
than a finesse in one of the minors, which
South West North East the auction tells you should work. So bid four
1♦ hearts at once.
Dbl. Pass 1♥ Pass
2♣ Pass 2♥ Pass
?
The Aces on Bridge: Saturday, February 2nd, 2019
“When you come to a fork in the road, take it.”

— Yogi Berra
Dealer: W North
It is easy to get carried away with hands like North’s, Vul: N-S ♠K42
especially when your take-out double unearths a heart fit. ♥ A Q 10 6
♦AK8
But partner could have bid more than two hearts and did ♣ Q 10 9
not do so. Even inviting game is not without risk, but when West East
♠AJ763 ♠ 10 9 8
North makes a try, South is more than happy to advance.
♥95 ♥83
♦ Q 10 7 ♦9654
Game is nothing special, since the chance of losing three ♣AK2 ♣J875
clubs on the go is far from negligible. Also, you appear to South
♠Q5
have a spade and likely diamond loser to deal with. ♥KJ742
However, when the club king is led, followed by a trump ♦J32
♣643
shift, you can win with the ace, overtake the trump queen
with your king, and play a second club. South West North East
1♠ Dbl. Pass
West wins the club ace and does best to exit with a club to 2♥ Pass 3♥ Pass
the queen. You take it, cash the diamond ace, lead the 4♥ All pass
heart 10 to your jack and advance a low spade toward the
Opening Lead: ♣K
king. This is a Morton’s Fork: If West plays the ace, you
have the entries to pitch your diamond loser on the spades.
So West must play low, and you win the king and cash your last two trumps. In the three-
card ending, you will play West to have started with five spades and three diamonds, but
watch his discards carefully! If he pitches a diamond, you will know you can cash the
diamond king and jack. If he comes down to a bare spade ace, you exit in spades and
force him to lead away from the diamond queen.
This position is known as a strip-squeeze, and we will leave any jokes to be made on the
table.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: Slam is still technically in the
South Holds: offing, even though you may seem to be a
♠AJ763 long way off. Don’t tell your partner what he
♥95 has — explore with a call of three clubs, and
♦ Q 10 7 see if he shows any signs of life. What would
♣AK2 excite you is a three-diamond call. You can
then bid four diamonds and let partner know
South West North East you have slam interest but no heart control.
1♦ Pass
1♠ 2♥ 2♠ Pass
?
The Aces on Bridge: Sunday, February 3rd, 2019

I read a recent letter in your column talking I’m never sure when to pass out the double
about strong raises available to opener when of a pre-empt. When you hear a double from
he has four-card support for responder’s your partner of an opening bid of three
major. Other than the jump raises, what diamonds, and you are looking at ♠ K-J,
actions might you consider? ♥ 10-7-3-2, ♦ Q-J-3, ♣ Q-J-10-3, would you
settle for the part-score or bid game in
— Waiting for Godot, Dodge City, Kan. hearts, or would you defend?
— Jugular Jim, Greenville, S.C.
ANSWER: A jump raise to the three level
suggests the equivalent of an unbalanced
15-17 high-card points; a jump to four ANSWER: You ask a good question, but
suggests a balanced 18-19. With an strangely (and somewhat amusingly), you’ve
unbalanced strong hand, a double jump in a proposed three answers to your own
new suit shows shortage in that suit and question, and my answer would be “none of
four-card support for partner. Occasionally, the above.” I’d opt for a call of three no-
you can jump-shift, then jump in support of trump, looking at all those soft values
partner to show a really powerful three- outside the heart suit, and hoping I did not
suiter, but that would be rare indeed. buy a singleton diamond, with left-hand
opponent able to underlead the ace-king and
set his suit up. I would not pass out the
Dear Mr. Wolff: double without a sure trick (or two) on the
side.
How often is it a critical mistake to cash an
ace against a slam, as opposed to that being
the necessary defense? And when, if ever, Dear Mr. Wolff:
do you consider leading an unsupported ace
in a suit that hasn’t been bid and supported, As responder to an opening bid of one
or bid by your partner? diamond, is my call of four clubs asking for
aces? If not, what does it show?
— Best Foot Forward, Midland, Mich.
— Gerber Baby, Dallas, Texas
ANSWER: I tend not to lead an ace against

any contract unless the auction sounds so ANSWER: Four clubs should rarely be
strong that I imagine my tricks may go away. played as ace-asking, other than in response
The stronger my opponent’s sequence, the to a one- or two no-trump opening or rebid.
more likely it is that I will lead an ace But specifically in response to a preempt,
(especially if they ask for aces and stop at you can play four clubs as some form of ace
the five-level). Trying to give partner a ruff in ask. And after Stayman finds a major-suit,
your long bid suit by leading the ace and you can optionally use four clubs as ace-
another is often also a plausible defense. asking rather than as a splinter bid showing
shortness and setting the major. In almost
every other instance, the jump shows
Dear Mr. Wolff: shortness and agrees partner’s suit, as in
your example.
Say you deal yourself ♠ K-9-3-2, ♥ A-Q-3,
♦ K-7-3-2, ♣ Q-10. If you open one diamond
and hear a response of one heart, followed
by an overcall to your right of one spade,
what options would you consider sensible? If
you pass and partner doubles, what do you
do?
— Ranking Member, Raleigh, N.C.
ANSWER: Some would double one spade to

show precisely three-card support for
partner’s major — a style I’m still not
committed to, though I will play it if
necessary. I have no problem with raising to
two hearts, but if I pass and hear partner
double — card-showing and more take-out
than penalty — I would bid two hearts rather
than one no-trump. Passing for penalty does
not appeal to me.
The Aces on Bridge: Monday, February 4th, 2019
“Creativity involves breaking out of established patterns in order to look at things in a

different way.”
— Edward de Bono
Dealer: S North
Over the next few months, I will present weekly sets of Vul: Both ♠A754
play deals that will each possess a certain similarity in ♥6
♦J65
theme. This week’s deals pose a problem for declarer with ♣A9764
a singleton facing length. I may not always find a unified West East
♠J82 ♠ Q 10 9 3
approach to all the problems within a set: Maybe the only
♥A92 ♥J87
wisdom to emerge will be that what makes bridge so ♦Q872 ♦ K 10 4
difficult — and interesting — is that extrapolating from one ♣J53 ♣ Q 10 8
South
example to the next is harder than it might appear. ♠K6
♥ K Q 10 5 4 3
In today’s deal, the South hand is difficult to describe at ♦A93
♣K2
the second round of bidding. A call of two hearts would be
an underbid, but his actual choice of three hearts is a South West North East
slight overstatement (because of the weak trump spots). 1♥ Pass 1 NT Pass
3♥ Pass 4♥ All pass
After West leads a spade, declarer can see that he has
two likely diamond losers and nowhere to discard them,
Opening Lead: ♠2
since it seems too hard to set up the clubs and cash them
for discards. Accordingly, South needs to play trumps for one loser if he can, and there is
only one practical way to do it.
If declarer had two trumps in dummy, he would lead twice toward the king-queen and try
to work out the best play on the second round. But with one trump facing a six-card suit,
only one lie of the cards will see you home, and that is finding three trumps, including the
jack, with East. So, declarer immediately leads to the 10. When it forces the ace and
trumps break, declarer is home.
The winning defense against four hearts is repeated diamond leads, which will promote
the heart nine for West.
LEAD WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: Your target here might be to limit
South Holds: the number of tricks you blow on opening
♠Q8432 lead to one! Though there is spade length to
♥J64 your left, it still feels right to lead that suit
♦ K 10 5 (though a deceptive spade four or two is
♣J7 possible). Your spots are so bad that if
partner has shortness, this lead may not
South West North East cost anything, except to clear up a guess for
1 NT declarer that he likely would have gotten
Pass 2♣ Pass 2♥ right anyway.
Pass 3 NT All pass
The Aces on Bridge: Tuesday, February 5th, 2019
“The sense of being well-dressed gives a feeling of tranquility which religion is powerless
to bestow.”
— C.F. Forbes
Dealer: S North
The second of our weekly themed deals again features Vul: None ♠A742
the art of maneuvering with a singleton trump facing ♥7
♦A843
length, when the key is to decide which finesse to take — ♣ A K 10 2
if any — and why. West East
♠QJ95 ♠ K 10 8 6
South upgrades his hand into a three-level pre-empt ♥J5 ♥K832
♦KJ765 ♦Q9
because of the vulnerability and his extra side-suit shape. ♣84 ♣Q97
North trustingly raises to game, and after a spade lead South
♠3
declarer can see that he may be home if clubs behave. If ♥ A Q 10 9 6 4
they don’t, he would like to play hearts for one loser. What ♦ 10 2
♣J653
is the best way to proceed?
We saw yesterday that with a singleton facing K-Q-10-x-x- 3♥ Pass 4♥ All pass
x, we should lead to the 10. Our chances of success are
clearly better today, given our better honors and
intermediates. Opening Lead: ♠Q
If trumps are 3-3, it is a blind guess as to whether to lead to the 10 or the queen. King-
third and jack-third to our right are equally likely. If East has a doubleton king or jack, you
will capture it by finessing either the queen or the 10, then following up with the ace. What
if West has the doubleton honor? You cannot succeed when he has the doubleton king,
since even if you lead to the 10 initially, you still won’t be able to pick up East’s jack. The
critical holding is the doubleton jack with West; you must lead to the queen, then follow up
with the ace to drop the jack. In other words, all holdings but one cancel each other out,
but an initial lead to the queen picks up one crucial holding not covered by leading to the
10.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: Your hand isn’t suitable for a pre-
South Holds: emptive raise in that you have too much
♠QJ95 defense, and you aren’t close to having the
♥J5 values for a limit raise. What does that
♦KJ765 leave? A simple raise, maybe planning to
♣84 compete to three spades, is possible. Or a
jump cue-bid of three diamonds to show four
South West North East trumps and 7-9 high-card points or so, also
1♦ 1♠ Dbl. called a mixed raise, might be possible.
?
The Aces on Bridge: Wednesday, February 6th, 2019
“Fools are my theme, let satire be my song.”

— Lord Byron
Dealer: N North
Today is our third themed deal of the week, in which we Vul: E-W ♠A952
are looking for the most effective way to handle a suit ♥3
♦7652
where dummy has a singleton. ♣AKQ2
West East
Unlike in chess, where thematic approaches tend to be ♠ J 10 7 4 ♠KQ83
♥Q9 ♥K875
relatively constant from game to game, in bridge it is often
♦KJ83 ♦ Q 10 9
difficult, and sometimes nigh impossible, to extrapolate ♣875 ♣94
from one example to the next. South
♠6
♥ A J 10 6 4 2
Here you declare four hearts on the lead of the spade ♦A4
jack. You win the trick with dummy’s ace and have to ♣ J 10 6 3
tackle the trumps to avoid losing more than two trump
tricks. 1♣ Pass
1♥ Pass 1♠ Pass
In the absence of a vile side-suit break, you would appear 3♥ Pass 4♥ All pass
to be home no matter what you do if trumps are 3-3, and
virtually sunk if trumps are 5-1. What that means is that
Opening Lead: ♠J
you should focus on how to negotiate 4-2 trumps. (Let us
discount the deals where West has four trumps to two top honors since you will not be
able to succeed in those instances.)
There are only two serious lines to consider: The first is leading to the jack, then following
up with the ace. The second is leading to the ace, then leading out a low card. Cashing
the ace and leading out the jack or 10 never gains and frequently loses.
Of the two lines, the first picks up six different positions where East has a four-card suit
with both honors, but loses to eight lines where West has a doubleton honor. The second
line is the mirror image of that, winning in the eight lines where the first fails, and losing to
the six variations where the first succeeds.
So, the better line is to lead toward the ace (maybe East will err and split his honors), then
lead low from hand.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: Your hand is worth competing to
South Holds: three clubs. The question is whether you
♠ J 10 7 4 should simply raise to three clubs directly or
♥Q9 wait to make the raise after the opponents
♦KJ83 settle in two hearts. These weak trumps and
♣875 defensive values suggest delaying the raise
— especially because you don’t really want
South West North East a club lead unless your partner has a natural
1♦ 2♣ Dbl. lead himself without your input.
?
The Aces on Bridge: Thursday, February 7th, 2019
by Bobby Wolff on February 21st, 2019
“Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference.”

— Winston Churchill
Dealer: S North
This week we are looking at deals in which we must Vul: None ♠ A J 10 4 2
maximize our tricks in a suit where we have length facing ♥AJ52
♦6
a singleton. In each case, the question of which finesse to ♣Q65
take, if any, is paramount. West East
♠Q75 ♠K963
♥97 ♥ Q 10 8 6
In today’s deal, we reach three no-trump on a club lead
♦ A 10 5 2 ♦Q3
and put up the queen so as to remain in dummy and go ♣K873 ♣ 10 9 4
after diamonds. Should we plan to lead to the nine, jack or South
♠8
king? Our target is to play the suit for two losers if ♥K43
possible. ♦KJ9874
♣AJ2
When the suit is 3-3, we have a blind guess as to which
finesse to take. There are roughly equal numbers of 1♦ Pass 1♠ Pass
winning positions where it is right to play the king, jack or 2♦ Pass 2♥ Pass
nine, so let’s not expend any mental energy on these 3 NT All pass
positions, but simply hope that fortune favors the prepared
Opening Lead: ♣3
mind.
If the suit is 4-2, the one combination we can be sure to pick up is the doubleton 10. We
will lead to either the king or jack and follow with the higher honor, squashing the 10. So,
our first play must be to an honor – and note that the doubleton ace or queen to our left is
a position that we cannot exploit even if we guess well.
Since we can deal with a doubleton 10 in either hand, we must look for other doubleton
honors we can exploit. And the answer is that the only holding where our play matters is
when East holds the doubleton queen. In that case, we must lead to the jack, then follow
with the king if we want to play the suit for two losers. Low to the jack is the right play.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: This hand is not worth an
South Holds: invitation to game. It seems logical to bid two
♠K963 spades — this sounds a bit more like a real
♥ Q 10 8 6 suit than a call of two hearts, and it allows
♦Q3 me to introduce hearts at my next turn if the
♣ 10 9 4 auction doesn’t die immediately.

2♦ Dbl. Pass
?
The Aces on Bridge: Friday, February 8th, 2019
by Bobby Wolff on February 22nd, 2019
“Respect was mingled with surprise.”

— Sir Walter Scott
Dealer: N North
Today’s deal is another example of how to tackle a long Vul: Both ♠ A J 10
suit facing a singleton. To my mind, the correct route in ♥KJ7
♦QJ7542
this one is somewhat counterintuitive. You declare three ♣4
no-trump on a spade lead and put in the jack, expecting it West East
♠652 ♠Q987
to hold, since the lead appears to be fourth-highest from
♥ Q 10 8 ♥6543
an honor. When East covers with the queen, you must win ♦A986 ♦ K 10
the king, and suddenly you are short of entries to ♣Q76 ♣K98
South
establish the clubs. If you cross to dummy and lead a club ♠K43
to the jack and king, your only re-entry to hand is in ♥A92
♦3
hearts, so you will not be able both to set up and cash the ♣ A J 10 5 3 2
clubs.
Therefore, you must go after diamonds rather than clubs, 1♦ Pass
and you can afford to lose three tricks, but not four. If 2♣ Pass 2♦ Pass
diamonds break, you have enough entries to set the suit
up, so you must concentrate on the 4-2 breaks. What are
the sensible options? Opening Lead: ♠6
It seems logical to lead to an honor in dummy and duck the next diamond, which copes
fine with the 4-2 breaks where West has both honors, and with two honors doubleton in
West. This turns out to be exactly half the 4-2 breaks (15 of the 30 possible breaks).
But you can do better. If you duck both the first and second diamond, you will succeed
whenever either East or West has one or both honors doubleton, and there are nine such
distributions with either East or West. That gives you 18 of the possible 30 distributions
where this approach wins, making it the best line.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: A natural two no-trump now
South Holds: seems right. That leaves room for your
♠K43 partner to show delayed support for clubs; if
♥A92 he doesn’t, you will surely not wish to play in
♦3 that suit. If your partner bids three diamonds,
♣ A J 10 5 3 2 you might bid three hearts to offer some
delayed support for that suit. Alternatively, a
South West North East call of two spades may get you to no-trump
1♦ Pass from your partner’s hand. Your clubs don’t
2♣ Pass 2♥ Pass seem quite good enough to repeat.
?
The Aces on Bridge: Saturday, February 9th, 2019
by Bobby Wolff on February 23rd, 2019
“To none will we sell, to none deny or delay, right or justice.”

— Magna Carta
Dealer: S North
Today’s deal is the last of this week’s themed hands, in Vul: E-W ♠J854
each of which declarer has to play a single suit to best ♥2
♦A985
advantage with length in one hand and a singleton in the ♣AK84
other. West East
♠ A Q 10 9 2 ♠K3
♥J6 ♥ A 10 7 3
As I look through the hands, I am struck by the fact that
♦ Q 10 6 3 ♦J4
such similar combinations have such disparate solutions. ♣ 10 6 ♣QJ953
No wonder bridge players go gray so early! South
♠76
♥KQ9854
In today’s deal, South opens and closes the auction with a ♦K72
call of two hearts. When West leads the club 10, he ♣72
appears to be relatively short of clubs — the threat of
trump promotions is a real one. Declarer must start to 2♥ All pass
draw trumps at once, and he can afford to lose two trump
tricks but not three. Opening Lead: ♣10
He wins the club lead in dummy and leads a heart to the king. If this loses to the ace, he
will regain the lead and play the queen of hearts, then the nine. But when the heart king
holds, declarer must decide which trump to lead next.
If East has the bare heart ace left then, declarer must lead a low heart from hand; but
there is a much better chance that one defender or the other is left with a bare jack or 10
of hearts. (Note that to give himself a chance to set the contract, West would have to duck
the heart ace if he started with A-J-fourth or A-10-fourth of hearts.) By leading out his
remaining top honor, he can pin the jack or 10 and remain in control, losing just two
trumps and three plain-suit top cards.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: Sometimes a cigar is only a
South Holds: cigar, and a bid in the fourth suit is
♠J854 occasionally natural, not artificial. Here, a
♥2 call of two clubs shows clubs and is limited
♦A985 by the failure to jump to three clubs (which
♣AK94 you would do if the spade four were the
king). You would certainly guess that clubs
South West North East would play better than no-trump here, and
1♦ Pass 1♥ Pass since you can offer the suit to play, that
1♠ Pass 1 NT Pass seems a sensible option.
?
The Aces on Bridge: Sunday, February 10th, 2019

My partner held ♠ 9-8-7-5, ♥ A-Q-10-8-7, As a relatively disciplined player, I’m curious
♦ K-Q, ♣ Q-7, and opened one heart. In about how the experts pre-empt in second
response, holding 12 points with three hearts seat these days. Does this action require a
and four very small clubs, I had available decent suit, or will the vulnerability override
one no-trump as semi-forcing, with new suits position?
at the two-level being game-forcing. What is
the right way to show my hand, and how — Restraint of Trade, Jackson, Tenn.
should our bidding go?
— Enough Said, Saint John’s, NewfoundlandANSWER: In second seat at favorable
vulnerability, I’d expect many players to take
liberties. (Whether they should is another
ANSWER: If you decide you don’t have a matter.) Conversely, in second seat when
game force, you might respond one no- vulnerable, players of my vintage tend to
trump, which your partner may decide to want to have very close to the perfect hand
pass. That means you might stay out of for a pre-empt. By the way, suit quality is
game, but facing something like ace-third of paramount; four small cards in a major will
spades, king-third of hearts, and ace-jack not influence me that much.
third of diamonds with the aforementioned
four-small clubs, you do have four top losers
in four hearts, even if three no-trump is quite Dear Mr. Wolff:
playable. Driving your hand to game with a
call of two clubs is certainly reasonable if I play standard methods of carding, but I
playing sound openers — few do, though. would welcome input on when giving suit
preference should overlap with count and
attitude.
Dear Mr. Wolff: — A Little Learning, Honolulu, Hawaii
Please explain the difference between the
minimum number of cards promised by
opener rebidding his suit (be it a major or ANSWER: Your first signal on partner’s lead
minor) over a one- or two-level response by is attitude (unless your attitude should be
responder, and the number of cards clear to partner by bridge logic — and both
promised by responder for rebidding his players know that). On declarer’s lead,
suit? signal count when necessary, or else nothing
at all. When the second round of a suit is
— Pistol Pete, Kenosha, Wis. led, your choice of cards may carry a suit-
preference signal. This often applies when
you have a sequence or a choice of
ANSWER: Responder’s rebid of his own suit irrelevant small cards to play. For example,
shows six, except that occasionally he will from 7-3-2, you play the two first to
rebid a very chunky five-card suit — typically discourage, but the order of the remaining
over a one-no-trump response from his cards will carry a suit-preference message.
partner. Similarly, opener’s suit rebid facing a I’ll leave the discussion of how to signal
one-level response promises six — though when dummy has a singleton for another
occasionally the rebid of a minor facing a day.
one-spade response may be forced with five
when unsuitable for a reverse or one-no-
trump response. By contrast, opener’s rebid
facing a two-level response is often a decent
five-carder.
Dear Mr. Wolff:

When you open one club, then hear one
heart to your left and two diamonds from
partner, what should you do with ♠ Q-9-6-4,
♥ 3, ♦ 6-4, ♣ A-K-Q-10-9-8? Would a call of
two spades promise extras? Should I
therefore rebid three clubs?
— Poor Richard, Charlottesville, Va.
ANSWER: If your partner had been able to

respond one heart, your one-spade rebid
would just show four spades and not
promise extras. Similarly, a bid of two
spades is natural here — it may contain
extras but does not promise them. That said,
the absence of a negative double from your
partner means you probably don’t have a
spade fit, so emphasizing your excellent
clubs has a lot going for it.
“Oh, order! Material order, intellectual order, moral order! … To know where we are going
and what we want; that is order. To keep one’s word, to do the right thing, and at the right
time: more order.”
— Henri Amiel
Dealer: S North
Today’s deal sees North stretch just a fraction to treat his Vul: N-S ♠KJ75
hand as a game-forcing spade raise, then sign off upon ♥AQ84
♦643
finding short hearts opposite. South has more than ♣Q2
enough to drive to slam (though pessimists could use West East
♠43 ♠6
Blackwood first if they prefer), since even facing the most
♥ 10 7 5 2 ♥KJ96
unsuitable hand, there will probably be play for slam on ♦ J 10 9 8 ♦Q75
most leads. ♣K65 ♣ J 10 9 4 3
South
♠ A Q 10 9 8 2
West is fortunate to have been dealt a sequence on lead, ♥3
and that gives declarer no help. How should he play to ♦AK2
♣A87
combine his chances for 12 tricks? He has two slow
losers (in clubs and diamonds) and two queens whose South West North East
value he can exploit if he uses them efficiently. He can 1♠ Pass 2 NT * Pass
take a heart finesse and discard his diamond loser from 3♥** Pass 4♠ Pass
6♠ All pass
hand, or he can lead to the club queen: If he finds West
*Game-forcing spade raise
with the king, he can pitch his diamond loser from dummy
**Short hearts
on his top club.
Opening Lead: ♦J
It looks logical to win the diamond lead and draw trumps
ending in hand, but then declarer has to commit himself, and the order of his plays is
critical. He must play West for the club king by leading toward the club queen. If this fails,
he still has time to take the heart finesse. Conversely, if he finesses in hearts first and
loses, there is no second chance. He cannot avoid a club loser.
As the cards lie, West will take his king and return a diamond, but declarer can win and
unblock clubs, then ruff a heart to hand to pitch the diamond loser from the North hand on
the club ace.
LEAD WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: Your partner did not compete to
South Holds: three clubs himself, so presumably he has a
♠432 doubleton spade and no more than five
♥Q85 clubs. My best bet to beat the contract might
♦K2 be to lead a trump and kill the club ruffs in
♣Q9842 dummy, in the hope that neither hearts nor
diamonds will be easy for declarer to
South West North East establish. The diamond king is too committal
1♣ 1♠ an opening lead for my taste.
2♣ 2♠ Pass Pass
3♣ 3♠ All pass
“His honor rooted in dishonor stood,

And faith unfaithful kept him falsely true.”
— Alfred Lord Tennyson
Dealer: S North
Today’s deal came up in a teams game, where both tables Vul: N-S ♠ K J 10
reached the perfectly reasonable spot of six no-trump. In ♥AKQJ
♦J76
the first room, when the player sitting East saw his partner ♣543
lead the spade nine, he won his ace and shifted to a club West East
♠987 ♠A6542
in an attempt to break up any pressure on his partner. A
♥ 10 8 2 ♥943
nice try — but not good enough; South won the ace, ♦ Q 10 3 ♦985
cashed the ace and king of diamonds, then ran all his ♣ J 10 7 6 ♣92
South
major-suit winners ending in dummy. The three-card ♠Q3
ending saw dummy with the diamond jack and two clubs, ♥765
♦AK42
while South had the K-Q-8 of clubs in hand. West had to ♣AKQ8
abandon control of clubs, and the club eight took trick 13.
When the teams scored up, South from the other room 1♣ Pass 1♥ Pass
proudly announced plus 1440 as if expecting a swing in. 2 NT Pass 6 NT All pass
When asked why, South explained how the defense had

gone at his table, on the same lead. East had ducked both Opening Lead: ♠9
the first and second spade, so now South ran four rounds
of hearts, pitching a diamond from hand, and forcing West to consider his last seven
cards. He had to keep three diamonds and four clubs, so he let go of his remaining spade.
Declarer cashed his clubs and threw West in with the fourth club, discarding a spade from
the board, to force a diamond lead away from the queen for the 12th trick.
“Was that how the play went in your room?’ asked South. “For all intents and purposes,”
responded his teammate, demonstrating once again that truth is very much in the eye of
the beholder.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: I’d normally compete to two
South Holds: spades, with the fifth trump telling me that
♠A6542 our side has at least eight trumps between
♥943 us. Against that approach are the three
♦985 small hearts and the fact that my partner
♣92 would always bid two spades with four
trumps unless his hand were extraordinarily
South West North East unsuitable for that call. He would double two
1♦ Dbl. 1♥ diamonds with extras and three trumps. Still,
1♠ 2♦ Pass Pass I’d bid and let my opponents make the last
? mistake.
“So much one man can do,

That does both act and know.”
— Andrew Marvell
Dealer: N North
The contract of three no-trump seems perfectly normal, Vul: N-S ♠53
but when the lead of the spade 10 from West goes to the ♥A75
♦Q8542
queen and king, the contract may need careful handling. ♣AK9
South must develop the diamonds to make his game, but West East
♠ A 10 9 8 4 ♠Q62
the play to trick one strongly suggests that West may have
♥J862 ♥ K 10 4
well led from a suit headed by A-10-9. If East is allowed to ♦76 ♦ K 10 3
lead a spade later, West will be able to run the rest of the ♣74 ♣ J 10 8 3
South
spades. This may defeat the contract. ♠KJ7
♥Q93
Establishing the diamonds safely is simple: South must ♦AJ9
♣Q652
cross to dummy, with a club rather than a heart, of course,
and must lead the diamond queen, planning to duck the South West North East
trick around to West. However, when East covers (as he 1♦ Pass
surely will), declarer wins and goes back to dummy, again 2 NT Pass 3 NT All pass
with a club, to take another diamond finesse, this time

leading to the nine. When both opponents follow and the Opening Lead: ♠10
nine wins, declarer can cash out for at least 10 tricks, with
five diamonds, three clubs and two major-suit winners.
There is no danger if West wins the first or second diamond trick and leads another
spade, as long as diamonds are breaking. Likewise, if West is able to score his diamond
10 and continue the attack on clubs, declarer can unscramble his nine tricks in peace and
quiet.
One problem may arise if West can take the second diamond and play a heart: Declarer
will have to hope the heart king is with West, since otherwise the blockage in diamonds
prevents declarer from running that suit.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: The world splits into two groups
South Holds: here. One half says double is penalty, with
♠ A 10 9 8 4 diamond length and at least a strong no-
♥J862 trump in high cards. The other group argues
♦76 that it should be takeout — but if so, why
♣74 didn’t you bid the first time? I side with the
penalty crowd, and I will choose a spade or
South West North East diamond lead if this is the final contract.
1♦ Pass 1 NT
Pass Pass Dbl. Pass
?
“No disorders have employed so many quacks, as those that have no cure; and no
sciences have exercised so many quills, as those that have no certainty.”
— Charles Colton
Dealer: S North
When West overcalls two hearts over one spade, North Vul: None ♠74
has just enough for a negative double. South is close ♥ 10 7 2
♦ Q J 10 8
between an invitational jump to three spades and bidding ♣A743
game, and his 100 honors in spades persuade him to go West East
♠A95 ♠83
high.
♥KQJ653 ♥94
♦95 ♦A6432
West has a natural lead of the heart king, and South wins ♣ K 10 ♣J985
with the ace, since he can see no reason to duck. South
♠ K Q J 10 6 2
Declarer will need to find a way to bring the diamonds into ♥A8
play, but it may be best to disguise his intentions initially ♦K7
♣Q62
by playing the spade queen. When West ducks, the queen
scores, and declarer craftily continues with the 10. This South West North East
time, West decides to win and cash the heart queen. 1♠ 2♥ Dbl. Pass
When everyone follows, West knows that to have any 4♠ All pass
chance to defeat the contract, East must hold precisely

Opening Lead: ♥K
the diamond ace — since if declarer has both top
diamond honors and has played sensibly, the contract will be cold.
Furthermore, East needs a minor club honor, and now desperate measures are called for
because declarer is threatening to take five spades, three diamonds and two aces. The
desperate measures in question are to shift to the club king at trick four. If declarer ducks,
the diamond ace will be the defenders’ fourth trick. If dummy wins the club ace, East can
simply duck the first diamond, and the defenders will eventually come to a trick in each
minor.
For the record, if South plays on diamonds at trick two, he should still be defeated with
accurate defense.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: You don’t need to bid more than
South Holds: three spades now; the three-club call
♠A95 creates a game force. This auction suggests
♥KQJ653 three spades, so it also implies six decent
♦95 hearts; with three decent spades and six
♣ K 10 uninspiring hearts, it would have been
reasonable to raise spades on the previous
South West North East round. You can let your partner decide which
1♥ Pass 1♠ Pass suit to play in, but I would not leave him in
2♥ Pass 3♣ Pass
three no-trump, as diamonds sound like the
danger suit.
?
The Aces on Bridge: Friday, February 15th, 2019
by Bobby Wolff on March 1st, 2019
“A little more than a little is by much too much.”

Dealer: S North
South has a tricky call at his second turn, and rather than Vul: None ♠ J 10 3 2
rebid two no-trump with two small in an unbid suit, he ♥A8
♦AQ4
invents a diamond suit to show his extras through a ♣8752
reverse. Yes, a simple rebid of three clubs would not be West East
♠9876 ♠Q54
that much of an underbid.
♥ J 10 5 4 3 ♥KQ97
♦J5 ♦87632
The continuation over a reverse in an uncontested auction ♣K9 ♣6
is one that is the subject of much controversy. In the past, South
♠AK
everything that sounded non-forcing would have been ♥62
construed as such. But a more popular style these days ♦ K 10 9
♣ A Q J 10 4 3
would be to use a call of two no-trump (or even two
hearts) as artificial and setting up non-forcing auctions. South West North East
Thus, North’s call of three clubs shows a game-forcing 1♣ Pass 1♠ Pass
hand with support, and when South re-raises himself to 2♦ Pass 3♣ Pass
4♣ Pass 6♣ All pass
four clubs, North decides to take a shot at slam.
After a heart lead, South wins the ace and is faced with a Opening Lead: ♥J
possible loser in trump and an immediate loser in hearts.
Instead of taking an immediate club finesse, South follows a line to give himself an extra
chance with almost no risk. He wins the heart ace, cashes his top spades, then leads a
diamond to dummy and plays a third spade. Whether or not he should let this run if a
small spade appears from East on the third round of the suit, the sight of East’s queen is
enough to gladden declarer’s heart. He ruffs with the ten, cashes the club ace, and leads
a diamond to dummy to play the winning spade, pitching his heart, and losing only to the
club king.
Note: six clubs is easier to make than three no-trump!
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: A singleton in partner’s help-suit
South Holds: is all well and good, but with only three
♠Q54 trumps, you may need to find him short in
♥KQ97 diamonds to make game good. You can
♦87632 consult your partner here by bidding three
♣6 hearts, and he will know that if he has heart
length, it will be helpful to the cause.
1♠ Pass
2♠ Pass 3♣ Pass
?
The Aces on Bridge: Saturday, February 16th, 2019
by Bobby Wolff on March 2nd, 2019
“The world is content with setting right the surface of things.”

— Cardinal Newman
Dealer: S North
When North, playing the forcing no-trump, produces a Vul: None ♠ K 10 3
constructive raise of hearts, South makes a help-suit ♥ 10 5 4
♦KJ82
game try of three clubs, asking North to decide whether ♣ Q 10 6
what he has is right for game. North’s two builders in clubs West East
♠QJ652 ♠A984
make up for his bad trump holding, so he takes a shot at
♥K ♥QJ7
the heart game. ♦9763 ♦ 10 4
♣J82 ♣K953
When West leads the spade queen, declarer must duck, South
♠7
or else East would win and continue the suit, leaving ♥A98632
declarer with four losers when trumps did not behave. It is ♦AQ5
♣A74
often incorrect to cover when declarer wants to keep East
off lead, but here ducking the lead prevents either South West North East
defender from continuing spades without surrendering a 1♥ Pass 2♥ Pass
trick. 3♣ Pass 4♥ All pass
West has a difficult play now, but accurately shifts to the

Opening Lead: ♠Q
diamond seven. Declarer wins the ace in hand, then takes
the heart ace; the sight of the king persuades him to try for an endplay if trumps do not
break, by cashing the diamond queen and leading a second trump.
If trumps break, declarer is home; when they do not, East wins his two hearts, but now
South’s small extra chance kicks in, since East has no third diamond left to lead and must
open up one black suit or the other. Either way, declarer’s two clubs will disappear on
dummy’s winners.
If declarer leads a third diamond instead of the second heart, East discards on this trick
and the fourth diamond. Declarer can do no better than play a trump. East cashes his
hearts and exits with his spade ace, leaving South with an eventual club loser.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: Many partnerships play calls of
South Holds: both two clubs and two diamonds as artificial
♠QJ652 here. But even if a bid of two clubs were
♥K natural, I suspect I’d pass rather than
♦9763 bidding two spades or risking ending up in a
♣J82 3-3 club fit. With the spade 10 or even the
nine instead of the two, you could tempt me
South West North East to rebid two spades, but not here.
1♣ Pass
1♠ Pass 1 NT Pass
?
by Bobby Wolff on March 3rd, 2019

If I am in third seat with ♠ A-Q-8-4-3, ♥ A-9-7, When you open a minor with 4-3 in the
♦ Q-7-3, ♣ 10-3, and the bidding starts with a majors and partner responds one heart,
weak two diamonds from my partner, should when do you prefer to raise with three, when
I pass, raise diamonds or introduce my do you bid one spade, and when do you bid
spades? one no-trump? Does it affect your decision if
the next hand has doubled?
— Prince of Tides, Atlanta, Ga.
— Skedaddled, Tupelo, Miss.
ANSWER: The high-cards seem evenly

divided here, and we have the best fit ANSWER: Bid spades, then support hearts
(diamonds) and the boss suit, spades. I’d anytime you possess extra values in high
raise to three diamonds, expecting partner to cards or shape. Bid spades, planning to
make it at least four times out of five, while pass one no-trump if you are looking at a
maybe giving the opponents space to do balanced minimum with good spades and a
something foolish. If they bid game, I will decent doubleton in the unbid minor; with
double. bad spades, you might prefer a call of one
no-trump. Bid one no-trump immediately with
a 4-3-3-3 pattern. If they have doubled your
Dear Mr. Wolff: opening bid, you might be more tempted to
raise the major when in doubt; partner might
Playing rubber bridge, I held ♠ J-4-2, ♥ K-J- not have introduced a weak four-carder, after
7-5-3, ♦ J-7-3, ♣ Q-10. My left-hand all.
opponent opened four spades, my partner
doubled, and I was in the hot seat. Where on
the spectrum of take-out to penalty should Dear Mr. Wolff:
we play this double, and what would you do
here? I recently heard my left-hand opponent open
the bidding and my partner overcall at the
— Colonel Mustard, Fort Knox, Ky. one-level, after which the next player jumped
to two spades to show a weak hand and a
long suit. I wanted to double to show cards,
ANSWER: My preference for the double but I wasn’t sure if this might be penalty.
leans toward take-out; partner removes with What say you?
shape or values, but can pass with a flat
weak hand. What category does this hand — Frozen Solid, White Plains, N.Y.
fall into? I don’t know! My partner and I have
agreed that we remove to a contract we
think we can make, but does this hand have ANSWER: Your double sounds like take-out
enough to bid five hearts? Whether to sit for to me. (Most players believe you can’t
the double or bid five hearts might depend double any lowlevel suit bid for penalty at
on who is on my left. your first turn.) These doubles may be
referred to as Snapdragon, Competitive or
fourth-suit doubles, and they show the fourth
Dear Mr. Wolff: suit and values, generally with at least
tolerance for partner.
Where do you stand on the question of
doubling a minor suit without perfect shape?
Assuming you have 12-16 points, what flaws
are considered acceptable for the double?
— Roman Way, San Francisco, Calif.
ANSWER: The Italians always doubled

when they were broadly suitable for play in
both majors, especially loose minor-suit
opening bids. When short in one major, your
choice is between a pass, hoping to double
that major for take-out at the next turn, and
an overcall in a four-card suit at the one-
level. That call normally requires full values
and a chunky suit.
by Bobby Wolff on March 4th, 2019
“The noblest prospect which a Scotchman ever sees is the high-road that leads him to
England.”
— Samuel Johnson
Dealer: E North
This week’s deals all come from the Gold Coast Vul: E-W ♠K74
tournament in Brisbane. This is one of the most enjoyable ♥J762
♦ Q J 10 2
events on the calendar, with sun, sea and sand all ♣K9
augmenting a venue packed with cheap accommodations West East
♠53 ♠ Q J 10 9 6
and excellent restaurants. The bridge is of an excellent
♥ Q 10 ♥9843
standard, too. ♦A9643 ♦K5
♣8763 ♣A5
Michael Rosenberg and Ross Harper, two expatriate South
♠A82
Scots, constantly threatened to break into the top three in ♥AK5
the main pairs event, eventually finishing second. Here ♦87
♣ Q J 10 4 2
they benefited from some careless declarer play.
Harper led a diamond against three no-trump by South, Pass
reached after that player had upgraded his hand into a 15- 1 NT Pass 2♣ Pass
17 no-trump — a perfectly reasonable call. 2♦ Pass 3 NT All pass
Rosenberg took the king and shifted to the spade queen.

Opening Lead: ♦4
We should all be familiar with the idea of ducking the first
round of the suit when we hold the ace facing king, but is this the time to put that notion
into effect?
That play might be necessary at trick two to try to neutralize the defender’s spades if the
suit breaks 5-2. But since West appears to have the diamond ace, it may be safe enough
to win the lead and play on clubs at once. At the table, though, declarer won in hand and
guessed very badly when he led a diamond, maybe thinking West would duck. Harper
was having none of that; he took his ace and played back a spade, and now Rosenberg
had the entry to run spades when he got in. That was two down, and all the matchpoints.
Note that if you do duck trick two, then on a heart shift you may well find yourself forced to
guess the ending well.
LEAD WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: I can see a case for leading a
South Holds: deceptive diamond seven, simulating
♠ Q 10 shortness in diamonds. Similarly, if declarer
♥643 is really short in diamonds, we must cash
♦Q7653 our black-suit winners at once. I’d argue for
♣KJ3 leading clubs rather than the doubleton
spade, since partner had the chance to bid
South West North East spades and didn’t take it.
1♦ Pass 1♥
Pass 2♦ Pass 2♥
All pass
“Speak now, and I will answer;

How shall I help you, say.”
— A.E. Housman
Dealer: N North
Players come from all around the world to the Gold Coast Vul: Both ♠Q32
tournament in Brisbane every February, both to escape ♥AJ63
♦ Q 10 6
winter in the Northern Hemisphere and to play in a fun ♣K54
event. West East
♠ A J 10 9 6 5 ♠874
At one table, Roger Lee of the U.S. (with Michael Whibley ♥ 10 4 ♥7
♦A87 ♦KJ932
of New Zealand) finished in four hearts from the South ♣QJ ♣ 10 8 7 6
seat, like everyone else in the field, and if ever there was South
♠K
a pairs deal that proved the merits of protecting partner, ♥KQ9852
this was it. ♦54
♣A932
Put yourself in the East seat, when partner leads the club
queen. Declarer wins in hand — as you drop the eight to 1♣ Pass
encourage the lead — and draws two rounds of trumps. 1♥ 1♠ 2♥ Pass
Plan the defense, bearing in mind that you are playing 4♥ All pass
pairs.
Opening Lead: ♣Q
At nine of the 14 tables, East did something other than
signal forcefully for diamonds with his first discard. Declarer now led a spade to the king
and ace, West exited with a club, and declarer got rid of a diamond loser to claim 10
tricks.
You could argue that West should have seen the need to cash the diamond ace without
being helped. But what if declarer had begun with a 1-6-3-3 shape with king-third of
diamonds and ace-third of clubs? Now cashing the diamond ace would throw away an
overtrick unnecessarily, while exiting in clubs means that declarer would have to lose two
diamond tricks eventually.
I do think West must take a fair share of the blame; but when East can make his partner’s
life easier, it is up to him to do so.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: I generally believe in introducing
South Holds: a four-card minor rather than rebidding a six-
♠K card major, but this hand has such weak
♥KQ9852 clubs and decent hearts that it may be a
♦54 sensible way to emphasize the minimum
♣A932 nature of the hand. If partner invites with a
call of two no-trump, you can bid three clubs
South West North East and describe your hand to a T.
1♥ Pass 1 NT Pass
?
“Truth is on the march, and nothing can stop it.”

— Emile Zola
Dealer: W North
The format of the Gold Coast tournament, which lasts for Vul: E-W ♠ A J 10 9
just over a week at the end of every February, is a three- ♥QJ98
♦ 10 4
day pairs event with qualifier and final, and a five-day ♣ J 10 3
teams event with three days of qualifying and two days of West East
♠2 ♠K76543
finals.
♥754 ♥K
♦AKQJ853 ♦976
In the early stages of last years pairs tournament, I ♣Q8 ♣K76
thought Joan Butts (one of the leading teachers and South
♠Q8
players in Queensland, where the event is held) did very ♥ A 10 6 3 2
nicely here. Johnno Newman opened a gambling three ♦2
♣A9542
no-trump in front of her, and when Matt Brown took the
low road by bidding four clubs, pass or correct, Newman South West North East
duly bid four diamonds. 3 NT * Pass 4♣
Pass 4♦ Pass Pass
This was passed back to Butts, and she bravely bid four 4♥ All pass
hearts to end the auction. (Five diamonds would have
Opening Lead: ♦K
been a cheap save, even at unfavorable vulnerability.)
The defenders led two rounds of diamonds, and she ruffed the second. What would you
do now?
Butts read the position correctly when she led a spade to the ace to take the heart finesse
and draw a second round of trumps. Then she played a second spade. The defenders
could take their spade winner, but they had no way to get more than one trick out of the
club suit; declarer had an 88% score on the board.
Of course, if declarer takes an early spade finesse, West gets the spade ruff to defeat the
game. Declarer knew not to take that finesse, since West’s gambling three no-trump
opener had practically denied a side ace or king.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: It is tempting to bid spades at the
South Holds: two- or three-level now, but it might be better
♠K76543 to give preference to two diamonds, since
♥K your spade intermediates are so terrible and
♦976 your heart king isn’t pulling its full weight.
♣K76 You may still be able to get to spades if your
partner keeps the auction alive. I’d bid two
South West North East spades I suppose, but I’m conflicted.
1♦ Pass
1♠ Pass 2♣ Pass
?
The Aces on Bridge: Thursday, February 21st, 2019
“They say to know oneself is to know all there is that is human. But of course no one can
ever know himself. Nothing human is finally calculable; even to ourselves we are strange.”
— Gore Vidal
Dealer: E North
When this deal was originally written up at last year’s Gold Vul: None ♠ K 10 7 5
Coast tournament, the author commented that after a ♥A3
♦KQJ9
diamond lead and continuation against four spades, it ♣A93
would be necessary to handle trumps very carefully. If West East
♠86 ♠AQ9
West had passed his partner’s opening bid, it might be
♥9865 ♥ Q 10 4
best to win the second diamond in dummy and play East ♦ 10 4 ♦A7653
for the spade ace-queen by leading a low trump from ♣ Q 10 8 7 6 ♣J5
South
dummy. This neutralizes the trump promotion. ♠J432
♥KJ72
Let’s revisit that statement; it might be necessary, but ♦82
♣K42
would it be sufficient? Over to Terry Brown, who told his
tale of woe. In round one of the open teams, he arrived at South West North East
the table and was greeted by Don and Judy Scown of 1 NT *
Forster, New South Wales. On the evidence provided by Pass 2♠** Dbl. 3♣
3♠ Pass 4♠ All pass
this deal, Brown hypothesized that Forster Bridge Club
must be full of hucksters, con-artists and flim-flam
*12-14
merchants.
**Clubs
On the auction shown, Don led the diamond 10 against Opening Lead: ♦10
four spades; Judy won the ace and returned the suit.
Brown now won in dummy and led a low trump — well played!
Not to be outdone, Judy hopped up with the ace(!) and returned a third diamond. Yes,
maybe declarer should have ruffed in with the jack — would you have thought of it? Terry
discarded, West scored his trump eight and Judy still had the trump queen to come, for
one down.
As Brown remarked, be warned! Make sure to keep your wallet hidden if you go to
Forster. There are some horse-thieves out there after your hard-earned cash.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: Your partner’s double is not
South Holds: penalty; he rates to have values and no
♠AQ9 clear call. (He is unlikely to have both
♥ Q 10 4 majors, or he might have bid spades, then
♦A7653 hearts). A typical shape would be 3-4-3-3, so
♣J5 you can introduce your diamonds, confident
that if you do not have an eight-card fit there,
South West North East hearts will be more than playable.
1♣
Dbl. Pass 1♥ 2♣
Pass Pass Dbl. Pass
?
The Aces on Bridge: Friday, February 22nd, 2019
“An act of God was defined as something which no reasonable man could have
expected.”
— A. P. Herbert
Dealer: W North
What do you think would be the relative fates of four Vul: Both ♠ 10 8
hearts and three no-trump? At the Gold Coast last year in ♥AJ762
♦7
a teams match, one East-West pair pre-empted to two ♣K6532
spades, but it didn’t prevent their opponents from finding West East
♠KJ9542 ♠Q7
their way to four hearts by North.
♥4 ♥ 10 8 5
♦ J 10 8 6 5 ♦Q432
It looks natural for declarer to cash the diamonds to pitch ♣Q ♣ A J 10 7
the spade loser, then play on clubs. The defenders can South
♠A63
shift to trumps, but then declarer arranges to ruff out the ♥KQ93
clubs. Alternatively, the defenders can force declarer to ♦AK9
♣984
ruff in hand — but he can ruff diamonds low and, if
necessary, a third round of spades high. South West North East
2♠ Pass 3♠
What you cannot do, however, is play three rounds of 3 NT All pass
trumps early — which was what happened at the table.
Now the 4-1 club break meant that the defenders could Opening Lead: ♠5
force the North hand and leave declarer short of entries to
set up clubs, so he ended with just nine tricks.
In the other room, Danny Sprung had the delight of playing three no-trump here on a
spade lead. He ducked the first spade, won the second and cashed his hearts. After the
last heart was played, East held three cards in each minor. West came down to three
spades, the bare club queen and two diamonds. That was fatal; declarer could play three
rounds of diamonds, which endplayed East to lead clubs into dummy’s tenace for the
ninth trick.
West’s problem was that he did not know who had the last spade — and I’m not sure how
the defenders could have signaled to get this right.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: It feels right to re-raise to three
South Holds: diamonds. With so little defense to the
♠Q7 majors but a good fit for your partner, you
♥ 10 8 5 should be able to take nine tricks, or the
♦Q432 opponents must be able to make a
♣ A J 10 7 partscore. For the record, the bid of a major
here would show a stopper and fit for
South West North East diamonds, with a maximum.
1♦ Pass
1 NT Pass 2♦ Pass
?
The Aces on Bridge: Saturday, February 23rd, 2019
“The people people have for friends your common sense appall
But the people people marry are the queerest folk of all.”
— Charlotte Perkins Gilman
Dealer: E North
At the Gold Coast teams tournament last year, Frances Vul: E-W ♠6
Hinden and Graham Osborne came all the way from ♥8
♦A98732
England, and who did they get to play? The Scots team. ♣ A K 10 9 2
In that match, Osborne played four hearts nicely here. West East
♠K87 ♠ Q J 10 9 2
There is only one lead by West to defeat four hearts — a ♥KQ63 ♥74
♦KQ64 ♦J5
small trump. After Victor Silverstone’s lead of a top ♣Q8 ♣J764
diamond honor, Osborne won the ace and ruffed a South
♠A543
diamond, trying to score as many of his small trumps as ♥ A J 10 9 5 2
possible, then crossed to a top club to lead a third ♦ 10
♣53
diamond, ruffed by Derek Diamond and overruffed in
hand. Now a club to dummy allowed declarer to ruff South West North East
another diamond. The spade ace and a spade ruff Pass
produced a five-card ending where declarer was down to 1♥ Pass 2♦ Pass
2♠ Pass 2 NT Pass
two losing spades and the A-J-10 of hearts, with the lead 3♥ Pass 4♥ All pass
in dummy.
Osborne now led a diamond from dummy, and when East Opening Lead: ♦K
ruffed with the four, he discarded a spade. No matter
which black suit East led next, Osborne could follow with his remaining spade, to ensure
two of the last three tricks.
Had East retained both of his trumps in the five-card ending (together with one spade and
two clubs), declarer would have needed to lead a club from dummy and pitch a spade as
East won his jack.
At that point, West has one spade and four hearts and must pitch his spade to leave his
partner on play. In turn, that means West will have to ruff his partner’s plain-suit winner at
the next trick and be endplayed to concede two of the last three tricks.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: It seems obvious to bid or
South Holds: transfer into spades, doesn’t it? Indeed, the
♠ Q J 10 9 2 normal route with hands like this is to
♥74 transfer into spades then offer no-trump.
♦J5 Here, however, I believe the quality of your
♣J764 spades should argue for playing four
spades, even facing a small doubleton. I
South West North East would transfer, then bid four spades — or
2 NT Pass use a Texas transfer to spades if that is in
? my repertoire.

My partner opened a strong two clubs, and I Recently, I was declaring three spades, and
gave the neutral response of two diamonds. when I led the trump king, one opponent
After a rebid of two no-trump, can I use revoked. I asked her if she had any spades,
Stayman and Jacoby Transfers, just as if my and she corrected the revoke by playing her
partner had opened the bidding with a no- trump ace at once. What is the consequence
trump call? What is the best use for a bid of of this? If I make three spades with an
three spades here? overtrick thanks to the revoke, would that be
game?
— Movers and Shakers, Albuquerque, N.M.
— Portia’s Pa, Lake Oswego, Ore.
ANSWER: You play exactly the same as

over a two no-trump opening bid. (The same ANSWER: For a revoke to be established,
applies when you overcall a weak two-bid the offending side must have played to the
with a natural two no-trump call.) Use the next trick, unless a claim has been made. So
three-spade call in one of two ways: either here, the revoke is not established and the
as Minor Suit Stayman or as a puppet to player can correct the revoke, with the card
three no-trump. After that, responder can played in error a penalty card. In this case, it
show one or both minors in various ways. must be led to the next trick — but penalty
Some possibilities are listed at cards are not always so simple if someone
bit.ly/AoB2NTresponses. else wins the key trick! In any event, revoke
penalties serve as under- or overtricks and
can never turn a part-score contract into a
Dear Mr. Wolff: game.
When declaring, I can generally keep track
of the trumps. But following the spots in Dear Mr. Wolff:
more than two suits is a challenge. What
would you recommend as a way forward? Would you ever compare the safety play in
bridge to a gambit in chess or a sacrifice in
— Losing the Thread, Detroit, Mich. baseball? Are there other games, such as
poker, that serve as more apt comparisons
to bridge?
ANSWER: I do not recommend trying to
count all the suits. Focus on the ones that — Boy Scout, Pleasanton, Calif.
seem most likely to matter to you after
dummy comes down. Try to focus only on
trump (just count the missing ones in the ANSWER: Most safety plays in bridge
opponents’ hands) and one other suit. As definitely advance your side’s cause by
you get more skilled at the task, maybe you guaranteeing your contract, while a sacrifice
can expand your repertoire. at baseball is a less-guaranteed return on
investment. Maybe a better comparison
would be to the suicide squeeze, safety
Dear Mr. Wolff: squeeze or sacrifice fly, which all get a run in
when executed well. Psyching in bridge is
Would you consider it appropriate to open like bluffing in poker, while the cerebral
with a pre-empt in third seat, holding ♠ 4-3, approaches required for chess and bridge
♥ K-Q-8-7-3, ♦ A-7-3-2, ♣ 10-3? I assume are very similar. I wish bridge players
you might pass at some vulnerabilities, but if realized that they need to read in order to
you bid, do you prefer one or two hearts? improve, just as chess players do!
— Risking it All, Panama City, Fla.
ANSWER: You are right that I would

probably pass at unfavorable vulnerability,
though the heart 10 might tempt me to act.
Non-vulnerable, I might mix it up with a call
of two hearts, but a simple opening of one
heart with both sides vulnerable is perfectly
reasonable and mixes aggression with some
degree of safety.
“On the Plains of Hesitation bleach the bones of countless millions who, at the Dawn of
Victory, sat down to wait, and waiting — died!”
— George W. Cecil
Dealer: S North
How would you handle the North hand after using Vul: E-W ♠ 10
Stayman and failing to find a heart fit? The simple route to ♥9543
♦AQ852
follow is to bid three no-trump. A more prudent route ♣KJ7
would be to bid three diamonds, suggesting game-forcing West East
♠QJ983 ♠6542
values and a doubt about strain or level. In other words,
♥ 10 7 6 ♥AQJ2
either one major is a concern or North has interest in ♦ 10 3 ♦KJ9
higher things. ♣654 ♣83
South
♠AK7
If North had chosen the diamond call, South would have ♥K8
signed off in three no-trump because he has both majors ♦764
♣ A Q 10 9 2
stopped — but you can easily imagine that South’s spade
ace-king could be the ace of hearts and diamond king, in South West North East
which case North-South might make slam in a minor but 1 NT Pass 2♣ Pass
go down in three no-trump. 2♦ Pass 3 NT All pass
That said, after a top spade lead against three no-trump,

Opening Lead: ♠Q
how should South play? Declarer has eight sure tricks and
needs a ninth from one of the red suits. In which order should he go about playing those
suits? The answer is slightly counterintuitive, in that he must try a heart toward the king
first, and fall back on the diamond finesse if necessary.
Yes, technically, playing a heart could allow the defenders to run four tricks on him —
even five tricks on a really terrible day. But the point is that South can afford to lose four
heart tricks. He can still fall back on taking the diamond finesse sooner or later, for his
contract.
By contrast, if declarer takes the diamond finesse and it loses, there is no fallback
position. The defenders set up spades and are ready to win the heart ace and cash out.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: This is a tough one! Should you
South Holds: double hearts, then bid spades? I think so,
♠6542 since even if your right-hand opponent has
♥AQJ2 length in hearts, that might be your best suit.
♦KJ9 Double hearts for penalty and then bid
♣83 spades if the opponents find a fit in a minor
suit. Whether you should bid spades or jump
South West North East in that suit may depend on just how the
1♦ Dbl. 1♥ bidding develops.
?
“It doesn’t much signify whom one marries, for one is sure to find next morning that it was
someone else.”
— Samuel Rogers
Dealer: S North
Today’s deal from a recent tournament appeared under Vul: N-S ♠J7
the headline of the old proverb: “For the want of a nail, the ♥AQ873
♦AKJ9
horseshoe was lost.” ♣J4
West East
As the writer indicated, it is probably lucky for all of us ♠K982 ♠Q6543
how rarely our small inaccuracies are as heavily punished ♥9642 ♥KJ
♦ 10 8 6 3 ♦Q
as was the case today. If we all got our just deserts, life at ♣3 ♣ 10 8 7 6 5
the bridge table would be no fun at all. South
♠ A 10
♥ 10 5
You could argue that East-West did not deserve a good ♦7542
result, given East’s overcall in spades on that miserable ♣AKQ92
five-carder, though it did get his partner off to the best lead
against no-trump. (Of course, West led the spade two, 1♣ Pass 1♥ 1♠
which had the effect of blocking the suit.) North-South had Pass 3♠ Dbl. Pass
certainly done well to get to the best game; now all South 3 NT All pass
had to do was make the maximum.
Opening Lead: ♠2
Declarer won the first spade and had to decide what to do
next. What would you have done? South missed the technically best play (as might we
all), of cashing the diamond ace at trick two. Instead she tried to run the clubs and got the
bad news when West pitched two hearts and then a spade.
Now declarer finessed the diamond jack and ran into about the only lie of that suit that
could hold her to eight tricks. If she had cashed one top diamond at trick two, she would
have taken four tricks in the suit instead of two, which would have represented about half
a top difference in the results on this deal.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: I’m prepared to jump to four
South Holds: heats, gambling on finding a top card in a
♠J7 black suit opposite, since West is very likely
♥AQ873 to be short in diamonds and to lead that suit.
♦AKJ9 If he does, I’d be optimistic about having
♣J4 nine top tricks in the red suits and finding
another trick somewhere else.
1♦
1♥ Pass 2♥ Pass
?
“Most editors are failed writers — but so are most writers.”

— T.S. Eliot
Dealer: S North
Whether to balance into your opponents’ auction is often a Vul: Both ♠QJ82
simple decision, and players become used to evaluating ♥ A 10 9
♦ 10 8 7
their hands well enough that they tend to know when it is ♣A98
right to bid and when to pass. West East
♠54 ♠97
♥K7654 ♥Q3
Occasionally more complex is how the partner of the
♦AK54 ♦QJ93
balancer should react when the auction continues after ♣K5 ♣ Q 10 7 6 3
the opponents compete again. The question may be just South
♠ A K 10 6 3
how many of your own values have been bid by your ♥J82
partner already! It is often the case that he has bid every ♦62
♣J42
single one of them — and sometimes even more.
In today’s deal, North was faced with just such a decision. Pass 1♥ Pass 1 NT *
He was swayed into competing again because it sounded Pass 2♦ Pass 2♥
like both sides had a double fit, and the vulnerability 2♠ Pass Pass 3♦
Pass Pass 3♠ All pass
meant he might be able to afford to be off a trick in his
calculations and still not be severely punished.
*Forcing
He was absolutely right, with both sides having play for
Opening Lead: ♦K
their three-level contracts. In three spades, South ruffed
the third diamond and led a heart to the nine and queen, then won the trump return to
eliminate the trumps and hearts. At this point, he knew West to have started with a
2=5=4=2 pattern, and to have 10 points in the red suits. So, he needed a club honor to
justify his opening bid, which in turn meant declarer could guarantee his contract by
playing the ace and another club. West did his best by unblocking his club king, but the
defenders could score only one club trick, no matter what.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: Your partner’s double is take-out,
South Holds: suggesting opening values or so. It seems
♠97 obvious to bid three diamonds, since you
♥Q3 prefer that suit over hearts, but your partner
♦QJ93 might easily be three-suited with more clubs
♣ Q 10 7 6 3 than diamonds. It would therefore be more
prudent to bid two no-trump as take-out for
South West North East the minors.
1♣ Pass 1♠
Pass 2♠ Dbl. Pass
?
“Chance is the pseudonym of God when he did not want to sign his name.”
— Theophile Gautier
Dealer: S North
After West showed the majors and North doubled, Vul: Both ♠876
suggesting a defensive hand, South’s first thought was to ♥K874
♦K53
try to reach no-trump. But when North suggested diamond ♣AJ5
support and extras, South took a shot at the slam. West East
♠ K Q J 10 5 3 ♠942
♥ Q 10 9 5 2 ♥6
He captured the lead of the spade king and was almost
♦— ♦QJ8
ready to claim his contract, but he was jolted back to ♣ 10 7 ♣Q98642
reality when West failed to follow to the diamond ace. South
♠A
♥AJ3
It now seemed that he might need West to hold the club ♦ A 10 9 7 6 4 2
queen, or for the heart queen to fall from East. But before ♣K3
committing himself in hearts, declarer saw that he might
achieve an endplay, as long as East’s major-suit holdings 1♦ 2♦* Dbl. 2♠
could be eliminated. 3♠ Pass 5♦ Pass
6♦ All pass
East was marked with no more than one heart, but if he *5-5 or more in the majors
also held just three spades, which would be consistent
with the action, the position of the club queen might turn Opening Lead: ♠K
out to be irrelevant.
A trump to dummy’s king allowed declarer to trump a spade in hand. Then a heart to the
king was followed by the ruff of dummy’s third spade. South now took the last necessary
precaution of cashing his club king, then took the heart ace — just in case. Whether East
ruffed with his master trump now or waited until he was endplayed with that card at the
next trick, he would eventually have to play a club around to North. Either way, South’s
losing heart could be discarded.
Note that if South doesn’t cash the club king before playing the third diamond, East can
exit with a club, after which the clubs are blocked.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: Redoubling used to be
South Holds: mandatory, since all bids denied invitational
♠876 values or better. Nowadays, new suits at the
♥K974 one-level by unpassed hands are played as
♦K53 forcing. Redouble is still acceptable here —
♣AJ5 though if the opponents bid spades or clubs,
we may not be able to define our heart
South West North East length precisely. Thus, the choice is a close
1♦ Dbl. one; I’d certainly redouble if my spades and
? diamonds were switched.
The Aces on Bridge: Friday, March 1st, 2019
“If you carry this resolution … you will send a British Foreign Secretary, whoever he may
be, naked into the conference chamber.”
— Aneurin Bevan
Dealer: S North
The art of the striptease can be perfected at the bridge Vul: Both ♠KQ763
table as well in the nightclub. If you can draw trumps and ♥ A 10 2
♦K72
leave yourself with at least one trump in each hand, you ♣ 10 5
can often remove cards from unimportant suits and throw West East
♠A8 ♠ 10
the opponents on lead. You can then force them to give a
♥J764 ♥Q85
ruff-sluff or to open up a suit to your advantage. This ♦Q43 ♦ 10 9 8 5
strategy will also work in no-trump, though not as ♣K842 ♣Q9763
South
frequently. ♠J9542
♥K93
In today’s deal, consider the play in four spades on a ♦AJ6
♣AJ
neutral trump lead. The correct approach after winning the
second trump is to play the club ace and a second club, South West North East
since this is the suit where there is no benefit in having 1♠ Pass 2 NT * Pass
the opponents tackle the suit as opposed to leading it 4♠ All pass
yourself. East’s best play is to win the club and shift to the *Game forcing with spade support
diamond 10. There is no good reason not to finesse, but
Opening Lead: ♠A
when West covers your jack, you win the king and play
two more rounds of diamonds.
East will win the third diamond and shift to a heart (probably a low one, since this would
beat the contract by force if the heart nine and seven were switched). You run the heart
around to dummy, capturing West’s jack with the ace, then finesse against the queen to
make 10 tricks.
As a side note, if East shifts to the heart queen at trick eight, he presents you with a
choice: Will you play him for both heart honors or just the queen? Unless East is an
expert, assume he has both honors.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: Hands like this emphasize the
South Holds: necessity for Checkback Stayman, using the
♠KQ763 other minor as a forcing relay to learn
♥ A 10 2 whether your side has a 5-3 spade fit. If it
♦K72 does, you surely want to play in four spades;
♣ 10 5 if not, three no-trump. So, bid two clubs and
act accordingly over the response.
1♦ Pass
1♠ Pass 1 NT Pass
?
The Aces on Bridge: Saturday, March 2nd, 2019
“The best lack all conviction, while the worst are full of passionate intensity.”
— W.B. Yeats
Dealer: W North
At the 1996 World Championship quarterfinals in Rhodes, Vul: N-S ♠K863
Greece, most North-Souths maneuvered themselves into ♥3
♦AKJ
three no-trump by South on a heart lead after West had ♣QJ532
shown a weak two in hearts. West East
♠5 ♠ A J 10 7 2
♥ A 10 8 7 4 2 ♥J6
In one match, South took the heart king and played the
♦93 ♦875
club king, and East erred by taking her club ace to play a ♣ 10 9 6 4 ♣A87
second heart back. There was really no rush, since South
♠Q94
declarer was unlikely to have nine sure tricks. Declarer ♥KQ95
covered the heart six with the nine, and West naturally ♦ Q 10 6 4 2
♣K
cashed her heart ace, after which declarer was home free.
At the other table in this match, East correctly ducked the 2♦* Pass 2♥
club king. Now declarer crossed to the diamond king and Pass Pass Dbl. 3♥
played the club queen. All East had to do was win it and 3 NT All pass
return a club, and the defense would have prevailed. But *Weak two in either major
East played a second heart, and again the defensive
Opening Lead: ♥7
communications had been cut.
In both the Open and Women’s series, almost every East besides Irina Levitina of the U.S.
failed to duck the first club and continue the suit when declarer played it again. The
defense was so blinded by the distraction in hearts that they could not see the simple way
to defeat the contract.
Was there anything that declarer could have done about a correct defense? Yes, as
Alfredo Versace for Italy demonstrated. Once the club king held the trick, declarer could
cut the defensive communications by playing back a top heart himself! The defenders
could take only four tricks now, no matter what they did next.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: You could settle for a penalty
South Holds: here: If your partner has a singleton
♠Q94 diamond and the other three aces, you might
♥KQ95 expect to take about seven tricks on
♦ Q 10 6 4 2 defense. Or you could look for game in
♣K either hearts or no-trump. Since a 4-3 heart
fit might be awkward to play, I would start by
South West North East cue-bidding, then convert a three-spade
2♦ Dbl. Pass response to three no-trump, hoping partner
? could bid on with real extras.
The Aces on Bridge: Sunday, March 3rd, 2019

I have tried hard to explain to my bridge Please recommend some books that might
class how the Monty Hall problem works and help me master the percentages in order to
how it applies to bridge in the form of the gain a basic knowledge of the essentials in
principle of restricted choice. I’m not sure bridge?
I’ve convinced them yet. Do you have a
patented method? — Captain Crunch, Albany, N.Y.
— Razor’s Edge, Tupelo, Miss.
ANSWER: Kelsey and Glauert wrote
informatively on this subject, but for the truly
ANSWER: Imagine you are missing the devoted expert, there are highly complex
queen, jack, five and four of trumps. You books by Borel and Roudinesco. The normal
lead to the ace, and your left-hand opponent player, however, can get by with only a few
produces one of the honors. Should you basic rules. Learn the normal splits missing
finesse next or play for the drop? Well, a three, four, five or six cards, and you really
singleton honor is almost twice as likely as don’t need much else. The ACBL’s most
the queen-jack doubleton, even though any recent version of the Encyclopedia of Bridge
specific singleton is slightly less likely than certainly covers those basics.
a specific doubleton. With queen-jack
doubleton, the player has a choice of cards
to play; with a singleton honor, he has no Dear Mr. Wolff:
choice.
Recently, I held ♠ Q-J-4-2, ♥ 10-7, ♦ 10-9-8-
6, ♣ J-8-3, and my opponents bid unopposed
Dear Mr. Wolff: one club – one no-trump – two no-trump
three no-trump. What would you have led
In second seat vulnerable, you hold ♠ 2, ♥ K- here? (The winning lead was a heart, since
9-4, ♦ A-K-10-4-3, ♣ K-J-5-4. After a four- partner had five decent hearts and an entry.)
spade bid on your right, I assume you would
double to show a good hand. Partner now — Right Said Fred, Harrisburg, Pa.
bids four no-trump. What does that call
mean, and what should I do next?
ANSWER: Dummy probably has a balanced
— Mumbles, Wausau, Wis. 18 with some club length, while declarer has
no major and is therefore 4-4 or so in the
minors. Partner needs to have 10-11 points
ANSWER: Partner’s call suggests a two- to give you a chance, but he didn’t bid. I
suiter, to which you respond by bidding your would guess partner’s shape to be 3-4-3-3
better minor at the five-level — unless your (again, give or take a card), and I’d lead a
hand is so strong that you want to drive to diamond, hoping dummy has a doubleton
slam. Be aware, though, that your partner queen or jack. I’d never expect my partner to
might have hearts and clubs, planning to refrain from bidding with values and five
correct five diamonds to five hearts. The hearts.
wisest bid here is five clubs, to ensure
finding a good fit, if not the best.
Dear Mr. Wolff:

After opponents have opened one no-trump,
does the meaning of their double of a
transfer bid depend on the range of the no-
trump, and on whether yours is a passed or
unpassed hand? Should it promise a good
suit, a good hand or both?
— Coming Up for Air, Newport News, Va.
ANSWER: Yes, the range of the no-trump

and whether yours is a passed hand are
both critical here. Double by an unpassed
hand after the opponents have opened
anything but a strong no-trump shows a
good hand but not necessarily a great
holding in the suit doubled. Any other double
should be lead-directing, showing a good
suit but not necessarily guaranteeing a good
hand.
The Aces on Bridge: Monday, March 4th, 2019
“Just because you’re paranoid, doesn’t mean someone isn’t watching you.”
— Anonymous
Dealer: S North
After South opens with two no-trump to show a balanced Vul: Both ♠J5
22 to 24 points, what should North do? If North’s long suit ♥74
♦KQ864
were a major, he would transfer into it. But one should ♣9862
only do the same with a minor if there is a possibility of West East
♠K72 ♠Q984
slam in the air. Here, North knows that his side probably
♥ Q 10 8 5 2 ♥J93
belongs in three no-trump, so why help the opponents by ♦ J 10 9 3 ♦7
telling them about his diamonds? North should simply ♣3 ♣ Q J 10 7 5
South
raise to game in no-trump — though give dummy as little ♠ A 10 6 3
as Q-10-fourth of clubs instead of his actual holding, and ♥AK6
♦A52
North might want to consider making a slam try. ♣AK4
When dummy comes down after West’s small heart lead, South West North East
South sees he has five top tricks in spades, clubs and 2 NT Pass 3 NT
hearts, with only slim chances for developing another trick
Opening Lead: ♥5
from the black suits. He therefore needs only four tricks in
diamonds to guarantee his contract.
This in turn suggests that at both teams and rubber bridge, South should take the safety
play of cashing the ace, then deliberately ducking the second round of diamonds to
protect against a 4-1 break in that suit.
As shown in the diagram, South’s precaution is needed to assure the contract today. If
South wins the second diamond in dummy, he can take only three tricks in that suit. His
best play would be to turn his attention to clubs, but when that suit also fails to break, he
emerges with only eight tricks. Still, at pairs, where every trick counts, when you are in a
normal contract, it might make sense to go down in the search for an overtrick.
LEAD WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: When you have a weak hand,
South Holds: leading partner’s suit gives you at least a
♠5 reasonable chance that you might be able to
♥Q74 set that suit up. None of your other holdings
♦J643 are appealing, so you might as well play for
♣J9862 your partner’s hand. Thus, a spade lead
stands out as the safest and most attractive
South West North East shot.
Pass 1♠ Dbl.
Pass 2♣ Pass 2 NT
All pass
The Aces on Bridge: Tuesday, March 5th, 2019
“No need that sort of king should ever die.”

— Robert Browning
Dealer: W North
Today’s deal offers an interesting declarer-play problem Vul: N-S ♠AK63
both for North and South. Let’s look at four hearts on the ♥AJ94
♦A6
bidding shown, with South in the hot seat. ♣K32
West East
Game is easy to reach and appears to be a good contract. ♠94 ♠ J 10 8 2
♥63 ♥87
It gets worse, though, when West leads the club queen
♦87532 ♦ K Q 10 9
and the defense takes three tricks in that suit. As declarer, ♣ Q J 10 9 ♣A54
you should refrain from contributing the club king on either South
♠Q75
the first or second round of the suit from dummy since ♥ K Q 10 5 2
East (unless West is a very calculating customer) has the ♦J4
♣876
ace — but it might be singleton or doubleton. When East
wins the third club, he will probably play the diamond king, South West North East
taken by the ace. Pass 1♣ Pass
One chance is that the spades will split 33, but there is
also a squeeze chance. The only trick you are worrying
Opening Lead: ♣Q
about is the last, so lead out all the trumps. Lo and
behold, East cannot keep the diamond queen and his spades!
This is the simplest of squeezes, but now imagine you are declaring four hearts from
North on a top diamond lead, perhaps after an optimistic two-no-trump opener and a
transfer sequence. Instead of relying on a squeeze here, you simply draw trumps and play
four rounds of spades. If the suit breaks, you pitch your diamond from dummy. If it does
not, you ruff the fourth spade and exit with the diamond jack to East, who must break
clubs for you or give you a ruff-sluff. Either way, you are home safe with 10 tricks.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: Your partner has suggested
South Holds: limited values and heart tolerance. Your fifth
♠Q75 heart strongly suggests competing to two
♥ K Q 10 5 2 hearts to make it harder for the opponents to
♦J4 get together. The Law of Total Tricks makes
♣876 it clear you have an eight-card fit, so you
must contract for at least eight tricks rather
South West North East than sell out.
Pass Pass 1♣ 1♦
1♥ Pass Pass Dbl.
?
The Aces on Bridge: Wednesday, March 6th, 2019
“Curiouser and curiouser.”

— Lewis Carroll
Dealer: S North
My ventures to the local club often yield curious results, Vul: Both ♠973
but this deal from the Common Game six months ago ♥KJ7
♦ 10 3
produced a more unusual conclusion than usual. ♣KQ854
West East
Readers are asked to guess which card won trick 13 in ♠ J 10 6 5 ♠K84
♥ 10 5 4 ♥Q9
four hearts. As you might expect from the introduction,
♦876 ♦KQ52
best play was not necessarily involved. And yes, readers ♣A73 ♣J962
may guess which seat I was occupying, if they like. South
♠AQ2
♥A8632
West led the spade jack against four hearts, and East ♦AJ94
encouraged with the eight, letting South win the queen ♣ 10
and lead a club to the king — correct defense by West to
duck the club ace. 1♥ Pass 2♥ Pass
4♥ All pass
Now declarer made her first slight slip by leading the
diamond 10 (maybe low to the jack was better, though Opening Lead: ♠J
that is debatable). This was covered by the queen and
ace.
At this point, it seems right to play for diamond ruffs, but declarer made a serious error by
cashing the heart ace and leading to the jack. When you want to ruff, don’t draw trumps.
East won the queen to continue with the spade king, and declarer took the ace, drew the
last trump, led a diamond to the jack, and exited in spades.
Now West won and played the 13th spade. South ruffed and led the diamond nine,
allowing East to take his king and get out with a club. At trick 12, South ruffed and led her
last card, the diamond four, and East triumphantly scored his five, more to his surprise
than you might have expected.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: With weak trumps and no
South Holds: guarantee your soft cards are working
♠973 properly, a simple raise to two spades is
♥KJ7 better than a cue-bid raise. You wouldn’t
♦ 10 3 need a dramatic improvement, however, to
♣KQ854 upgrade it to a cuebid. Making the heart jack
the queen would be enough for me.
Pass 1♦ 1♠ Dbl.
?
The Aces on Bridge: Thursday, March 7th, 2019
“Let us leave our old friend in one of those moments of unmixed happiness which, if we
seek them, there are ever some, to cheer our transitory existence here. There are dark
shadows on the earth, but its lights are stronger in the contrast.”
— Charles Dickens
Dealer: S North
In today’s deal, the contract in each room in a teams Vul: None ♠842
game was three no-trump, and at both tables the lead was ♥K64
♦A64
the spade jack. ♣AQ52
West East
At the first table, after winning in hand, declarer led a low ♠ J 10 9 7 5 ♠63
♥8 ♥ Q J 10 9 3
heart and ducked West’s eight. East overtook with the
♦Q9852 ♦ J 10
nine and continued with a second top heart. South won in ♣84 ♣KJ96
hand and turned his attention to clubs, finessing the South
♠AKQ
queen. This lost to the king and back came another heart. ♥A752
Can you see declarer’s winning line now? South failed ♦K73
♣ 10 7 3
when he played on clubs: He needed instead to take all
his spade and diamond winners, then exit with a heart. South West North East
East would have been able to cash two more hearts, but 1 NT Pass 3 NT All pass
would then have to lead a club and let declarer score two
more club tricks.
Opening Lead: ♠J
The second declarer won the spade lead and decided that
his best chance would come from setting up one more trick in the club suit. At trick two, he
crossed to the club ace, then advanced a low club from dummy. East put up the jack, and
now the club 10 and queen were equals and could be established for declarer’s ninth
trick.
If East had played low, would South have followed low, or would he have inserted the club
10? If the 10 lost to the jack, declarer would have regained the lead and led up toward the
queen at his next turn. The only time that it is wrong to put up the 10 is when West started
with exactly the doubleton club jack.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: When deciding how high to bid,
South Holds: do not just look at your honor cards. Your
♠63 intermediates are outstanding, and though
♥ Q J 10 9 3 you don’t expect to find a singleton spade
♦ J 10 opposite, a minimum three-suited hand
♣KJ96 opposite would offer decent play for game.
So jump to three hearts, which may make
South West North East the opponents’ task of finding a fit in spades
Pass 1♠ Dbl. Pass a little harder, and should get you to game if
?
you can make it.
The Aces on Bridge: Friday, March 8th, 2019
by Bobby Wolff on March 22nd, 2019
“Every public action which is not customary, either is wrong, or if it right, is a dangerous
precedent. It follows that nothing should ever be done for the first time.”
— F.M. Cornford
Dealer: N North
In today’s deal, East-West did well not to sacrifice in five Vul: Both ♠QJ93
diamonds, which should certainly go at least two down, ♥AQ3
♦Q6
and might fare even worse from the East seat on an ♣J762
unlikely heart lead. East’s double of two spades showed West East
♠8 ♠A
cards but no obvious call, and West decided to take his
♥KJ62 ♥ 10 9 5 4
chances on defense — a wise choice, with four spades a ♦AK843 ♦J9752
delicate contract. ♣K93 ♣Q84
South
♠ K 10 7 6 5 4 2
When West quite naturally tried to cash two rounds of ♥87
diamonds, South seized his opportunity by ruffing, then ♦ 10
♣ A 10 5
making the critical play of finessing hearts and eliminating
that suit. Then he exited in trumps, and East was South West North East
endplayed with his bare ace. He was forced to concede a 1♣ Pass
ruff-sluff — in which declarer would pitch a club from hand 1♠ Dbl. 2♠ Dbl.
4♠ All pass
and ruff in dummy — or lead a club himself, his actual
choice. Opening Lead: ♦K
That would have been good enough to set the game if the three and 10 of clubs were
switched, but as it was, when West won his club king he had, East had no choice but to
return a club, and declarer could claim the rest.
If a trump is led or a trump shift comes after the lead of the diamond king gets a count
signal from East, the endplay no longer works. Declarer’s best play is to eliminate the red
suits, then lead the club jack from dummy. This will work if either defender holds both the
club king and queen or if West has a doubleton club king or queen. And of course, we
have all seen sleepy defenders fail to cover an honor with an honor when they should …
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: Another thorny problem! Does a
South Holds: takeout double of two spades focus on the
♠A minors (because you’d bid hearts if you had
♥ 10 9 5 4 them)? I think so, but I’d expect my partner
♦J9752 to bid three clubs if he has both minors, at
♣Q84 which point my correction to three diamonds
must show hearts and diamonds — since I
South West North East would have bid three diamonds the round
Pass 1♠ Dbl. 2♠ before with just that suit.
?
The Aces on Bridge: Saturday, March 9th, 2019
by Bobby Wolff on March 23rd, 2019
“Give the lady what she wants!”

— Marshall Field
Dealer: S North
The decline in the number of entries in women’s events Vul: Both ♠ A Q 10 9 6 2
has me wondering how the women of today would match ♥64
♦4
up against the American teams from 50 years ago. After ♣AJ82
all, it was only in the ‘70s that the Venice Cup — the most West East
♠KJ74 ♠85
prestigious of women’s events — came into being.
♥ 10 9 5 2 ♥J
♦75 ♦ Q J 10 9 6 2
As a small piece of evidence that the women back then ♣K64 ♣ 10 9 7 5
could really play, I adduce into evidence this deal from a South
♠3
Spingold knockout match from that period. ♥AKQ873
♦AK83
Mary-Jane Farrell was playing with Marylin Johnson, and ♣Q3
she declared six hearts on the lead of a low trump. She
decided to play the diamond ace and take a diamond ruff, 1♥ Pass 1♠ Pass
then the spade ace and a spade ruff followed by top 3♦ Pass 3♠ Pass
trumps. If hearts had broken, she would have had 12 4♥ Pass 4 NT Pass
5♣ Pass 5 ♦* Pass
tricks, but she needed some more luck when trumps failed
6♦ Pass 6♥ All pass
to behave.
*Asking for the trump queen
She played her remaining top heart and exited with a
heart, throwing two spades and a club from table. Nancy Opening Lead: ♥2
Gruver as West now made a nice play when she
produced the club king to prevent declarer from taking three easy club tricks. Farrell won
the club ace and simultaneously unblocked the club queen from hand to leave a four-card
ending where dummy had two spades and two clubs, while she retained a trump, a club
and two diamonds.
When she ruffed a spade to hand, she would have been home if the king had fallen, but
even as it was, since East had sole control of diamonds and clubs, the spade ruff
squeezed her into conceding the 12th trick.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: My answer here depends on
South Holds: vulnerability and partnership style. I would
♠85 almost never open this hand two diamonds,
♥J but at favorable vulnerability (or with both
♦ Q J 10 9 6 2 sides non-vulnerable and a partnership
♣ 10 9 7 5 agreement), I don’t mind a three-diamond
call. There are, after all, two opponents and
South West North East only one partner. I’d be equally aggressive in
? third seat, but not second.
The Aces on Bridge: Sunday, March 10th, 2019

If you open one club and your partner raises After our side missed a game, following the
to two clubs in competition, how much shape opponents’ takeout double of my partner’s
do you need to re-raise to three clubs? If you one-heart opener, it was recommended to
have four or five clubs in a relatively me that a bid called BROMAD might have
balanced hand, what should be the deciding saved the day. This sounds like an
factor? indigestion tablet or remedy against flu.
What is it really?
— Mork from Ork, Fort Walton Beach, Fla.
— Spoonful of Sugar, Baltimore, Md.
ANSWER: When your partner raises clubs,

you hope he will have five but expect him to ANSWER: Bergen Raises Over the Double
have additional shape or values if he has of a Major allow you to differentiate weak
only four; you also expect more values than and strong raises after the double of a major.
from a pre-emptive raise. Accordingly, Jump raises remain pre-emptive, but with 8-
possession of four clubs, together with any 10 and three trumps, you begin by bidding
additional side-suit shape, should suffice. two clubs — an artificial call to show
With five trumps, I would always bid on to precisely this hand. More and more people
the three-level. play either transfers or something artificial
here (and also when an overcall of a major is
doubled). See www.larryco.com/bridge-
Dear Mr. Wolff: articles/ interference-after-our-1-of-a-major.
I was last to speak and had ♠ J-6-3, ♥ 10-2,
♦ A-Q-10-9, ♣ K-J-7-2. I heard one spade Dear Mr. Wolff:
from my partner, and when I responded one
no-trump, planning to rebid two no-trump, he My right-hand opponent dealt and opened
jumped to three diamonds. I assume this is one heart, and I held ♠ Q-4, ♥ K-6, ♦ K-10-7-
game-forcing, so a raise to four diamonds 6-5, ♣ A-J-8-3. What is correct in theory and
could not be passed; but what might my in practice? Would your call be affected by
other options be? the vulnerability?
— Catch a Falling Star, Albany, Ga, — All Shook Up, Staten Island, N.Y.
ANSWER: A bid of four diamonds isn’t ANSWER: You have a feeble suit without
necessarily stronger than a jump to five, but intermediates and not enough values to
the latter suggests good trumps and nothing insist on coming in right now. I’d need an
else. You could argue that a cue-bid of four extra diamond honor for a two-level overcall.
clubs will probably lead your partner to use Move the queen from spades into diamonds,
Blackwood and so should be safe, but and an overcall is acceptable; but under no
maybe a call of four no-trump here should be circumstances should you double or bid two
diamond fit and nothing to cue-bid. Don’t try no-trump at your first turn to speak.
that without discussion!
Dear Mr. Wolff:

I help instruct beginning bridge players and
hear some unusual questions. One idea
proposed last week was dismissed as
ludicrous. But on second thought, I’m not
sure of the correct answer. Can a player
open the bidding at any of the four positions
with a double? While sounding crazy, it could
add another descriptive bid to one’s arsenal.
— Odds Bodkins, Danville, Ill.
ANSWER: The rules do not permit this

action, but I like it as a non-bridge variant.
An opening double shows a balanced 11-14,
so partner can pass with a weak hand.
Meanwhile doubling partner’s suit would
show scattered values and no long suit.
Some day in a special holiday event,
perhaps? (The reason you can’t double as
the initial action is that, per Law 19, a double
must be of a preceding bid by an opponent.)
“Then nothing will remain of the iron age

And all these people but a thighbone or so, a poem
Stuck in the world’s thought, splinters of glass

In the rubbish dumps, a concrete dam far off in the mountain.”
— Robinson Jeffers
Dealer: W North
This week’s themed deals all have something in common Vul: Both ♠AK4
in the auction. In each case, either North or South ♥7
♦KJ754
produce a cue-bid, an imprecise term that covers a ♣AQ65
multitude of evils. West East
♠ Q 10 8 ♠J965
Some cue-bids are hard to interpret, but today’s deal ♥A9653 ♥ Q 10 8 4
♦62 ♦ Q 10 9 3
features a gadget that has moved into the modern ♣ 10 8 3 ♣9
repertoire and meets with almost universal approval — South
♠732
the splinter. A jump in a new suit in a sequence where a ♥KJ2
call one level lower would be forcing, the splinter can be ♦A8
♣KJ742
played as setting partner’s suit as trump. It simultaneously
shows slam suitability and shortage in the suit in question. South West North East
In today’s deal, since two hearts would have been forcing, Pass 1♦ Pass
North can show club fit and a singleton heart by his three- 2♣ Pass 3♥* Pass
3 NT Pass 4♣ Pass
heart call, after which the auction progresses naturally to 4♦ Pass 4♠ Pass
slam. 6♣ All pass
*Shortness, agreeing clubs
West finds the best lead against six clubs, a trump.
Declarer can see that if either minor behaves, he can Opening Lead: ♣3
come to 12 tricks in the form of seven trump tricks and
five winners from spades and diamonds, or six trump tricks, two spades and four
diamonds.
If both minors misbehave, however, he must set up a heart. The right moment to do that is
now, so he wins the club ace and leads a heart. When East plays low, declarer puts in the
jack, expecting that East might not have been able to duck the ace here. Once the jack
forces the ace, declarer has plenty of time to ruff out the diamonds, then finish drawing
trumps and emerge with six trump tricks, two spades, one heart and three diamonds.
LEAD WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: You clearly don’t want a ruff here,
South Holds: so you should not lead the club nine unless
♠K653 you think the situation demands passive
♥Q843 play. I’d prefer to set up spades if I can,
♦KQ8 before declarer gets either hearts or clubs
♣92 going for discards. So, I would lead my
partnershipagreed small spade, be it fourth-
South West North East highest or third and low.
1♦
Pass 1♥ Pass 2♦
All pass
“She was always attentive to the feelings of dogs, and very polite if she had to decline
their advances.”
— George Eliot
Dealer: N North
The phrase “advance cue-bid” generally refers to a Vul: E-W ♠A74
sequence in which one hand has limited itself, typically by ♥Q75
♦K8
a non-forcing call or an opening bid or rebid at no-trump. ♣AQ852
After such a bid, new suits above three no-trump agree West East
♠J9 ♠ K Q 10 6 5 3
your partner’s suit — rather than suggesting an earlier
♥2 ♥843
misbid or a mis-sorting of your hand. ♦ 10 7 6 4 3 2 ♦AJ9
♣J743 ♣9
In today’s auction, North opens one no-trump, and South South
♠82
shows a forcing hand with hearts after the two-spade ♥ A K J 10 9 6
overcall. (North-South are playing Lebensohl — see ♦Q5
♣ K 10 6
www.larryco.com/ bridge-articles/lebensohl.)
Now North’s four-club call sets hearts as trump and 1 NT 2♠
suggests some extras and suitability for hearts, over 3♥ Pass 4♣ Pass
which South has enough to be interested in slam, but no 5♥ Pass 6♥ All pass
spade or diamond control. He solves his problem by
jumping to five hearts, trying to suggest a hand like the Opening Lead: ♠J
one he has.
North concludes the auction by bidding six hearts, hoping he can avoid a diamond lead, or
that in the worst-case scenario partner will produce the jack or queen there. After the
spade lead, South starts drawing trumps and discovers East has three hearts, thus not too
many cards in the minors.
He takes out all the trumps, then leads the club 10 (tempting a cover) to the queen. His
plan is to come to hand with the club king and try to run the suit. This line works against a
singleton jack or nine in East, whereas leading the king initially gives a nasty guess on the
second round, while leading low to the ace on the first round blocks the suit.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: Hands on the borderline between
South Holds: pre-empts and one-level openers often pose
♠ K Q 10 6 5 3 my readers problems, but I would never
♥843 pass a hand with this good a good suit. Even
♦AJ9 in a two-suiter, commit to opening at
♣9 whatever level you think is right. With hands
like this 10-pointer, your clumped honors are
South West North East worth more than the sum of the parts. Open
? one spade, except in second seat
vulnerable, where two spades is acceptable.
“Morality is a private and costly luxury.”

— Henry Brooks Adams
Dealer: S North
Modern bidding has advanced tremendously from the Vul: Both ♠J74
early days in the area of cue-bidding. When I was growing ♥AK3
♦Q73
up, cue-bids were reserved for aces; gradually one ♣KQ97
learned to cue-bid kings and secondary shortness. But it West East
♠Q5 ♠ 10 3
was the Italians who managed to formalize cue-bidding to
♥ 10 9 8 5 ♥762
a point where bypassing a suit almost denies a control of ♦ K 10 6 ♦AJ52
any sort in that suit. ♣ 10 8 3 2 ♣J654
South
♠AK9862
Today’s deal shows both the upside and downside of that ♥QJ4
approach. After North-South set spades as trump, with ♦984
♣A
North raising to three spades to suggest some extras,
South cue-bid his club ace. North now showed a heart South West North East
control, bypassing the diamonds; South knew there was 1♠ Pass 2♣ Pass
no diamond control, so he closed up shop in four spades. 2♠ Pass 3♠ Pass
4♣ Pass 4♥ Pass
4♠ All pass
Of course, West was listening to the auction, too: he led a
low diamond, and suddenly four spades was in jeopardy. Opening Lead: ♦6
Can you see how the defenders should prevail?
When declarer played low from dummy, East put in the jack, led a low diamond to his
partner’s king, won the third diamond with his ace and led the 13th diamond. Whatever
declarer does now — and presumably ruffing low is correct — West will score his spade
queen sooner or later. If East cashes his diamond ace at trick two, the trump promotion is
unobtainable.
Does this mean North-South did something wrong? I don’t think so, since if you bid every
hand correctly and pay off to the opponents leading accurately, you will do better overall
than if you hit and hope on every deal.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: This does not look like the sort of
South Holds: hand where you want to bid clubs at the
♠Q5 three-level and have to ruff hearts in dummy
♥ 10 9 6 5 with high trumps. Instead, settle for the
♦ K 10 6 relative security of spades. Bid two spades,
♣ 10 8 3 2 which implicitly suggests a doubleton or a
dead minimum hand with three spades.
South West North East Otherwise, you would already have
1♠ 2♥ supported spades.
Pass Pass Dbl. Pass
?
“I don’t demand that a theory correspond to reality because I don’t know what it is. Reality
is not a quality you can test with litmus paper.”
— Stephen Hawking
Dealer: S North
We have established that in mid-auction you tend to bid Vul: N-S ♠Q7
no-trump if you have the opponent’s suit under control, but ♥ 10 6 2
♦KQ3
you can ask partner for help by cue-bidding that suit. But ♣ A J 10 4 3
what if the opponents have bid or shown two suits? Does West East
♠AK42 ♠ 10 9 8 3
a call ask or state?
♥AJ873 ♥95
♦962 ♦J84
The general rule is that when there are two danger suits, ♣6 ♣Q875
you bid where you live. So on the auction shown today, South
♠J65
South’s three-heart call shows a heart stop and, by ♥KQ4
inference he can’t have too much in spades or he would ♦ A 10 7 5
♣K92
have bid no-trump himself.
North’s three-spade call suggests a half-stopper in spades 1 NT * 2♣** 3♣ Pass
or three small cards, since (once again) he would bid no- 3♥ Pass 3♠ Pass
trump if he could, and would eschew no-trump with short 3 NT All pass
spades. *12-14
**Majors
When South bites the bullet and bids three no-trump,
West leads out the top spades, suggesting to South that Opening Lead: ♠A
spades are 4-4; but whether they are breaking or not,
South must find his best chance to bring in clubs for five tricks. If he loses a trick to the
club queen, he will surely go down, since West has an entry to the spades in the heart
ace.
With West having nine cards in the majors, it is correct to play East for the club queen. To
do that, declarer crosses to the diamond king in dummy and runs the club jack.
This play picks up the 4-1 club breaks where East has the queen (of which there are four)
while losing to the singleton club queen in West, a far less likely case.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: If this were non-forcing, you
South Holds: would pass; but how can it be? Your partner
♠Q7 would have raised two clubs to three clubs if
♥ 10 6 2 that were so (since he isn’t looking to play
♦KQ3 four spades, apparently). If you have to bid
♣ A J 10 4 3 now, showing your values in diamonds with
a call of three diamonds is a fairly accurate
South West North East description of your hand.
1♣ 1♥ 1♠ Pass
2♣ Pass 2♦ Pass
2♠ Pass 3♣ Pass
?
“(The atomic bomb) looks terrible but in fact it isn’t. … All reactionaries are paper tigers.”
— Mao Zedong
Dealer: S North
All this week, we are looking at different uses of the cue- Vul: N-S ♠A74
bid in modern bidding. Part of the problem with ♥AJ2
♦K5
deciphering how the call should be interpreted is that the ♣KJ875
word “cue-bid” is used in many different contexts. How are West East
♠KJ963 ♠ 10 8 5
you to know what’s going on? Is the call an ask, a
♥ 10 8 4 3 ♥K96
statement, a control or something else? ♦2 ♦ J 10 8 7 6
♣A94 ♣ 10 3
A good general rule is that any bid of the opponents’ suit South
♠Q2
above three no-trump promises a control. Any bid of the ♥Q75
opponents’ suit below three no-trump, if that call does not ♦AQ943
♣Q62
come on the first round of the auction, is looking for a
stopper for no-trump until it is proven that this meaning South West North East
does not apply. 1♦ 1♠ 2♣ Pass
2♦ Pass 2♠ Pass
Here, therefore, North’s two-spade call asks for a spade 2 NT Pass 3 NT All pass
stopper, and South is happy to oblige. When West leads a
small heart against three no-trump, South must resist the Opening Lead: ♥3
knee-jerk reaction to finesse. That is the greedy play —
and one you might consider at pairs. But if South yields to temptation, East will win the
heart king and shift to spades, and down goes the contract.
Instead, declarer can avoid that risk by winning the heart ace and playing the king and ace
of diamonds. Then when the bad break comes to light, he can play on clubs and knock
out the club ace. West will win the third round and play a heart, but declarer is home free
now, with the heart queen serving as an entry to his master diamond. The contract will be
in jeopardy only against very unfriendly breaks in both minors.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: You did not have enough to
South Holds: break the transfer over two diamonds, but
♠A74 now, just in case your partner has close to
♥AJ2 slam values, you can bid four clubs. This
♦K5 suggests a source of tricks in clubs and your
♣KJ875 excellent trumps and controls warrant this try
to pique partner’s interest.
1 NT Pass 2♦ Pass
2♥ Pass 3 NT Pass
?
“For want of a nail the shoe was lost.”

— Benjamin Franklin
Dealer: E North
This week’s deals are all linked directly or indirectly to the Vul: None ♠K84
use of the cue-bid in modern bidding. ♥AQ2
♦J74
♣J642
In days of yore, cue-bidding the opponents’ suit was West East
typically the first step in a slam try, and the call promised a ♠ J 10 5 3 ♠AQ7
♥963 ♥ 10 4
control in their suit. These days, as jump raises of
♦K95 ♦ Q 10 8 6 3
partner’s suit are used to pre-empt rather than to show ♣ 10 8 3 ♣AQ9
values, the cue-bid must be subverted to promise fit and South
♠962
values. Hence the use of the term “unassuming cue-bid” ♥KJ875
— the call does not promise a control in the opponents’ ♦A2
♣K75
suit.
Today’s auction sees North promise fit and values, and 1♦
when South denies any extras, the partnership can stop in 1♥ Pass 2♦ Pass
two hearts. However, even that may prove to be too high 2♥ All pass
after the lead of the diamond five.
Opening Lead: ♦5
Imagine declarer ducking East’s diamond 10 at trick one.
He wins the diamond return with his ace and next crosses to dummy with a trump to lead
a club toward his king. Whether East plays high or low, South can establish the 13th club
without letting West on play for the killing shift to the spade jack.
That looks straightforward enough; can you see the defensive wrinkle that might lead to
the defeat of the contract if you aren’t careful? If you play the diamond four from dummy at
trick one, East can figure out to play low. (His partner has either the doubleton five or his
actual holding.) Now you can no longer keep West off play, and if he can find the top
spade shift, it will defeat the contract.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: When is it right to open light in
South Holds: third seat? Normally, with an obstructive call
♠K84 or a lead-directing suit, you can step out of
♥AQ2 line — either a little or a lot, depending on
♦J74 your temperament. For me, this hand meets
♣J642 neither requirement, since I don’t really want
clubs to be led, and such a call hardly gets
South West North East in my opponents’ way. So I’d pass here.
Pass Pass
?

I’m considering taking up inverted minors. I picked up ♠ Q-J-9-4, ♥ K-6, ♦ A-9-3, ♣ Q-J-
The textbooks present different approaches; 4-2 and opened one club. Over my left-hand
would you recommend they be played as opponent’s overcall of one diamond, my
constructive, forcing for one round or forcing partner doubled to show both majors.
to game? Naturally I bid one spade, eventually ending
up in two spades. We had 24 high-card
— Weird Science, Sioux Falls, S.D. points between us, and we made game
easily enough. Should I have bid two spades
at my second turn, as my partner
ANSWER: Inverted minors apply only in suggested?
non-competitive auctions, but they are in
play for either passed or unpassed hands. — Punk Rocker, Fort Worth, Texas
They are forcing for one round if made by an
unpassed hand. I suggest that if either
opener or responder limits their hand with a ANSWER: This is a complex issue. A jump
rebid of two no-trump or three of the agreed to two spades suggests four spades, in
minor at their next turn, that can be passed; response to the known four-card suit; you
otherwise, the partnership is in a game- might have to bid one heart or one spade
forcing auction. with a three-card suit if you don’t have a
diamond stopper. In the same way, when
you open a minor and hear your partner
Dear Mr. Wolff: double one heart, you jump to two spades
with four trumps in anything but a dead-
A recent deal included an opponent making minimum balanced hand.
a Michaels cue-bid, allowing the opponents
to find the right line to make a grand slam.
What are your thoughts regarding the proper Dear Mr. Wolff:
kind of hand for the cue-bid? I wonder
whether a hand with K-J-10 in the red suits I opened one diamond with ♠ Q-8-2, ♥ A-Q-
is enough to bid two spades over one spade. 6, ♦ A-9-4-2, ♣ Q-9-3 and heard my left-hand
The opponents have the boss suit, so your opponent overcall one heart. Now my
hearts and diamonds will probably be outbid partner bid two clubs, and my right-hand
in any case. opponent bid two spades. It feels like I have
some extras and fit, but should I pass, raise
— Junebug, Midland, Mich. or bid no-trump now?
— Musical Chair, Jackson, Tenn.
ANSWER: Terence Reese was scathing in
his criticism of using two-suited calls on
weak hands. (He said it was drawing a ANSWER: Two no-trump suggests a non-
roadmap for the declarer.) I do not mind minimum hand and reasonable stoppers in
acting when non-vulnerable with skimpy the majors. Unless your left-hand opponent
suits, as long as you have offense, not has good spades (in which case partner may
defense. Vulnerable, you need chunky suits, be short and might not raise to three no-
and what you most want to avoid is getting trump), I like the idea of getting no-trump in
on offense when you should be defending. now. But change the club queen to the jack,
But I suspect I would have bid here too! and I might pass.
Dear Mr. Wolff:

Last week when we went to the wrong table,
we started playing a board before the error
was corrected. When we began it at a new
table, we got a top — but the director said
that because the opening bid was different
by our opponents, the result would be
canceled. Was this legally correct?
— Chain of Fools, Richmond, Va.
ANSWER: While the director will try to let a

partially played deal be tackled by the proper
pairs, here it sounds like your second
opponents might not have had a fair crack at
the board. That is because you knew extra
information from the two opening bids you
heard, so it is at the director’s discretion as
to whether the result should stand.
by Bobby Wolff on April 1st, 2019
“When I consider life, ‘tis all a cheat.”

— John Dryden
Dealer: N North
These days in almost every auction where the opponents Vul: None ♠ 10 5
bid or double, it is possible for responder to play transfers ♥ 10 8 7 6 3
♦K74
— and today’s deal from the Silodor Open Pairs in ♣J92
Philadelphia last year was no exception. The auction West East
♠AJ9874 ♠6
might have developed in a similar fashion, with South
♥J95 ♥AK42
declaring three diamonds, if West had made a pre- ♦J2 ♦83
emptive jump to two spades, but his initial call of two ♣43 ♣KQ8765
South
hearts showed six spades of indeterminate range. ♠KQ32
♥Q
The question of how many tricks South would emerge ♦ A Q 10 9 6 5
♣ A 10
with in three diamonds had a slightly surprising answer,
though. You’d expect West to lead a doubleton club and South West North East
South to take East’s queen, draw trumps in two rounds, Pass 1♣
then set up a club for the ninth trick. 1♦ 2♥* Pass 2♠
3♦ All pass
Instead, East managed to throw an intriguing diversion at *Spades
the first trick when he played the club king, trying to
Opening Lead: ♣4
suggest a different lie of that suit to declarer.
It worked to perfection! South was now sure West had three clubs and six spades, and
clearly at least three hearts from the bidding. So she drew just one round of trumps with
the ace and played a second club. East won the queen and could have played for the
spade ruff, but that would have produced only four tricks. Instead, he cashed the heart
king as West gave count, then played a third club. Declarer guessed to discard a spade,
and West ruffed in with the jack and played the spade ace and a second spade to give
partner the ruff and set the hand.
LEAD WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: Your goal here should be to keep
South Holds: declarer from scoring cheap tricks with his
♠873 small clubs. Lead the diamond jack in an
♥K74 attempt to build discards for yourself, so you
♦ J 10 can pitch spades and overruff your right-
♣ K Q 10 7 4 hand opponent. (Even if partner had opened
one heart rather than one spade, I would
South West North East lead the diamond jack.)
Pass 1♠ 2♣
Pass Pass Dbl. All Pass
by Bobby Wolff on April 2nd, 2019
“A lifetime of happiness! No man alive could bear it: It would be hell on earth.”
— George Bernard Shaw
Dealer: S North
Neil Silverman and Robert Lebi have each represented Vul: None ♠QJ95
their countries, the U.S. and Canada, respectively, but ♥Q952
♦64
they were playing together in Philadelphia last spring. ♣Q74
Here, Silverman had an opportunity to test his skills after West East
♠7643 ♠ K 10 8
Lebi had shown a distributional raise in hearts by his jump
♥— ♥ K 10 4 3
to three hearts at his first turn. Modern expert technique is ♦ K Q J 10 7 5 3 ♦A982
tending to an approach in which most limit raises start ♣A6 ♣J5
South
with a cue-bid. Accordingly, the jump raise has morphed ♠A2
over the years from a forcing raise to a limit raise to a pre- ♥AJ876
♦—
emptive raise. These days, though, many use the jump ♣ K 10 9 8 3 2
raise as somewhere between a limit raise and a pre-
emptive raise. South West North East
1♥ 2♦ 3♥ 3 NT
Silverman bid on to five hearts over five diamonds. After 4♣ 4♦ 4♥ Pass
Pass 5♦ Pass Pass
the lead of the diamond king, East went up with the ace, 5♥ Pass Pass Dbl.
planning to continue the attack on diamonds. Declarer All pass
ruffed and led the club 10 from hand (just in case) to
dummy’s queen. When that held, he ran the heart queen, Opening Lead: ♦K
covered all around, then drove out the club ace. West now
played a second diamond, and Silverman pitched a club from hand, leaving the defense
helpless. Whoever won the diamond would have to lead a spade or diamond. Declarer
could ruff the diamond in dummy and pitch a spade from hand, then advance the heart
nine and bring hearts in for no loser.
If East had been able to win the second diamond, declarer could have adopted the same
approach, but would have needed the spade finesse to work.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: You have a relatively simple
South Holds: decision here. Your partner has clubs and
♠QJ95 spades and has indirectly limited his hand by
♥Q952 his failure to jump to two spades. But he
♦64 could certainly have 17 high-card points and
♣Q74 a 5-4 pattern, for example. Does that mean
you should pass? With three working honors
South West North East in the black suits, I think the hand is just
1♣ Pass worth a raise to two spades. If partner had
1♥ Pass 1♠ Pass opened one diamond, I might pass now.
?
by Bobby Wolff on April 3rd, 2019
“Misled by fancy’s meteor ray.”

— Robert Burns
Dealer: S North
From the Silodor Open Pairs in Philadelphia last year, this Vul: Both ♠764
challenge for both declarer and the defense saw Simon ♥AQ
♦764
Cope and Peter Crouch, the eventual winners of the ♣AJ863
event, emerge on top. West East
♠95 ♠ K J 10 8 3 2
♥532 ♥KJ86
In three no-trump after the spade nine lead, Crouch
♦AQ53 ♦2
discouraged, perhaps suggesting he had the heart king. ♣Q972 ♣ 10 4
Declarer won the queen and decided that the right South
♠AQ
approach was to start with the club finesse. So he played ♥ 10 9 7 4
the club king and a club to the jack, which held. Relieved, ♦ K J 10 9 8
♣K5
declarer could take the diamond finesse, thinking that if it
lost to the diamond queen, he could reassess what to do. South West North East
1♦ Pass 2♥* 2♠
To his pleasure, the diamond jack won as well. Declarer 2 NT Pass 3 NT All pass
could now lead a heart to the ace, and rather than cashing
the club ace (which would have squeezed his hand), he *Invitational values, either in
clubs or balanced
played a second diamond. He planned to score two
spades, one heart, four diamonds and two clubs. Opening Lead: ♠9
However, he was shocked when East showed out, and his plans collapsed; ducking the
first diamond was very nice defense by Cope (West).
As usual, with the sight of all four hands, South can do much better; indeed, three no-
trump is cold. Admittedly, though, you need to make the inspired move of laying down the
diamond king at trick two — not obvious by any means! If the defenders win the first or
second diamond, you set up diamonds using the club reentry to your hand. If they duck
twice, you play on clubs and take four tricks there.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: There may appear to be three
South Holds: conceivable actions here (bidding either red
♠AQ suit or no-trump), but in practice, one of
♥ 10 9 7 4 these actions is verboten. To bid two hearts
♦ K J 10 9 8 — a higher suit than your opening bid, at the
♣K5 two-level — shows real extras; this is
defined as a reverse. Since a two-diamond
South West North East rebid typically shows six trumps, the rebid of
1♦ Pass 1♠ Pass one no-trump is comfortably the best option,
? to show a balanced 12-14 points.
The Aces on Bridge: Thursday, March 21st, 2019
by Bobby Wolff on April 4th, 2019
“The bell never rings of itself; unless someone handles or moves it, it is dumb.”
— Plautus
Dealer: E North
When this deal originally appeared at the U.S. National Vul: Both ♠AKQJ5
tournament held in Philadelphia last year, it was called ♥K52
♦A96
“Campanologist’s Delight.” ♣K9
West East
The author indicated that readers of bridge columns are ♠83 ♠9742
♥J64 ♥ A 10 8
always either advantaged or handicapped — depending
♦ 10 2 ♦K875
on how you look at it — by the bell going off. When faced ♣A87542 ♣ Q 10
with a problem, the reader is always led to the critical South
♠ 10 6
decision and thus imperceptibly biased in his thought ♥Q973
process. He is unable to play as he would have played if ♦QJ43
♣J63
he had not been warned he was at the crossroads.
With that in mind, let us look at this deal from the second Pass
final session of the Rockwell Mixed Pairs. You sit East, Pass Pass 1♠ Pass
and against three no-trump your partner leads a fourth- 1 NT Pass 3 NT All Pass
highest club five. You are allowed to win the queen and
Opening Lead: ♣5
can see nothing better than to return the suit. Your partner
wins the ace and returns the seven to clear the suit. Declarer wins the club jack and
advances the diamond queen. Do you win or duck — and if you win, what do you return?
Answer: It doesn’t matter, because you can no longer beat three no-trump! If you failed to
play the club 10 at trick one, you won’t beat the game. Your partner either has jack-sixth of
clubs, in which case your play doesn’t matter at all, or his actual holding. If the latter, you
want to persuade declarer to take his jack at the first trick, after which clubs will be ready
to run.
Declarer can survive by not winning the club jack, but will he? I think not!
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: Don’t get carried away yet. Your
South Holds: partner could still have three small spades
♠AKQJ5 and a Yarborough! You have already shown
♥K52 a good hand, and the question is whether to
♦A96 show a strong balanced hand with a call of
♣K9 one (or two) no-trump or to raise spades to
the two- or three-level. I’m not convinced
South West North East that anything more than a cue-bid raise to
1♦ Pass 1♥ two diamonds is called for.
Dbl. Pass 1♠ Pass
?
The Aces on Bridge: Friday, March 22nd, 2019
“Guides cannot master the subtleties of the American joke.”

— Mark Twain
Dealer: N North
At the Spring National tournament a year ago in Vul: N-S ♠AQ98754
Philadelphia, players came from all around the world to ♥A
♦A
compete in the major events. The Vanderbilt Teams ♣KQ52
Trophy these days is roughly equivalent to a world West East
♠62 ♠ K 10 3
championship, and the last eight teams could probably
♥ 10 9 6 3 ♥84
hold their own against most national teams. ♦ 10 9 5 3 ♦J87
♣876 ♣ A J 10 9 3
This was a very nicely played deal by Tarek Sadek, a South
♠J
long-time regular on the Egyptian team, who had done ♥KQJ752
well to reach the only playable slam on the North-South ♦KQ642
♣4
cards.
West accurately led a club; the lead of the six went to the 2♣ Pass
king and ace. How would you have defended as East 2♥ Pass 2♠ Pass
now? At the table, East returned the club jack. When 3♦ Pass 3♠ Pass
4♦ Pass 4♥ Pass
given a chance to make his slam, Sadek made no
4 NT Pass 5♣ Dbl.
mistake. The critical play was to pitch the spade jack from 6♥ All pass
his hand at trick two, then ruff a small spade in hand. He
could go back to the heart ace to ruff a second spade in Opening Lead: ♣6
his hand, then draw trumps and go to the diamond ace to
run spades.
In fact, the defenders had two chances to beat the slam after the club lead. East could
have removed a critical entry to dummy by playing either red suit, after which declarer
would no longer be able to ruff out the spades. After a diamond shift (the best play, to
remove the side entry to dummy), declarer could either play to ruff a diamond in dummy or
for a spade finesse, allied to some additional squeeze chances. However, today, every
line would fail.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: If you felt that this hand was too
South Holds: good for a raise to two spades (which you
♠ K 10 3 might do without the club ace) but not good
♥84 enough for a limit raise or a redouble —
♦J87 when you might get pre-empted — you are
♣ A J 10 9 3 right. Modern science offers two solutions,
the complex one being transfers after a
South West North East double of a major suit. The simpler path is to
1♠ Dbl. subvert a two-club call to show three trumps
?
and 7-10 high-card points.
The Aces on Bridge: Saturday, March 23rd, 2019
“More brain, O Lord, more brain!

Or we shall mar
Utterly this fine garden we might
win.”
— George Meredith
Dealer: S North
At the U.S. National tournament in Philadelphia last Vul: N-S ♠65
March, Sunday’s A/X Swiss Teams saw a match between ♥AK9853
♦A
the Sonsini and van Overbeeke squads. This resulted in ♣8632
an all-Dutch cast at one of the two tables. East-West were West East
♠J972 ♠43
Bauke Muller and Simon De Wijs, while North-South were
♥764 ♥QJ2
Maarten Schollaardt and Tom van Overbeeke. ♦KJ85 ♦ 10 4 3 2
♣AK ♣Q954
In today’s deal, no game looks very promising, but in four South
♠ A K Q 10 8
spades declarer was lucky to find clubs blocked. On ♥ 10
opening lead, De Wijs cashed the club ace-king, then ♦Q976
♣ J 10 7
played a diamond. (A trump is no better.) Now declarer
pitched his club on dummy’s top hearts, ruffed a heart low South West North East
in hand, then ruffed a diamond in dummy and ruffed a 1♠ Pass 2♥ Pass
club high in hand as West pitched a diamond. 2♠ Pass 2 NT Pass
3♦ Pass 3♥ Pass
Now came a second diamond ruff and a second club ruff
high (West underruffing), to reduce to a three-card ending
where declarer had the Q-10 of trumps and the diamond Opening Lead: ♣K
queen left. Van Overbeeke led the diamond queen, forcing
West to ruff and lead a trump into his tenace to concede the contract.
Perhaps West should have underruffed twice and unblocked the diamond king (in the
hope that his partner had the diamond queen), but as the cards lay, the defenders could
not get out of their own way. Give East the diamond king, and the double underruff would
set the game.
Since three no-trump went down three in the other room, that was a huge swing to the van
Overbeeke team.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: The simplest option is to raise
South Holds: diamonds via a cue-bid, but I think it is
♠J972 slightly superior to start with a double. Your
♥764 plan is to raise diamonds to the appropriate
♦KJ85 level at your next turn, while letting your
♣AK partner know you have four spades. You do
not want to play in spades unless your
South West North East partner can voluntarily introduce that suit,
1♣ 1♦ 1♥ but if he has four, you want to let him know
? about the fit.

Up to what level of opening bid should we What would be the best use for transferring
play penalty doubles of our opponents’ no- into a major, then bidding a minor? Do the
trump opening — and what ranges should same rules apply after a two no-trump as
we treat as a strong no-trump? What after a one no-trump opener?
methods would you recommend we play if
either side removes the double? — Down Under, Sydney, Australia
— Baker’s Dozen, Spartanburg, S.C.
ANSWER: These unopposed transfer
auctions show a second suit, are game
ANSWER: Any no-trump that includes a 13- forcing and imply doubt about strain or level.
count should be treated as weak (and you That means you either have slam interest
might also double third-seat no-trump (you will always have slam interest in the two
openers by those playing strong clubs). If no-trump sequences) or are worried no-
you double a weak no-trump, you can trump might not be right. So without any
pretend your partner opened one no-trump. slam interest — say 9-13 high-card points —
Play Stayman and transfers if you bid. Deal and with a 5-4 pattern, you might ignore the
with the opponents’ runouts as if they had minor over a one no-trump opener, unless
overcalled your partner’s no-trump opener. you have a small side-suit singleton.

In second seat, I picked up ♠ 5-2, ♥ A-K-7-6- I was the opener and passed with ♠ Q-7-4,
4-3, ♦ A-3, ♣ J-8-3 and opened one heart. ♥ Q-7-5-2, ♦ K-8-3, ♣ Q-J-6. Around the
When my partner jumped to four clubs, table, I heard my lef-thand opponent open
showing a singleton club and game values, one club and my partner bid one heart, with
did I have enough to cue-bid four diamonds, a negative double showing four spades to
or should I have signed off in four hearts? my right. What is the right plan of campaign
my hand now?
— Raising the Roof, Columbus, Ohio
— Plain Sailing, Waterbury, Conn.
ANSWER: With real extras, you would

normally cue-bid four diamonds, expecting ANSWER: A redouble by you would suggest
your partner to sign off without a spade values, the unbid suit and at least tolerance
control. If you bid four hearts, the auction will for partner, not real support as here. Your
be over, of course. In this auction, the four- soft values really do not suggest you have
diamond call might lead partner to do too enough for a cue-bid raise. Despite your
much if he has the spade ace but a fourth trump, you might simply raise to two
minimum; however, I think the combination hearts and compete again to three hearts if
of your sixth trump and third-round controls the subsequent auction suggests that is
in both diamonds and spades require you to appropriate.
do it.
Dear Mr. Wolff:

I am a very rusty life master (I haven’t played
more than 10 times in the last 20 years) who
just retired in August. A recent deal of yours
saw an opener act with ♠ K-J-4, ♥ K-J-3-2,
♦ Q-3-2, ♣ Q-9-3, but I count only 12 high-
card points and seven losers, with no quick
tricks and no five-card suit. Is this really an
advisable opening bid?
— Back in the Saddle, Albuquerque, N. M.
ANSWER: I absolutely agree this isn’t a

great opening bid! Non-vulnerable at
matchpoints, there may be more to be
gained by bidding than passing, but should
you open? I’m not sure. If playing a 15-17
no-trump, where a no-trump rebid shows 12-
14, you aren’t far off base. But you could sell
me on passing if your other option is to open
a suit you don’t want partner to lead or raise!
“Finally I am becoming stupider no more.”

— Paul Erdos (suggested epitaph for himself)
Dealer: S North
When North raises his partner’s spades, South does not Vul: N-S ♠ Q 10 9 3
want to commit the hand to four spades without ♥ A 10
♦6432
contemplating three no-trump first. He bids three clubs in ♣642
the hope that his partner can bid three no-trump, then West East
♠7 ♠642
raises himself to four spades when North signs off. It
♥432 ♥QJ985
would be too hard to land on the head of a pin and pass ♦ A K 10 8 7 5 ♦Q
three spades. ♣KJ5 ♣ 10 9 7 3
South
♠AKJ85
The defenders have no reason to do anything but lead ♥K76
three rounds of diamonds. Cover up the East-West cards ♦J9
♣AQ8
and decide how you would play the hand as South.
It certainly looks as if you can play on clubs via a finesse 1♠ 2♦ 2♠ Pass
or perhaps try to duck a club to West, and force a 3♣ Pass 3♠ Pass
favorable lead from him. However, even if the club king is 4♠ All pass
offside, which you expect from the fact that West made a
Opening Lead: ♦K
simple overcall rather than a weak jump, you have
excellent chances for 10 tricks, as long as you are careful.
You ruff the third diamond and play the ace and king of trumps, planning to eliminate
hearts and throw West in with the fourth diamond if trumps break. When they do not, you
ruff out the heart and play the spade queen. If West comes down to just one diamond and
three clubs, you endplay him with the fourth diamond, pitching a club from hand. If he
keeps two diamonds and two clubs, you play the ace and another club, and your hand is
high.
The defense can prevail, but only if East ruffs the second round of diamonds to play clubs
— and who would do that?
LEAD WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: You do have an unbid suit to
South Holds: lead, diamonds, but your partner failed to
♠ Q 10 9 3 overcall, so you would need a bit of luck to
♥ A 10 be able to set that suit up for three tricks. I
♦6432 think there is more of a future in spades.
♣642 Since your left-hand opponent did not raise
the suit and his partner did not try to extract
South West North East support from him, there is a decent chance
1♣ Pass 1♠ of finding your partner with length here. I’d
Pass 3♣ Pass 3 NT lead a low spade, not an intermediate, for
All pass
sure.
“He always liked to have the morning well-aired before he got up.”
— Charles Macfarlane (on Beau Brummell)
Dealer: S North
Today’s deal sees North with enough values to drive to Vul: E-W ♠973
game facing a one-heart opening bid. Since he has a full ♥ K 10 5
♦ K Q 10 5 4
opener and primary heart support, he starts by responding ♣A8
two diamonds, then jumps to four hearts to suggest a West East
♠KJ642 ♠Q8
minimum game force and no slam interest.
♥62 ♥874
♦97 ♦AJ3
Digressing for a moment, these aren’t my preferred ♣ 10 9 4 3 ♣QJ762
methods. I’d like a jump to four hearts to be concentrated South
♠ A 10 5
in the red suits with no controls in the black suits — but ♥AQJ93
that isn’t a majority style. ♦862
♣K5
Anyway, all routes lead to four hearts, and declarer should
probably duck the initial spade lead, hoping to cut the 1♥ Pass 2♦ Pass
defenders’ communications in spades if the suit is 2♥ Pass 4♥ All pass
originally 5-2. He wins the next spade and plays a
diamond to the king. When West gives count in diamonds
Opening Lead: ♠4
East ducks the first round of that suit. Declarer now draws
trumps in three rounds, then leads a second diamond. Regardless of which diamond
declarer plays from dummy, East wins cheaply and returns a club. That lets declarer win
in hand and play a third diamond. Now, since East has no spades left to lead, he must
concede the rest after winning his second diamond trick.
If declarer makes the mistake of winning the first trick, the defenders will come to four
tricks sooner or later. While there are lies of the cards where winning the first trick is
necessary, they are few and far between: An original 5-2 spade break with the diamond
honors misplaced is far more likely than that.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: All three possible solutions to this
South Holds: problem are somewhat flawed. You could
♠973 show your hand-type by rebidding one no-
♥ K 10 5 trump, even if the absence of a spade
♦ K Q 10 5 4 stopper is disconcerting. You could rebid
♣A8 your diamonds, falsely implying six; to some
extent, your intermediates compensate for
South West North East this. Or you could rebid two hearts, for which
1♦ 1♠ Dbl. Pass you are a heart short. The diamond rebid
? may be the least of all evils.
“Never buy what you do not want, because it is cheap; it will be dear to you.”
— Thomas Jefferson
Dealer: S North
Gone are the days when South would buy the hand in two Vul: N-S ♠9852
spades here. West’s shape outweighs his minimum ♥7632
♦ K 10 8
values when it comes to protecting; if the opponents stop ♣A3
in two spades, he must balance and try to push them up West East
♠J ♠ Q 10 4
or find a making part-score for his side. Similarly, North’s
♥K94 ♥ Q J 10 8
fourth trump persuades him take the push to three ♦Q9742 ♦A6
spades; then it is up to South to justify his partner’s ♣ Q J 10 6 ♣K985
South
confidence in him. ♠AK763
♥A5
Declarer ducks the opening club lead, wins the next club ♦J53
♣742
in dummy with the ace and takes the trump ace and king,
then ruffs a club to dummy and leads a heart to hand. South West North East
1♠ Pass 2♠ Pass
Since West has short spades, South assumes he must Pass Dbl. Pass 2 NT *
have a three-suited hand with no other shortage. Equally, Pass 3♣ 3♠ All pass
though, he cannot have both missing top diamonds, or he
would have doubled one spade. *Two places to play
Opening Lead: ♣Q
South must hope East does not have the diamond queen.
With no other information to go on, declarer might have led a diamond to the 10, but not
today, since West surely cannot hold precisely a doubleton diamond queen. Instead,
South leads the diamond jack from his hand. West must cover, or declarer will be out of
the woods. Declarer puts up the king, and East takes his ace, then cashes his master
trump and plays on hearts. South ruffs the third round and must now bring in all the
remaining diamonds to make his game.
Since West has diamond length, it must be right now to lead a diamond to the eight,
finessing against the nine. When the finesse succeeds, declarer is home.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: With prime support and decent
South Holds: values, albeit no aces, you want to tell your
♠J partner about this as soon as possible so he
♥K94 can judge how to explore for slam. The best
♦Q9742 way would be to bid three spades
♣ Q J 10 6 immediately. In any auction where a simple
call in spades would be natural and forcing,
South West North East a jump is a splinter, showing short spades
2♣ Pass and heart support.
2♦ Pass 2♥ Pass
?
“Think of success as a game of chance in which you have control over the odds. As you
begin to master concepts in personal achievement, you are increasing your odds of
achieving success.”
— Bo Bennett
Dealer: N North
When is a finesse not a 50-50 chance? When you take a Vul: E-W ♠ 10 9 8
finesse, your odds of success can vary enormously, ♥ Q 10 9 8
♦KJ6
depending on what you know about the rest of the deal, ♣AK9
but you can tilt the odds in your favor sometimes by West East
♠KQJ2 ♠76543
making the opponents lead the suit in which you need to
♥32 ♥5
take the finesse. ♦ 10 9 3 2 ♦Q54
♣ Q J 10 ♣8432
Today’s deal shows a hand that appears to depend on the South
♠A
diamond finesse, but you can sway the odds in your favor ♥AKJ764
— and in some cases, avoid the diamond finesse ♦A87
♣765
altogether. In other cases, you can turn a 50 percent
chance into something much better. South West North East
1♣ Pass
Against six hearts (reached after an insouciant but 1♥ Pass 2♥ Pass
practical jump to slam), you capture the spade king with 6 ♥ All pass
your ace and draw trumps, ruffing dummy’s spades in
Opening Lead: ♠K
hand en route. The best sequence of plays may be to take
two rounds of trumps, then the club ace-king, followed by a spade ruff, a third trump to
dummy and a second spade ruff.
Now you lead the club nine from hand and concede the trick that has to be lost, hoping
the defenders will give you something in return. If East wins the club, you are safe against
any return. If West wins, he must lead a diamond, and you simply cover his card.
The slam will come home if West has either the queen or both the 10 and nine, since you
will be able to take two finesses against those cards. In other words, careful play has
improved your chances in the slam from one in two to something closer to two in three.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: If your partner had doubled in
South Holds: direct seat, you might have thought about
♠KQJ2 jumping to two spades — you are on the
♥32 cusp for that action. But facing a balancing
♦ 10 9 3 2 double, you need a little more to jump.
♣ Q J 10 Remember that since partner knows his
range starts somewhat lower for the
South West North East reopening call, he will make another bid if he
1♦ has real extra shape or values — say a king
Pass Pass Dbl. Pass more than an opener.
?
“How various his employments, whom the world calls idle.”

— William Cowper
Dealer: S North
When a partnership has the Jacoby two no-trump Vul: Both ♠ K J 10 5
available for slam-interested raises of partner’s major, the ♥7
♦K74
initial splinter jump tends to need partner to have real ♣A7643
extras — or a perfect fit — to consider slam. In this case, West East
♠6 ♠732
when North jumps to four hearts (a splinter bid for this
♥ Q J 10 6 3 ♥K9852
pair, not a natural jump), South has a highly suitable heart ♦Q953 ♦AJ2
holding but a dead minimum, so he signs off in game. ♣ Q 10 9 ♣J8
South
♠AQ984
On the lead of the heart queen, South should try to ♥A4
develop dummy’s clubs, but he can still fall back on a ♦ 10 8 6
♣K52
successful finesse in diamonds. So, he wins the first trick
with the heart ace and draws trumps, ending in dummy. South West North East
1♠ Pass 4♥* Pass
South begins the clubs by leading toward the king, on 4♠ All pass
which East alertly unblocks his jack. South takes his king, *Game-forcing in spades with
then leads a low club toward dummy. Since one club trick short hearts
must be lost no matter what happens, declarer hopes to
Opening Lead: ♥Q
duck this trick to East. But whether he wins or ducks the
second club, West will get in with his clubs and must then lead the diamond queen. He
needs to hope his partner has the A-J-10, or that declarer will be unable to guess what to
do with the cards lying as they do today.
If South ducks the queen (playing West for the Q-J-9), he is done for. But he should not do
that, since West would probably have led a diamond at trick one with that holding. If South
covers the queen, East should take his ace and return a low diamond. I don’t envy
declarer his decision now!
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: Your partner has shown real
South Holds: extras, typically with two or three clubs and
♠732 at most half a stopper in clubs (or he might
♥K9852 have bid no-trump himself). You have too
♦AJ2 much to sign off in three diamonds but
♣J8 neither your hearts nor spades are really
good enough to introduce. I think I prefer a
South West North East three-heart call to bidding three no-trump,
Pass 1♦ Pass but it is close.
1♥ Pass 1♠ Pass
2♦ Pass 3♣ Pass
?
“And one born in a manger

Commands the beauteous files.”
— Henry Vaughan
Dealer: S North
There are advantages to being a pack rat (though it is Vul: E-W ♠ A Q 10 9 7 2
possible my wife would not agree). Going back through ♥A4
♦54
my copious records, I discovered a deal from a national ♣872
tournament of the 1970s. West East
♠J54 ♠K863
The deal arose in the Spingold Trophy, where both tables ♥J932 ♥K
♦ Q 10 8 ♦732
declared four hearts. After the lead of the club jack to the ♣ J 10 5 ♣AK963
king, East cashed the club ace and erred by playing a South
♠—
third club. That gave declarer a chance by allowing him to ♥ Q 10 8 7 6 5
try to shorten his trumps and cope with a bad break. A ♦AKJ96
♣Q4
diamond shift would have left declarer no chance as the
cards lay. South West North East
1♥ Pass 1♠ Pass
Robert Lebi, then of Montreal, earned a 12-IMP swing for 2♦ Pass 3♠ Pass
his team by ruffing and playing a heart to the ace. 4♦ Pass 4♥ All pass
Believing East’s king was a true card (who would find the
false card here?), he cashed the spade ace, ruffed a Opening Lead: ♣J
spade and took the diamond ace and king, before ruffing a
diamond to dummy. After ruffing a spade to hand, declarer was down to the heart Q-10
and the diamond jack, while West had been forced to follow suit throughout and held J-9-3
of hearts. The diamond jack completed the coup: West ruffed and had to lead into the
trump tenace.
The Lebi team won their knockout match by 11 IMPs when the other declarer was given
the same chance at trick three but did not ruff a spade when in dummy with the heart ace!
For the record, in almost every variation, a diamond shift at trick two from East is either
essential or at least as good as a club.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: Without the double, you would
South Holds: have bid three clubs since a call of two no-
♠K863 trump would suggest more than this in
♥K diamonds. Now, however, you can pass,
♦732 expecting partner to tell you why he forced
♣AK963 to game. If he redoubles, you will pass, of
course. Even a 3-3 diamond fit may take a
South West North East lot of tricks! A redouble by you might
1♣ Pass 1♥ Pass suggest this hand with king-third of
1♠ Pass 2♦ Dbl. diamonds and a singleton heart.
?
The Aces on Bridge: Sunday, March 31st, 2019

I’m never sure when to raise the ante after What happens when declarer plays two
my partner pre-empts at the two- or three- cards at once? Is one of them a penalty
level. For example, if your partner opens two card, or are there any other lead penalties
hearts, would you raise to three hearts when that might arise?
your right-hand opponent passes? You hold:
♠ Q-J-3, ♥ Q-6-5, ♦ K-J-7, ♣ Q-10-4-2? — Double Your Pleasure, Rockford, Ill.
— Salt and Pepper, Pasadena, Calif.
ANSWER: Declarer is not subject to the
penalty card rules — those apply only to the
ANSWER: Don’t be swayed into thinking defenders. The logic is that the defenders
you should act with a hand like this, with all can pass unauthorized information to each
those soft defensive cards. You have no other by reveling that extra card, while
tricks for your partner, and if he happens to declarer has no one to pass information to. If
have six hearts to the ace and a soft minor the two cards are truly simultaneous,
honor, each side might be struggling at the declarer picks up his mistake without
two- or three-level. penalty.

You recently ran a deal where declarer had I was fourth to speak, with: ♠ Q-10-2, ♥ J,
the doubleton AJ of spades facing the queen ♦ K-10-5-3, ♣ A-Q-8-3-2. When I heard one
in dummy. To make his slam, he needed to spade to my right, I bid two spades. As soon
lead the jack from his hand rather than as I did so, I realized I had meant to bid two
starting with the ace. Am I correct that his no-trump for the minors. Am I allowed to
leading the jack would have been a Morton’s correct from hearts when my partner bids
Fork Coup? If not, does the coup have a three hearts, and this gets doubled?
name?
— Sold Short, Trenton, N.J.
— Happy Camper, Orlando, Fla.
ANSWER: The problem here is that if your

ANSWER: A classic Morton’s Fork involves partner has alerted and explained the bid,
a “damned if you do, damned if you don’t” you will be ruled against. This is because
decision. But here, ducking the spade king your story, however honest, will not be
has no downside for the defenders, so it is accepted; the explanation given by your
not a Morton’s Fork. Make it the doubleton partner will be treated as the reason you
queen facing king-third: If a defender hops woke up. If nobody alerted or asked, you can
up with the ace, it sets up an extra winner for do what you like — you are not in
declarer; but if the defender ducks, declarer possession of unauthorized information. By
can take the king, then pitch his second the way, the Unusual No-trump guarantees a
card. That is the classic Morton’s Fork. 55 pattern. Don’t do it with a hand like this
one! Pass and balance later.
Dear Mr. Wolff:

In a recent Bid With the Aces, you
recommended opening one club, then
raising one spade to two, with ♠ Q-J-3, ♥ 7-2,
♦ J-6, ♣ A-Q-J-9-5-3. After South does so,
what should he bid if North makes what
seems like a game-try of a red suit?
— Groomsman, Hamilton, Ontario
ANSWER: I guess I’d rebid three spades

without much enthusiasm. I’d be trusting that
my partner had five spades for the call in a
red suit. If all he wanted to do was locate my
fourth trump, he could use two no-trump as
an artificial relay — called Spiral Scan by
some. Responses here are to use steps,
showing three trumps minimum, three with a
maximum, four with a minimum, and four
with a maximum.
The Aces on Bridge: Monday, April 1st, 2019
“I have seen the moment of my greatness flicker,

And I have seen the eternal Footman hold my coat, and snicker.”
— T.S. Eliot
Dealer: N North
Today’s deal comes from the 1989 European Vul: E-W ♠Q842
Championship and was declared by Tony Forrester, who ♥Q542
♦QJ
played in four hearts on the spade 10 lead. Forrester has ♣AK2
been ever present on the Great Britain and now England West East
♠ 10 ♠J9753
teams over the last 35 years. He is well known as being
♥K87 ♥A6
both a tough opponent to play against because of his ♦K843 ♦762
imaginative and aggressive bidding, and also for being an ♣ Q 10 8 7 4 ♣J96
South
excellent technician. ♠AK6
♥ J 10 9 3
The contract of four hearts seemed reasonable, but when ♦ A 10 9 5
♣53
the spade 10 was led, the risk of a ruff on defense
suddenly became a serious one. South West North East
1♣ Pass
If declarer were to win the opening lead and try to draw 1♥ Pass 2♥ Pass
trumps, the defense would score their ruff, play off their 2 NT * Pass 4♥ All pass
top trumps, then exit in clubs. They would eventually
collect a diamond winner. *Forcing
Opening Lead: ♠10

Forrester had other ideas; he won the opening lead,
played the club ace and king, then ruffed a club in hand before playing the heart jack. East
won the heart ace and returned a spade. The good news was that his partner could ruff
and cash the heart king, but after that, he was endplayed. With only minor-suit cards left,
he could exit in diamonds into the tenace or play a club, at which point declarer would
pitch dummy’s diamond loser(s) and take the rest via his top spades, the diamond ace,
and the three trumps.
This deal emphasizes how often, when you need cooperation from your opponents,
eliminating the side suits early can put additional pressure on the defenders, sometimes in
unexpected ways.
LEAD WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: There are very few clues to go
South Holds: on as to whether a club or heart lead will
♠ K 10 3 work out better. Clearly, neither a spade nor
♥J54 diamond looks attractive, but I’d guess a
♦ J 10 7 6 club lead needs less from partner than a
♣K74 heart, where even finding a five-card suit
opposite would leave us a long way from
South West North East establishing the suit.
1♠ Pass 2♦
Pass 3♦ Pass 3 NT
All pass
The Aces on Bridge: Tuesday, April 2nd, 2019
“So weary with disasters, rugged with fortune, That I would set my life on any chance, To
mend it or be rid on it.”
Dealer: S North
The odds associated with a finesse are traditionally 50-50, Vul: N-S ♠QJ942
but sometimes you can achieve a 100% result by ♥Q72
♦AQ
finessing into the safe hand — and sometimes you can ♣AK3
achieve an equally good result by rejecting the finesse West East
♠ 10 ♠6
altogether.
♥K65 ♥ A 10 9 8
♦K5432 ♦ J 10 9 8
Consider today’s deal, in which you reach what appears to ♣6542 ♣ Q J 10 9
be the normal contract of four spades, on a passive club South
♠AK8753
lead from West. ♥J43
♦76
To digress for a moment: I would certainly lead a red-suit ♣87
against that contract myself, since it is far more likely that
you need to set up winners than go passive here, but that 2♠ Pass 4♠ All pass
is another column. Similarly, the question of whether to
lead second-highest from four small here would produce
different opinions from different players. Opening Lead: ♣2
You win the club ace and hasten to draw trumps; what next? You should cash the club
king and ruff a club to eliminate that suit altogether. Now you must play the diamond ace
followed by the diamond queen. Yes, you give up on the finesse, but you have ensured
your contract in the process. Whoever wins the diamond king must give you a trick in
return, either via a ruff-sluff or by broaching hearts for you, to ensure that you lose no
more than two tricks in the suit.
Note that if you take the diamond finesse, you risk going down. When it loses, back
comes a diamond, and you will find you still have to lose three hearts.
The technique here, of eliminating the side suits and forcing a favorable return, is one
worth adding to your repertoire.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: Your partner is suggesting a long
South Holds: heart suit (but maybe only five cards).
♠QJ942 Opinions differ as to whether this should be
♥Q72 forcing, but your heart support and working
♦AQ cards in the minors argue for a raise to
♣AK3 game, regardless of partner’s intentions.
However, fans of transfers might consider
South West North East employing them here, too!
1♠ Pass 1 NT Pass
2 NT Pass 3♥ Pass
?
The Aces on Bridge: Wednesday, April 3rd, 2019
“In any nonviolent campaign there are four basic steps: collection of the facts to determine
whether injustices exist; negotiation; self-purification; and direct action.”
— Martin Luther King Jr.
Dealer: N North
When West led the diamond queen against six spades, Vul: Both ♠KQ5
declarer paused to form a plan, even though his play to ♥65
♦A8632
the first trick was nearly automatic. He could count to 11 ♣K87
tricks if trumps divided, so he needed a 12th. West East
♠— ♠ 10 8 7 6 2
One possibility was to try to set up a long diamond in ♥ K J 10 9 8 3 ♥7
♦ Q J 10 ♦9754
dummy, but that would almost certainly require both ♣J952 ♣ 10 6 3
trumps and diamonds to behave. Declarer decided that a South
♠AJ943
better shot was to ruff a heart high in dummy and finesse ♥AQ42
the trump nine after having done so. (This line does offer ♦K
♣AQ4
a better chance of making the contract than trying to set
up diamonds.) South West North East
1♦ Pass
So at trick two, declarer led a low trump; but when West 1♠ 2♥ Dbl. *
discarded a heart, declarer had to reconsider his options. Pass 4 NT Pass 5♠
Pass 6♠ All pass
Winning the trick with dummy’s trump queen, declarer
then played a heart to the ace and cashed three rounds of *Three-card spade support
clubs. After discarding a heart on the diamond ace, Opening Lead: ♦Q
declarer ruffed a diamond low, then exited with a heart.
West won the trick with the heart eight and exited with a low heart. As planned, declarer
ruffed this with dummy’s trump king.
In the three-card ending, declarer had the trump ace-jacknine remaining, and any lead
from dummy would ensure he could score all of the remaining tricks. Declarer made five
trumps, the heart ace, a heart ruff, two diamonds and three clubs, for a total of 12 tricks.
It was critical here to cash the clubs and take the diamond ruff before East could discard
from the minors on the hearts.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: It is hard to know what
South Holds: constitutes a life mission, but as far as I am
♠KQ5 concerned, if I can prevent players from
♥65 overcalling two diamonds with these cards,
♦A8632 I’ll have accomplished something. Doubling
♣K87 one heart is fine, or bidding one diamond
over one club on a different day. But two-
South West North East level overcalls promise good suits and
1♥ normally six cards.
?
The Aces on Bridge: Thursday, April 4th, 2019
“Home of lost causes, and forsaken beliefs, and unpopular names, and impossible
loyalties!”
— Matthew Arnold, on Oxford
Dealer: N North
This deal arose in the North American trials of 1999, Vul: N-S ♠ K Q 10 8
where the next Hall of Fame inductee Michael Seamon ♥5
♦ J 10 9 6 2
was playing with Jimmy Cayne. It was a valiant effort in a ♣J52
losing cause. Against four spades doubled, West led the West East
♠— ♠9762
club ace, producing the three from dummy and the 10
♥973 ♥AQ62
from East. ♦K73 ♦A854
♣AQ98763 ♣ 10
As West’s jump overcall was expected to be a six-card South
♠AJ543
suit, declarer suspected that East’s double was partly ♥ K J 10 8 4
made on the basis of holding a singleton club; so, in ♦Q
♣K4
tempo, declarer Seamon contributed the king!
West wasn’t quite sure whom to believe, but eventually Pass Pass
came down on the side of declarer (a variation on “Who 1♠ 3♣ 4♠ Dbl.
are you going to believe — me, or the evidence before All pass
your own eyes?”). He made the unsuccessful switch to a
Opening Lead: ♣A
low diamond. Note that if he had led a heart instead, East
might have found the return of a low diamond and then still received his club ruff. As it
was, though, East rose with the diamond ace, cashed his other red ace, then returned a
second diamond.
Granted a second reprieve, Seamon ruffed in hand, then discarded a club on the heart
king and ruffed a heart in dummy. When he ruffed a diamond in hand, it brought down
West’s king, and a second heart ruff produced the queen from East.
The 4-0 trump break could now be handled in style: The diamond jack let South discard
his second club, and he could then take the last three tricks on a high crossruff, with East
forced to underruff throughout.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: To raise or not to raise? Your
South Holds: trump support is excellent, but your values
♠ K Q 10 8 are soft, and a singleton in partner’s suit is
♥5 not really an asset. You could certainly
♦ J 10 9 6 2 persuade me to raise if the spade king were
♣J52 the ace, As it is, though, the fact that partner
didn’t bid three diamonds would tilt me to
South West North East passing now.
1♥ Pass
1♠ Pass 2♦ Pass
?
The Aces on Bridge: Friday, April 5th, 2019
“The world, dear Agnes, is a strange affair.”

— Moliere
Dealer: E North
Bridge history records all too many slam bids missing two Vul: N-S ♠KQJ9
aces, or two top tricks. Some of these contracts have ♥AKJ7
♦—
come home, but surely one of the odder entries into the ♣KQ954
record books is today’s hand, from the 1997 Vanderbilt West East
♠7 ♠8
Trophy quarterfinals in Dallas.
♥6532 ♥ 10 9 4
♦AJ43 ♦ Q 10 9 7 6 5
West led the diamond ace in an attempt to force out ♣A763 ♣ J 10 8
declarer’s trumps, and declarer made the odd-looking play South
♠ A 10 6 5 4 3 2
of discarding a spade from dummy. Meanwhile East ♥Q8
played the diamond nine, a discouraging card that, ♦K82
♣2
according to the partnership methods, suggested to West
that he should switch to a high suit rather than a low one. South West North East
What was going on here? West could see no future in 3♦
trying to cash the club ace, since it was surely never going Pass 5♦ 5 NT * Pass
6♥ All pass
to get away, so he led a spade, which seemed passive
*Takeout
enough.
Opening Lead: ♦A
Declarer Paul Soloway won the king, drew four rounds of
trumps and took the rest of the tricks with his seven-card spade suit and his diamond king,
discarding all of dummy’s clubs in the process!
So what was going on? Soloway had thought his partner, Bobby Goldman, was showing
the two lower unbid suits when he bid five no-trump. His hearts were better than his clubs,
so he decided to bid hearts to protect his diamond king. Didn’t he play it well?
This turned out to be a flat board, since the opponents played in six spades in the other
room, but Soloway’s squad was clearly the team of destiny, since they squeaked through
in this match by 1 IMP and went on to win the trophy after that.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: There is nothing wrong with a
South Holds: jump to four diamonds, a splinter-raise
♠KQJ9 showing a hand of this general strength with
♥AKJ7 heart support and diamond shortage. An
♦— alternative route is to jump to two spades,
♣KQ954 planning a call of four hearts next. That gets
the three-suiter across very nicely and keeps
South West North East all three in play as possible trump suits,
1♣ Pass 1♥ Pass since hearts may turn out not to be the best.
?
The Aces on Bridge: Saturday, April 6th, 2019
“Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like
work. I find out what the world needs. Then, I go ahead and invent it.”
— Thomas Edison
Dealer: S North
Today’s deal is a real-life hand from 45 years ago, Vul: E-W ♠Q632
reported in the Australian press. ♥ 10 9 6 4
♦QJ43
♣A
It represents a missed opportunity for declarer, who had West East
been given a roadmap by East’s double (maybe Dick ♠94 ♠ A J 10 8
Cummings was assuming his partner, Tim Seres, had a ♥KQJ8532 ♥7
♦9 ♦ K 10 8 6
hand with some defense, given his overcall rather than a ♣865 ♣ 10 9 3 2
preempt.) South
♠K75
♥A
The defense began with a top heart lead to the ace. ♦A752
Perhaps assuming that hearts could not be 7-1, declarer ♣KQJ74
unblocked clubs and led a heart from the board.
Cummings discarded a club on this trick, and from here 1♦ 1♥ 1♠ Pass
on in, the contract could no longer be made. 2♦ Pass 2♥ Pass
3♠ Pass 5♦ Dbl.
Declarer should surely have played for the diamonds not All pass
to break, and after winning the club ace, he should have
Opening Lead: ♥K
led the diamond queen from dummy.
Say East covers, which looks right for preserving the tenace over dummy. Then four more
rounds of clubs, discarding spades from dummy, forces East to ruff and return a high
diamond. Now Declarer wins in dummy and cross-ruffs the majors. Though East can
score his high trump sooner or later, that is all he gets.
The play is far more interesting on a spade lead, when East wins and returns a heart.
After heart ace, then club ace, then the diamond queen to the king and ace, South cashes
the club king and queen, throwing hearts from dummy. Then he takes the spade king,
leads a spade to the queen, and ruffs a spade. In the four-card ending, South ruffs a
spade and leads a heart from the board; now East can score only one more trump trick.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: There is no reason to redouble,
South Holds: after which it may be difficult to get all your
♠Q632 suits into play. Similarly, raising diamonds
♥ 10 9 6 4 might lead to your losing a major suit fit. The
♦QJ43 simplest way forward is to bid hearts, hoping
♣A to hear partner raise or bid spades; but if
not, you will raise diamonds at your next
South West North East turn. When in doubt, bid suits rather than
Pass 1♦ Dbl. redoubling.
?
The Aces on Bridge: Sunday, April 7th, 2019
by Bobby Wolff on April 21st, 2019

I’m thinking of acceding to my partner’s When my partner opened one heart, I heard
request that we take up third-and-lowest a double to my right. With ♠ 10-6-2, ♥ Q-4,
leads since he tells me they are more helpful ♦ K-Q-J-5, ♣ Q-10-8-4, I thought it looked
in counting the hand than fourth-highest. But natural to bid one no-trump. Then came two
how do we know if the lead is from a bad suit hearts from my partner and two spades to
— can we play second—highest as well? my right. What should I do now?
— Spuds McKenzie, Atlanta, Ga. — Law-Abiding Citizen, San Francisco, Calif.
ANSWER: It is absolutely impossible to use ANSWER: You have some extras and
third-and-lowest leads together with second nothing wasted in spades, plus good trumps
from three or four small cards. Imagine the in context. I’d bid three hearts, expecting to
five missing cards are Q-8-7-4-3; if you make it. I don’t think game is favored our
combine the two methods, the seven and way, but you can imagine that if partner has
four are unreadable. You can, however, lead short spades, we might come close to 10
top from three or four small in a suit you tricks. So maybe three diamonds should be
have supported, where a doubleton is not a a heart raise with diamond cards, since I
possible holding. have already implicitly denied long diamonds
at my first turn.
Dear Mr. Wolff:

Dear Mr. Wolff:
I have been taught that, facing an opening
bid of one no-trump, Stayman always I note that you often attribute deals from
promises invitational or better values. My actual play. Of the remaining deals, which
new partner likes to play Stayman followed are from your own imagination (or others’)?
by a minimum call in any suit as weak.
Which is the better way? — Yellow Pager, Mexico City, Mexico
— Follow the Money, Raleigh, N.C.
ANSWER: In all cases where a player or
location has been specified, I’ll try to leave
ANSWER: It is relatively common (and the spot-cards unchanged, except to
sensible) to use the sequence of Stayman eliminate unnecessary complications or
followed by a rebid of two hearts over two duplicate solutions (sometimes called
diamonds as weak with both majors, not “cooks”). For others, I tend to use real deals,
invitational. All other sequences after sometimes modified, sometimes concealing
Stayman do indeed tend to promise at least the protagonists if they have erred. The rest
invitational values. A call of two spades can are creations or variations on a genuine
be played in many different ways, though it is theme. The advent of the Common Game is
often as an invitational hand of sorts. Calls in a boon because I get to use deals the
the minors are typically natural and game- readers may already have played, but put
forcing with a four-card major on the side. my own spin on them.
Dear Mr. Wolff:

Say you were third to speak, holding ♠ Q-7-
4-3, ♥ K-8-4, ♦ A-3, ♣ J-7-4-2. Do you have a
strong opinion about whether to open this
hand, and does the vulnerability matter?
— Testing the Water, Salt Lake City, Utah
ANSWER: I would not open this hand at any

vulnerability, since I really do not know that I
want a club lead (or a spade lead if I open
that suit). It wouldn’t take much to change
my mind. Non-vulnerable, switch the
diamond ace and club two, and now opening
ace-jack-fourth doesn’t strike me as
unreasonable. I recognize that my answer
may be showing my age a little.
The Aces on Bridge: Monday, April 8th, 2019
by Bobby Wolff on April 22nd, 2019
“Our ship of state, which recent storms have threatened to destroy, has come safely to
harbor at last.”
— Sophocles
Dealer: N North
All the deals this week have something in common. Each Vul: E-W ♠AQJ83
includes the theme that declarer has to tackle a suit in ♥Q2
♦A2
which he has the ace, king and jack. With holdings of this ♣A963
sort, there are multiple issues that might arise. You may West East
♠962 ♠ 10 7 5
need to keep one defender off lead (a concept generally
♥J86 ♥K975
summed up as “avoidance”). Alternatively, you may simply ♦ 10 9 7 ♦Q8643
need to maximize your trick potential. Finally, as in today’s ♣ Q 10 7 5 ♣8
South
deal, you may be looking at a safety play, where you are ♠K4
prepared to invest a trick in order to ensure that you do ♥ A 10 4 3
♦KJ5
not lose two. ♣KJ42
When the opponents lead the diamond 10 against your South West North East
club slam, you count three tricks in diamonds, bringing 1♠ Pass
your total outside the trump suit to nine tricks. So you 2♣ Pass 3♣ Pass
3 NT Pass 4♣ Pass
need only three club tricks to make your slam — in other 4♥ Pass 4 NT Pass
words, the focus should be on avoiding two trump losers. 5♥* Pass 6♣ All pass
(It’s true that if both clubs and spades fail to break, you
might not have 12 top tricks, but a 4-1 trump break is far *Two key-cards, no trump queen
more likely than a combination of foul splits.)
Opening Lead: ♦10
The simplest route to making your slam is to win the
diamond lead cheaply in hand and avoid the knee-jerk reaction of leading a club to the
ace and a club back toward the king-jack. Instead, cash the club king and play toward the
ace-nine, planning to put in the nine if West follows with a small card. If West plays the 10
or queen, you take the trick; but if he shows out, you win the ace and lead toward your
jack. After that, it is smooth sailing.
LEAD WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: When declarer is likely to have
South Holds: four cards in the suit you lead, as would be
♠J872 the case for an attack on clubs here, a low
♥ 10 4 card is better than leading from a sequence.
♦K75 Imagine partner with the doubleton ace of
♣QJ32 clubs and declarer with the guarded king, for
example.
1♦ Pass 1♥
Pass 1♠ Pass 1 NT
All pass
The Aces on Bridge: Tuesday, April 9th, 2019
by Bobby Wolff on April 23rd, 2019
“A sharp tongue is the only edged tool that grows keener with constant use.”
— Washington Irving
Dealer: W North
All of our deals have a common theme this week: how to Vul: None ♠ A K 10
play suit combinations that include the ace, king and jack. ♥AJ
♦ A K J 10 6 5
♣A8
This deal occurred in the final of a major national West East
tournament, on Vugraph no less, so that declarer’s ♠Q964 ♠J872
♥ 10 4 ♥9852
eventual embarrassment was evident to all when he
♦Q832 ♦7
missed the best play. Out of deference to the player (and ♣954 ♣J632
perhaps partly out of concern about what might happen to South
♠53
my grandchildren if I mention his name) I shall preserve ♥KQ763
his anonymity. ♦94
♣ K Q 10 7
North treated his hand as very strong and balanced, then
tried to get out in diamonds, but South wasn’t in on the Pass 2♣ Pass
joke and eventually, much to his disgust, ended in a grand 2♦ Pass 2 NT Pass
slam with only two trumps in hand. 3♦* Pass 3♥ Pass
4♣ Pass 4♦ Pass
Perhaps the auction influenced his line of play: He won 4♥ Pass 4 NT Pass
5♦ Pass 6♦ Pass
the club lead in dummy, cashed the diamond ace, then 7♣ Pass 7♦ All pass
came to hand in clubs to finesse the diamonds. The
finesse won, but the 4-1 trump break was too much for *Hearts
him to cope with.
Opening Lead: ♣4
Of course, the percentage play with this trump suit is to
take two finesses. Win the club lead and pass the diamond nine at once. When it holds,
repeat the finesse and draw trumps, after which you have 13 tricks.
The reason this play is right is that if trumps are 4-1, with West having the length, it is four
times as likely that the singleton is a small one rather than the queen. With any other lie of
the diamonds, the question of whether you take the first- or second-round finesse is
irrelevant.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: Clearly, you have a hand worth
South Holds: raising spades — but to what level? A jump
♠Q964 to four spades shows three or four trumps,
♥ 10 4 tending to deny a high-card control such as
♦Q832 an ace or king. With three third-round
♣954 controls, you might choose to raise to three
spades rather than four, but this seems just
South West North East a little too much to me. With as little as an
2♣ Pass additional jack in diamonds or spades, I
2♦ Pass 2♠ Pass might feel differently.
?
The Aces on Bridge: Wednesday, April 10th, 2019
“The investigation of difficult things by the method of analysis ought ever to precede the
method of composition.”
— Isaac Newton
Dealer: S North
All this week’s deals have a thematic link in that they Vul: E-W ♠A4
involve the negotiation of a suit in which you hold the ace, ♥AJ42
♦Q85
king and jack. ♣A763
West East
In today’s deal, South straight-forwardly reached the ♠987 ♠ K J 10 2
contract of three no-trump when he elected to treat his ♥ 10 8 6 5 ♥Q9
♦ A 10 2 ♦K963
hand as worth an opening bid. The spade nine went to his ♣ 10 8 5 ♣J92
queen, as East ducked to preserve communications in the South
♠Q653
suit. Declarer could count on two spade tricks, bringing his ♥K73
total on the hand to seven top tricks. What would you ♦J74
♣KQ4
consider to be the right way forward?
The heart suit looks like the obvious one to go after, but 1 NT * Pass 2♣ Pass
South looked a little more deeply into the deal and 2♠ Pass 3 NT All pass
realized that the best line in the heart suit might depend
on the result of the break in clubs. *11-14
So, he cashed the three top clubs and found that he had Opening Lead: ♠9
four tricks in that suit. As a result, he needed only three
heart tricks and could afford the safety play of winning the ace, then the king, then leading
toward dummy’s jack. When the heart queen put in an appearance on the second round,
declarer had his nine tricks without needing anything further.
Had clubs not broken, declarer simply would have cashed the heart king and finessed the
jack in an attempt to bring home four tricks.
This deal is a fine example of circumstances altering cases; the best play in hearts is
dependent on the number of tricks needed for the contract.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: If you play a forcing no-trump,
South Holds: you might take a pessimistic view and
♠Q653 respond one no-trump then jump to three
♥K73 hearts to invite game while showing three
♦J74 trumps. Even if one no-trump is only semi-
♣KQ4 forcing (so that partner passes only with a
balanced minimum), you might want to
South West North East follow this route. Facing a one-spade
1♥ Pass opener, your fourth trump would persuade
? you to jump directly to three spades, of
course.
“Even brute beasts and wandering birds do not fall into the same traps or nets twice.”
— Saint Jerome
Dealer: S North
North’s heart intermediates in this deal persuaded him to Vul: Both ♠A8
transfer to hearts, then offer a choice of slams by his jump ♥ K 10 9 4 2
♦AJ8
to five no-trump, after which South selected hearts, of ♣ A 10 3
course. North could simply have invited slam with a West East
♠ Q J 10 4 3 2 ♠965
transfer, then a quantitative jump to four no-trump. Had he
♥J3 ♥85
done so, South’s aces and trump support would have ♦96 ♦ Q 10 7 5
been just enough to let him jump to six hearts. ♣Q86 ♣J742
South
♠K7
When West led the spade queen, declarer won in dummy ♥AQ76
and tested trumps by cashing the ace to guard against 4-0 ♦K432
♣K95
breaks. Then he drew trumps, crossed to the spade king
and found himself at a crossroads. A reasonable line South West North East
might have been to lead a diamond to the jack, relying on 1 NT Pass 2♦* Pass
the diamond finesse or the 3-3 break in that suit, with an 2♥ Pass 5 NT Pass
6♥ All pass
unlikely minor-suit squeeze to fall back on.
*Hearts
Declarer spotted a slightly different way to make the
Opening Lead: ♠Q
defenders’ lives just a little harder. Instead of leading a
diamond to the jack, he advanced a small diamond from hand and covered West’s card
with the eight. When East won the trick, he was end-played, since a diamond return would
let declarer claim the rest.
Hoping for the best, East led a low club to the queen and ace. Declarer next cashed the
diamond ace and king; when the suit failed to behave, he fell back on his last chance,
crossing to dummy with a trump and finessing the nine of clubs.
If East had instead exited with his club jack, declarer would have won in hand and
eventually finessed West for the club queen, playing for split honors.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: The two-no-trump rebid suggests
South Holds: a balanced 12-14 high-card points (or, very
♠A8 rarely, 18-19 balanced, planning to bid on
♥ K 10 9 4 2 over a signoff). It is extremely hard to
♦AJ8 imagine slam making here with no apparent
♣ A 10 3 eight-card major fit, so it seems right to sign
off in three no-trump, despite your extra
South West North East values.
1♠ Pass
2♥ Pass 2 NT Pass
?
“Where there is charity and wisdom there is neither fear nor ignorance.”
— Saint Francis of Assisi
Dealer: S North
Bridge writers occasionally introduce a deal as taking Vul: None ♠AQ5
place in a local competition or in a knock-out match; this ♥K93
♦A943
seems to be a way to add a touch of verisimilitude to an ♣KQ5
otherwise bald and unconvincing narrative. Be that as it West East
♠963 ♠K87
may, today’s deal really did crop up in a knockout match, I
♥ 10 7 4 2 ♥QJ65
swear on the bones of Saint Francis de Sales, the patron ♦Q ♦ 10 8 5 2
saint of journalism. ♣ J 10 9 8 7 ♣43
South
♠ J 10 4 2
Both declarers missed the point of this deal — though one ♥A8
earned a consolation prize for envisioning the problem, ♦KJ76
♣A62
even if he didn’t quite put the defenders under maximum
pressure. South West North East
1♦ Pass 2♦* Pass
Each South reached slam after North had forced in 2 NT Pass 4 NT Pass
diamonds then invited slam in four no-trump. In one room, 6♦ All pass
South won the club lead in dummy and played a diamond *Forcing diamond raise
to the jack, and now lost two diamonds and a spade.
Opening Lead: ♣J
In the other room, declarer won the heart lead and passed
the spade jack. East thoughtfully ducked, confident declarer had four spades from his
partner’s low spot-card on that trick.
Now declarer safety-played the diamonds by laying down the king, trying to protect
against a 4-1 diamond break, and eventually lost a diamond and a spade. If East had
taken his spade king, South might have guessed to start diamonds by playing the ace,
after which he could have finessed against East’s remaining spots. (Without the diamond
seven, leading low to the jack on the first round is the right play for no losers.)
But would East have ducked the first spade if declarer had first led low to the queen? I
doubt it!
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: You may hate this hand and
South Holds: regret that you responded, but now is not the
♠K87 time to breach discipline by passing out a
♥QJ65 forcing bid. Give support to three diamonds
♦ 10 8 5 2 and hope that you can come to a stop in
♣43 game in spades, hearts, diamonds or no-
trump. What partner does next should help
South West North East you decide?
1♦ Pass
1♥ Pass 2♠ Pass
?
“The power to guess the unseen from the seen, to trace the implication of things, to judge
the whole piece by the pattern, the condition of feeling life, in general, so completely that
you are well on your way to knowing any particular corner of it — this cluster of gifts may
almost be said to constitute experience.”
— Henry James
Dealer: S North
Today’s deal is the last thematic one of the week, all of Vul: Both ♠ A 10 5
which are concerned with negotiating a missing queen ♥J854
♦ J 10 7
when you have the ace, king and jack. ♣743
West East
Declaring three no-trump on the lead of the club jack to ♠9432 ♠Q86
♥K96 ♥Q732
East’s king, you elect to win for fear of a heart shift. If that
♦K4 ♦Q65
came, you would be forced to duck, after which a ♣ J 10 9 8 ♣K62
reversion to clubs might prove very awkward. Having South
♠KJ7
taken the club ace, how do you plan to maximize your ♥ A 10
chances in spades and diamonds? ♦A9832
♣AQ5
If you lead diamonds from hand, West will play low without
concern, and East will win and continue with clubs. At this 1♦ Pass 1♥ Pass
point, you will need to guess well to come home with nine 2 NT Pass 3 NT All pass
tricks.
A better line is to pass the spade jack at once. When East Opening Lead: ♣J
wins, a heart might be best but if he returns a low club you
duck — since West cannot lead hearts effectively. If West next plays either a heart or a
club, you win and overtake the spade king to run the diamond jack. The defenders can
win, but will have at most one trick to cash, as the card lie, before letting you back on lead.
You can cross to the spade 10 and run the diamond 10, coming to two tricks in each black
suit and five winners in the red suits.
Incidentally, if the spade jack holds, you are probably supposed to lead a spade to the ace
and run the diamond jack. Then you can play for three diamond tricks to bring your total to
nine. You will go down only when West has both diamond honors guarded and five clubs,
in which case you are doomed no matter what you do.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: A call of one no-trump here
South Holds: shows 18-20 and is surely the best way to
♠KJ7 advance with this hand. Although no-trump
♥ A 10 might be better played by your partner, the
♦A9832 possibility of stopping low facing scattered
♣AQ5 values is a sound one. Your partner can
introduce a second suit, rebid a five-card
South West North East spade suit or try for game, of course.
1♥
Dbl. Pass 1♠ Pass
?

I was playing pairs, second to speak, with My partnership plays regular signals for
♠ A-Q-7-4-3, ♥ K-4, ♦ Q-7-3-2, ♣ 10-2. With attitude and occasionally for count. Please
no one vulnerable, I heard three clubs on my comment on the use of suit preference in
right. Was I wrong to pass here? My partner trumps by the defenders — is it the most
had a flat 13-count with king-jack-third of useful meaning for a signal within the trump
clubs, and we sold out even though we were suit or in a side suit?
cold for three no-trump.
— House Warmer, Steubenville, Ohio
— Sold Out Steve, Sunbury, Pa.
ANSWER: Some people play a trump echo

ANSWER: I have a lot of sympathy for you. as indicating a desire to ruff; others use it to
When in doubt, act with shortness in their show an odd number of trumps. Trump suit
suit and pass with length. But here, you did preference is far more useful. To start with,
not really have the values to consider you can convey the desire to ruff just as well
bidding, as opposed to balancing, when I by giving appropriate suit preference.
would definitely bid. The only consolation I Moreover, your number of trumps normally
can offer you for passing and scoring badly becomes apparent for other reasons early
is that it will reassure your partner that next on in the hand, and it is rarely a critical factor
time when you do bid, you have the right in the defense.
hand to act.
Dear Mr. Wolff:

Dear Mr. Wolff:
My partner and I use a cue-bid of our right-
Recently, this question was posed in Bridge hand opponent’s opening bid as Michaels.
World: When holding ♠ A-Q-J-10, ♥ A-7-5-3- Recently, I came across a reference to Non-
2, ♦ A-Q-9-6, ♣ —, what would be your call Leaping Michaels, which, to my uninformed
after hearing one spade to your right? I eye, didn’t look like a cue-bid at all. Can you
understand your explanation for doubling, explain how one can make a cue-bid without
but I bid two spades, Michaels, and wonder bidding the opponents’ suit?
why my bid was so unpopular.
— Bear of Very Little Brain, Laredo, Texas
— Down Under, Vancouver, British Columbia
ANSWER: Leaping Michaels is a jump cue-

ANSWER: The problem with the Michaels bid over a two- or three-level pre-empt to
Cue-bid (promising 5-5 shape) is that partner show a two-suiter. Some experts have
may not imagine you holding high cards, as expanded the concept to use simple
opposed to your good defense but lack of overcalls in a minor over a three-level pre-
shape. It is occasionally acceptable to force empt as two-suited. So, four clubs over three
partner to the two-level with Michaels after a hearts would show clubs and spades. For
minor-suit opener, specifically with 4=5 in the more information check out:
majors, holding 10-13 points and bit.ly/AoBLeapingMichaels.
concentrated values in the majors. The
difference is that on that sequence, you let
your partner bid more cheaply.
Dear Mr. Wolff:

I heard the auction start with one club to my
left and one spade to my right. I bid two no-
trump for the unbid suits. When asked, my
partner explained it as the minors. What
should I do — and when, if at all, should I
explain to the opponents what has
happened?
— Texas Scramble, Houston, Texas
ANSWER: As a defender, you should say or

do nothing until the hand is over and then
explain the position to declarer. As declarer
or dummy, explain before the opening lead
what the position is. You should always
correct a mistaken explanation by your
partner in this way. During the auction,
however, you must bid as if he had
explained your call correctly; if he bids three
clubs, for example, you must assume he has
a good hand and is trying for game.
“The gods have their own rules.”

— Ovid
Dealer: S North
Today’s deal emphasizes the notion that rules are all well Vul: Both ♠874
and good, but you have to know when to apply them. We ♥ Q J 10 4
♦ A 10
are all accustomed to ducking our aces as declarer in a ♣ A 10 6 2
no-trump contract to try to sever the defenders’ West East
♠ 10 6 3 ♠QJ92
communications. But there is a time and place for
♥A3 ♥98762
everything, and rules should not be applied unthinkingly. ♦KJ862 ♦Q7
♣Q54 ♣97
When West led the diamond six against three no-trump, it South
♠AK5
might have seemed that ducking would help to sever the ♥K5
defense’s link in that suit. In fact, though, declarer must ♦9543
♣KJ83
rise with dummy’s ace rather than duck — since this play
blocks the run of the suit if West has led from five cards. South West North East
East surely started with a doubleton honor; if West held 1 NT Pass 2♣ Pass
KQJxx, wouldn’t he have led a top honor? Moreover, if the 2♦ Pass 3 NT All pass
suit is 4-3, ducking won’t cut the defenders’

communications. Opening Lead: ♦6
Declarer duly rose with the ace and continued with a small heart to the king, which was
ducked, then led another heart, won by West. That player returned the diamond two to his
partner’s queen, but East could now do no better than shift to the spade queen.
South won and needed just three club tricks for his contract. Again, playing safe, he
cashed the club king, then finessed the 10, making sure that if he lost the lead, it would be
to the safe hand, East.
His care was rewarded with an overtrick, but even if the 10 had lost to the queen, declarer
would still have had three club tricks, three hearts, two spades and the diamond ace.
LEAD WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: The choice is whether to go
South Holds: passive with a trump or to lead the
♠9842 doubleton heart, playing for a trump
♥J2 promotion or a ruff. Since partner might
♦Q82 easily have a doubleton spade (he didn’t
♣ Q 10 7 2 reopen with a second double), I would go for
the heart ruff by leading the jack in that suit.
1♠
Pass Pass Dbl. 2♠
All pass
“Because I could not stop for Death —

He kindly stopped for me — The Carriage held but just Ourselves —
And Immortality.”
— Emily Dickinson
Dealer: S North
When West overcalled two clubs, North had a hand worth Vul: E-W ♠KJ3
a drive to game, but he took it slowly in case there was ♥A8543
♦K4
slam in the offing. His three-club call showed a limit raise ♣ 10 7 2
or better; over his partner’s discouraging three-heart call, West East
♠98 ♠ Q 10 6 5 4
he simply raised to game. South’s other options would
♥ Q 10 9 ♥—
have been to temporize with a three-diamond call — a ♦QJ8 ♦97532
“last-train” bid passing the buck to his partner, to jump to ♣AKQ98 ♣543
South
game or to make a slam try himself. ♠A72
♥KJ762
The defenders led three rounds of clubs, allowing declarer ♦ A 10 6
♣J6
to ruff. Before he continued, South assessed the position
and determined that unless trumps were incredibly hostile, South West North East
he would have no further problems. He led a trump to the 1♥ 2♣ 3♣ Pass
ace, expecting that if anyone were void in hearts, it would 3♥ Pass 4♥ Pass
All pass
be West; that would leave him with a marked finesse in
trumps. To South’s dismay, though, it was East who Opening Lead: ♣K
showed out. Can you identify declarer’s best plan from
here on in?
He next eliminated diamonds by playing the king and ace and ruffing the third. When West
followed suit to all three rounds, it was clear he could hold no more than two spades. So
South cashed the ace and king of spades and exited with a trump.
In the two-card ending, West had only clubs left to lead. Declarer could ruff in one hand
and throw the losing spade from the other.
Note that with this trump holding, it never costs to start with the ace; if West has the
length, you can never pick it up, no matter what you do.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: Should you worry about ace-
South Holds: asking here? No — the likelihood that your
♠A72 side is missing two aces is infinitesimal.
♥KJ762 Instead, focus on getting to the right slam,
♦ A 10 6 and the way to do that is to transfer to hearts
♣J6 then jump to five no-trump to offer a choice
of slams. If your partner prefers either
South West North East diamonds or spades, you won’t argue.
2 NT Pass
?
by Bobby Wolff on May 1st, 2019
“Truth always rests with the minority, and the minority is always stronger than the majority,
because the minority is generally formed by those who really have an opinion, while the
strength of a majority is illusory, formed by the gangs who have no opinion.”
— Søren Kierkegaard
Dealer: N North
After North’s one-no-trump rebid, South used the New- Vul: Both ♠AK5
Minor Forcing inquiry of two diamonds. This call promised ♥86
♦7532
invitational or better values. North’s rebid of two spades ♣AJ64
denied four hearts and promised three-card spade West East
♠Q9 ♠J84
support, after which South leapt slightly ambitiously to
♥Q972 ♥ J 10 5
game. ♦ J 10 ♦KQ96
♣ K 10 9 5 3 ♣Q87
When West led the diamond jack, declarer weighed up his South
♠ 10 7 6 3 2
options thoughtfully. He would surely need a favorable ♥AK43
trump break, but even if hearts were 4-3, that would still ♦A84
♣2
only get him to nine tricks. Four trumps, two hearts, a
heart ruff and the minor-suit aces would come to nine. He South West North East
would therefore need to make all five of his own trumps, 1♣ Pass
his four side-suit winners and a heart ruff to bring the total 1♠ Pass 1 NT Pass
2♦* Pass 2♠ Pass
to 10. 4♠ All pass
At trick two, South played a club to the ace, then ruffed a *New Minor Forcing
club. After cashing dummy’s trump ace and king, he ruffed Opening Lead: ♦J
another club. Then declarer crossed his fingers before
cashing the heart ace and king and ruffing a heart. When dummy’s small trump held, he
had nine tricks. For his last piece of good luck, he led the club jack from dummy and
scored his trump en passant.
If East ruffed high, declarer would throw a heart from hand and eventually score his
remaining trump for his 10th trick. In practice, East discarded a diamond, allowing declarer
to score the game-going trick by ruffing the club jack.
Had declarer ruffed dummy’s fourth club before ruffing a heart, East could have pitched a
heart and later over-ruffed the third club.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: You certainly have a maximum
South Holds: hand for a raise to three diamonds, and your
♠J84 three small spades are a positive feature on
♥ J 10 5 this auction, in that you can infer most of
♦KQ96 your cards ought to be working. But it would
♣Q87 be overly optimistic to try for game. The rule
that “when everybody is bidding, neither side
South West North East can make game” is a pretty good one.
1♠ 2♦ 2♠ Simply raise to three diamonds for the time
? being.
by Bobby Wolff on May 2nd, 2019
“The world of the future will be an ever more demanding struggle against the limitations of
our intelligence.”
— Norbert Wiener
Dealer: E North
Is your money on declarer or the defense in today’s Vul: N-S ♠ 10 9 8
contract of four hearts? It looks as if the duplication in the ♥ Q 10 9 8
♦K76
minor suits makes declarer’s task very hard, but if the ♣K73
defenders are to survive, they will need to be very careful. West East
♠KQJ2 ♠7654
Declarer receives a top spade lead against four hearts. ♥32 ♥J4
♦ Q 10 3 2 ♦J85
He ducks, wins the spade continuation and draws trumps ♣Q94 ♣A652
in three rounds, then cashes the diamond ace and king South
♠A3
and ruffs a spade before leading a third round of ♥AK765
diamonds. West must be careful to have preserved a ♦A94
♣ J 10 8
small diamond (perhaps by pitching his small spade on
the third trump) so that East can win the third diamond, or South West North East
the defense is over. Pass
1♥ Pass 2♥ Pass
After East does win the third round of diamonds, he must 4♥ All pass
next lead a club, or declarer can ruff the plain suit in hand,
Opening Lead: ♠K
pitching a club; then South should guess clubs. However,
if East leads the club ace, he reduces his side’s potential club winners to one.
All of this means that East must shift to a low club, and now declarer (who needs West to
have the club queen) has a choice of plays. Putting in the eight makes the contract by
force if East started with the nine of clubs. The other play, of putting up the jack, will work
out if West covers that card with the queen, but it is fatal if West remembers to duck —
easier said than done!
The bottom line is that the contract should be defeated on best defense. But as one of my
cynical partners was wont to say, what are the chances of that happening?
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: The Law of Total Tricks may tell
South Holds: you that when you have four trumps facing
♠7654 an overcall, you should commit to the three-
♥J4 level. But its promulgator, Larry Cohen, also
♦J85 warns that you should take into account
♣A652 negative features like bad trump distribution
and defense on the sides. This hand has too
South West North East many soft values on defense for a pre-
1♣ 1♠ Pass emptive raise. Simply raise to two spades,
? then stay silent unless re-invited to the party.
by Bobby Wolff on May 3rd, 2019
“There was a time when meadow, grove, and stream,

The earth and every common sight, To me did seem
Appareled in a celestial light.”
— William Wordsworth
Dealer: N North
In today’s Common Game deal, my partner played three Vul: None ♠AKJ5
hearts, making three, when he drew trumps and tested ♥Q976
♦ 10 5
spades but could not develop an extra club trick. The ♣954
cards appear to lie poorly for declarer, but I saw some West East
♠43 ♠ Q 10 8 7 6
pairs had bid to four hearts, and a few had made it. I
♥ 10 8 5 ♥J
wondered if that was possible without some defensive ♦AKQJ6 ♦832
help; I asked a couple of players and found the answer. ♣KJ6 ♣8732
South
♠92
At one table, West cashed two diamonds, then shifted to a ♥AK432
trump. Declarer took East’s jack with the ace, took two top ♦974
♣ A Q 10
spades and guessed correctly to ruff a spade high, West
pitching a diamond. Then he finessed the heart nine, South West North East
cashed the heart king and ruffed another spade high to Pass Pass
squeeze West. When that player came down to his last 1♥ 2♦ 3♦ Pass
4♥ All pass
diamond, declarer eventually threw him in with a diamond,
pitching a club from the board. West now had to lead a Opening Lead: ♦K
club and concede the rest.
At another table, the defenders led three rounds of diamonds. Declarer ruffed in dummy
and played five rounds of trumps. Everyone came down to five cards, with dummy having
one club and four spades. West kept one spade, one diamond and three clubs, while East
had to keep four spades and one club. Reading the position perfectly, declarer led the
spade nine to the ace, took the club ace and played his low spade to dummy’s five. East
won cheaply, but was endplayed.
Had West kept two spades and three clubs, declarer would have taken both top spades
and ducked a club to West to endplay him.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: One of the critical debates in
South Holds: two-over-one bidding is whether opener’s
♠92 rebid of his suit in a game-forcing auction
♥AK432 should promise six. If you believe that, you
♦974 are occasionally required either to rebid two
♣ A Q 10 no-trump with a flawed hand or to raise
responder’s suit with three trumps and a
South West North East balanced minimum. If you can rebid two
1♥ Pass 2♦ Pass hearts here without promising six, that is
?
clearly the right course of action.
by Bobby Wolff on May 4th, 2019
“Weeded and worn the ancient thatch

Upon the lonely moated grange.”
— Alfred, Lord Tennyson
Dealer: E North
At the Philadelphia Spring Nationals, David Grainger was Vul: None ♠KQ752
the hero in this deal from the Jacoby Open Swiss Teams. ♥ 10 4 2
♦96
Declaring four hearts, he won the low diamond lead and ♣QJ5
played three rounds of spades, discarding a diamond. West East
♠93 ♠ 10 8 6 4
West ruffed the third spade and returned a diamond. Put
♥K965 ♥Q
yourself in Grainger’s shoes: You ruff and … what’s your ♦ Q 10 3 ♦KJ8752
plan? ♣ A 10 9 3 ♣82
South
♠AJ
Grainger inferred East’s likely shape as 4162, since if East ♥AJ873
had had a singleton club, his partner would have known to ♦A4
♣K764
give him the ruff. So he needed to find East with a
singleton heart honor. Accordingly, South cashed the South West North East
heart ace, dropping the queen, then led a club to the jack. 2♦
2♥ 3♦ 3♥ Pass
Declarer next ruffed a spade with the heart jack, leaving 4♥ All pass
West no good options. In essence, he was squeezed in
Opening Lead: ♦3
three suits, one of which was trump. An overruff or an
underruff would clearly have been fatal, so West chose to discard a diamond. Declarer
now simply led a trump toward dummy’s 10 and was home no matter what West did, since
South could draw the last trump sooner or later, then give up a club.
If West had pitched a club instead of a diamond, declarer would have led a club toward
dummy. If West had risen with the club ace and led a diamond, declarer could — for
example — pitch a club from dummy and ruff in hand. Then the club king followed by
another club act as surrogate trumps, limiting the defense to just one more trump trick.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: The fact that your right-hand
South Holds: opponent has shown four spades shouldn’t
♠KQ752 stop you from simply raising to two hearts,
♥ 10 4 2 the value call on your hand. Although your
♦96 trumps are weak, your defensive values
♣QJ5 aren’t that remarkable and your overall hand
is just fine for the simple raise of hearts.
South West North East Don’t pass and back in later; that lets the
1♦ 1♥ Dbl. opponents establish their optimal fit and
? level too easily.
The Aces on Bridge: Sunday, April 21st, 2019

My partner heard me open one diamond and I have always been taught not to open all 12-
held ♠ K-J-4, ♥ 2, ♦ A-J-8-2, ♣ K-Q-7-6-5. He counts reflexively, but to bid only with a hand
responded two clubs and heard me rebid my good in shape or controls. Am I out of line
diamonds, which we play simply as showing with modern thinking? And how should I act
five or more in an unbalanced hand. How with a shapely 11-count?
should he develop his hand now, given that
a raise to three diamonds would be forcing in — Egg-shells, Charlottesville, Va.
our style?
— Stocking Stuffer, Tuscaloosa, Ala. ANSWER: With 4333 pattern and with a suit
I do not particularly want partner to lead I
might pass. By contrast, on 11-counts with
ANSWER: A raise to three diamonds is one shape, especially those where a rebid is
possible start, while a call of two spades easy, I like to get the hand off my chest at
may be best to get you to three no-trump. A my first turn. Hands with awkward shape,
third option is to jump to three hearts where the four-card suit ranks above the
instead. Since two hearts would be natural five-carder, might sensibly pass at the first
and forcing, this shows a singleton heart with turn rather than having to distort at the
diamond support and likely slam interest; second turn.
you hope partner will find a cue-bid of a
minor-suit king. If he signs off in three no-
trump, you should probably respect his Dear Mr. Wolff:
judgment.
What is the right way to ask for aces and
then for kings using Gerber after my partner
Dear Mr. Wolff: opens in a suit?
My partner unleashed a sequence on me for — Florence of Arabia, Columbus, Ohio
which I was not prepared. He opened one
club, and I responded one spade. The next
hand bid two diamonds, and partner jumped ANSWER: Gerber applies only after an
to four clubs, holding six clubs and four opening or rebid of one or two no-trump. The
spades. Is this a convention — and is it in four-club call gets a response of four
standard use? diamonds for zero or four aces, four hearts
for one ace, and so on. Then five clubs (or
— Point Counterpoint, Little Rock, Ark. step one if you play Sliding Gerber) over the
response asks for kings with the same
scheme of responses. By agreement, one
ANSWER: It is not unusual to agree that in a can use Gerber after a one-no-trump opener
non-competitive sequence, a double jump to if Stayman finds a fit. But the best way to
four clubs shows at least six decent clubs play Gerber is by your left- and right-hand
and four spades, with the values to drive to opponents, rather than by you.
game. This helps partner see a source of
tricks for his side in a spade slam. But in
competition, should four clubs be natural or
fit? I guess fit is logical enough, but it is an
unusual enough auction that I wouldn’t want
to spring it on my partner unawares.
Dear Mr. Wolff:

Are there many partnerships that defend
against preempts by using a double as
anything but takeout? What if opener
doubles the preemptive raise of an overcall
at his second turn to speak after partner has
bid a suit?
— Combat Boots, White Plains, N.Y.
ANSWER: Playing takeout doubles of one-

or two-suited preempts at your first turn to
speak is sensible because that is the hand
type that comes up most often. I’d assume
most people use a second-round double as
indicating extras, unsuitable for repeating
one’s own suit, raising partner, bidding a
second suit or bidding no-trump. So,
balanced or semi-balanced with extras,
maybe?
The Aces on Bridge: Monday, April 22nd, 2019
“Life always gets harder toward the summit — the cold increases, responsibility
increases.”
— Friedrich Nietzsche
Dealer: S North
Splinter bids in response to major-suit opening bids help a Vul: E-W ♠AQ4
partnership determine whether they are in the slam zone ♥AJ763
♦2
and whether their cards fit. One style is to play that ♣7632
responder’s double jumps in a new suit are limited by the West East
♠ 10 9 8 6 5 ♠KJ73
failure to use the Jacoby two no-trump. Another style says
♥9 ♥5
that a jump like one heart – three spades shows an ♦J984 ♦ K 10 7 6 5
unspecified splinter in the range 10-13 (over which opener ♣KJ8 ♣ 10 5 4
South
can ask or sign off), while the direct jump shows a full ♠2
opener, and one heart – three no-trump shows the ♥ K Q 10 8 4 2
♦AQ3
equivalent splinter in spades. ♣AQ9
In today’s deal, North-South reached slam, and West South West North East
looked no further than his spade sequence. How would 1♥ Pass 4♦* Pass
you plan the play to avoid needing to rely on a favorable 4 NT Pass 5♠ Pass
6♥ All pass
lie of the opponents’ cards?
*Short diamonds, agreeing hearts
The answer is to win the spade ace and ruff a spade high,
Opening Lead: ♠10
then play the diamond ace and ruff a further diamond.
Now ruff a spade high, ruff a diamond high, draw trumps and lead a club from dummy,
planning to cover whatever East plays. If East plays low, you put in the nine and force
West to lead back a club or give a ruff-sluff. If East puts up the 10, you play the queen,
and when West wins his king, he is faced with the same unpalatable alternatives.
Note that this play requires both diamonds and spades to be fully extracted and trumps
drawn before the first club play. The essence of an elimination is to remove as many of
the defenders’ exit cards as you can.
LEAD WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: I’m unimaginative here; I lead my
South Holds: long suit and hope we can somehow
♠J9753 develop it. With honor-third in diamonds, I
♥Q2 might try that suit, but three small requires
♦832 my partner to have way too much in the suit
♣AQ4 for it to be a success. Either red suit might
work, or even a passive lead, but I prefer to
South West North East lead what is in front of my face.
1♣ Pass 1♠
Pass 2♣ Pass 2 NT
All pass
The Aces on Bridge: Tuesday, April 23rd, 2019
“In science, the credit goes to the man who convinces the world, not to the man to whom
the idea first occurs.”
— Sir Francis Darwin
Dealer: S North
Mastering the standard suit combinations is something Vul: Both ♠AK98
that requires time, trouble and the occasional visit to the ♥K7
♦A63
textbooks. And it is not always so easy to distinguish one ♣KQ42
position from the next. West East
♠ 10 7 3 2 ♠Q6
Here South sensibly offered clubs an alternative strain — ♥9862 ♥QJ543
♦J72 ♦ Q 10 8 5
even the 5-3 fit might have played best if declarer needed ♣ 10 8 ♣65
to ruff out spades. North was happy to play the suit slam, South
♠J54
but after the lead of the heart nine, South saw there was ♥ A 10
no obvious advantage to playing there — that is, unless ♦K94
♣AJ973
declarer went for an endplay rather than attempting to
squeeze a third trick out of the spades. South West North East
1♣ Pass 1♠ Pass
That said, how would you maximize your chances of 1 NT Pass 4 NT Pass
developing three tricks from the spades? Declarer’s 6♣ All pass
decision to run the spade jack, then later play the ace and
Opening Lead: ♥9
king in an attempt to drop the 10, was not a success.
This was a better try than cashing both top spades, I believe, though that would have
worked as the cards lie, as would taking two finesses or even leading a low spade toward
the jack. But the best technical line is to draw trumps, cash the spade ace and continue
with the nine, planning to let it run if East plays low.
You next plan to run the spade jack if West follows with a small card. While this line fails if
East blithely plays low on the second round from queen-empty-fourth or even queen-third,
this still represents the best odds play. And you could argue that if he does find this
defense, he deserves to beat you.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: A double here is cardshowing
South Holds: (typically a strong no-trump equivalent or
♠Q6 better, with no clear alternative action). It is
♥QJ543 not for penalty, but closer to take-out than
♦ Q 10 8 5 optional. You should simply bid three
♣65 diamonds and let your partner take a further
call if appropriate.
1♣ Pass
1♥ 2♠ Dbl. Pass
?
“Some problems are so complex that you have to be highly intelligent and well informed
just to be undecided about them.”
— Laurence Peter
Dealer: East North

In today’s deal, South might have responded four Vul: None ♠KQ42
diamonds to North’s cue-bid, since North might just have ♥A98
♦Q962
been trying to find the best fit when holding both red suits. ♣AK
No harm was done, though it resulted in South rather than West East
♠ 10 9 7 3 ♠8
North being declarer in six spades.
♥ K 10 6 5 2 ♥J7
♦75 ♦J83
When the defenders led clubs, the duplication of values ♣83 ♣ Q J 10 6 5 4
meant South wasn’t going to find it easy to take a ruff in South
♠ AJ65
either hand. Accordingly, the 4-1 trump break did not ♥ Q43
materially diminish declarer’s chances. He won the club ♦ A K 10 4
♣ 97
lead and drew trumps in four rounds, East pitching three
clubs. South West North East
3♣
Now whom was declarer going to play for four diamonds? Dbl. Pass 4♣ Pass
After cashing the diamond ace, declarer decided that East 4♠ Pass 5♣ Pass
5♦ Pass 5♥ Pass
was slightly more likely to have four diamonds than four
6♦ Pass 6♠ All Pass
hearts. However, it was far more convenient for his plans
to be in dummy after running the diamonds. So he cashed Opening Lead: ♣8
the diamond king and ran diamonds, coming down to a
four-card ending with three hearts and one club in each hand, West holding the same,
while East had two cards left in each suit.
The next big decision was whom to play for the heart king. Since West had the length,
declarer decided to cash dummy’s remaining club honor and lead the heart eight, planning
to let it run. When East played low, so did declarer, and West took his 10 but was
endplayed to lead a heart around to South’s queen.
Had East followed with the jack, declarer would have played his queen and finessed
against the 10 on the next round.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: Creeping or Crawling Stayman
South Holds: allows you to bid two clubs here and correct
♠ 10 9 7 3 a response of two diamond to two hearts to
♥ K 10 6 5 2 offer a choice of the majors. Opener tends to
♦75 pass unless he has three spades and two
♣83 hearts, so this way you can remove yourself
from one no-trump and find a reasonable
South West North East partscore whatever your partner has.
1 NT Pass
?
“But I, being poor, have only my dreams,

I have spread my dreams under your feet;
Tread softly because you tread on my dreams.”
— W.B. Yeats
Dealer: S North
When East overcalled one spade over one heart, South Vul: E-W ♠92
could easily have passed rather than bidding one no- ♥ K J 10 5
♦AQ9
trump. (Too much of his hand was tied up in spades, in my ♣A852
opinion.) South denied three hearts by his action — with West East
♠73 ♠ Q J 10 8 5 4
three hearts, he would have made a support double of the
♥9873 ♥A62
overcall. ♦752 ♦K63
♣ Q 10 9 6 ♣J
West led the spade seven, top of his doubleton, against South
♠AK6
three no-trump, and when East overtook with his eight, ♥Q4
declarer saw little point in ducking. He won and played the ♦ J 10 8 4
♣K743
heart queen, then continued with hearts when East
ducked. East took the second round and continued with South West North East
the spade queen. Again, declarer declined to duck, 1♣ Pass 1♥ 1♠
continuing with a club to the ace to cash dummy’s heart 1 NT Pass 3 NT All pass
winners, throwing diamonds from hand, while East also

pitched a low diamond. Opening Lead: ♠7
Declarer had planned to try to concede a club to West while keeping East off lead. But
when East threw a spade on the second club, declarer rose with the ace and exited with a
spade. East could take his three spade winners, but then had to lead away from the
diamond king and concede the ninth trick.
Declarer would have been unable to make his contract on the layout seen here if he had
let East win either the first or second round of spades. Had he done so, he would been
unable to endplay East and would then have had to rely on a finesse in diamonds to make
a ninth trick — which would have been unsuccessful as the cards were divided.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: It isn’t clear whether you belong
South Holds: in diamonds or three no-trump, but you don’t
♠92 really have any slam ambitions yet. Bid three
♥ K J 10 5 clubs to show where you live and let partner
♦AQ9 help you decide what strain to end up in.
♣A852 When in doubt, it is always better to let
partner tell you what he has, rather than
South West North East deciding for him.
1♦ Pass
1♥ Pass 2♦ Pass
?
“Everything happens to everybody sooner or later if there is time enough.”

Dealer: W North
In today’s deal, you may want to take West’s cards. Cover Vul: N-S ♠KQ9764
up declarer’s hand and your partner’s to see if you can ♥Q3
♦J75
find the critical play to break an apparently cold contract. ♣A8
West East
With a heart lead looking very unattractive against three ♠A85 ♠ J 10 3 2
♥K874 ♥J9
no-trump, West elects to lead the diamond three to the
♦K63 ♦ 10 9 4 2
five, nine and queen. (Incidentally, the play to this first trick ♣J42 ♣Q73
marks declarer with either the eight or 10, plus surely the South
♠—
ace.) South leads a low heart from his hand, and West ♥ A 10 6 5 2
allows dummy’s queen to take the trick. ♦AQ8
♣ K 10 9 6 5
South now plays two more rounds of hearts, and you win
the third heart cheaply to shift to a low club, more in hope Pass 1♠ Pass
than in expectation. Dummy wins the ace and returns a 2♥ Pass 2♠ Pass
second club to South’s 10 and your jack. 3♣ Pass 3♥ Pass
3 NT All pass
It would seem that declarer is in excellent shape, since he
Opening Lead: ♦3
surely has the diamond ace with an initial 0-5-3-5 shape.
It looks as if he is about to set up hearts and finish with three heart tricks, four clubs and
two diamonds, which all adds up to nine.
But in fact, you have reached the critical moment in the defense; only one play will set the
game, and that is to cash the spade ace. What might declarer discard? If he lets go of a
diamond, you exit with a diamond and can cash the king when in with your heart winner. If
he pitches anything else, you cash your heart winner and exit with a club. You will collect
the diamond king at trick 13 to beat the game.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: Even though the opponents
South Holds: seem prepared to go quietly, it is worthwhile
♠A85 to invest a small amount to make their lives
♥K874 more difficult in case West plans to re-open
♦K63 the bidding. You should raise to three
♣J42 spades to force his next action to come at a
more uncomfortable level. This may turn a
South West North East plus score into a minus, but overall, the
Pass 1♣ 2♠ Pass investment looks sound to me.
?
“If the doors of perception were cleansed, everything would appear to man as it is:
infinite.”
— William Blake
Dealer: E North
When South heard his partner balance over East’s one- Vul: E-W ♠AK
diamond opening bid with a double, he did not have ♥ Q J 10 5
♦K963
enough to jump to two hearts — see today’s Bid With the ♣ A 10 4
Aces problem. However, when his partner made a game West East
♠Q986 ♠ 10 7 5 4
try, showing real extras, South had enough to go directly
♥76 ♥43
to game. ♦ J 10 5 ♦AQ84
♣7632 ♣KQ5
West had a straightforward lead of the diamond jack, and South
♠J32
declarer correctly ducked this in dummy. (If declarer ♥AK982
covers, East will win and must then steel himself to play ♦72
♣J98
the diamond four to his partner’s 10. Now a club shift
leaves declarer out of options.) South West North East
1♦
When the diamond jack held the first trick, West did very Pass Pass Dbl. Pass
well by shifting to a club anyway, won by East’s queen. 1♥ Pass 2♥ Pass
4♥ All pass
East exited passively with a spade to dummy’s king, but
declarer now had a blueprint for the full hand. He Opening Lead: ♦J
unblocked the spade ace and led a heart to the nine.
Then he took a spade ruff in dummy with a trump intermediate and cashed the heart
queen.
If trumps had been 3-1, declarer could have run them all, reducing down to a three-card
ending where dummy had the bare diamond king and the ace-10 of clubs, but he might
have needed to read the ending carefully. East might make declarer’s life hard by baring
his club king early, then pitching the diamond queen.
Instead, though, with trumps being 2-2, declarer simply drew all of them and led a
diamond. He could cover West’s card, endplaying East to concede the game-going trick in
one minor or the other.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: It is worth emphasizing why your
South Holds: response maybe be different after a
♠J32 balancing double than after a direct-seat
♥AK982 double. A direct double shows opening
♦72 values or more; a balancing double may be
♣J98 as much as a king less than that. So,
responder to the balancing double bids as if
South West North East he has transferred a king to his partner.
1♦ Dbl. Pass Here, responder jumps to two hearts; he
? would not do so facing a balancing double.

When a deal is passed out on the first round Is there a simple way to learn the rules for
of a duplicate, are we allowed to re-deal the the percentages as they apply to calculating
hand without asking the director for how the opponents’ missing cards might
permission? divide?
— Thrown for a Loop, Naples, Fla. — Life’s a Bore(l), Honolulu, Hawaii
ANSWER: While the paying customer has ANSWER: In broad terms, two missing
one fewer deal to play because of the throw- cards will probably split, but in all other
in, that would be missing the point. Say I or cases, an even number of missing cards will
my partner had passed a hand others might probably not divide evenly. The odds of them
open. Should we not get the good or bad splitting exactly are slightly more than 1 in 3
result from that decision? Also, you can be in most cases, while a one-from-even split is
confident that on most pass-outs, someone, a 50-50 shot. An odd number of cards split
somewhere, will find a reason to bid, no as close to evenly as possible, with odds
matter how flimsy the pretext. about 2 in 3 for that. Start from those
numbers; for other cases, the more normal
the split, the more likely it is.
Dear Mr. Wolff:
If a defender shows his card, when may he Dear Mr. Wolff:
be excused from playing that card, assuming
it has not actually been put on the table? I I was second to speak, with ♠ A-8, ♥ A-Q-7-
thought I was allowed to change my mind 3-2, ♦ J-4-3-2, ♣ A-4, and I opened one
here. heart. The next hand doubled, and my
partner jumped to three hearts. I passed,
— Faulty Towers, Wilmington, N.C. and we missed a game. Afterward, he said
there was no way to show less than a limit
raise but more than a pre-empt. He
ANSWER: There are different rules for mentioned the concept of a mixed raise.
declarer and the defenders. For declarer, a Have you heard of this call?
card has to be played — or the equivalent of
played — rather than accidentally dropped. — Mixed Nuts, Detroit, Mich.
(Declarer doesn’t have a partner who might
benefit from unauthorized information.) For
the defenders, a card is played if it is actually ANSWER: A mixed raise is a jump cue-bid
or potentially in view. Thus, a partly or wholly in competition, facing an overcall, to show a
visible card is normally treated as played. four-card raise with 6-9 points or so. It is
mixed, as it has the shape for a pre-emptive
raise and the values for a single raise. Since
Dear Mr. Wolff: this call has no other useful meaning, it
makes good sense to play this convention —
I picked up ♠ 9-4, ♥ 7-4-2, ♦ A-Q-7-5-3, ♣ K- as long as your partnership has agreed. One
3-2 and heard one club from my partner, could also use the jump in the unbid major
then one spade on my right. Is this hand after a major suit is doubled to show
suitable for a negative double? I thought not, precisely this hand; so here, a call of two
so I passed, and now a raise to two spades spades would show this.
was passed back to me. What would be
appropriate now?
— Lurking Warbeck, Dodge City, Kan.
ANSWER: You were right not to double or

bid two diamonds, though you might take the
latter action as a passed hand. Here, I’d bid
two no-trump at my second turn if I trusted
my partner to be fully present. A call of two
no-trump is logically take-out for the minors,
not natural. It denies four clubs, since I
would already have raised if I had that hand.
Something like this hand would therefore be
perfect for the call.
“It is characteristic of mankind to make as little adjustment as possible in customary ways

in the face of new conditions.”
— Robert and Helen Lynd
Dealer: S North
After identical auctions, both West players in a team game Vul: Both ♠A94
led a fourth-highest spade two against three no-trump ♥J75
♦J932
rather than a second-highest spot-card. ♣J84
West East
At the first table, when declarer played low from dummy, ♠ 10 8 6 2 ♠K53
East won with his king and counted the outstanding high ♥93 ♥ 10 8 4 2
♦K64 ♦75
cards. As he had 10 points, dummy had 7, and he knew of ♣ 10 7 3 2 ♣AK65
20 or so to his left, West could have at most 3 points. South
♠QJ7
There was very little future in spades; one more spade ♥AKQ6
trick would not defeat the contract. East decided to play ♦ A Q 10 8
♣Q9
West for three or four clubs and a red-suit king or the club
queen. So, he continued with a low club at trick two. South West North East
Declarer won the trick in dummy to run the diamond jack.
West took this with the king and continued the attack on
clubs. East won his club ace and king and cashed his Opening Lead: ♠2
remaining club to defeat the contract.
At the other table, declarer planned the play in some detail at trick one, counting eight
likely tricks in the form of the spade ace, four hearts and three diamonds. While a ninth
could come from one of the black suits, declarer saw that if East had the spade king, that
player might find the unwelcome shift to a club at trick two.
So declarer took the spade ace at once, then ran the diamond nine. West won the trick
with the diamond king, and declarer claimed the contract: The defenders could take a
spade and two clubs, but that was all. Declarer would set up a ninth trick from one of the
black suits sooner or later.
LEAD WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: Unless they are extremely subtle
South Holds: and devious, your opponents have
♠ J 10 8 6 4 conducted an auction that suggests they
♥K5 have a heart weakness. As long as you have
♦8752 no reason to suspect them of being
♣82 confidence tricksters, lead the heart king and
try to hit declarer’s soft underbelly.
1♣
Pass 1♠ Pass 2♣
Pass 2♦ Pass 3♣
Pass 5♣ All pass
“There is always inequity in life. Some men are killed in a war, and some men are
wounded, and some men never leave the country. … Life is unfair.”
— John F. Kennedy
Dealer: W North
Bridge is often unfair, and while pairs often reveals that Vul: Both ♠ K 10 9 4
more than other modes of the game, today’s deal would ♥ 10 6 4 3
♦Q
have been painful for the defense and delicious for ♣AQ84
declarer under any form of scoring. West East
♠5 ♠QJ82
The auction went swimmingly for North-South until North’s ♥KQ2 ♥975
♦ A 10 9 8 7 5 ♦J2
final pass. He should have known that his combination of ♣J73 ♣ 10 9 6 5
singleton diamond and bad hearts facing likely shortage South
♠A763
meant he should bid four spades. Of course, had he done ♥AJ8
so, South would have gone one down quietly in his game ♦K643
♣K2
for a below-average score.
As it was, West led the diamond 10 to trick one, and 1♦ Dbl. Pass
declarer was happy to grab a cheap trick in the form of the 2♦ Pass 2♥ Pass
diamond queen. It then seemed logical to establish a 2♠ Pass 3♠ Pass
3 NT All pass
spade trick without letting East in. So declarer laid down
the spade king and advanced the spade 10, covered all Opening Lead: ♦10
around as West pitched a diamond.
The bad trump break wasn’t good news, but at least South could see what the fate of four
spades would have been. He cashed three top clubs, pitching a spade from hand, and led
a heart to his jack and West’s queen. West exited with the ace and another diamond,
South won that, returned a diamond and took the last two heart tricks to make his game.
Had West exited with a low heart instead of two rounds of diamonds, declarer would have
cashed his heart winners and led a low diamond. Whichever defender won that trick would
have had to give declarer a trick in his hand in diamonds or a spade in dummy.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: I am torn here between bidding
South Holds: no-trump and raising clubs; if the latter, I
♠ K 10 9 4 wonder what level to raise to. The problem is
♥ 10 6 4 3 that if North is short in hearts, we might
♦Q make game in clubs (and would go down in
♣AQ84 three no-trump), but my partner will not know
his cards are fitting. Still, a raise to three
South West North East clubs is the value bid, and with no side-suit
1♦ Pass aces, part-score is likely to be the limit if
1♥ Pass 2♣ Pass
partner holds a minimum.
?
The Aces on Bridge: Wednesday, May 1st, 2019
“I’ll bet my money on the bobtail nag

Somebody bet on the bay.”
— Stephen Foster
Dealer: W North
Bridge players love to complain, and picking up a Vul: N-S ♠8
complete Yarborough — a hand with no card higher than ♥862
♦8732
a nine — offers the perfect opportunity. In the days of ♣97642
whist, Lord Yarborough offered insurance of 1,000 to 1 West East
♠ 10 9 3 ♠7542
against the chance of picking up such a hand. Of course,
♥AKQ53 ♥ J 10 9 4
as is usual in such cases, the bookmaker had rigged the ♦K54 ♦Q96
calculation in his favor: The true odds are actually 1,827 ♣ 10 3 ♣A5
South
to 1. ♠AKQJ6
♥7
In today’s deal, South bought his Yarborough in dummy, ♦ A J 10
♣KQJ8
but he managed to exploit its meager assets in an elegant
fashion for the equivalent of a trick. See if you can do the South West North East
same. 1♥ Pass 2♥
Dbl. Pass 2 NT * 3♥
When West cashes the heart king and continues with the 4♠ All pass
ace against four spades, you must plan the play. Suppose *Puppet to three clubs
you ruff, then draw trumps. Now you will find that you are
Opening Lead: ♥K
out of trumps, and the defenders will run hearts on you
after you have dislodged the club ace.
You must therefore follow the sound principle of trying to set up your side suit when your
trump holding is tenuous. Ruff the second heart, then go after clubs, leading the king in
the hope that the defenders win their ace and either don’t have a ruff or fail to take it.
After East wins his ace, he plays back another heart. Now comes the second key move.
You must not ruff, but instead pitch a diamond from your hand. At this point, dummy will
be out of hearts, so dummy’s singleton spade protects you against further forces in hearts.
No matter what the defenders play, you can win and draw trumps, happy to find that they
break 4-3. You can next unblock your high clubs and overtake the eight, eventually
discarding your last diamond on the fifth club.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: I can see the attraction of
South Holds: heading for six clubs, but with so many holes
♠AKQJ6 to fill, this hand seems more about game
♥7 than slam. Four spades may be
♦ A J 10 considerably easier to make than five clubs,
♣KQJ8 so I would simply bid four spades now. For
slam to make, you would need partner to
South West North East have an ace and either long clubs or the
3♥ diamond king.
Dbl. Pass 4♣ Pass
?
The Aces on Bridge: Thursday, May 2nd, 2019
“Laugh, and the world laughs with you;

Weep, and you weep alone.”
— Ella Wheeler Wilcox
Dealer: W North
It is never a good idea to criticize your opponents’ Vul: None ♠ J 10 8 5 3
methods to their faces; behind their backs is another ♥QJ
♦93
matter. If you make the mistake of commenting ♣Q742
unfavorably, then you slip up in the play, they won’t forgive West East
♠—
and forget — as today’s deal shows. ♠Q4
♥62
♥ 10 9 8 7 5 4 3
♦KJ87654
South asked about the four-diamond call and feigned ♦A
2
♣ A 10 8
disbelief that it was natural rather than a heart raise. But ♣J93
South
he bid four spades anyway, against which West cashed ♠AK9762
his singleton diamond ace before switching to a heart. ♥AK
♦ Q 10
♣K65
Declarer won, drew trumps in two rounds, cashed his
other top heart and led a low club toward the dummy. The South West North East
bidding had marked West with the club ace, and declarer 1♥ Pass 4♦
had planned to continue the attack on clubs if West 4♠ All pass
followed low. In that case, declarer would have taken the

Opening Lead: ♦A
queen and would then have covered East’s jack or ducked
the nine on the next round. Then he would have set up the 13th club for the discard he
needed.
But West saw the danger and cunningly put in the 10 on the first round of clubs. Now,
whatever South tried, East was bound to gain the lead with a club and cash the diamond
king for down one. Then West added salt to the wound by pointing out the winning line on
the deal. Can you spot it?
Declarer must eliminate hearts and throw West in with his spade queen! (If West unblocks
that card, declarer can endplay him with the trump four if he is careful.) Then West must
lead clubs or yield a ruff-sluff, and the trick comes back with interest.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: You may not have a great hand,
South Holds: but you already denied any real values when
♠ J 10 8 5 3 you bid only three spades at your first turn.
♥QJ That said, do you trust your partner enough
♦93 to play him for the slam-try he has already
♣Q742 shown? If you do, then I think you must bid
more than four spades now. Inventing a four-
South West North East heart cue-bid or jumping to five spades
3♦ Dbl. Pass might be best now.
3♠ Pass 4♦ Pass
?
The Aces on Bridge: Friday, May 3rd, 2019
“My expectations were reduced to zero when I was 21. Everything since then has been a
bonus.”
— Stephen Hawking
Dealer: S North
Today’s deal shows how a careful declarer can find an Vul: E-W ♠AQJ5
unlikely extra chance in a situation where the success or ♥96
♦K963
failure of his contract appears to depend on one thing ♣KQJ
only. Having been given that huge hint, be honest: How West East
♠ 10 8 7 ♠62
would you play six spades on a top heart lead from West?
♥ Q J 10 3 2 ♥K854
♦7 ♦ Q 10 5 4
I’m absolutely confident that a significant percentage of ♣9752 ♣ 10 8 4
bridge players (hopefully not my readers!) would win the South
♠K943
heart and draw trumps, then take an early diamond ♥A7
finesse of the jack. The good news is that the finesse will ♦AJ82
♣A63
work; the bad news is that the 4-1 break will leave you
helpless. South West North East
1 NT Pass 2♣ Pass
But what is the hurry to take that finesse? Win the heart 2♠ Pass 3♥* Pass
lead and draw trumps in three rounds, then cash all the 4♣ Pass 4♦ Pass
4♥ Pass 5♠ Pass
club winners and exit with the second heart. You aren’t
6♠ All pass
giving up anything, but you force the defenders to give
*Balanced slam try for spades
you a ruff-sluff or lead diamonds for you. Say West wins
the heart and leads a low diamond. You capture East’s Opening Lead: ♥Q
card, go to dummy with the diamond king, and have a
marked finesse against East’s remaining diamonds. On any other defense, you can
discard a diamond from one hand and ruff in the other. Then you can take the diamond
finesse against the queen and claim 12 tricks.
This line of play never loses when the contract can be made, and it ensures you can
always survive the 4-1 diamond breaks with the queen onside.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: Unless playing with an extremely
South Holds: conservative partner, I would advocate
♠K943 passing here. When you doubled two hearts
♥A7 in direct seat, you showed a shape-suitable
♦AJ82 opening bid at the very least. Partner had
♣A63 ways to invite game and chose not to. With
bad breaks on the horizon and the
South West North East defenders’ high cards in the minors likely to
2♥ be over your aces, is it really worth another
Dbl. Pass 2♠ Pass
try? I don’t think so.
?
The Aces on Bridge: Saturday, May 4th, 2019
“The artist, like the God of the creation, remains within or behind or beyond or above his
handiwork.”
— James Joyce
Dealer: N North
Tim Bourke, one of my Australian bridge-playing friends, Vul: E-W ♠AK3
has a splendid eye for a good deal. He is also an ♥Q83
♦AKQ8
outstanding player who has only been kept from ♣ 10 6 5
representing Australia because of ill health. But his wife, West East
♠J85 ♠642
Margi, has been a regular on the Australian team over the
♥— ♥ J 10 9 5 2
last few decades. ♦J9765 ♦ 10 4 3
♣KQJ93 ♣84
Bourke played this one recently against a computer, South
♠ Q 10 9 7
finding the way to overcome an extremely unpleasant ♥AK764
break. He declared six hearts on the lead of the club king ♦2
♣A72
to the ace. A low heart to dummy brought forth the bad
news. But he put up the heart queen and correctly South West North East
decided he needed East to have started with precisely a 1♦ Pass
3=5=3=2 or 4=5=3=1 shape. He next led the heart three 1♥ Pass 2 NT Pass
3♣* Pass 3♥ Pass
from dummy to the nine and king. Having forced a high 4♣ Pass 4 NT Pass
heart spot out of East, he cashed dummy’s top diamonds, 5♣ Pass 6♥ All pass
pitching clubs, then led the heart eight, covered by the 10
and king. *Checkback Stayman
In the six-card ending, there was only one way home. He Opening Lead: ♣K
crossed to a top spade in dummy to ruff a club to hand,
then took the spade queen and went back to the spade king. East had been forced to
follow to every trick thus far and was down to the J-5 of hearts, while South had only the
trump seven left.
However, for the final two tricks, he could lead a minor from dummy and score his heart
seven either at this trick or the next. This play, when you score a trick by leading a plain
card and over-ruffing your opponent, is called a coup en passant.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: Without the overcall, you would
South Holds: have bid two no-trump, of course. As it is,
♠AK3 you cannot bid two no-trump now, but if you
♥Q83 play support doubles to show three spades,
♦AKQ8 that would be ideal. Without that gadget, I
♣ 10 6 5 would jump to three spades, since a cue-bid
should be a game force and the hand is not
South West North East worth that.
1♦ Pass 1♠ 2♣
?
The Aces on Bridge: Sunday, May 5th, 2019

I know you are fan a of opener raising his I opened one heart, holding ♠ A-Q-2, ♥ A-J-
partner’s one-level response with three 7-3-2, ♦ Q-10-3-2, ♣ Q, and when my partner
trumps rather than introducing a second suit bid a game-forcing two clubs, I had a
or making a flawed one-no-trump rebid. How comfortable bid of two diamonds. Now my
does responder diagnose the 4-3 fit? And partner bid three clubs, and since we were in
why not rebid one no-trump with only three a game-force, I bid three no-trump. My
trumps if the hand is almost balanced? partner said that this action was premature
— what do you think?
— Butterfingers, Cartersville, Ga.
— Sausages, Dover, Del.
ANSWER: I believe raising partner is the

best way to get to game when you do have a ANSWER: With weaker spades or more
fit — and to stay low when you know you values, I might probe for three no-trump,
don’t. Hands with a small doubleton and since I would not be prepared to end the
three reasonable trumps often offer as much auction by bidding it myself. I agree that if
trump support as balanced hands with four your partner has seven good clubs plus a
trumps. If responder needs to know, one way couple of working aces and kings, you might
is to ask with Spiral Scan. This is a relay of make 12 tricks; singleton honors in partner’s
two no-trump after the raise. The four step suit are always hard to evaluate. Even so, I
responses show three trumps (minimum), think a bid of three no-trump is your only
three trumps (maximum), four trumps practical call here.
(minimum) and four trumps (maximum),
respectively.
Dear Mr. Wolff:
Dear Mr. Wolff: You recently answered a letter about
splinters, suggesting that immediate
I assume that you would be comfortable in splinters might be limited in strength by the
responding one spade to one heart with this failure to use a Jacoby two-no-trump call.
hand: ♠ A-Q-9-6-4, ♥ 4, ♦ J-7-5-2, ♣ 10-8-6. What about splinters by opener at his
When partner rebids two diamonds, are you second turn? How much do they promise in
supposed to raise or pass? If you would let the way of extras?
sleeping dogs lie here, how much more
would you need before you raise? — Strawberry Shortcake, Panama City, Fla.
— Jump Street Jimmy, Salinas, Calif.
ANSWER: A splinter by opener after a
response at the one-level shows 17-20 in
ANSWER: I would pass, expecting there high cards, give or take. You do not have to
was a fair chance that if game could make, make such a call when facing a passed
partner would have done more at his second hand, in that you may jump to game with low
turn. But change the diamond jack to the slam potential. A splinter facing a game-
queen, and I’d dredge up a raise to three forcing two-level response should be better
diamonds. Even at teams, going plus is than minimum, but it doesn’t guarantee real
more important than stretching for what extras.
would surely be a thin game.
Dear Mr. Wolff:

I play rubber bridge every week with the
same group of women. One of the players
seems to get all the cards. Over the years,
would you not expect the cards to average
out?
— Calendar Girl, Springfield, Ill.
ANSWER: The Dyspeptics Club stories are

based on a real player (now dead) who used
to say: “It’s not the cards; it is how much I
get out of them.” But, of course, he was the
luckiest player you ever saw in your life. I
don’t know any other player who would
admit to having had his fair share of the
cards at rubber, but the laws of probability
have not been seriously impeached in the
last 400 years.
The Aces on Bridge: Monday, May 6th, 2019
“When there is no peril in the fight, there is no glory in the triumph.”

— Pierre Corneille
Dealer: S North
Today’s deal is an unusual example of a hand where both Vul: Both ♠Q7
opponents are potentially the danger hand, so that either ♥AJ743
♦KQ7
may need to be kept off lead. If that sounds paradoxical, ♣ K 10 4
the play to trick one will determine which opponent you West East
♠ 10 8 6 5 2 ♠AJ9
are going to need to beware of.
♥Q9 ♥K862
♦ 10 4 ♦J9853
In the auction, North might use New Minor at his second ♣Q752 ♣6
turn to look for an eight-card heart fit. Then again, if his South
♠K43
partner has three small hearts, locating a 5-3 heart fit ♥ 10 5
might lead him to the only game that goes down. ♦A62
♣AJ983
Be that as it may, all routes lead to three no-trump, and
after a low spade lead from West, South must plan the 1♣ Pass 1♥ Pass
play carefully. Which spade should he play from dummy? 1 NT Pass 3 NT All pass
He should put up the queen; if it holds, then East is the
danger hand — declarer must keep him off play, or a
Opening Lead: ♠5
spade through South’s king could be fatal. In that case
declarer would play the king of clubs, then the 10, and let it run. That way, he can set up
four club tricks in safety.
When East instead wins the spade ace at trick one and continues with the spade jack,
South must hold up the spade king and win the third round. Then he leads the club nine
and passes it, willing to lose to East, the safe hand. What declarer cannot afford to do is
concede a club to West and see him cash two more spade winners.
Of course, if spades are 4-4, declarer may lose three spade tricks, but he will still make
his game even if he does lose a club trick.
LEAD WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: When in doubt, leading the unbid
South Holds: suit is where you should start in your
♠K754 analysis on opening lead. I would lead the
♥953 diamond queen, assuming that a club lead
♦Q7 would be no more passive, but that we might
♣J542 negotiate a ruff or over-ruff this way.

1♠
Pass 2♣ Pass 2♥
Pass 4♠ All pass
The Aces on Bridge: Tuesday, May 7th, 2019
“History always has a few tricks up its frayed sleeve. It’s been around a long time.”
— Terry Pratchett
Dealer: S North
In his new book, “Tricks of the Trade,” published by The Vul: None ♠ Q 10 6 4
Bridge World, Larry Cohen advises us always to avoid a ♥ 10 9 5 3 2
♦7
brilliant low-percentage play when there is a high- ♣Q63
percentage line, no matter how ordinary. West East
♠K95 ♠J872
♥7 ♥8
In today’s deal, you judge well or luckily not to bid the
♦QJ954 ♦ K 10 6 3 2
tempting slam. West leads the diamond queen; you win ♣9754 ♣ A 10 8
and cash a high trump, finding hearts 1-1. What is your South
♠A3
plan to try for an overtrick? ♥AKQJ64
♦A8
An endplay is just about possible, though highly unlikely. ♣KJ2
You could eliminate the diamonds and hope that a
defender has a singleton club ace. Or perhaps you could 2♣ Pass 2♦ Pass
sneak one round of clubs past a player with a doubleton 2♥ Pass 4♦* Pass
ace, then eliminate the diamonds and throw him in with a 5♥ All pass
club, hoping for a favorable spade position. *Short diamonds, agreeing hearts
But why look to such an unlikely layout? You have a much Opening Lead: ♦Q
better chance with a more ordinary maneuver. At trick
three, lead a low spade toward dummy, just as you would with ace-tripleton.
At least some of the time, an experienced West will duck (smoothly, he hopes), trying to
give you a guess. How can West tell that the play of the spade suit isn’t the key to the
deal? Ducking may give him a chance to set the game or hold the overtrick if you hold
ace-third of spades and guess the suit incorrectly.
Yes, the elimination play is more spectacular, but you must resist the urge. Win the event
on the next board, not this one.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: This hand offers a choice of two
South Holds: actions: Do you go high with a negative
♠K95 double, or do you go low by passing? In
♥7 favor of doubling is your minor-suit pattern,
♦QJ954 while against it are the singleton heart and
♣9754 dead-minimum values. I’m inclined to pass,
expecting partner to reopen with spade
South West North East shortness — a doubleton or shorter. If he
1♥ 1♠ passes, we may be better off defending,
? given my good lead and trump control.
The Aces on Bridge: Wednesday, May 8th, 2019
by Bobby Wolff on May 22nd, 2019
“When I consider life, ‘tis all a cheat;

Yet fooled with hope, men favor the deceit.”
— John Dryden
Dealer: E North
In Larry Cohen’s “Tricks of the Trade,” he bravely ventures Vul: N-S ♠AK63
into tough ethical territory, namely that while few players ♥Q965
♦63
seek to draw inferences from a partner’s pauses, ♣A74
sometimes you can be unconsciously swayed into doing West East
♠54 ♠82
what is best for your side.
♥2 ♥ A K 10 7 4
♦J872 ♦ K Q 10
Take the East hand in today’s deal, where partner leads ♣ J 10 9 8 5 2 ♣Q63
the heart two, your style being to lead low from three South
♠ Q J 10 9 7
small (unless you have raised the suit). Declarer drops the ♥J83
jack under your king. If this a true card and declarer has, ♦A954
♣K
for example, a singleton heart and jack-third of clubs, you
can still beat the hand by exiting passively in trumps. If South West North East
partner has a singleton heart, you may not even need to 1♥
give him the ruff, since you now have three heart winners. 1♠ Pass 2♥ Pass
2♠ Pass 3♠ Pass
4♠ All pass
You appear to have a real problem, but what if partner’s
second pass (after South’s two spades), took a full Opening Lead: ♥2
minute? He must not have three hearts and scattered
minor-suit values; if he did, he would have acted on his first turn or passed easily on his
second. Maybe has both minors with a singleton heart and was thinking of coming in.
The East at the table, who could not have been unaware of his partner’s deliberation, was
not fooled by South’s ingenious falsecard. He gave his partner a ruff at trick two,
necessary to set the game.
East may not have realized that his decision was influenced by West’s hesitation. Players
can be improperly influenced subconsciously, but they should try to ignore all such
unauthorized information.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: Your hand is clearly worth a drive
South Holds: to game, but a jump to game should be at
♠AK63 least partly about shape, not just high cards
♥Q965 — say the same hand, but with the heart
♦63 king instead of the club ace. The actual hand
♣A74 offers prospects of slam because of the
controls, so I would start with a game-forcing
South West North East bid in the fourth suit of two clubs, then raise
1♦ Pass spades. That would show a game force with
1♥ Pass 1♠ Pass four spades.
?
The Aces on Bridge: Thursday, May 9th, 2019
by Bobby Wolff on May 23rd, 2019
“Be careful what you wish for, lest it come true.”

— Chinese proverb
Dealer: S North
In Larry Cohen’s “Tricks of the Trade,” he makes many Vul: E-W ♠ K 10 6 2
sensible points, one of which I will now echo ♥ Q 10 8 7
♦3
wholeheartedly. ♣Q984
West East
For most of us, the primary signal is attitude, and only ♠J75 ♠AQ8
♥93 ♥J2
rarely count; when following suit on declarer’s leads, we
♦AK6 ♦ Q 10 9 7 2
do not signal unless partner needs to know the count. So ♣ K 10 5 3 2 ♣J76
far, so good; however, many players slavishly switch to South
♠943
suit preference when dummy has a singleton. I can ♥AK654
certainly understand this inclination, but it is important to ♦J854
♣A
regard those signals as suggestions, not commands.
Here is Cohen describing a defense he and David 1♥ Pass 4♥ All pass
Berkowitz produced. Against South’s four hearts, David
led a top diamond. In view of dummy’s singleton, the
partnership treated the meaning of East’s card as suit Opening Lead: ♦K
preference. Since Cohen had strong spades, he could
afford to play the diamond 10.
But, as Cohen says, this does not mean, “Please skewer me by shifting to the spade
jack.” Instead, it simply suggests that East has spade values. Armed with this information,
West can judge that best defense is a trump switch (rather than a shift to the spade jack,
which would cost a trick as the cards lie). If, instead, West had three low clubs, then he
might have switched to spades.
As an aside, Cohen adds that showing he likes a suit does not necessarily demand a shift
to that suit, and he has persuaded his partner to that effect. Cohen says Berkowitz
wouldn’t mind if he called him an old dog — even though he has learned new tricks!
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: In the context of a strong no-
South Holds: trump base, when you have a 10-count, it is
♠AQ8 generally wise not to invite game without a
♥J2 fit. The logic is that partner will have either
♦ Q 10 9 7 2 12-14 high-card points, making game
♣J76 unlikely, or an unbalanced hand of more
than 15 points, in which case he is likely to
South West North East take another call. So I would simply bid one
1♣ Pass no-trump, my nice diamond intermediates
1♦ Pass 1♥ Pass notwithstanding.
?
The Aces on Bridge: Friday, May 10th, 2019
“Honey, I just forgot to duck.”

— Jack Dempsey
Dealer: S North
The next deal from Larry Cohen’s new book, “Tricks of the Vul: Both ♠A962
Trade,” discusses how defenders can make life difficult for ♥94
♦654
declarer by not rushing to take their high cards. Of course, ♣AKJ6
anyone can duck a winner, but the key is to do it at the West East
♠ 10 8 ♠KJ743
right time. Sometimes your plan is to distract declarer or
♥J8763 ♥ Q 10 2
persuade him to relax under the impression that a card is ♦K87 ♦ 10 9 2
well-placed for him. ♣Q73 ♣ 10 9
South
♠Q5
Obviously, these “blind” ducks, even when achieved ♥AK5
smoothly, are riskier when you are ducking a high card ♦AQJ3
♣8542
from declarer’s hand than those where you can see all the
key values in dummy. In exchange, though, they are South West North East
usually more effective than their counterparts, because 1 NT Pass 2♣ Pass
declarer will be less likely to believe your capability to 2♦ Pass 3 NT All pass
make such a play. Watch the effect of a blind duck from

the final of the 2000 Open Teams in Maastricht. Opening Lead: ♥6
South, declarer at three no-trump, won the opening heart lead in hand and crossed to the
club ace to play a diamond to his queen, which held. He crossed back to the other high
club to take another diamond finesse, but it lost. Italy’s Lorenzo Lauria, West, had earlier
made the good play of smoothly ducking his diamond king at his first chance to take it.
Once in with the diamond king, Lauria cleared hearts and defeated the contract by later
regaining the lead in clubs and cashing out. If the first diamond finesse had lost, declarer
would surely have tried the club finesse at a later stage in the deal and made his contract.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: Facing a 15-17 no-trump
South Holds: opening, you know your side has the
♠KJ743 majority of high cards, so you should not sell
♥ Q 10 2 out to three diamonds. By doubling here,
♦ 10 9 2 you suggest that your side has the lion’s
♣ 10 9 share of high cards, allowing your partner to
decide whether he wants to bid on in spades
South West North East or defend.
1 NT Pass
2♥ Pass 2♠ Pass
Pass 3♦ Pass Pass
?
“The surrender of life is nothing to sinking down into acknowledgement of inferiority.”

— John Calhoun
Dealer: E North
We saw yesterday how ducking an honor could persuade Vul: None ♠AJ7
declarer to take his eye off the ball. An even more ♥ K 10 4
♦AJ76
desperate duck was performed by Jeff Meckstroth in this ♣AQ2
deal from the 2000 U.S. Team Trials. West East
♠KQ9 ♠ 10
♥AJ62 ♥Q9873
South played in four spades doubled; West led the heart
♦954 ♦ K 10
ace and ruefully shifted to a club. Declarer won dummy’s ♣843 ♣ K J 10 7 6
ace, disposed of his other club on the heart king, then South
♠865432
ruffed a club to hand and led a spade toward dummy. ♥5
West split with the queen, and dummy’s ace won. This ♦Q832
♣95
was probably a mistake both in theory and practice —
declarer would retain control if he ducked, by not having South West North East
to reduce his own trumps again to get back to hand. 1♥
1♠ 2♠ 4♠ Pass
Be that as it may, declarer took another ruff in hand to Pass Dbl. All pass
play a second spade. West won and tapped declarer yet
Opening Lead: ♥A
again, and now declarer could not afford to draw the last
trump, so he ran the diamond queen.
Had East won this, the defense would have been doomed. A diamond return would allow
declarer to draw the last trump; any other lead would let declarer ruff in hand and cross to
dummy in diamonds to draw the trump.
However, Meckstroth, East, was ready. When declarer led the diamond queen, he
followed in tempo with the 10. Declarer repeated the finesse. Meckstroth won with his
now-blank king and returned a club, allowing West to throw his last diamond and
eventually obtain a diamond ruff.
Whatever you may think of declarer’s play, Meckstroth deserves plaudits for finding a
chance to set the game.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: This sequence is quantitative,
South Holds: not Blackwood, but you have a maximum
♠AJ7 and should bid on. The question is whether
♥ K 10 4 or not to bid six spades and offer a choice of
♦AJ76 slam; I’m not sure you should. With a
♣AQ2 completely balanced hand, there seems to
be no reason to believe spades would ever
South West North East play better than no-trump, so bid six no-
1♦ Pass 1♠ Pass trump.
2 NT Pass 4 NT Pass
?

When your partner opens a weak two-bid in When is it proper to declare honors —
diamonds and the next hand doubles, what before, during or after play? What happens if
would you recommend doing when you hold you forget to declarer them at the right
♠ A-K-J-3-2, ♥ 4, ♦ Q-3-2, ♣ 10-8-3-2? Would moment?
you bid spades or raise diamonds — and to
what level? — Desperately Seeking Sequences, North
Bay, Ontario
— Burglar Bill, Nashville, Tenn.
ANSWER: Honors can be declared after

ANSWER: Raising to three diamonds is dummy comes down, but it may not be
reasonable, but I could understand a call of tactically correct to do so since it gives
four diamonds. However, if you play that unnecessary information to the opponents. I
jumps in new suits promise a fit, then a call suggest waiting until you’ve played all the
of three spades would get your values critical cards out or you are known to have
across nicely. I like that approach. the missing cards, but you can always claim
honors at the end of the deal. You technically
have until the end of the rubber to claim
Dear Mr. Wolff: honors, but you may find it hard to persuade
your opponents if you wait too long.
My partner opened a strong one no-trump; I
held four hearts and quantitative strength to
invite a small slam. When the bidding Dear Mr. Wolff:
continues with my using Stayman and my
partner bidding two spades, how should I In fourth seat at duplicate pairs, vulnerable
advance? against not, I was looking at ♠ A-K, ♥ 5, ♦ A-
K-J-7-3, ♣ A-K-10-3-2. Much to my
— Amaretto Stiletto, Springfield, Mass. frustration, I heard a weak two hearts to my
left, raised to three hearts. Can you suggest
a sensible plan here?
ANSWER: My answer may surprise you;
what I recommend as best practice you may — Nerdville, Torrance, Calif.
feel is impractical because it is hard to
remember. If responder uses Stayman and
hears a major, then responder’s next bid of ANSWER: After the three-heart call came
four no-trump is quantitative rather than ace- around to me, I might bid four no-trump to
asking for the major. To set the major, bid the get my partner to pick a minor at the five-
other major at the three-level. Incidentally, level. I don’t think there is any reason to
this applies in parallel fashion when the expect a fit — partner seems to have some
opening call is two no-trump. spade length and a few hearts too, so it
wouldn’t amaze me to find no game making
our way. Then again, partner could bid slam
Dear Mr. Wolff: with the right hand!
Do you know of any novels in which bridge is
a central theme or a major plot point, as
opposed to a side issue?
— Constant Reader, Pueblo, Colo.
ANSWER: “The Bridge Ladies” by Betsy

Lerner is a marvelous read about the
author’s relationship with her mother and her
bridge-playing friends. “The Card Turner” by
Louis Sachar is also a fun story about
bridge. I can recommend both of those as
excellent reads. Incidentally, “A Hand of
Bridge” is a nine-minute opera by Samuel
Barber.
“The messiah will come only when he is no longer necessary; he will come only on the
day after his arrival; he will come, not on the last day, but on the very last.”
— Franz Kafka
Dealer: S North
Everybody knows a quick peek is worth two finesses, but Vul: E-W ♠A8
most of us would be happy to play a slam that depended ♥ K Q J 10 9
♦AJ3
solely on one of two finesses succeeding. That converts ♣A95
to a 75 percent chance — good enough, but hardly money West East
♠ J 10 9 ♠Q7532
in the bank. If you could improve your odds over that, you
♥643 ♥2
would not turn your nose up at the opportunity, would ♦ Q 10 7 2 ♦954
you? ♣Q73 ♣ 10 8 6 4
South
♠K64
Let’s look at a position that reflects precisely these ♥A875
chances. You play six hearts when North offers his partner ♦K86
♣KJ2
a choice of small slam on a hand where the matching
distributions mean that, despite his surplus of values and South West North East
trumps, declarer must work hard to hold his minor losers 1 NT Pass 2♦* Pass
to one. 2♥ Pass 5 NT * * Pass
6♥ All pass
After a spade lead, declarer draws trumps in three rounds *Hearts
and eliminates the spades. How should he advance from **Pick a slam
there? He can improve his odds over the simple diamond
Opening Lead: ♠J
finesse followed by the club finesse. He should play the
ace, king and a third diamond, eschewing the finesse since there is no need to take it. If
West wins the diamond queen, declarer can claim the rest, whatever suit that player
returns, since he must lead a club into declarer’s tenace or give a ruff-sluff.
But if East had held the diamond queen, he would be forced to open up clubs, and
declarer would let the lead run around to dummy. Then, unless West had both the club
queen and 10, declarer would avoid a club loser. In other words, this line succeeds unless
not two but three cards are badly placed.
LEAD WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: You have no particularly
South Holds: attractive lead, and a trump lead certainly
♠A62 isn’t passive — give partner a doubleton
♥Q73 honor, for example, and you may help pick it
♦ 10 6 2 up for declarer. Your best bet is to lead a
♣Q932 club, even if you can’t back up that choice
with anything but the general idea that
South West North East leading from a four-card suit is more likely to
1♦ Pass set up a slow winner than leading from
1♠ Pass 2♦ All pass
three.
“Blessed is the man who, having nothing to say, abstains from giving in words evidence of
the fact.”
— George Eliot
Dealer: S North
There are several points of interest about today’s deal that Vul: None ♠AQ975
have a general application. The first is that despite his ♥J4
♦QJ74
small doubleton, there is no viable alternative to South’s ♣53
opening one no-trump. When in the middle of the range, West East
♠J2 ♠ K 10 8 6
you must normally open one no-trump. Occasionally,
♥K9752 ♥ 10 8 3
though, you may be able to up-value or down-value hands ♦65 ♦A3
at one end of the range or the other if they seem ♣K987 ♣ 10 6 4 2
South
inappropriate for opening one no-trump because of their ♠43
honor structure. ♥AQ6
♦ K 10 9 8 2
♣AQJ
Second, North does best to transfer to the major, then
offer a choice of games, rather than showing his South West North East
diamonds at his second turn. With a singleton, or with 1 NT Pass 2♥* Pass
maybe an ace more — so that slam isn’t entirely out of the 2♠ Pass 3 NT All pass
picture — I might feel differently.

*Showing spades
Declaring three no-trump, how should South judge the
Opening Lead: ♥5
play on the lead of a low heart? The first thing to do is to
put up the jack — if you don’t, you will get no use from that card. (With the heart nine in
hand instead of the six, you would play low from dummy, by the way.)
When the jack holds, don’t relax prematurely! If you play a diamond, East will rush up with
the ace to clear the hearts, and you will find that eight tricks are the limit today. Instead,
finesse in clubs, knocking out the entry from the danger hand. West does best to win and
shift to a low spade, and again you must be careful. Win the ace and clear diamonds; now
you can ensure nine tricks for your side no matter how the opponents’ cards lie.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: Playing two-over-one, where the
South Holds: two-diamond call set up a game force and
♠43 three hearts was encouraging to slam, how
♥AQ6 many of my readers bid on over four hearts?
♦ K 10 9 8 2 Should I be more hurt than surprised if you
♣AQJ did? If partner cannot cooperate with a slam
try, it is hard to imagine slam being any more
South West North East likely than the club or perhaps heart finesse.
1♥ Pass You should trust your partner and pass.
2♦ Pass 2♥ Pass
3♥ Pass 4♥ Pass
?
“I use the rules to frustrate the law. But I didn’t set up the ground rules.”
— F. Lee Bailey
Dealer: S North
It is painful enough when your own bad play earns you a Vul: E-W ♠64
poor result, but it can be especially galling when your ♥K7
♦AK952
opponents appear to have done the wrong thing and then ♣ J 10 9 7
score well, as in today’s deal. It seemed that North-South West East
♠ A K J 10 8 7 ♠92
had misjudged the auction to reach a failing contract. But
♥Q82 ♥ J 10 5 3
it did not work out that way. ♦ 10 7 ♦QJ83
♣Q3 ♣542
At his third turn, North believed he was facing extra shape South
♠Q53
and values, so he eschewed playing three no-trump, ♥A964
instead heading for the club game. The no-trump game ♦64
♣AK86
might have failed, but five clubs was hardly a comfortable
spot either. South West North East
1♣ 1♠ 2♦ Pass
West led the spade king and continued with the ace and a 2♥ Pass 4♣ Pass
third spade when he found his partner with a doubleton. 5♣ All pass
Declarer ruffed with dummy’s club jack, and East was
Opening Lead: ♠K
unable to over-ruff. In order to keep four cards in each of
dummy’s and declarer’s side-suits, he decided to under-ruff.
South now drew the right conclusion from East’s play. He played three rounds of hearts
before leading trumps, ruffing the third heart in dummy. The ace and king of clubs brought
down West’s queen. Now South could lead out his remaining trumps to squeeze East in
the red suits and bring home the game.
Had West shifted to a diamond after cashing the top spades, South would probably have
worked out why the defenders had failed to try for a possible trump trick. But perhaps East
could have given false count in spades; then declarer might not have realized what was
going on, and would have taken the trump finesse.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: Your partner’s call could be
South Holds: based on a long suit (clubs?) plus a heart
♠64 stopper, or else a balanced 20-plus in high
♥K7 cards; you really do not know which.
♦AK952 Fortunately, you do not have to commit
♣ J 10 9 7 yourself. Instead, simply raise to four no-
trump to try to get partner to let you know
South West North East what he has. This is quantitative, not
2♥ 3 NT Pass Blackwood, thus non-forcing.
?
“Oh don’t the days seem sad and long

When all goes right and nothing goes wrong?”
— W. S. Gilbert
Dealer: S North
In today’s auction, after spades were agreed, South’s Vul: N-S ♠Q952
four-heart call was a cue-bid. North inquired about key- ♥ 10 2
♦ A J 10 6 3
cards, and his five-no-trump call confirmed possession of ♣AK
them all. South then showed the heart king by bidding that West East
♠4 ♠ 10 7 6 3
suit, but North could infer South’s hearts weren’t solid (or
♥QJ87 ♥4
he would already have bid the grand slam), so he signed ♦972 ♦KQ85
off in six spades. ♣ Q J 10 7 3 ♣9652
South
♠AKJ8
West led the club queen, taken in dummy. Declarer ♥AK9653
cashed the heart ace, then the trump ace. After both ♦4
♣84
opponents followed, declarer was on the point of playing
the heart king when he foresaw the problems that might South West North East
arise from a bad heart break. Revising his plan, he 1♥ Pass 2♦ Pass
continued instead with a low heart. West took this with the 2♠ Pass 3♠ Pass
4♥ Pass 4 NT Pass
jack and, in response to East’s discard, exited with a 5♣* Pass 5 NT Pass
diamond, won by South’s ace. 6♥ Pass 6♠ All pass
Having registered East’s shortage in hearts, declarer *Zero or three keycards

asked himself what could be done if East had also started
with four trumps headed by the 10. Demonstrating that Opening Lead: ♣Q
this problem could be overcome, he called for dummy’s
trump nine and overtook it with his jack. Next, after ruffing a heart with dummy’s trump
queen, he led the spade five and simply covered East’s card. After drawing the last trump,
South claimed the balance — making four trumps, four hearts, a heart ruff and three tricks
in the minors.
Declarer’s line wasn’t fool-proof against 3-2 hearts with West having the length, plus a bad
trump break, but it covered almost all the bases that could be covered.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: You have shown diamonds and
South Holds: spades, a club stopper and no more than
♠Q952 two hearts. Following that, your partner
♥ 10 2 again suggested playing hearts; you should
♦ A J 10 6 3 not only accept his suggestion, but bid four
♣AK clubs. This is a cue-bid for hearts in case
your partner has real slam interest, because
South West North East your hand is about as suitable as possible
1♦ Pass 1♥ Pass for slam, in context.
1♠ Pass 2♣ Pass
2 NT Pass 3♥ Pass
?
“An expert is a person who has found out by his own painful experience all the mistakes
that one can make in a very narrow field.”
— Niels Bohr
Dealer: E North
Bridge players are all too inclined to blame other people Vul: N-S ♠Q7432
for their own misfortunes. At a long-ago Vanderbilt Trophy ♥ K 10 8
♦A53
match, having scored up my own set, I lingered within ♣54
earshot of some of my Texan colleagues, who were West East
♠65 ♠ A K J 10 9
clearly trying to allocate culpability amongst themselves.
♥9652 ♥3
♦ 10 8 6 4 ♦97
When today’s deal came up for discussion, the least ♣KJ2 ♣ A Q 10 9 7
tolerant of the four had brought home four hearts after his South
♠8
table’s West had led a trump. He had clearly expected to ♥AQJ74
pick up a swing here. As he said: “After West led a trump, ♦KQJ2
♣863
I won in dummy and led a low club. West got in again and
played a second trump. Now I cashed my four diamonds, South West North East
pitching the losing club from dummy, and took a ruff on 1♠
the board. I thought I played it well. But did you find the 2♥ Pass 2♠* 3♣
trump lead?” he asked his team-mates. “We didn’t,” came
the response. “After a spade lead, declarer ruffed the
*Sound heart raise
second spade low, then gave up a club. East led a low
spade, forcing declarer to ruff high. South then had to be Opening Lead: ♥2
extremely careful; he had to lead a trump to dummy —
playing for the 4-1 trump break — then cash three diamonds, ending in the North hand. (It
doesn’t work to finish in hand, as the defenders will get a second trump play in
prematurely.)
“Finally, he ruffed a spade high, ruffed his fourth diamond in dummy and ruffed a spade in
hand. Frankly, I think our declarer had a harder task than you!”
For once, there was no response.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: Your partner has suggested six
South Holds: good diamonds and some extras, maybe 14-
♠Q7432 16 points or so. Do you have enough to try
♥ K 10 8 for game, and if so, which one? It might be
♦A53 right to bid three hearts to find your way to
♣54 three no-trump facing a club stopper, but you
have no quick tricks on the side once the
South West North East club stopper is knocked out. I’d pass,
1♣ 1♦ Pass reluctantly, but I’d bid if the heart king were
1♠ Pass 3♦ Pass
the ace.
?
by Bobby Wolff on June 1st, 2019
“Every advantage in the past is judged in the light of the final issue.”
— Demosthenes
Dealer: W North
The most popular win at the 1997 Dallas Spring Nationals Vul: Both ♠974
was in the final event, the Open Swiss Teams. Edgar ♥9752
♦ K 10 8 6
Kaplan had been battling cancer for a couple of years and ♣92
had not been able to play all that much, but he paired up West East
♠82 ♠ Q J 10 5
with Geir Helgemo to win the event.
♥KQJ83 ♥ A 10 6 4
♦5 ♦3
Kaplan was dummy when Helgemo produced the play of ♣ K 10 6 5 4 ♣QJ73
the year. Put yourself in the South seat and cover up the South
♠AK63
East and West cards to see if you, too, can win a brilliancy ♥—
prize. ♦AQJ9742
♣A8
Richard Pavlicek opened a weak two-bid in hearts, raised
to game by Ralph Katz. Helgemo tried six diamonds, and 2♥ Pass 4♥
all passed. Helgemo ruffed the heart lead, drew trumps 6♦ All pass
and inferred that the hearts were surely 5-4, so Pavlicek
probably had a little extra distribution for his bidding. Opening Lead: ♥K
Since the contract would be easy if spades were 3-3, what if Pavlicek had five clubs, so
that spades were 4-2? There was only one remote chance to play for, and Helgemo took
it. He led a spade to the seven, playing West for a doubleton eight. Katz won the jack and
returned the five — and Helgemo ran this to dummy’s nine!
This deal produced awe from the other professional players in the event when they heard
about it. Duplicate boards were in play, but few had found the initial move in the spade
suit, and no-one else had had the nerve to make the second play.
Of course, if East had played the eight on the first round, declarer would have had some
losing options.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: Do not allow your nice spade
South Holds: stopper to tempt you into bidding two no-
♠ Q J 10 5 trump. When you have a fit for partner, you
♥ A 10 6 4 can raise to three clubs and allow him to
♦3 make the next move. Imagine partner with,
♣QJ73 say, the spade ace plus five diamonds to the
ace-jack, and four clubs to the king. Nine
South West North East tricks seem a long way away — and even
1♦ Pass eight may not be easy if the defenders lead
1♥ Pass 2♣ Pass hearts or diamonds early.
?
by Bobby Wolff on June 2nd, 2019

Thank you for your quote from James When your partner opens one diamond and
Baldwin in a recent column. Even though I the next hand overcalls three clubs, what
don’t play, I like the quotations. Do you have should you do with ♠ J-3, ♥ K-Q-10-6-4, ♦ Q-
a favorite? 7-6-5, ♣ 10-3? Is it best to pass, raise
diamonds (and if so, how high?) or introduce
— Linda Lou, Lakeland, Fla. the hearts?
— Chuck and Duck, Dallas, Texas
ANSWER: I try to mix apposite quotes for
the deal with lines that stand out either
because they entertain me or because the ANSWER: I would bid three diamonds,
quote sticks with me. My favorite is from feeling that this hand is well short of a three-
Matthew Arnold: “We do not what we ought, / heart call. I’d need a black king more than I
What we ought not, we do, / And lean upon have, and even then, game can hardly be
the thought / That chance will bring us underwritten. Can we find a way to four
through.” hearts if that is the best spot? I doubt it,
unless my partner has four hearts — and
maybe not even then.
Dear Mr. Wolff:
I recently thought I had a difficult decision as Dear Mr. Wolff:
a defender and paused for some time in the
play. My opponent called the Tournament When discarding at a trump suit, what are
Director, and though nothing came of it, I the implications of starting with the discard of
hope you can explain to me what behavior is a neutral suit (one you cannot want to
permitted at the table in terms of encourage in)?
mannerisms or tempo?
— Sage and Onions, Kenosha, Wis.
— Solvitur Ambulando, Willoughby, Ohio
ANSWER: Pitching a neutral suit first always

ANSWER: No variation in tempo is dilutes the message that follows. If you felt
permitted if the sole purpose is to deceive. strongly about one suit or another, you’d
You can, of course, deceive the opponents begin by sending that message, be it
by a false card, but not by the manner in encouraging or discouraging. If you want to
which you play that card. When it comes to encourage, discouraging the other potential
your tempo, you may not hesitate without a candidate allows you to retain all your
reason; but as long as you have a real winners in the key suit. And you can give suit
problem to consider, you should feel that you preference by pitching high or low from your
can take as long as you like — within long suit when your holding is already
reason. defined.
Dear Mr. Wolff:

My wife and I have enjoyed your column for
many years, and you have answered our
questions from time to time. Now, we have a
silly one. Is there a preferred response by
the player when asked to explain his alert of
his partner’s conventional call? Does he
name the convention first or describe the
convention first and then name it if asked?
Or, does it matter?
— Saints and Sinners, Memphis, Tenn.
ANSWER: I think I normally say the

convention name first; if the listener knows
the convention, he can fill in the blanks as I
speak. If the listener doesn’t know it, he will
ignore the name and focus on the
explanation. But either is acceptable, I
believe.
by Bobby Wolff on June 3rd, 2019
“There is nothing stable in the world; uproar’s your only music.”

— John Keats
Dealer: W North
I have been experimenting this year with a new category Vul: N-S ♠K74
of themed deals. Every month I will run one week’s worth ♥Q85
♦8732
of deals with a common theme, generally during the play. ♣A63
This week’s deals all feature a problem for declarer or West East
♠ Q 10 9 ♠J863
defense where the critical suit is missing both the queen
♥ 10 9 7 6 ♥J3
and the jack. ♦— ♦ Q J 10 5
♣ K Q 10 8 7 5 ♣J94
Today’s deal is one fairly typical example of a sub-genre South
♠A52
of the theme. Both North and South had a series of ♥AK42
delicate decisions: South’s re-opening double looked ♦AK964
♣2
clear, then North took an aggressive position, after which
South was very close to driving to slam. Eventually he South West North East
decided to respect his partner’s signoff. But make up your 3♣ Pass Pass
own mind how you would play five diamonds on a top club Dbl. Pass 3 NT Pass
4♦ Pass 5♦ All pass
lead from West.
After that lead, South had a classic opportunity to take out Opening Lead: ♣K
insurance. In six diamonds, declarer would surely have
played for either hearts or diamonds to break; but in five, he could virtually ensure his
contract with a simple example of a safety play. By winning the club ace and leading a low
diamond to East’s five and his own six, he could guarantee losing no more than one
diamond and one spade. If West could win the first diamond, then declarer could
guarantee being able to draw trumps and ruff the fourth heart safely in dummy, losing just
one further trick in spades.
Admittedly, the lie of the cards was remarkably hostile, but not altogether unexpected
given the initial pre-empt by West. And if you can guard against bad breaks, why not do
so?
LEAD WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: I wouldn’t say this hand is a no-
South Holds: brainer; one should never lead without
♠A642 thinking. But here you can reasonably
♥92 assume that your left-hand opponent will put
♦AJ6 down a weak hand with three or four spades
♣Q432 and relative shortness in diamonds. Declarer
will be hoping to trump diamonds in dummy,
South West North East so lead a low trump and be ready to
1♦ continue the attack on that suit.
Pass 1♥ Pass 1♠
All pass
The Aces on Bridge: Tuesday, May 21st, 2019
by Bobby Wolff on June 4th, 2019
“I’m sure we all agree that we ought to love one another, and I know there are people in
the world that do not love their fellow human beings, and I hate people like that.”
— Tom Lehrer
Dealer: S North
Today’s deal is part of a weekly series where we look at Vul: None ♠ A K 10 7
variations in the play and tackle suit combinations that ♥943
♦7432
exhibit a broadly similar theme. ♣53
West East
This week, all the critical suits are missing the queen and ♠J32 ♠Q654
jack. Here, a simple Stayman sequence saw South reach ♥ Q J 10 8 ♥75
♦86 ♦ Q J 10 9
three no-trump after showing hearts, while dummy had ♣ Q 10 9 7 ♣J82
implied spade length. West was happy enough with his South
♠98
heart sequence to lead it, and declarer won the first trick ♥AK62
for fear of a club shift, then saw that he could probably ♦AK5
♣AK64
make his contract if he could establish either an extra trick
from spades or diamonds. South West North East
2 NT Pass 3♣ Pass
It seemed like the diamonds could wait; so declarer 3♥ Pass 3 NT All pass
immediately went after spades, running the eight from
hand around to East, who continued with hearts. Declarer
Opening Lead: ♥Q
ducked, won the next heart, then played the ace, king and
a third diamond to East. That player could cash his last diamond winner and exit in clubs,
but South took his last chance when he led a spade to the 10 and cashed out that suit for
nine tricks.
Notice that declarer led the spade eight rather than the nine from hand because he did not
want West to cover — as a general rule, leading the lower of touching cards toward
dummy is more likely to get a defender to duck.
Also, it is worth noting that West did have a chance to set the game. If he had covered the
first spade, declarer would have been held to two tricks in that suit, so long as the
defenders played accurately thereafter.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: It is tempting to get your spades
South Holds: into play now, since this may be your last
♠ A K 10 7 chance to bid the suit you want led at a
♥943 convenient level. But I think I’d settle for
♦7432 raising diamonds, for two reasons. First,
♣53 raising partner and limiting your hand as
soon as possible helps him visualize your
South West North East assets better. Second, if you bid spades, you
1♣ 1♦ Pass may later have to raise diamonds to a higher
? level than you would like.
The Aces on Bridge: Wednesday, May 22nd, 2019
“Lars Porsena of Clusium

By the Nine Gods he swore
That the great house of Tarquin
Should suffer wrong no more.”
— Lord Macaulay
Dealer: S North
Our themed deals this week all feature tackling suits Vul: Both ♠K9632
where we are missing both the queen and the jack. Often ♥K9
♦Q54
the subsidiary cards influence our line of attack, and ♣K54
today’s deal is no exception. West East
♠ J 10 5 4 ♠Q7
♥Q7 ♥J864
Bringing home three no-trump after the lead of an interior
♦A9 ♦J7632
club won’t be easy; we need to overcome not one but two ♣ Q 10 9 7 6 ♣J8
hurdles. The first essential move is to duck the initial club South
♠A8
lead. There is no shift we are particularly afraid of, but if ♥ A 10 5 3 2
clubs are 5-2 (as they are here), we may find we need to ♦ K 10 8
♣A32
cut the defenders’ communications with a duck on the first
round. South West North East
1 NT Pass 2♥* Pass
Winning the club continuation in hand, we then need to 2♠ Pass 3 NT All pass
consider which major suit to go after, and the decision is
pretty close. In favor of playing on hearts is the presence *Spades
of better intermediates. But (and it is a big but) we need to
Opening Lead: ♣10
exploit those intermediates to the fullest by leading to the
heart nine. This succeeds not only against any 3-3 break, but also whenever West has
both heart honors, and critically when he has a doubleton heart honor.
Today, east will win his heart honor, but has no third club to lead. The best he can do is
shift to a high diamond spot, to the 10 and ace. In due course, we can unblock hearts,
come back to hand in spades, and run the hearts. That brings us to four hearts, one
diamond and two tricks in each of the black suits, nine in all.
Notice that playing the king of hearts, then the nine, will see us lose two heart tricks.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: Your partner is virtually certain to
South Holds: have four spades and longer clubs. (With a
♠Q7 balanced hand, he would bid one no-trump;
♥J864 with three diamonds, he would surely double
♦J7632 one heart for takeout.) So don’t panic:
♣J8 Revert to two clubs, giving partner
preference back to his first suit.
1♣ Dbl.
Pass 1♥ 1♠ Pass
?
The Aces on Bridge: Thursday, May 23rd, 2019
“I never resist temptation because I have found that things that are bad for me do not
tempt me.”
Dealer: W North
This deal is part of our weekly overview of a general Vul: None ♠A94
theme: handling a suit where we are missing the queen ♥954
♦K62
and jack. When the auction has marked one defender as ♣A932
more likely than his partner to hold length in a suit, we West East
♠ K Q 10 8 7 3 ♠62
have safety plays to guard against the bad split. Today’s
♥Q ♥ J 10 8 6
deal is a horse of a slightly different color. ♦J94 ♦ Q 10 8 7 5
♣ Q 10 8 ♣65
When West pre-empted to two spades, South doubled, to South
♠J5
which his partner responded three clubs to show ♥AK732
constructive values. With less, he would have used the ♦A3
♣KJ74
Lebensohl convention, bidding two no-trump as an
artificial negative. South West North East
2♠ Pass Pass
In four hearts, South ducked the spade lead, won the Dbl. Pass 3♣* Pass
second round and noted that the only real danger was a 3♥ Pass 4♥ All pass
hostile trump break. He could not guard against most
breaks where West was short, but he had a play that was *Natural, promising values
technically sound and also gave the defenders a chance Opening Lead: ♠K
to err. After taking the spade ace, he led the heart nine
from dummy, a play that would pin a bare eight in West and would also allow East to fall
from grace with a knee-jerk cover. East did precisely that by putting in the 10, and South
won, collecting West’s queen in the process.
Declarer now led a diamond to the king and played a second trump, ducking East’s eight.
East returned a diamond; declarer won his ace, crossed to the club ace and took the
trump finesse, then drew the last trump. Then he played the club king and another club,
conceding a club trick, after which his hand was high.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: I would be unhappy about
South Holds: bidding either two or three clubs here. First, I
♠A94 might not have as much of a fit as I
♥954 expected. Second, one call is an underbid,
♦K62 and the other overstates my offensive
♣A932 possibilities. I’d settle for a slightly flawed
two-no-trump response, despite having only
South West North East one diamond stopper. I’m the diamond jack
1♦ Dbl. Pass short of my action — sue me!
?
“Clowns to the left of me,

Jokers to the right.
Here I am,
Stuck in the middle with you.”
— Gerry Rafferty
Dealer: S North
The maneuver shown in today’s deal, known as an Vul: None ♠K84
intrafinesse, does not come up all that often. It is an ♥AQJ3
♦J632
episode in this week’s theme of how to develop an extra ♣ J 10
trick in a suit missing the queen and jack. West East
♠J5 ♠ Q 10 7 3
♥64 ♥9875
Here, South declared three no-trump after opening a short
♦AQ9 ♦ 10 8 7 4
club. West overcalled a natural two clubs over this, and ♣AQ9642 ♣3
when North produced a negative double, South South
♠A962
introduced his four-card major, then owned up to a club ♥ K 10 2
stopper when North asked him for one. ♦K5
♣K875
After West kicked off with a low club, declarer won with
dummy’s 10. He could see his way to something like two 1♣* 2♣ Dbl. Pass
clubs, two spades and four heart tricks, but where was the 2♠ Pass 3♣ Pass
ninth going to come from? 3 NT All pass
*Two or more clubs
If he tried to set up a diamond, the defenders would surely
win the race to establish clubs first. So the extra trick had Opening Lead: ♣6
to come from spades. In order to achieve his target, South
crossed to his heart 10 and led a spade to the eight and 10. East shifted to diamonds, and
West could see that declarer would likely establish his ninth winner in that suit if left to his
own devices. So he played the ace of clubs, then the queen, as East pitched hearts. That
let South score his king, but it set up West’s clubs in the process.
However, now declarer cashed the hearts, then took the spade king to drop West’s jack
and led dummy’s last spade to his nine. The finesse wasn’t guaranteed to succeed, but
declarer was confident that West would have split his honors at trick three if he had begun
with Q-J-x of spades.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: There are three equally good
South Holds: answers here, and it may be that your
♠A962 personal style will dictate what you do.
♥ K 10 2 Raising hearts may lose the spade fit, but
♦K5 bidding spades may lose the heart fit (or
♣K875 force you to overbid to find it). Rebidding
one no-trump might lose either fit, but it does
South West North East define the hand type nicely. I think I’d raise
1♣ Pass 1♥ Pass hearts, as long as my partnership style
? allowed me to.
“That best portion of a good man’s life,

His little, nameless, unremembered acts
Of kindness and love.”
— William Wordsworth
Dealer: N North
Our final example in the theme of negotiating a suit Vul: None ♠ K 10 5 4
missing the queen and jack will happen to you only once ♥ K 10 6 3
♦KJ74
in a lifetime; be ready for it, please! ♣9
West East
In the finals of the World Championships in Beijing in ♠AJ6 ♠Q9
♥J7 ♥Q85
1995, neither the men nor women managed to stop low —
♦ Q 10 3 2 ♦865
indeed, three pairs bid the hands to game, and no one ♣ Q 10 5 3 ♣AJ742
made much of an attempt to make it. Strangely enough, South
♠8732
when South declares the hand on a diamond lead, the ♥A942
contract is unbreakable. Of course, South can play for a ♦A9
♣K86
mundane doubleton queen-jack of trumps, but that will
never get you in the papers, will it? South West North East
1♦ Pass
In four hearts, there is no need to rush things; the timing is 1♥ Pass 2♥ Pass
a little awkward, but it is simplest to finesse the diamond 2 ♠ Pass 4♥ All pass
jack at trick one, then play a club. East must take his ace,
and a diamond return is as good as any. South wins the Opening Lead: ♦2
ace, plays a spade to the king, then leads the diamond
king for a spade discard; now the carding makes it safe to ruff a diamond. Next cash the
club king, pitching a spade, ruff a club and exit with a spade from dummy. In the five-card
ending, either defender can take this trick, but it is best for West to overtake East’s queen
with the ace and cash his side’s second spade trick.
However, declarer is now left with A-9-4 in trumps facing K-10-6, and the defense’s trump
trick is about to vanish. When West leads a club, you ruff low in dummy, and whether East
ruffs in with the eight or queen, you are home free. A perfect Devil’s coup.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: There is as yet no official Wolff’s
South Holds: Law. I have laid down the law in so many
♠ K 10 5 4 areas it would be hard to define just one.
♥ K 10 6 3 Among the conclusions I have come to in a
♦KJ74 long life at the table is that 4-4-4-1 hands
♣9 play disappointingly on offense, but always
play nicely on defense. Stretching to open
South West North East three-suited hands is a fine way to turn a
? plus score into a minus; this hand is a solid
pass, not a light opening bid.

How do you feel about opening one no- Playing duplicate, declarer came down to
trump with ♠ 4-3, ♥ A-J-9-7-2, ♦ K-Q-6, ♣ A- four cards in dummy: two good spades and
K-4? If you open one heart, you will hear two honors, one of which was high and one
partner respond one no-trump. What next? that wasn’t. When he claimed the rest,
depending on the order he played the cards,
— Space Cadet, Casper, Wyo. I could get one or two of those tricks. What
should the director rule here?
ANSWER: This hand is inappropriate to — Richie Rich, Los Altos, Calif.
open one no-trump, in that you are too
strong, with a five-card major, and you also
have a weak doubleton. Having opened one ANSWER: This is a tricky problem because
heart, I can see it might be right to rebid two declarer is put on notice of his error by your
clubs, but I think I’d prefer a simple raise to disputing the claim. Typically, a disputed trick
two no-trump and let partner decide what to is awarded to the nonclaiming side if the
do next. losing play was inferior but not irrational.
Here, declarer seems to have thought all of
dummy’s cards were good. It would be
Dear Mr. Wolff: inferior but not irrational to play the cards in
the wrong order and give you two tricks
I play (low-level) bridge with other members rather than one. So two tricks it is.
of a retirement community averaging about
85 years of age. Vision problems there are
fairly common. These are mostly mistakes in Dear Mr. Wolff:
suit-symbol recognition. Do you have any
suggestions to ameliorate these difficulties? When you open one no-trump and hear your
partner transfer to a major then bid a new
— Rocking Robin, Tempe, Ariz. suit to show a two-suiter with game-forcing
values, how should you rebid at your third
turn?
ANSWER: There are playing cards with four
different-colored suits. Before I get into your — Down Under Dave, Greenville, S.C.
concern, have you looked at them as a
possible solution? Using black and red for
the majors, with either orange/yellow or ANSWER: Opener raises the major when he
blue/green for the minors seems best to me. can, and by agreement I suggest you use
I looked online and saw many references: four of the other minor specifically as a fit for
Search for “Copag four-color double deck.” both suits, suitable for slam. With no support
for either suit, bid no-trump if you can, but
bid a new suit at the three-level to look for
Dear Mr. Wolff: no-trump with concern about the fourth suit.
In that instance, you may also be planning to
Recently I held: ♠ A-Q-9-3-2, ♥ Q-9-3, ♦ A-K- bid on over three no-trump, which would
3-2, ♣ 4. My partner responded one no- convert your previous bid to a cue-bid.
trump to my one spade, and the next hand
butted in with two clubs. What should my
double be here? Is this extra values, takeout
or penalty? Or would you just bid two
diamonds?
— John the Divine, Bellingham, Wash.
ANSWER: While there is no firm agreement

on what a double means here, I like it to be
take-out, and this hand would be ideal. With
both majors, you might simply bid hearts
instead of doubling. But the double keeps
hearts in play, as well as the pass for
penalties.
“Here error is all in the not done,

All in the diffidence that faltered.”
— Ezra Pound
Dealer: S North
When an opponent is faced with a blind opening lead, do Vul: Both ♠Q96
you think it more likely that he has underled a king or a ♥Q4
♦K76
jack? Sometimes the fate of a contract will hinge on such ♣97632
a guess, but often declarer can survive guessing wrong — West East
♠K52 ♠43
if he is careful.
♥J762 ♥K985
♦ 10 8 3 2 ♦QJ9
Take today’s deal, where you drive to four spades on an ♣Q4 ♣ K 10 8 5
uninformative sequence and receive the lead of a low South
♠ A J 10 8 7
heart. Your immediate reaction might be that if West has ♥ A 10 3
underled the king, you must fly up with the queen; while if ♦A54
♣AJ
he has underled the jack, you should play low. Is that
addressing the problem correctly? South West North East
1♠ Pass 2♠ Pass
No, it is not, and the reason is that declarer’s heart 10 4♠ All pass
plays a huge role in the deal. Without that card, you would
indeed put up dummy’s queen, but not today. Imagine that Opening Lead: ♥2
you play low from dummy and guess the position
incorrectly. East’s jack forces your ace, but all is not lost if you win the lead and return the
suit. West will win with his king and can shift to diamonds, but you have time to put up the
king and lose the spade finesse to West. You will win the diamond return, shake a losing
diamond from dummy on the heart 10, then ruff a diamond in dummy and draw trumps for
your 10 tricks.
If the opposing heart honors were switched and you put up the queen, you would lose the
chance to build a home for your slow diamond loser on the hearts.
Incidentally, if the first trump finesse succeeds, make sure not to repeat it until you have
taken your diamond ruff in dummy.
LEAD WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: Leading against no-trump when
South Holds: no suits have been bid is often daunting.
♠Q32 Without a long suit of five or more cards or a
♥J85 suit of three or four cards headed by a
♦ K 10 8 sequence, my advice is to consider going
♣AQ42 passive. Avoid giving up a trick if you can, or
take your best shot at it if you cannot. With
South West North East today’s hand, I’d lead a low heart rather than
1 NT a club, since the club king is so likely to be
All pass to my right.
“Is not life a hundred times too short for us — to bore ourselves?”
Dealer: N North
After North’s Drury two club response to show a maximum Vul: E-W ♠ J 10 3
pass with fit, South checked for key cards, then bid the ♥ Q 10 5 2
♦AKJ2
spade slam. ♣ 10 3
West East
West’s lead of the diamond 10 went to dummy’s ace. ♠— ♠K974
♥9743 ♥KJ86
Declarer needed to hold his losers in the black suits to
♦ 10 9 8 7 5 ♦Q63
one, but had to decide which black suit to play first. In ♣Q964 ♣52
these positions, it is sometimes right to go after the side South
♠AQ8652
suit first, but here South advanced the trump jack and let it ♥A
run when East played low. West’s discard of a low heart ♦4
♣AKJ87
gave declarer pause. Can you see a good plan for him
now? South West North East
Pass Pass
Declarer’s solution was to throw a club on the diamond 1♠ Pass 2♣* Pass
ace, then to lead out dummy’s trump 10, covered by the 4 NT Pass 5♦ Pass
6♠ All pass
king and ace. Next, he put the club jack on the table — a
move that would guarantee the contract as long as East *Drury, a maximum pass with
spade support
had at least two clubs.
Opening Lead: ♦10
As the cards lay, the defense had no answer to this line of
play. If West took the trick with the club queen, declarer would use dummy’s club 10 as an
entry to pick up East’s remaining trumps. He would end up with six trumps, a heart, two
diamonds and three clubs.
At the table, West allowed the club jack to hold the trick. Declarer continued by cashing
the club ace, then ruffing the club eight in dummy. East overruffed this with the seven, but
that was the only trick the defense made. Declarer ruffed the return of the diamond queen
and drew East’s remaining trump with the ace, after which his hand was high.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: Your partner must be weak and
South Holds: unbalanced, since he surely has six clubs
♠K974 but chose not to repeat the suit at his
♥KJ86 second turn, and then he ran from one no-
♦Q63 trump. I’d guess he has one spade and is
♣52 maybe 4-6 in the minors with 11-12 points.
You have no fit, no sure defensive tricks and
South West North East no reason to think you can beat two spades.
1♣ Pass Go quietly and pass.
1♥ 1♠ Pass Pass
1 NT Pass 2♣ 2♠
?
“Man, who wert once a despot and a slave;

A dupe and a deceiver; a decay;
A traveler from the cradle to the grave
Through the dim light of this immortal day.”
— Percy Shelley
Dealer: N North
The art of falsecarding is a complex one; it is generally a Vul: E-W ♠ J 10
good rule as declarer to conceal small cards in the suit led ♥J2
♦KQ87
to make the defenders’ task of reading leads and signals ♣AQ984
more difficult. But you should not do this entirely at West East
♠K43 ♠872
random; sometimes you make the defenders’ task easier,
♥8643 ♥AK7
not harder. ♦J4 ♦ A 10 9 5 3
♣J762 ♣ 10 3
For example, in this deal from Masterplay (also known as South
♠AQ965
the Expert Game) by Terence Reese, a false-card by the ♥ Q 10 9 5
declarer was the clue to the defense. ♦62
♣K5
West kicked off with the heart three against three no-
trump. While some prefer to lead second highest rather 1♦ Pass
than a low card from four small, leading fourth best was 1♠ Pass 2♣ Pass
certainly reasonable. Declarer played the heart two from 3 NT All pass
dummy, East played the heart king, and South dropped
Opening Lead: ♥3
the heart nine.
South’s idea was to make the opponents think that he was short in hearts and to
encourage a heart continuation. In fact, the play conveyed a completely different
impression. East could tell from the lead of the heart three, with the heart two in dummy,
that West had only four hearts. Therefore, South’s play of the heart nine had to be a false-
card, and the inference to be drawn was that declarer was well upholstered in that suit.
So, East switched to a low diamond, playing his partner for the diamond jack. This play
did the trick. When West came in with the spade king, he was able to return a diamond to
his partner’s A-10 for the defense’s fifth winner.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: Nothing in bridge is ever simple
South Holds: or unanimous, but I believe the majority of
♠ J 10 people would expect that if South had
♥J2 reversing values together with four
♦KQ87 diamonds and five clubs, he would jump to
♣AQ984 three diamonds now. Therefore, a call of two
diamonds suggests this minor-suit pattern
South West North East without real extras, making it an ideal bid
1♣ 1♥ Dbl. Pass here.
?
“Time goes, you say? Ah, no! Alas, Time stays, we go.”
— Austin Dobson
Dealer: N North
Today’s deal comes from the semifinals of the Australian Vul: None ♠7
National Open Teams; it is the flip-side of yesterday’s ♥J862
♦ K Q 10 8
deal. We had pointed out that declarer’s false-cards will ♣ A 10 9 6
occasionally rebound. But the advantage of these West East
♠QJ83 ♠9
maneuvers is that fooling your partner does no harm
♥Q53 ♥ K 10 9 4
when he is dummy. ♦9 ♦A76543
♣QJ753 ♣84
Frequently, you want to prevent an opponent reading from South
♠ A K 10 6 5 4 2
his partner’s lead as a singleton and giving him a ruff. But ♥A7
occasionally, it is in your interest not to falsecard, as here. ♦J2
♣K2
Jacek Pszczola, known to the world at large as Pepsi,
over-called four spades over an off-center three-diamond Pass 3♦
pre-empt. When West led the diamond nine, Pepsi played 4♠ All pass
low from dummy; East put up his ace and saw the two
from South. Opening Lead: ♦9
East could read that his partner had led a singleton, so he returned a diamond, and West
ruffed. Back came a heart, which Pepsi took with his ace. He cashed his two top trumps,
then crossed to the club ace to dispose of his heart loser on a diamond winner. West
could ruff in with his master trump, but declarer had the rest.
At the second table, West also led his singleton diamond against four spades, but this
time declarer dropped his jack under the ace. Jacek Kalita, as East, was in the hot seat,
and he could not read whether the lead was a singleton or doubleton. But he could see
that his side needed to set up heart winners. So, he shifted accurately to a low heart at
trick two, and now the contract could no longer be made.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: It must be right to raise hearts at
South Holds: once; otherwise, we may have to do so at an
♠QJ83 inconvenient level, or not do it at all. That
♥Q53 said, a simple raise to two hearts covers a
♦9 wide variety of hands. It would be
♣QJ753 convenient to have both a constructive and a
minimum raise, as we would if the
South West North East opponents had stayed silent. Some use a
1♥ Dbl. two-club call for a constructive three-card
? raise; that would be ideal here.
The Aces on Bridge: Friday, May 31st, 2019
“There are dark shadows on the Earth, but its lights are stronger in the contrast.”
— Charles Dickens
Dealer: N North
When this deal came up, two declarers were confronted Vul: Both ♠AK87
with the same defense but drew two different conclusions ♥K98652
♦K
from their opponents’ play. ♣62
West East
At both tables, after the lead of the heart queen to the king ♠Q952 ♠—
♥Q ♥ A 10 7 3
and ace, each defender accurately shifted to the club king
♦J76 ♦ Q 10 9 8 3 2
to try to set up tricks in that suit. At the first table, declarer ♣J9853 ♣KQ7
won his ace and played a low spade to the king. When South
♠ J 10 6 4 3
East discarded a diamond, declarer unblocked diamonds, ♥J4
then played a heart. However, West could now maneuver ♦A54
♣ A 10 4
to score two trump tricks and a club.
At the second table, declarer read the lead as a singleton 1♥ Pass
and asked himself why East had not played for heart ruffs. 1♠ Pass 2♠ Pass
South concluded that West probably had a trump trick, 2 NT Pass 4♠ All pass
and that East believed he needed more than just one
heart ruff to beat the contract. Opening Lead: ♥Q
So, at trick three, South led the trump jack from hand and let it run when West played low.
Then declarer took the trump ace and king before playing a low heart to the jack. Had
West overtrumped to lead two rounds of clubs, declarer would have ruffed out the hearts,
using the diamond king as a re-entry to dummy. So West discarded a club instead. Now
declarer returned to dummy with the diamond king to run the heart nine, covered with the
10 and ruffed in hand.
West did his best by over-ruffing with the queen to cash a club, but declarer had the rest.
He made four trumps, two hearts, two diamonds, the club ace and a club ruff.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: It feels right to give delayed
South Holds: support to two hearts now. This is not only
♠ J 10 6 4 3 because you don’t want to give up entirely
♥J4 on a chance at game, but also because if
♦A54 your partner has a singleton spade, you
♣ A 10 4 might be able to use a trump in dummy to
cope with a fourth-round minor-suit loser.
Pass 1♣ 1♥ Pass
1♠ Pass 1 NT Pass
?
The Aces on Bridge: Saturday, June 1st, 2019
“No one thinks of winter when the grass is green!”

— Rudyard Kipling
Dealer: E North
When you reach the normal contract of four spades, you Vul: E-W ♠J86
have been warned that diamonds may not break, but at ♥KQ64
♦7
least the shortage will be in the right place. After the ♣ A 10 5 4 2
diamond five is led, you capture East’s queen with your West East
♠ K 10 7 ♠2
ace. How should you continue?
♥J852 ♥ A 10 9 7
♦53 ♦ K Q 10 8 4
The best chance seemed to be finding the heart ace with ♣KJ87 ♣Q63
West, or perhaps the spade king with East. So you lead a South
♠AQ9543
heart at trick two, which goes to the king and ace. Back ♥3
comes the spade two, and now you must revise your plan. ♦AJ962
♣9
Be warned: the answer isn’t easy! The point is that if you
ruff two diamonds in dummy, West may score two trump South West North East
tricks, and you will still have a diamond loser left. 1♦
1♠ Dbl. 2♦ 2♥
The best line is to win the spade ace, then lead a club to 4♠ All pass
the ace and ruff a club. Trump a diamond in dummy and
Opening Lead: ♦5
ruff another club to hand. At this point, you lead one more
diamond, and West can do no better than throw a heart. You ruff yet another club to
establish dummy’s fifth club, and when West follows, that marks him with an original
3=4=2=4 shape.
You can now endplay West by leading the spade queen, throwing a low heart from table.
(If you lead the spade nine, then West might meanly hop up with the king and exit with the
spade 10, leaving you with two diamond losers.)
Note that as the cards lie, West can take your spade queen with his king and cash the
spade 10. However, he must then lead a heart to dummy’s king, after which the club 10 is
the game-going trick.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: Double here would be takeout,
South Holds: maybe suggesting tolerance for partner’s
♠2 suit — the same hand with a second spade
♥ A 10 9 7 instead of a small card in either minor would
♦ K Q 10 8 4 be perfect for that call. Instead, should you
♣Q63 bid two diamonds because of your suit
disparities, or double and rely on getting to
South West North East the right strain? I think I’d bid two diamonds,
1♣ 1♠ 2♣ expecting to get to the right major suit if
? partner doesn’t fit diamonds.
The Aces on Bridge: Sunday, June 2nd, 2019

I’ve been reading your columns to try to When a partnership has advanced to the
learn a little about the game of bridge. I am four-level and slam may be in the picture,
thinking of trying a book that will teach me how can you let your partner know you want
the basics. I’d like to learn, but I want to read to stop at four no-trump and are not asking
up a little before starting completely cold. for aces?
— Novelty Gifts, Holland, Mich. — Nervous Breakdown, Vancouver, Wash.
ANSWER: You could try a big bridge ANSWER: Four no-trump is normally
bookseller like Baron Barclay (www. Blackwood. A common exception is when
baronbarclay.com/contact.html or by the last call of the four-no-trump bidder was
telephone at 1-800-274-2221). They will in no-trump, and no major fit exists. Similarly,
know just what you need. If you want to try a when no fit has been found, then if the
bridge computer program, the ACBL at previous call was a cue-bid or fourth suit, a
www.acbl.org/learn_page/ is a good place to jump to four no-trump should be quantitative
start. and invitational. Furthermore, after Stayman,
you can often set the bid major as trump; if
so, a jump to four no-trump should be
Dear Mr. Wolff: quantitative.
When you hear your right-hand opponent
open one diamond, what should be your Dear Mr. Wolff:
policy about overcalling on a 5-5 hand with
one good suit and one bad? I had ♠ J-9-8-4- Our excellent bridge club has superb players
3, ♥ A-2, ♦ 10, ♣ A-Q-6-5-4. The clubs are and pairs who frequently score high, plus a
the suit you want partner to lead, but if you middle group and a bottom third, all in the
bid them first, you may lose the spades open game. More often than I would expect,
altogether. dark horse pairs in the bottom third come in
top or close to it. Since bridge is significantly
— Quality Street, New Smyrna Beach, Fla. a game of skill, how is it that the less-skilled
do well more often than expected?
ANSWER: These days, it is almost — I Am Curious Green, Dallas, Texas
mandatory to play some form of two-suited
overcalls, focusing on the majors, while the
unusual no-trump allows you to bid club or ANSWER: I’m not sure how to answer, but
heart two-suiters. But if you have the wrong you could reasonably think of the results of
two-suiter for a Michaels Cue-bid or Unusual an event as a normal curve. Luck is never
No-trump, just bid spades and let the chips eliminated entirely from bridge (we need our
fall where they may. There may be time for opponents not to be perfect), so my
clubs later. experience at the local club has been that
anything can happen. At higher levels, there
are far fewer presents for everyone, so your
Dear Mr. Wolff: mistakes tend to be really expensive.
In a recent question, one hand heard one
club to his left, and one heart from his Dear Mr. Wolff:
partner. He bid one no-trump and then heard
his partner bid the opponent’s suit. If the first I am often torn as opener about taking a
call of one no-trump shows a club stopper, second call in competition when holding
doesn’t your partner’s second call show a extra shape but minimum high cards.
genuine club suit rather than being an Specifically, I was recently faced with this
artificial cue-bid? problem when I held ♠ Q-3, ♥ Q-7-4, ♦ A-Q-
9-7-6-2, ♣ K-3. I opened one diamond and
— Jake the Fake, Chicago, Ill. heard one heart to my left, one spade from
partner and two hearts to my right. Should I
pass or bid three diamonds now?
ANSWER: Many bridge players normally
make the assumption that you cannot play in — Humble Pie, Muncie. Ind.
the opponents’ suit, unless you have a
specific agreement that such a call is
natural. That rule applies here: A two-club ANSWER: This 13-count is poorly put
call simply shows a good hand. It sounds as together with wasted heart cards. If partner
if your partner is looking for heart support or is short in hearts, he will almost certainly act
maybe a four-card spade suit. I’d say if and again, assuming he has the other high
only if the one-club opener is two or more cards. So I would pass now, but I would be
cards, then you can bid the suit naturally at much more tempted to bid again with three
your first or second turn. small hearts and, say, ace-king-jack-sixth of
diamonds.
The Aces on Bridge: Monday, June 3rd, 2019
“It is better to be able neither to read nor write than to be able to do nothing else.”
— William Hazlitt
Dealer: S North
West leads the club three against four spades, and South Vul: E-W ♠742
can see that he must expect to lose a club. He can ♥95
♦AKJ65
discard one of his hearts on a club and ruff his other ♣ Q J 10
losing heart with one of dummy’s small trumps. He should West East
♠KQ5 ♠83
then be in good shape to hold his spade losers to two at
♥ Q 10 6 4 2 ♥J8
most. ♦82 ♦ Q 10 9 3
♣653 ♣A9872
When East wins the ace, South drops the king from hand South
♠ A J 10 9 6
to create an entry to dummy. That will allow him to win the ♥AK73
next club in dummy rather than in his own hand. ♦74
♣K4
East returns a low spade, and South can afford to put in
the jack, since he needs only one trump in dummy to ruff 1♠ Pass 2♦ Pass
with. When West wins trick two with the spade queen and 2♥ Pass 2♠ Pass
returns a diamond, South wins dummy’s king rather than 2 NT Pass 4♠ All pass
risking the finesse. South also cannot afford to take
another trump finesse immediately, since West might be Opening Lead: ♣3
able to win and return a third trump to keep South from
ruffing his losing heart at all.
To avoid this fate, now is the right moment to take the spade ace, then cash the two club
winners in dummy so that South can get rid of one of his losing hearts. Next, declarer
cashes the two top hearts and ruffs the fourth heart with dummy’s seven. Though East is
out of hearts, he cannot over-ruff, and even if he could, it would be with the master trump.
Only now can South afford to resume the play of trumps. He concedes one trick to the
defenders’ master trump but makes his contract.
LEAD WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: It seems obvious to lead a heart,
South Holds: playing to force declarer. I would do that, but
♠K8643 I can see a good case for a small trump.
♥ 10 5 2 Dummy probably has a ruffing value, and it
♦AJ3 could easily be in hearts. I might be able to
♣75 kill the ruff by repeated trump leads, so a low
trump would be my second choice.
2♥ 2♠
Pass 4♠ All pass
The Aces on Bridge: Tuesday, June 4th, 2019
“A man wants no protection when his conduct is strictly right.”

— Lord Mansfield
Dealer: E North
Bidding over pre-empts is more about judgment than Vul: E-W ♠KQ3
science. Here, South should not double a three-diamond ♥ K 10 6 2
♦Q3
pre-empt, since he cannot stand to have partner bid ♣A862
spades at just about any level. West East
♠J98752 ♠ 10 4
♥3 ♥J98
When North raises to four diamonds, suggesting at least a
♦ 10 8 ♦KJ97654
good high-card raise to four hearts, South might stretch ♣QJ97 ♣ 10
just a little and use key-card, hoping his extra shape in the South
♠A6
side suits will come in handy, as indeed it will. ♥AQ754
♦A2
After the lead of the diamond 10, declarer should not put ♣K543
up the diamond queen, since doing so might provide the
defenders with some communications. He will win the first 3♦
diamond in hand and lay down the heart ace, then draw 3♥ Pass 4♦ Pass
trumps and pitch his diamond loser on dummy’s good 4 NT Pass 5♥* Pass
5 NT Pass 6♥ All pass
spade. Now he can ruff a diamond to hand and reach a
five-card ending where he has four clubs and a trump in
*Two key-cards, no trump queen
each hand. Can you see what he should do next?
Opening Lead: ♦10
If clubs are 3-2, the hand is cold for 12 tricks. If clubs don’t
break, then declarer cannot protect himself against West having begun with all of the four
significant spot cards. But he can guard against East having a singleton intermediate or
honor in clubs by leading a small club from hand and playing low from dummy, no matter
what West plays. In the layout shown, if West plays low, then East will win his 10 and be
forced to surrender a ruff-sluff. If West plays high on the first club, he is left on lead; now,
whether he plays a high club or a low one, declarer is home.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: While it is rarely correct to pass
South Holds: with good shape and moderate values at
♠KQ3 your first turn, it is often correct to pass with
♥ K 10 6 2 good values but no shape when it seems to
♦Q3 be the opponents’ hand. Here, with only one
♣A862 of the unbid suits, you can neither overcall
nor double unless you can judge from the
South West North East auction that partner must have values. That
1♣ Pass 1♠ clearly isn’t the case yet, so pass and stay
? out of trouble.
The Aces on Bridge: Wednesday, June 5th, 2019
“A place for everything and everything in its place.”

— English proverb
Dealer: W North
Declarer in today’s deal from the Common Game played Vul: Both ♠AK43
three spades competently. Clubs were originally 3-3, so ♥J7
♦ A 10 7 5
South could eliminate that suit and endplay the defenders ♣A43
with the third trump to hold his diamond losers to one. West East
♠65 ♠ Q J 10
However, I have changed the layout in the minors to make
♥AK9654 ♥ Q 10 8
the task for declarer more challenging. ♦K82 ♦J94
♣ J 10 ♣9865
The defense begins with two top hearts followed by a shift South
♠9872
to the club jack. Declarer takes the club in hand and ♥32
cashes both top spades, then runs the club winners as ♦Q63
♣KQ72
West discards a heart. When South leads the fourth club,
planning to ruff this in dummy, West must pitch a heart. South West North East
Otherwise, declarer can set up diamonds easily enough 1♥ Dbl. 2♥
for one loser. So West pitches a second heart, and, after 2♠ 3♥ 3♠ All pass
ruffing the club in dummy, South exits from the North hand
with a trump to East’s queen. What four cards does West Opening Lead: ♥K
come down to now?
If he comes down to one heart and three diamonds, then East can do no better than lead
a heart, and declarer discards a diamond to endplay West to lead away from the diamond
king or East from the jack.
But if West pitches a diamond, to come down to two diamonds and two hearts, declarer
ruffs the third round of hearts and leads a diamond to the 10 and jack. East has only
diamonds left, so he leads one, and South plays low from hand. When the king pops up,
declarer has the last two tricks.
This line may require playing East for the diamond jack, against perfect defense.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: This is a take-out double —
South Holds: effectively Stayman, but you can pass with
♠AK43 the right hand, of course. Not this hand,
♥J7 though — you should simply show your
♦ A 10 7 5 spades by bidding two spades, and let
♣A43 partner take it from there. In this position,
you have defined your values accurately
South West North East already, so partner is in charge.
Pass Pass 1♣
1 NT 2♣ Dbl. Pass
?
The Aces on Bridge: Thursday, June 6th, 2019
“Great contest follows, and much learned dust

Involves the combatants; each claiming truth,
And truth disclaiming both.”
— William Cowper
Dealer: S North
At the Dyspeptics Club, the rivalries are more than about Vul: N-S ♠KQ9543
winning and losing, since there is an unspoken contest ♥9
♦A74
between North and East, each of whom considers himself ♣ A J 10
far superior to the other. West East
♠8
♠72
♥ A J 10 7 5 3
While neither of them would consider criticizing the other ♥84
2
directly (as opposed to eviscerating their hapless ♦K963
♦QJ2
♣87642
partners) when the opportunity arises, a cryptic aside can ♣93
South
turn the knife just as sharply as a direct criticism. ♠ A J 10 6
♥KQ6
Today’s deal gave North the opportunity to add insult to ♦ 10 8 5
♣KQ5
injury after an unsophisticated auction had led South to a
marginal six spades. When East competed over North’s South West North East
transfer bid, you can hardly blame South for joining in, 1 NT Pass 2♥* 3♥
and that led North to something of an overbid when he 3♠ Pass 4 NT Pass
5♦ Pass 6♠ All pass
took control and drove to slam.
West led the heart eight to East’s ace, and when that *Spades
player returned a trump, declarer could simply draw Opening Lead: ♥8
trumps and claim, disposing of both dummy’s diamonds
on the winning hearts.
While South was waiting for his partner to acknowledge the brilliance of his play, North
turned sympathetically to East and commented on what a difficult opportunity he had
missed. Stung, East asked what North meant. Can you see the answer?
West’s spot-card lead had to be from shortage, so taking the heart ace was virtually
conceding defeat. The only real chance was that partner would hold the diamond king, so
East should have followed at trick one with the heart jack.
Declarer will not lose a heart trick now, but he will have two inescapable losers in
diamonds!
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: Since two hearts by you would
South Holds: be natural and forcing, a jump to three
♠KQ9543 hearts sets diamonds and show shortage.
♥9 That is sensible, but you might now miss a
♦A74 6-2 spade fit. It is far from clear that the
♣ A J 10 alternative of a three-club call would see
your partner support spades with a
South West North East doubleton. So maybe the splinter is best,
1♦ Pass since otherwise partner may be focused too
1♠ Pass 2♦ Pass much on no-trump with no spade fit.
?
The Aces on Bridge: Friday, June 7th, 2019
by Bobby Wolff on June 21st, 2019
“Although our intellect always longs for clarity and certainty, our nature often finds
uncertainty fascinating.”
— Carl von Clausewitz
Dealer: E North
Liam Milne was able to report a fine play by Barbara Vul: N-S ♠J64
Travis from the semifinals of this year’s Australian ♥ K 10 6 2
♦3
Women’s Playoff. Travis declared six spades on the ♣AK753
friendly lead of the club eight to the jack and queen. West East
♠ 10 9 7 3 ♠5
If clubs behaved, 12 tricks would be easy; but West’s ♥Q97 ♥A543
♦ Q 10 6 5 2 ♦J94
decision to lead a club instead of a heart argued strongly ♣8 ♣J9642
that the lead was from shortage — and that West must not South
♠AKQ82
have the heart ace, or a club lead would be almost ♥J8
pointless. ♦AK87
♣ Q 10
With the general idea of playing East for the heart ace,
Travis ruffed a diamond in the short trump hand, then Pass
drew four rounds of trumps. When West followed all the 1♠ Pass 2♣ Pass
way, she provided additional weight to the theory of club 2♦ Pass 4♠ Pass
4 NT Pass 5♣ Pass
shortness in that hand. Dummy discarded a heart and a
6♠ All pass
club, while East discarded a low heart, a low club and the
diamond jack. Opening Lead: ♣8
Travis now played the last trump and the diamond king, coming down to three clubs and
the bare heart king in dummy. East, holding the doubleton heart ace and three clubs, had
no choice but to come down to the bare heart ace. Trusting her judgment, Travis cashed
the club 10 before exiting with a heart. East had to win and, with only clubs left, was
forced to bring dummy back to life. From declarer’s perspective, the only thing that could
have made this hand any more spectacular would have been if both heart honors were
off-side!
In the Seniors, Open and Women’s events, most declarers who received a club lead
reduced themselves to guessing hearts — and not all of them did so correctly.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: If you want to force to game, you
South Holds: should respond two clubs and bid hearts
♠J64 later. But this hand is clearly not worth that
♥ K 10 6 2 action; you should instead respond one
♦3 heart and take it from there, planning to
♣AK753 invite game in no-trump after partner rebids
in spades or diamonds. Only a heart raise
South West North East would make your hand worth a force to
1♦ Pass game.
?
The Aces on Bridge: Saturday, June 8th, 2019
by Bobby Wolff on June 22nd, 2019
“Nothing in progression can rest on its original plan.”

— Edmund Burke
Dealer: S North
Declarer might easily have relaxed in six no-trump here Vul: Both ♠AQ3
when West led the heart 10. There were 11 top tricks, with ♥J65
♦A842
13 tricks available on a 3-2 spade break, and 12 tricks ♣J52
even on a 4-1 break. West East
♠— ♠ J 10 9 7 5
♥ 10 9 8 7 2 ♥43
But declarer carefully won the first trick with the heart ace,
♦653 ♦QJ97
then carefully cashed the club ace-king followed by the ♣ 10 8 7 6 4 ♣93
heart king. It was only then that he led a low spade to South
♠K8642
dummy’s queen. West’s discard turned a potential 13 ♥AKQ
tricks into 11. ♦ K 10
♣AKQ
South continued with a low diamond from the table and
took the jack with the king, then ran the diamond 10 to 2♣ Pass 2♦ Pass
East’s queen. East exited with the spade jack, taken by 2 NT Pass 6 NT All pass
dummy’s ace. Now declarer cashed the diamond ace,
pitching the heart queen from hand. He followed up with
Opening Lead: ♥10
the heart jack and discarded the club queen from hand,
bringing everyone down to three cards.
East was reduced to the spade 10-9 and the diamond nine, and when declarer called for
dummy’s club jack, East had no winning discard. He threw the diamond nine, and now
dummy’s eight was high.
If East had followed low to the first diamond, declarer would have put in the 10. Had this
lost to West, then on any return, declarer would have cashed the heart, diamond and club
winners, then played a spade to the ace to cash the diamond ace. This would execute a
simple spade-diamond squeeze whenever East had started with four diamonds. It would
also work fine when East had begun with at most three diamonds including the nine and
at least one diamond honor.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: This is one of the few auctions in
South Holds: which responder can produce a penalty
♠AQ3 double at his first turn to speak. You may not
♥J65 think you have any extra values, but that
♦A842 isn’t the point. Your partner didn’t consult
♣J52 you; while you might remove a double with a
lot of extra shape and no defense, that isn’t
South West North East what you have here, so pass.
1♦ 1 NT Dbl. Pass
?
The Aces on Bridge: Sunday, June 9th, 2019
by Bobby Wolff on June 23rd, 2019

I assume you would open one club, planning At a club duplicate, I was faced with a
to rebid one no-trump over any one-level reopening problem. I held a great deal of
response, with ♠ K-J-9, ♥ 10-2, ♦ Q-8-4, ♣ A- extra shape but not much in the way of high
Q-10-7-4. That was what I did. I heard one cards. I had ♠ K-Q-10-3-2, ♥ J-2, ♦ Q, ♣ K-Q-
heart on my left and a negative double from 9-7-4, and my right-hand opponent passed. I
partner. Now I had to guess what to do. opened one spade, and my left-hand
opponent bid two diamonds, passed back to
— Seconds Out, Riverside, Calif. me. What should I bid now?
— Protective Order, Mason City, Iowa.
ANSWER: I agree with opening one club,
though I’d be planning to raise spades, not
rebid at no-trump. After the negative double, ANSWER: With shortage in left-hand
the choice is simple. Do you bid spades or opponent’s suit, it is normal is to reopen with
clubs, since one no-trump is completely a double — unless you’d remove your
inappropriate with this holding? It is a little- partner’s penalty double. Here, with no aces,
known secret that a one-spade call is I might not settle for a double. But if I do
consistent with a three-card suit. With four double and correct two hearts to a black suit,
and any form of extras, I’d expect a jump to that shows real extras, not this hand. Should
two spades — equivalent to raising partner’s I pass, hoping it is the opponents’ hand, or
known spade suit. So one spade is my double and cross my fingers, or even bid
choice. three clubs? Each call is reasonable, but I
might need to use my table presence to try
to work out which is best.
Dear Mr. Wolff:
Recently, you offered up as opener this Dear Mr. Wolff:
hand: ♠ Q-J-6-2, ♥ 5-2, ♦ A-Q-10-8-7-4, ♣ 6.
You indicated that these spades were too Some of the bridge books I have read, and
good for a diamond pre-empt; but if you even some of the players in my rubber
won’t pre-empt, what will you do? game, set 13 HCP as the minimum for an
opening. Twelve HCP are acceptable only
— Edison Lighthouse, Miami, Fla. with significant extra shape. Do you believe
all 12-point hands qualify for an opening bid?
ANSWER: I would pass and assume — Dangerous Dan, Saint John’s,
someone would open, then I would hope to Newfoundland
find spades if necessary or settle in
diamonds. I would not open one diamond,
however; this hand just isn’t worth that ANSWER: A 12-count with a five-card suit or
action. Make the spade queen the 10 (or any two four-card suits will normally qualify as an
smaller card), and I’d be much more tempted opening. It is logical for the minimum rebid in
to preempt. no-trump to show 12-14 (a 2-point range
would be unnecessarily constraining) in the
context of your one no-trump opening
Dear Mr. Wolff: promising 15-17. If you still play a 16-18 no-
trump, you might play your rebid to be 13-15.
At a recent nationals, I played in a regional But since bidding is fun, I suggest you live a
pairs game and held ♠ K-3, ♥ A, ♦ K-J-2, little.
♣ K-Q-9-7-4-3-2. I opened one club and
heard two diamonds on the left, two spades
from my partner. What would you do next,
assuming a rebid of three clubs is not
forcing?
— Explorer’s Club, Newark, N.J.
ANSWER: This hand has huge potential if

we have a fit. You cannot afford to jump to
four clubs by passing three no-trump, but
bidding no-trump yourself may be
premature. All that seems to leave is a
waffling cue-bid, but a delayed three no-
trump call over a heart bid from your partner
might be the best you can do.
The Aces on Bridge: Monday, June 10th, 2019
“A man who shaves and takes a train

And then rides back to shave again.”
— E. B. White
Dealer: E North
Sixty years ago, Terence Reese produced his seminal Vul: N-S ♠QJ93
work, “The Expert Game,” published in the U.S. as ♥95
♦K964
“Master Play.” This book introduced a variety of plays that ♣ A 10 2
are now part of every top player’s armory. And the most West East
♠A862 ♠ 10 5
important idea that the book promulgated was the Theory
♥ K J 10 6 ♥AQ8743
of Restricted Choice. ♦ 10 7 ♦J853
♣Q64 ♣J
This theory borrows from William of Occam, who invented South
♠K74
Occam’s Razor. This states that when faced with a choice ♥2
of competing hypotheses, one should select the simpler ♦AQ2
♣K98753
option.
How does this apply in bridge terms? Consider today’s 2♥
deal, where against your contract of five clubs, West leads 3♣ 3♥ Dbl. Pass
the heart jack. East takes his ace and returns the suit, 4♣ Pass 5♣ All pass
letting you ruff. How should you play the trump suit?
Opening Lead: ♥J
Clearly, East is more likely to be short in clubs than West,
not only because East has the long hearts, but also because if East had three clubs, he
might have been able to shift to a singleton in spades or diamonds at trick two. So lead
out the club king; when East follows with the jack, you play a second trump, West
following with two small cards, leaving you to decide whether to finesse or play for the
drop.
The percentages here might be misleading: A singleton jack is less likely than the
doubleton queen-jack, but if East had doubleton honors, he might have followed with
either card. So the true percentages to compare are the singleton honor against half the
percentage associated with Q-J doubleton. Playing for the finesse is therefore clearly
right.
LEAD WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: With every lead looking
South Holds: unattractive, especially a heart, you can use
♠ Q 10 5 a pin to pick one. You might try to lead up to
♥J963 declarer’s weakness by trying a diamond
♦Q76 (maybe a deceptive seven), but with that suit
♣K74 likely to set declarer up for some discards, I
think I would try the spade five.
1♣
Pass 1♦ Pass 1♥
Pass 3♥ All pass
“Everything should be made as simple as possible, but no simpler.”

— Albert Einstein
Dealer: S North
Yesterday, we mentioned Occam’s Razor, a hypothesis Vul: E-W ♠K9
dating from medieval times. It states that when comparing ♥ K Q 10 5
♦ 10 9 6 3
two explanations, one should assume the truth of the one ♣Q76
with the fewer assumptions. This applies to bridge in the West East
♠ Q J 10 8 4 ♠7652
form of the Theory of Restricted Choice — and, as we
♥932 ♥A87
shall see later this week, to what is popularly known as ♦A87 ♦K5
the Monty Hall Problem. ♣ 10 8 ♣J532
South
♠A3
In bridge terms, when comparing two possibilities, we ♥J64
must reduce the probability of an event if a player had ♦QJ42
♣AK94
previously had a choice of equals to play; this is because
he might have played either of them at that turn. But South West North East
enough theory — let’s look at a deal and see how it works 1 NT Pass 2♣ Pass
in practice. 2♦ Pass 3 NT All pass
In three no-trump, you win the spade lead and drive out
Opening Lead: ♠Q
the heart ace, then win the spade return and cash the
hearts, both defenders pitching small diamonds. With no clue as to who has the fifth
spade, you need to bring in the clubs now.
You cash the club ace, then cross to the club queen, bringing down the 10 from West.
Should you finesse or play for the drop on the third round? The appropriate percentages
to measure up are jack-fourth or 10-fourth of clubs in East against J-10-x in West. You
should not look at just the chance of jack-fourth against J-10-x (where the odds would be
very close), because West would have had a choice of high spot-cards to play from that
holding at his second turn. That makes the finesse the clearly indicated play.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: You have just enough to bid two
South Holds: diamonds, an Unassuming Cue Bid to show
♠K9 club support and a better hand than a simple
♥ K Q 10 5 raise. This should get you to hearts or no-
♦ 10 9 6 3 trump if that is appropriate, and you plan to
♣Q76 bid three clubs over a two-spade rebid.

1♦ 2♣ Pass
?
“There is little friendship in the world, and least of all between equals.”
— Francis Bacon
Dealer: N North
This week we are addressing the thorny problem of Vul: N-S ♠AKJ
Restricted Choice in bridge. This dictum says that if (and ♥Q952
♦92
only if) a player had a choice of equal cards to play, then ♣K764
the probability that he had one of those cards singleton West East
♠984 ♠ 10 7 6 3 2
should be compared to half the probability that he had
♥J87 ♥ K 10
both of those cards — because with the doubleton he ♦ K J 10 6 ♦Q543
might have played the other card. Granted, this does ♣ 10 8 2 ♣A5
South
assume that he was equally likely to play the queen or ♠Q5
jack from queen-jack doubleton, but unless you know to ♥A643
♦A87
the contrary, you should indeed assume that. ♣QJ93
A deal may make the point more clearly than words. South West North East
Declaring four hearts, you win the diamond lead for fear of 1♣ Pass
a club shift, after which the defenders might maneuver a 1♥ Pass 2♥ Pass
4♥ All pass
ruff. You cash the heart ace, dropping the 10 from East.
Should you now lead a heart to the nine or to the queen? Opening Lead: ♦J
As indicated above, it is correct to play East for the doubleton K-10 rather than for the J-
10 doubleton. That is because, with the former holding, he had no choice but to play the
10 at his first turn, whereas with the J-10 doubleton he might have played either of those
cards. Thus, one should not compare the initial probabilities of each doubleton holding,
which are equally likely, but instead assume that the K-10 is twice as likely as J-10
doubleton.
How does that relate to the Monty Hall problem? We will find out tomorrow.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: Despite your heart support, it
South Holds: may be wrong to raise hearts directly. Your
♠ 10 7 6 3 2 partner could be worried that the opponents
♥ K 10 have a spade fit. On the other hand,
♦Q543 responding one spade may not work well if
♣A5 you finish up there instead of in hearts. Still,
I would bid one spade, expecting to be able
South West North East to raise hearts at my next turn (assuming I
1♣ 1♥ Pass get another one).
?
“If we shall deal falsely with our God in this work we have undertaken and so cause him to
withdraw his present help from us, we shall be made a story and a byword through the
world.”
— John Winthrop
Dealer: S North
The Monty Hall problem arose on “Let’s Make a Deal.” Vul: None ♠K4
The contestant was presented with three doors; behind ♥AQ9543
♦7
one was a car, and behind the other two were goats. The ♣AQJ5
contestant selected a door, then the quizmaster opened a West East
♠ 10 7 2 ♠8653
different door to reveal a goat. Now should the contestant
♥86 ♥ J 10 7
change his selection to the third door or stick with his ♦ J 10 9 8 2 ♦AK3
original choice? ♣ 10 7 4 ♣862
South
♠AQJ9
Interestingly, the contestant doubles his odds by switching ♥K2
his choice. He’d turn his car into a goat only if he had ♦Q654
♣K93
correctly selected the car with his first pick — a 1-in-3
chance. But he would win the car if he had originally South West North East
picked either of the two goats — a 2-in-3 chance. The 1 NT Pass 4♦* Dbl.
reason comes back to Restricted Choice; in each of the 4♥ Pass 4 NT Pass
latter two cases, the host had only one goat left to reveal.
However, if the first pick was the car, the host had a
*Texas transfer for hearts
choice of goats to show you.
Opening Lead: ♦J
The biggest caveat for Restricted Choice comes when a
player contributes a significant honor or spot-card where that play is not forced. Consider
today’s slam, where when declarer cashes the heart king, he sees the 10 fall from East.
The singleton 10 might seem more likely than J-10 doubleton, since we must reduce the
chance of the latter by half — because East might have followed with the jack from that
holding.
That is true, but East wasn’t forced to play the 10 from J-10-7, his actual holding in the
diagram. Maybe only an expert would be capable of that false-card, but that is a
completely different issue.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: Fourth suit forcing sets up a
South Holds: game force. There is no need to jump to
♠K4 three hearts to show the sixth heart. That
♥AQ9543 call should be reserved for a better suit than
♦7 this. Simply bid two hearts here; this doesn’t
♣AQJ5 guarantee a sixth heart, but it leaves more
space for your partner to describe why he
South West North East forced to game.
1♥ Pass 1♠ Pass
2♣ Pass 2♦ Pass
?
“There are two possible outcomes: If the result confirms the hypothesis, then you’ve made
a measurement. If the result is contrary to the hypothesis, then you’ve made a discovery.”
— Enrico Fermi
Dealer: N North
All our deals this week have focused on the principle of Vul: None ♠Q6543
Restricted Choice; but this concept cannot be considered ♥AJ5
♦K7
purely in abstract, as today’s deal from the later stages of ♣ 10 6 2
a Vanderbilt Trophy match shows. West East
♠9 ♠ 10 8
Declaring four spades, your chances do not seem so ♥Q76 ♥ K 10 9 3 2
♦AJ9842 ♦ Q 10 5
great on a devious low diamond lead, but when the ♣K85 ♣J93
diamond king holds the first trick, things look up. Draw two South
♠AKJ72
rounds of trumps, ending in hand, and lead a heart to the ♥84
jack and king. Now East cashes the diamond queen and ♦63
♣AQ74
returns the heart 10, on which West unblocks the queen.
You ruff the last heart in hand, cross to dummy in trumps, Pass Pass
and lead a low club, intending to put in the seven. 1♠ 2♦ 3♦ Dbl.
Naturally, East thwarts you by playing the nine, so you try 4♠ All pass
the queen, losing to the king. When West returns a low
Opening Lead: ♦ (!)
club, what should you do?
If you have been following this week’s theme, you may conclude that Restricted Choice
suggests playing low. The logic for that would be that East is more likely to have J-8-x or
J-9-x than 9-8-x. However, there is a much sounder argument for putting in the six, if you
remember the earlier play. East can be assumed to be a true expert player; with three low
clubs, as opposed to jack-third, he would not have defended this way when on lead earlier
in the hand. He would have shifted to a club rather than returning a heart, to break up the
impending endplay.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: Is your hand worth a try for
South Holds: game? That isn’t clear, but you do not know
♠AKJ72 whether game your way or their way will be
♥84 playable. Much may depend on the nature of
♦63 the double-fit, if any. If partner has diamond
♣AQ74 or heart values, you will want to defend; with
black-suit values, you will want to declare
South West North East the hand. So bid three clubs, perhaps a
1♠ 2♥ 2♠ Dbl. slight overbid, to help partner decide how far
? to compete.
“It has long been an axiom of mine that the little things are infinitely the most important.”
— Sherlock Holmes
Dealer: S North
When this hand arose in the European Championships in Vul: E-W ♠ Q 10 7 5 2
the 1950s, the British declarer did well to play five ♥Q7
♦Q74
diamonds rather than three no-trump. The defense ♣J74
cashed two rounds of hearts and played a club. West East
♠94 ♠J863
♥AK643 ♥ 10 9 8 5
Naturally, declarer took this and led a top trump, on which
♦98 ♦ 10 3
West played the eight and East the three; then declarer ♣9852 ♣ K Q 10
took both top spades. When he led the diamond jack, South
♠AK
West followed suit. Now South had to decide whether to ♥J2
play for spades to split and diamonds not to behave ♦AKJ652
♣A63
(when the right play would be to duck in dummy and draw
a third round of trumps), or for the diamonds to be 2-2 and South West North East
spades to be 4-2 (in which case South should overtake 1♦ 1♥ 1♠ 2♥
the second trump and would then be able to ruff out the 3♥ Pass 4♦ Pass
5♦ All pass
spades).
Opening Lead: ♥K
Spades are slightly favored to break. But how likely is it
that diamonds break? Imagine West has the diamond 10-9-8 and East the three,
compared to that suit splitting 2-2? In abstract, the individual singleton is less likely than
any individual 2-2 split, but in addition there are three doubleton honor-pairs where West
must follow with his two cards at his first opportunity, and East similarly has to play his
three at his first chance, lest you overtake on the second round with impunity.
So it is clearly right to play to overtake the second diamond, as that suit is much more
likely to split than spades. The fact that this was the winning line does not prove anything,
but at least virtue was rewarded.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: Start by doubling, planning to
South Holds: convert a response in a black suit to four
♠AK diamonds. There is no need to drive the
♥J2 hand to game; even the four-level is
♦AKJ652 certainly not guaranteed, facing a weak
♣A63 hand. And who knows? Your partner may be
able to commit to a better contract than
South West North East diamonds, or get you to slam.
2♥ Pass 3♥
?

I’m looking for a way to watch expert players I’m confused about how many bids one
so I can improve my own game. I’m currently should take with a strong hand after doubling
far from home, a student in the Pacific a pre-empt. You hear three clubs on your left
Northwest, so I’m not sure how many strong and, with ♠ K-3-2, ♥ A-Q-8-2, ♦ K-Q-4-2, ♣ K-
events there may be in the vicinity. 4, you double. When your partner responds
with three spades, should you raise to game
— Watch Dog, Selma, Ala. or pass?
— Haircut 100, Fayetteville, N.C.
ANSWER: If you don’t mind watching on the
internet, you can see top-level bridge on
Bridge Base Online (now allied with ANSWER: You have extras and a club
Funbridge) almost every day. And there is stopper, but only three-card support for your
live commentary from the major partner. That suggests that if you do make a
championships all around the world. Try call, it would be three no-trump. But do you
BBO at www.bridgebase.org for more have enough for that? I’d say no — your
details. partner should have 4-5 points on average,
since he surely won’t have more than 9
points for a minimum action.
Dear Mr. Wolff:
If you open ♠ Q-10-5-3, ♥ A-K-7-4-3, ♦ K-6, Dear Mr. Wolff:
♣ 9-3, I imagine you bid one heart and will
hear your partner respond with a forcing no- Recently, I held ♠ Q-9-2, ♥ A-2, ♦ K-Q-7-4
trump. What is the least lie now? ♣ J-6-3-2, and I heard an opening bid of one
heart on my right. I did not double, because I
— Okey Dokey, Ponca City, Okla. only had three spades, but was I then
supposed to balance after my left-hand
opponent bid a forcing no-trump, then
ANSWER: If someone advised you to pass corrected two clubs to two hearts?
and apologize to your partner when you’re
wrong, I’d understand — since that’s what I’d — Second Stain, Galveston, Texas
do. Make the diamond king the ace, so that
you have enough to accept a limit raise, and
now it becomes much harder. Inventing a ANSWER: Bidding on the first round is not
two-club rebid might work out best, but there only safer, but better. (Doubling suggests
are no guarantees. short hearts, not an absolute guarantee of
length in the other major.) But if you do pass
initially, you really do not know that the
Dear Mr. Wolff: opponents have a fit. Your left-hand
opponent probably has only a doubleton
On a recent deal, you have South opening heart at least as often as he has three. Once
one spade when holding six solid spades you have passed initially, is it better to stay
and jack-third in hearts. It seems to me that silent.
the hand is a bit shy of honor tricks. I usually
expect at least two honor tricks or close to
13 high-card points. So why not open two
spades here?
— Jack Robinson, Newark, Calif.
ANSWER: The solid spades and that

distracting random extra jack in the side-suit
fragment would be enough to tempt me to
open one spade anywhere but second seat
vulnerable … and maybe even then!
by Bobby Wolff on July 1st, 2019
“Few men make themselves masters of the things they write or speak.”
— John Selden
Dealer: S North
In today’s deal, South’s jump to three spades is not Vul: E-W ♠85
forcing. North might pass with a really bad hand. If he ♥ K J 10 2
♦A64
does, South would be better off staying out of game. But ♣ 10 6 4 2
as it happens, North has more than enough to bid on. West East
♠63 ♠ 10 7 2
Lacking any spade support, North might try for game at
♥Q743 ♥A96
no-trump, in which case South would have no reason to ♦ Q J 10 5 ♦972
overrule his decision. In this case, though, North is correct ♣A83 ♣QJ97
South
to raise spades, since a club lead by East gives the ♠AKQJ94
defenders five tricks before declarer obtains the lead. ♥85
♦K83
♣K5
In four spades, South must win the first diamond in his
hand, leaving dummy’s ace as a later entry for a heart South West North East
trick. He next draws one round of trumps, but must then 1♠ Pass 1 NT Pass
attack hearts by leading to the 10. West signals count, 3♠ Pass 4♠ All pass
letting East know he should duck the trick.

Opening Lead: ♦Q
When dummy’s 10 holds, South can get back to his hand
using dummy’s remaining trump. He then draws East’s last trump and runs a few more for
good measure. This cannot hurt him and may embarrass the defenders.
Finally, South leads his second heart to dummy’s jack. This time, East wins and shifts to a
club honor, letting the defenders take two club tricks. But declarer now has the rest.
If South had drawn all the trumps before leading hearts, he would have been unable to
cross back to hand safely after dummy had won the first heart. He would have had to lead
clubs. The defenders would take their two club tricks and knock out the diamond king
before South had the chance to lead a second heart.
LEAD WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: When faced with a blind opening
South Holds: lead against one no-trump, don’t fall for the
♠A84 idea that you should always lead a major
♥Q943 rather than a minor. Look for a good lead
♦74 first; only when in doubt should you favor the
♣ Q 10 9 2 major. Here, a club is a far safer lead than a
major. I’d go with the club two, not the 10,
South West North East but either card could be right.
1 NT
All pass
by Bobby Wolff on July 2nd, 2019
“Watch out when you are getting all you want. Fattening hogs ain’t in luck.”
— Joel Chandler Harris
Dealer: S North
Against three spades, West leads the heart queen, and Vul: N-S ♠ J 10 9 4
South counts the missing high cards. He realizes that ♥74
♦KQ42
East surely has the heart king and therefore West holds ♣A84
the rest of the deck. The trump king and diamond ace are West East
♠K6 ♠53
surely working. Declarer can give up one heart trick and
♥QJ9 ♥ K 10 8 6 2
eventually trump his last heart with one of dummy’s small ♦ A 10 8 7 3 ♦95
trumps, but he needs to avoid losing two club tricks. ♣KQ5 ♣ 10 9 7 3
South
♠AQ872
South ducks the first trick, wins the next with the heart ace ♥A53
and immediately leads the diamond jack. The idea is to ♦J6
♣J62
force out the diamond ace and thus establish dummy’s
remaining diamonds as winners. When West takes the South West North East
diamond ace, East follows with a high spot card, warning 1♠ 1 NT Dbl. 2♥
South of the possible 5-2 break. West continues with the Pass Pass 2♠ 3♣
Pass 3♥ 3♠ All pass
club king. South ducks, and when East discourages, West
reverts to diamonds. Now after putting up the diamond
king, declarer turns his attention to trumps. The spade Opening Lead: ♥Q
king takes the first trump, and West continues with
another high diamond spot.
Playing safe, a necessary precaution today, declarer ducks in dummy and ruffs in hand,
then draws trumps, ruffs a heart in dummy and finally pitches his club loser on dummy’s
diamond queen.
Can you spot the untapped defensive resource, which is considerably easier to find in the
postmortem, but maybe one that we should all add to our repertoires? At trick one, East
needed to overtake the heart queen, to make sure he could lead clubs through early on in
the deal.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: Once your partner suggests
South Holds: short hearts, you certainly want to play five
♠ J 10 9 4 diamonds, but you should cuebid five clubs
♥74 along the way in case slam is a possibility.
♦KQ42 You will raise four diamonds to five, of
♣A84 course — your values should fit your
partner’s perfectly.
1♦ Pass
1♠ Pass 2♣ Pass
3♦ Pass 3♠ Pass
?
by Bobby Wolff on July 3rd, 2019
“Ah what a dusty answer gets the soul

When hot for certainties in this our life!”
— George Meredith
Dealer: S North
When the opponents pre-empt, they put you on notice that Vul: N-S ♠Q9743
the other suits may not be breaking. ♥AQ7
♦42
♣964
In today’s auction, our declarer judged wisely to balance West East
with a call of two no-trump, suggesting a fairly balanced ♠ K 10 2 ♠AJ8
hand with significant extra values. Sadly, he bid the hand ♥ 10 5 4 2 ♥9863
♦QJ9863 ♦ 10 5
much better than he played it. After a top diamond lead, it ♣— ♣ Q J 10 7
took him no time at all to go down in three no-trump South
♠65
because he had ignored the warning signs from the ♥KJ
auction. He captured the opening lead and fired out the ♦AK7
♣AK8532
club ace, and now when clubs went pear-shaped on him,
he could not recover. He did his best to set up clubs, but South West North East
the defenders held him to two clubs, three hearts and two 1♣ 2♦ Pass Pass
diamonds. 2 NT Pass 3 NT All pass
A far better line would have been to win the diamond lead
Opening Lead: ♦Q
and follow up with a low club from hand toward the nine. If
clubs break 2-2 or 3-1, declarer has nine top tricks now. When they do not, East will win
the first club and clear diamonds. Declarer can win, overtake the heart king to take one
club finesse, then overtake the heart jack to repeat the process. You finish up with only
two heart tricks and two diamond winners, but you also have five clubs, and that is
enough for your contract.
You have invested one possible club winner and one possible heart trick, but the
dividends are wholly worthwhile — even at matchpoints, you might still follow this line.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: Just because your side has the
South Holds: lion’s share of high cards doesn’t mean that
♠ 10 5 2 you need to declare the final contract or
♥96 double the opponents. Here, nothing
♦K654 suggests that you can make a heart part-
♣ A J 10 4 score or that you need to double two
diamonds; your cards are no better than
South West North East average for defense. Simply pass and try to
1♥ Pass go plus.
1 NT 2♦ Pass Pass
?
by Bobby Wolff on July 4th, 2019
“Big Brother is watching you.”

— George Orwell
Dealer: W North
In today’s deal from the Common Game, I assumed the Vul: Both ♠ 10 5 2
role of innocent bystander, watching as a defender while ♥96
♦K654
declarer missed the best line for his contract. ♣ A J 10 4
West East
I sat West, and when my partner opened two hearts in ♠98643 ♠—
♥KJ8 ♥ A Q 10 7 5 2
third seat, I heard a double to my left; I raised to three
♦ Q 10 8 2 ♦J97
hearts to try to make a nuisance of myself. East doubled, ♣6 ♣Q953
denying spades, and South jumped to four spades to end South
♠AKQJ7
a competently bid auction. ♥43
♦A3
I led a low heart to the ace, won the next heart with the ♣K872
king and exited with the spade eight. Declarer won in
hand, looking unhappy, then crossed to the spade 10, Pass Pass 2♥
played the club ace and called for the club jack. I ruffed Dbl. 3♥ Dbl. Pass
and exited with a spade, and now my side was sure to 4♠ All pass
take the 13th trick, for down one.
Opening Lead: ♥8
Let’s look at declarer’s options here. He could not afford to
draw trumps before playing on clubs, since the defenders were threatening to run hearts
once his trumps ran out. But if declarer played the club king from hand, followed by
another club, I could have ruffed and exited in trump for a safe down one.
The winning line was not too far from what declarer actually did. After winning the spade
ace at trick three, he should cross to the spade 10 and run the club jack from dummy. If
West wins the queen and gives a ruff-sluff, declarer can trump in dummy and cross to
hand in diamonds to draw trumps. But if dummy’s club jack holds, declarer can draw
trumps and play for the overtrick.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: When deciding whether to invite
South Holds: game facing a strong no-trump, consider
♠ 10 5 2 how much your bid will help the defense.
♥96 Here, if you have to bid Stayman, you will
♦K654 surely give the opponents extra information
♣ A J 10 4 about declarer’s hand pattern. So while I
might think this hand just about worth an
South West North East invitational sequence, I’d pass if compelled
1 NT Pass by system to bid Stayman as opposed to a
? call of two no-trump.
The Aces on Bridge: Friday, June 21st, 2019
“A jury consists of 12 persons chosen to decide who has the better lawyer.”
— Robert Frost
Dealer: N North
Lawyer Chuck Burger is one of the least-known bridge Vul: N-S ♠K
stars of America. He played for 20 years in most major ♥KQ9
♦AJ84
tournaments with Jimmy Cayne. But here, Burger was ♣AKJ83
playing in the quarterfinals of the Grand National Teams West East
♠ 10 7 2 ♠QJ8
with Allan Falk, who was conveniently placed to record
♥ 10 7 5 2 ♥AJ4
the events at their table. ♦ K 10 2 ♦Q753
♣ Q 10 9 ♣642
South reached four spades after showing a weak hand South
♠A96543
with six spades at his first turn, and Falk led a diamond to ♥863
the four and Burger’s queen. Things looked bleak for the ♦96
♣75
defense, with trumps behaving and clubs well-placed, but
Burger found the unpleasant switch to a low heart at trick South West North East
two, which went to the 10 and queen. So at least Burger 1♣ Pass
had put himself in a position to get two more heart tricks if 2♠ Pass 4♠ All pass
he could get his partner on lead. Declarer next played the

spade king from dummy, and Burger began his campaign Opening Lead: ♦2
of deception when he unblocked the queen.
Now declarer crossed to hand by playing the diamond ace and ruffing a diamond. When
he laid down the spade ace, Burger dropped the jack! Now declarer knew he needed
trumps to be 3-3. He played for what he thought was his best chance, that of finding
Burger with the spade 10, by playing a third trump. Falk took this with his 10 and played a
second heart, for one down.
Of course, declarer could have succeeded in the ending by playing on clubs. But he
naturally assumed that this was less likely than Burger’s ingenious defense. He will know
better next time.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: In this sequence, double shows
South Holds: extras, while two no-trump would be natural
♠K and about 19-20 or so. A double seems
♥KQ9 reasonable, but I’m not sure I want my
♦AJ84 partner to pick hearts, so I would bid three
♣AKJ83 clubs. However, if I could be sure that my
partner would respond two no-trump to a
South West North East double here (meaning it as two places to
1♠ play if in doubt), then double would be my
Dbl. 2♠ Pass Pass
choice.
?
The Aces on Bridge: Saturday, June 22nd, 2019
“There is not a fool can call me friend.”

— W.B. Yeats
Dealer: S North
Today’s deal comes from the 1979 U.S. Bermuda Bowl Vul: N-S ♠753
playoff. Five diamonds would have been cold and six ♥5
♦J75
diamonds playable for East-West, but that was hard for ♣987532
East to find. West began the defense with two top West East
♠— ♠QJ84
diamonds, East throwing the club 10 on the second round.
♥Q4 ♥KJ632
How would you have played the hand? ♦ A K Q 10 9 6 4 3 ♦8
♣K64 ♣ A J 10
You need to take three heart ruffs in dummy, but entries to South
♠ A K 10 9 6 2
the South hand are limited. My old partner, Dan Morse, ♥ A 10 9 8 7
ingeniously discarded the club queen instead of ruffing, to ♦2
♣Q
leave West on lead. Morse ruffed the next diamond and
cross-ruffed in hearts and clubs to reduce to a four-card South West North East
ending with the lead in dummy, where East had all trumps 1♠ 3♠* Pass 3 NT
while declarer had the A-K-10 of spades and a heart left. 4♥ Pass 4♠ Dbl.
All pass
When declarer played a club from the board, East had to *Solid minor, asking for a spade
stopper
ruff high. Morse over-ruffed and exited in hearts, taking
the last two tricks on a trump endplay. Opening Lead: ♦A
What opportunities had the defenders miss? First, West could have played a club at trick
two to allow East to play a trump. Far harder, East could have beaten the game by ruffing
the second diamond! Suppose declarer over-ruffs to prevent East’s trump shift, plays the
heart ace and ruffs a heart, then leads the diamond jack. East will ruff again, and declarer
can over-ruff and take a second heart ruff, but must play a club from the board. East wins
his ace and remove dummy’s last trump. The defense scores no trump tricks, but they
pick up two heart tricks and the minor-suit aces.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: You could jump to four spades,
South Holds: but you might miss a slam facing a hand
♠QJ84 with a little extra shape and nothing in
♥KJ632 diamonds. The best way to get your fit and
♦8 game-going values across is to jump to four
♣ A J 10 diamonds. This is a splinter, showing your
spade fit and leaving the door open for slam.
1♣ Pass
1♥ Pass 1♠ Pass
?
The Aces on Bridge: Sunday, June 23rd, 2019

Say you are third to speak with ♠ Q-J-6-4, In response to a one-no-trump opening in
♥ Q-7-3, ♦ K-3-2, ♣ Q-7-4. If there are two one of your columns, why did opener’s
passes to you, would you consider opening partner bid two no-trump with a highly
this hand at any form of scoring or unbalanced hand? With 8 points, wouldn’t he
vulnerability? bid his long suit (which was diamonds)?
— Ferdinand the Bull, Madison, Wis. — Tier One, Columbia, S.C.
ANSWER: Tactical light opening bids in third ANSWER: Many beginners now learn
seat (as opposed to outright psychs) aren’t a Jacoby transfers. Red-suits calls in response
terrible idea. Flat 10-counts might just to one no-trump are transfers to hearts and
qualify; bidding one spade here might make spades. But how does responder show one
your opponents’ life harder. But the big or both minors? Methods vary, but the
question is whether your partner can be simplest way is to use the calls of two
relied on not to hang you. Facing a weak or spades and two no-trump to show clubs and
naive partner, I’d pass rather than risk the diamonds, respectively. Responder can then
auction going out of control. describe his hand further if it is too good to
settle for the part-score.
Dear Mr. Wolff:

Dear Mr. Wolff:
With ♠ 10-3-2, ♥ K-Q-10-7-4, ♦ Q-J-5, ♣ A-4,
you have a minimum opening call of one What are the instances, if any exist, of a two-
heart. But what are you supposed to rebid trick penalty for a revoke? I understand the
over a response of two clubs, which we play laws have changed here.
as forcing to game?
— Flibbertigibbet, Grand Forks, N.D.
— Reverend Green, Cheyenne, Wyo.
ANSWER: The revoke penalty has recently

ANSWER: I see questions like this fairly been amended — yet again. There is no
often, and the answer does depend a little penalty if the revoking side won no tricks
on whether you believe rebidding your suit after the revoke, and a maximum of one if
here suggests six or can be a good five-card they won no more than one trick. Also,
suit. I would prefer to bid two hearts if unless the revoking player won the revoke
possible, planning to rebid two no-trump trick, it is a one-trick penalty. If he personally
over two spades from my partner or to raise won the trick and his side took at least two
two no-trump to three. tricks after the revoke, it is a two-trick
penalty. If the penalty does not restore
equity, the director has the power to further
Dear Mr. Wolff: adjust the result.
I’m a little lost on when a redouble should be
for rescue and when to play. What guidelines
can you give me?
— Code Blue, Erie, Pa.
ANSWER: Any time no suit has been

agreed and one defender doubles for
penalty or passes a takeout double for
penalty, the normal rule is that redouble
would be rescue. The logic is that if you
were happy to play that spot doubled, you
would simply pass. Conversely, when a
player doubles for takeout or to show cards,
it is unlikely this will become the final
contract. A redouble just shows a good hand
in that context.
“Ships that pass in the night, and speak each other in passing
Only a signal shown and a distant voice in the darkness.”
— Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Dealer: S North
This week’s deals all come from last year’s European Vul: N-S ♠AQ42
qualifying event in Ostend, Belgium, for the World ♥ 10 7 2
♦ Q 10 9 6
Championship this coming September. ♣53
West East
Today’s deal is from the match between two of the ♠J753 ♠ K 10 8 6
favorites, Monaco and Netherlands. One table went low, ♥QJ65 ♥84
♦KJ4 ♦7
one high. Where the Dutch played in three diamonds, Geir ♣A6 ♣ Q 10 9 8 7 2
Helgemo cashed the club ace, then switched to the heart South
♠9
queen. Declarer Tim Verbeek won and played the ace and ♥AK93
another diamond. Helgemo took his king and returned a ♦A8532
♣KJ4
club to the queen and king, so Verbeek drew trump then
led the heart 10 to his king, took a heart pitch on the club South West North East
jack, and ruffed a heart. There was a heart to lose at the 1♦ Pass 1♠ Pass
end, so he had a quiet plus 130. 2♦ Pass 3♦ Pass
3 NT All pass
Where the stakes were higher, at our featured table,
Opening Lead: ♥Q
Bauke Muller started with the heart queen against three
no-trump. Declarer Krzysztof Martens won with the ace and played two rounds of
diamonds, Muller winning the king.
East, Simon De Wijs, showed out on the second diamond, discarding a discouraging club
10. Having seen a discouraging heart card at trick one and now knowing that declarer had
good clubs, Muller tried the only suit left to him, finding the killing play of the spade jack.
That left Martens with no winning option. After some thought, he called for the queen,
losing to the king. De Wijs returned the spade 10, and the defense established two more
winners in the suit. Martens could play off his red-suit winners but could no longer make
his game.
LEAD WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: There is no particular reason to
South Holds: assume the cards are lying well for the
♠ 10 6 opponents. I would lead from the diamond
♥J942 sequence rather than a broken four-card
♦ 10 9 5 suit, with my second choice a heart rather
♣K873 than a club, since dummy won’t have heart
length.
1♠ Pass 1 NT
Pass 2♠ Pass 2 NT
Pass 3 NT All pass
“Passive defense is actually a sham defense; active defense is the only real defense, the
only defense for the purpose of counterattacking and taking the offensive.”
— Mao Zedong
Dealer: S North
At the European Championship last year, the England Vul: N-S ♠Q
team bid boldly, then played even better to create a swing ♥QJ9875
♦ 10 2
from nowhere against Israel. ♣AKJ2
West East
When Andy Robson overcalled in diamonds, he dipped ♠J2 ♠9654
his toe into 800 territory, and Tony Forrester pushed the ♥32 ♥ A 10 4
♦753 ♦KQJ64
boat even farther out. But their opponents ignored them ♣ Q 10 8 6 4 3 ♣7
and settled for four spades rather than the superior four South
♠ A K 10 8 7 3
hearts they would surely have reached without the ♥K6
intervention. ♦A98
♣95
Forrester accurately led a diamond, which Amir Levin
ducked, giving Robson a choice of defenses. He decided 1♠ Pass 2♥ 3♦
to continue with a top diamond on the basis that if a shift 3♠ 4♣ 4♠ All pass
were correct, declarer would not have ducked — good
psychology. Opening Lead: ♦3
Levin now found a splendid play; he led his low heart from hand. If Robson won and
returned a top diamond, declarer could use the heart king as his re-entry to hand to draw
trumps, conceding just one trump trick. But if Robson returned a heart, declarer could lead
out trumps from the top, again losing just one trump. He would take three top trumps,
cross to the club ace and play the heart jack to pitch his diamond. In fact, the first round of
hearts went to Forrester’s three (giving count) and dummy’s jack, so Robson ducked!
Now declarer played a second heart. Robson won with his ace and shifted to a club to
dummy’s jack. All declarer could do was lead dummy’s top heart, pitching a diamond.
Forrester ruffed and led a club for his partner to ruff, for down one.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: Two diamonds can be played
South Holds: either as encouraging but not forcing, or as
♠ A K 10 8 7 3 forcing for one round. Either way, though,
♥K6 you have a great hand and should cue-bid
♦A98 two hearts to try to dredge up some spade
♣95 support from your partner. I would bid on
over a three-diamond call, preferring three
South West North East no-trump.
1♥
1♠ Pass 2♦ Pass
?
“Condemn the fault and not the actor of it?”

Dealer: S North
Mark Horton has a regular feature in which he features Vul: N-S ♠A63
anonymous hands where declarer has not made the most ♥AJ765
♦ A 10 7
of his assets. He analyzed today’s deal, which came up at ♣93
the end of a short match in a major team championship. West East
♠Q942 ♠K8
♥32 ♥ Q 10 9 4
South reached three no-trump after a 14-16 no-trump and
♦K43 ♦QJ96
transfer. When West led the club two, the obvious place ♣ 10 8 5 2 ♣764
for declarer to look for a ninth trick was in the heart suit. South
♠ J 10 7 5
South opted for simplicity, cashing the heart king and ♥K8
playing a heart to the jack. East won with the queen and ♦852
♣AKQJ
returned the diamond queen. Declarer took that with
dummy’s ace and cashed the heart ace, but when West South West North East
discarded a spade, South’s time was up. 1 NT Pass 2♦* Pass
2♥ Pass 3 NT All pass
It is hard to criticize declarer for choosing the simplest *transfer to hearts
line, but in fact, there was no rush to go after the hearts.
Rather than playing on hearts directly, declarer should Opening Lead: ♣2
have cashed three more rounds of clubs, discarding a
diamond and a spade from dummy.
On the last club, East must keep all his hearts and will therefore have to come down to
one spade or just three diamonds. If he pitches a diamond, then declarer can play on
hearts as before, but will now lose no more than two hearts and two diamonds. However,
if East pitches a spade instead, his king will now be bare, and declarer can cross to the
spade ace before touching hearts, switching horses to set up his ninth winner in spades.
In other words, hearts can wait, but spades cannot.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: In the context of what you might
South Holds: hold for a balancing double, you do have
♠ J 10 7 5 some extras. Given that you have four
♥K8 trumps, a raise to two spades looks
♦852 reasonable here. Much may depend on
♣AKQJ whether your partner is short or long in
clubs, but it seems reasonable to bid now.
1♥ Pass Pass
Dbl. Pass 1♠ 2♥
?
“”Large streams from little fountains flow; tall oaks from little acorns grow.””
— David Everett
Dealer: N North
In today’s deal from the match between Iceland and Vul: N-S ♠AQ64
Denmark at the 2018 European Championships in ♥2
♦ A J 10 8 5
Ostend, Belgium, the Danish West led a top heart against ♣A98
four spades. Declarer followed the normal line: He won West East
♠J98 ♠53
the ace and took a losing diamond finesse. When East
♥KQ854 ♥ J 10 9 6
made the thoughtful return of a club to his partner’s 10, ♦7 ♦KQ942
the contract was doomed. Declarer could not draw trumps ♣ K J 10 5 ♣64
South
and still ruff the required number of losers. ♠ K 10 7 2
♥A73
In the open room, West’s lead of his singleton diamond ♦63
♣Q732
seven gave the declarer, Dennis Bilde, an outside chance.
Dummy played the 10, and East won with the queen to South West North East
return the diamond four (not his smallest diamond, which 1♦ Pass
would have suggested a preference for clubs). When 1♠ Pass 3♠ Pass
4♠ All pass
West ruffed, he duly exited with a trump, letting declarer
draw the remaining trump. He cashed the diamond ace, Opening Lead: ♦7
throwing a club from hand, then ruffed a diamond to hand,
squeezing West down to three clubs and four hearts.
Next, rather than simply playing for the club king to be onside, South cashed the heart ace
and ruffed a heart in dummy, then ruffed another diamond in hand (West being forced to
pitch a heart) and another heart in dummy. West, North and South were now all down to
three clubs.
At this point, declarer ran the club nine from dummy. West could win with the club 10 but
was forced to return a club into the split tenace. Bilde commented afterward that East’s
return of the diamond four at trick two had persuaded him to play this line.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: Double by you is for penalty
South Holds: here. With clubs or hearts, you would simply
♠ K 10 7 2 bid the suit; with a hand worth an invitation
♥A73 or better in hearts, you could start with an
♦63 unequivocal cue-bid of two diamonds. Even
♣Q732 if your right-hand opponent really has
spades (sometimes he is psyching), a 4-4
South West North East spade fit might play just fine here for your
1♦ Dbl. 1♠ side.
?
“It is a profitable thing, if one is wise, to seem foolish.”

— Aeschylus
Dealer: S North
In today’s deal, from a championship match between Vul: None ♠AK75
Denmark and Iceland, the Danes found six hearts and ♥6
♦AK92
cashed out for 12 tricks. But the deal offered more ♣8653
interesting play in the other room after a complex strong- West East
♠Q63 ♠ 10 9 8 4
club auction had led to a grand slam. (The two-spade
♥53 ♥ 10 9 2
response showed any 4-4-4-1 pattern, two no-trump ♦ Q 10 8 7 4 ♦653
asked the shortness, and the four-heart call showed six ♣K42 ♣ Q J 10
South
controls in aces and kings.) ♠J2
♥AKQJ874
When there are 12 tricks, there are often 13 — and that ♦J
♣A97
might have been the case here when West led a heart
rather than a killing low club or a truly imaginative South West North East
diamond queen. 1♣*
Pass 2♠** Pass 2 NT
Declarer started by rattling off six of his seven hearts, on Pass 3♦ Pass 3♥
Pass 4♥ Pass 7 NT
which dummy discarded three clubs, a diamond and one
All pass
spade. It was now up to West, Lars Blakset, to create an
*Strong
alternative reality if he wanted to defeat the slam. He
**Strong, with a 4-4-4-1 pattern
chose to discard two clubs, blanking his king, then a
spade, and finally a diamond. When South led his last Opening Lead: ♥5
heart, West pitched a second diamond. This successfully
created the impression in declarer’s mind that West was giving up his diamond stopper.
Accordingly, on the last heart, declarer pitched a spade from dummy, a fatal mistake.
If South had thrown the last low diamond from dummy on the heart, then cashed the
diamond ace and king, East would have been squeezed in the black suits. But with the
spade menace gone from dummy, 13 tricks were no longer possible. One down, and team
Denmark had a big swing when it might have been forced out.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: On auctions like this, you should
South Holds: pass with 12-14, even when you have a little
♠AK75 extra shape. You do have nice controls, but
♥6 you have no extra shape. Moreover, your
♦AK92 partner has bid your singleton — not exactly
♣8653 an indication to bid on.

1♦ Pass 1♥ Pass
1♠ Pass 2♠ Pass
?
“In a world where England is finished and dead,

I do not wish to live.”
— Alice Duer Miller
Dealer: W North
When is a sure trump trick not a sure trump trick? Look at Vul: N-S ♠AKQ6
this board from England against Finland in last year’s ♥QJ765
♦AQ
European Championships. ♣AJ
West East
Clas Nyberg declared six diamonds, a slam that would ♠J954 ♠ 10 7 2
have been defeated on a club lead and any trump break. ♥ 10 9 4 3 ♥A8
♦— ♦ 10 9 7 6 3
In fact, even five diamonds would go down as the cards ♣ K 10 7 5 4 ♣Q96
lie. Even after a low heart to East’s ace, East must have South
♠83
felt reasonably good about the deal, looking at his trump ♥K2
holding. ♦KJ8542
♣832
After winning the spade return, Nyberg cashed the
diamond ace, unblocked the heart king, went back to Pass 1♣* Pass
dummy with a spade and played the heart queen. If East 1♦ Pass 2♦** Pass
ruffed low now, declarer would be home free. If East ruffed 3♦ Pass 4♦ Pass
4♥ Pass 4 NT Pass
with the nine or 10, he would still be over-ruffed, and the
6♦ All pass
position would develop into an easy trump coup.
*Strong
When East did not ruff in, declarer’s club losers went **Any game-forcing hand
away on the major-suit winners. In the six-card ending
Opening Lead: ♥3
(after three spades, three hearts and a diamond), he led a
major suit from dummy.
Now what was East to do? When he discarded a club declarer next lead out the club ace
and continued with another side-suit card. Down to nothing but trumps, East finally had to
split his diamond honors. Declarer overruffed, led a diamond to the queen, and now
executed the trump coup.
Note that six diamonds can be defeated if East finds a club switch, as this knocks out the
late dummy entry that is required to operate the trump coup. Would you have found it?
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: It is always worth going over the
South Holds: basics from time to time. This is a penalty
♠83 double, so pass and await developments.
♥K2 You may not have a great hand, but you
♦KJ8542 never promised your partner a rose garden.
♣832 There is no such thing as a takeout double
facing a pre-empt; the pre-emptor has
South West North East defined his hand already.
2♦ 2♠ Dbl. Pass
?

What should I do if I am about to be dummy My partner and I disagree about a suit
and my partner has explained one of my combination. How should you play a
calls incorrectly? When, if at all, should I say singleton facing K-Q-10-8-7-4 to maximize
something when I’m not completely sure the number of tricks you can take?
whether it was my mistake or his?
— By the Book, Hartford, Conn.
— Lady’s Slipper, Mitchell, S.D.
ANSWER: Compare the plans to lead up to

ANSWER: When the auction is over, you either the 10 or queen, and follow up with a
must generally correct a false explanation. top card. The only way you can take five
This applies whether you are going to be tricks is to lead to the 10 and find the suit 3-3
dummy or declarer. If you realize you have with the jack onside. Leading to the 10 loses
bid improperly and your partner explained a trick unnecessarily only when the jack is
your call correctly, you may not have to put singleton or doubleton offside — and if your
that explanation right. But be aware that the left-hand opponent is short, his partner
director may assume a false explanation probably has any missing honor.
rather than an incorrect bid. (Note: As a
defender, you would wait until the end of the
hand before speaking up.) Dear Mr. Wolff:
At a duplicate event last week, I ran into a
Dear Mr. Wolff: deal where each player had 11 cards either
in the majors or the minors. Since each
Recently I held ♠ K-J-9, ♥ 9-3-2, ♦ Q-10-3-2, player was facing a misfit hand, nobody
♣ K-7-4, and heard my partner open two made a contract in either direction. Does that
clubs. Our agreement is that two diamonds sort of thing happen often?
is a waiting bid, with a suit bid showing
length and strength. Is there any upper limit — Loss Leader, Macon, Ga.
to the two-diamond bid? What would you do
here?
ANSWER: It is rare to score well for going
— Frog Prince, Montgomery, Ala. down in a contract, but I do remember it
happening. Once in a while, escaping a
double may be the key; but on one occasion
ANSWER: Partner won’t pass your two- my opponents made a doubled contract for
diamond call, so you can describe your hand plus 180 and lost out to the field going minus
accurately later. Your partner may not expect 200 or more. They weren’t happy!
you to have decent cards, but he will not
discount that possibility. I would not bid an
immediate two no-trump with this holding, as
it pre-empts partner’s description of his
hand, though there is nothing wrong with
doing that.
Dear Mr. Wolff:

My hand was ♠ 9-7-4, ♥ A-10-8-3-2, ♦ J-6,
♣ Q-J-5. When my partner overcalled two
clubs over a one-diamond opener, what was
my best approach?
— Bumblebee, Pleasanton, Calif.
ANSWER: Do not bid two hearts, which

would overstate your suit and high-card
strength. A simple raise to three clubs looks
best to me, since you may still be able to get
back to hearts if your partner has extras. A
cue-bid raise to two diamonds would be
ideal with a slightly better hand — maybe
queen-third of spades would suffice here.
The Aces on Bridge: Monday, July 1st, 2019
“Do not all charms fly At the mere touch of cold philosophy?”
— John Keats
Dealer: N North
When West leads the spade three against three no-trump, Vul: E-W ♠A5
South counts seven sure winners from spades, hearts and ♥KJ2
♦7632
clubs. So the target is to set up two additional tricks. ♣AKQ3
South can develop at least one trick from the diamonds. If West East
♠ Q 10 7 3 2 ♠J94
the ace is favorably located, South will be able to take
♥Q864 ♥ 10 9 5
both of his diamond tricks. A further possibility is a finesse ♦AJ8 ♦ 10 9 4
in hearts or finding the clubs breaking. The key is in which ♣ 10 ♣J986
South
order to try for those tricks. ♠K86
♥A73
After ducking the first spade then taking the spade ace in ♦KQ5
♣7542
dummy, declarer immediately leads a low diamond from
the dummy in the hope of developing two diamond tricks. South West North East
South puts up the diamond king, planning, if it wins, to 1♣ Pass
cross back to a top club and play another diamond toward 2 NT Pass 3 NT All pass
his remaining honor. As it happens, West captures

declarer’s king, meaning South can win only one diamond Opening Lead: ♠3
trick without losing the lead.
West now clears spades, leaving South to look for a new way to develop his ninth trick.
He turns his attention to clubs, cashing the ace and king. If they break, all will be well. But
when West discards a heart on the second club, it is clear that declarer will have to go
elsewhere for honey.
Declarer can do little but lead a low heart from dummy to his ace and then play a low
heart toward dummy’s king-jack, finessing against West, hoping that player has the
queen. Third time’s a charm! When the heart finesse succeeds, declarer cashes out and
surrenders the balance.
LEAD WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: Clearly, you are going to lead a
South Holds: heart, but should it be low or high? The
♠K73 fourth-highest heart is surely best. Imagine
♥ J 10 7 5 2 that partner has any doubleton heart from
♦74 the nine or higher, and declarer has four
♣ A 10 4 hearts. You will see that leading the low card
should help unblock the suit and avoid
South West North East wasting a high card. With the heart eight
1♣ instead of the seven, I might feel differently.
Pass 1♠ Pass 2 NT
All pass
The Aces on Bridge: Tuesday, July 2nd, 2019
“If all men count with you, but none too much.”
— Rudyard Kipling
Dealer: S North
Today’s deal comes from a recent national tournament Vul: N-S ♠K7
played at many tables, where the key to the defense was ♥J875
♦KQ74
how to signal properly in order to find the best way to ♣ A 10 4
defeat three spades. The defenders were playing West East
♠64 ♠95
standard signals and third-and-lowest leads (wherein the
♥KQ64 ♥A3
defenders lead low from three or five cards and top of a ♦J92 ♦ A 10 8 5 3
doubleton, or third-highest from four cards). These ♣KJ72 ♣Q865
South
methods tend to help the defenders get a count from the ♠ A Q J 10 8 3 2
lead, whereas fourth-highest and second from a bad suit ♥ 10 9 2
♦6
may help with the attitude of the opening leader. ♣93
Against three spades, West led the heart king; this went to South West North East
the five, three and nine. Using upside-down count, when 3♠ All pass
West next led a low heart to East’s ace, declarer playing
Opening Lead: ♥K
the two, there was some ambiguity as to whether East
had begun with A-10-2 or A-2. But third-and-fifth leads
should come to the rescue!
After winning the heart ace, East shifted to the club six, to declarer’s three, the jack and
the ace. East then took the diamond king with the ace and continued with the club five.
When West won his king, he could be sure East didn’t have only two clubs, because
South had so far already shown seven spades, two hearts, two clubs and one diamond.
The spot-card lead in clubs let West be sure his partner had four clubs; therefore, declarer
had only two clubs. Thus, he could try to cash the heart queen, with confidence that this
was his only chance to defeat the contract.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: First things first: Don’t jump to
South Holds: three no-trump unless you have absolutely
♠K7 no faith in your partner’s declarer play! That
♥J875 said, with game-forcing values and a weak
♦KQ74 major, I see no reason not to bid one
♣ A 10 4 diamond here. You may or may not
introduce your hearts over a one no-trump
South West North East rebid from your partner, depending on
1♣ Pass whether North would bypass a major with a
? balanced hand at his second turn.
The Aces on Bridge: Wednesday, July 3rd, 2019
“Let him go let him tarry let him sink or let him swim
He doesn’t care for me and I don’t care for him.
He can go and find another that I hope he will enjoy
For I am going to marry a far nicer boy.”
— Traditional Irish song
Dealer: E North
The Tarrytown regional tournament this February threw up Vul: Both ♠ J 10 8
an interesting defensive problem here. There were ♥J
♦K7432
several points of interest in the bidding, the first of which ♣Q763
was East’s two-no-trump call, sometimes referred to as West East
♠32 ♠6
“Good-Bad Two No-Trump.” In this system, East has two
♥KQ954 ♥763
ways to rebid clubs. A direct call of three clubs would ♦ 10 9 8 6 ♦AQJ
promise extras (akin to a jump to three clubs over a one- ♣A2 ♣ K J 10 9 8 5
South
heart response). This sequence was purely competitive in ♠AKQ9754
clubs — not an underbid! ♥ A 10 8 2
♦5
♣4
When South reached four spades, West did well to lead a
trump rather than making the knee-jerk play of leading the South West North East
club ace. Since his side had plenty of high cards, the 1♣
opponents’ auction was surely based on side-suit Dbl. 1♥ 2♦ 2 NT *
shortages somewhere, and West saw there was very
likely to be a need to ruff either a club or a heart in
*Puppet to three clubs
dummy.
Opening Lead: ♠3
This lead should have been the killer. However, when
declarer won in hand and led a diamond to the 10, king and ace, East shifted to a heart.
Declarer set about his cross-ruff and emerged with 10 tricks.
East made a pardonable mistake, but he took his eye off the ball at trick three. He knew
for certain that West didn’t have a singleton club — he surely would have led it. And if
West didn’t have an ace, the defense had no chance. By playing a club, East would allow
his partner to play a second trump if he had either the club ace or the heart ace. Shifting
to a heart put all his eggs in a (broken) basket.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: Don’t even think about acting.
South Holds: With only four-card trump support (which
♠ J 10 8 you have already almost guaranteed), a
♥J dead minimum in high cards and a great
♦K7432 potential lead against two spades, you
♣Q763 should pass and wait for your partner to bid
any more if he has a suitable hand.
1♥ 1♠
Dbl. Pass 2♣ 2♠
?
The Aces on Bridge: Thursday, July 4th, 2019
“In war there is no second prize for the runner-up.”

— General Omar Bradley
Dealer: S North
Today’s deal provided an excellent test of timing for Vul: None ♠—
declarer, but the correct solution was found at only one of ♥ 10 4
♦J8753
the two tables. ♣AKJ632
West East
In the first room, a highly competitive auction saw South ♠ Q J 10 9 7 ♠A8542
♥5 ♥K32
end up in six hearts after his opponents had bid up to five
♦ A K Q 10 2 ♦964
spades following a Michaels Cue-bid by West. After the ♣ 10 5 ♣87
lead of a top diamond, declarer ruffed in hand and South
♠K63
trumped a spade in dummy, then finessed in trump. But ♥AQJ9876
there was now no way to avoid losing both a trump and a ♦—
♣Q94
spade.
At the featured table, Fred Hamilton opened one heart 1♥ 1♠ 2♣ 4♠
with the South cards, West overcalled with one spade and 6♥ All pass
North sensibly responded two clubs. When East jumped
to four spades, Hamilton decided that since his partner Opening Lead: ♦K
had to be very short in spades, he probably had some
hearts. So he made an imaginative leap to six hearts! Both East and West had some
prospects on defense, so they elected to try to beat the slam.
Again, West led a top diamond; after ruffing, Hamilton found the play to make his
opponents’ lives as hard as possible. At trick two, he led a low trump to dummy’s 10;
when East took the trick, declarer was home free. Had East ducked smoothly, South
would have led a second trump and hoped to guess which defender had ducked their
king. It might not have been easy, but I would have bet on Hamilton to find his way home.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: This auction is the equivalent of
South Holds: fourth suit forcing. You showed 6-10 high-
♠A8542 card points or so, over which your partner
♥K32 showed real extras, initially asking you to
♦964 rebid at no-trump if you could, or otherwise
♣87 to make a descriptive call. Here, you can bid
two no-trump; with as little as an additional
South West North East spade queen, you might try three no-trump.
1♦ Pass
1♠ Pass 2♣ Pass
2♦ Pass 2♥ Pass
?
The Aces on Bridge: Friday, July 5th, 2019
“The impossible often has a kind of integrity to it which the merely improbable lacks.”
— Douglas Adams
Dealer: S North
In today’s deal, North’s cuebid of three diamonds Vul: Both ♠AQ54
promised a high-card raise to at least three hearts, after ♥9763
♦A62
which South’s extra high cards persuaded him to jump to ♣54
four hearts despite his absence of aces. When West led West East
♠K98 ♠ 10 7 2
the ace and another club, South had no choice but to win
♥ 10 4 ♥A5
and start on the trump suit. But as he feared, East won ♦ K J 10 7 5 3 ♦94
and led another club for West to ruff with his 10 in front of ♣A2 ♣ 10 9 8 7 6 3
South
dummy. Declarer guessed to pitch a diamond from ♠J63
dummy, and West — judging that a spade lead would now ♥KQJ82
♦Q8
be fatal — exited with the diamond king. ♣KQJ
Although this gave away a trick, West could now let go of South West North East
all his diamonds on the run of the trump, and the 1♥ 2♦ 3♦ Pass
defenders still had to come to a spade at the end for their 4♥ All pass
fourth winner.
Opening Lead: ♣A
Would it have worked better for declarer to part with one
of dummy’s spades? If he had, West would have been able to exit with a spade, coming to
a diamond at the end. So is there any way to make the game? Yes, indeed!
Unlikely as it may seem, declarer must underruff West’s trump 10. West can do no better
than exit with the diamond king, but declarer wins the ace and plays off the rest of his
trumps, squeezing West in spades and diamonds. Dummy’s diamond six is still in place as
a threat against West, and in the ending, West has to unguard his spade king on the last
trump. That allows South to pitch dummy’s diamond and take three tricks in spades.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: The one-spade bid by your
South Holds: partner doesn’t guarantee a great hand, but
♠J63 it is best played as forcing for one round by
♥KQJ82 an unpassed hand. That being so, despite
♦Q8 your lack of aces, you should show a good
♣KQJ hand by cuebidding two clubs (an artificial
call showing extra values). You plan to rebid
South West North East two spades (or two no-trump over a call of
1♣ two diamonds) at your next turn.
1♥ Pass 1♠ Pass
?
The Aces on Bridge: Saturday, July 6th, 2019
“He who resolves never to ransack any mind but his own, will soon be reduced from mere
barrenness to the poorest of all imitations; he will be obliged to repeat himself.”
— Sir Joshua Reynolds
Dealer: S North
After a Stayman inquiry, North jumps to four clubs, a Vul: N-S ♠A752
splinter bid showing slam interest with short clubs and ♥A8753
♦Q87
spade fit. Once you cue-bid the diamond ace, North drives ♣A
to the small slam in spades. A diamond lead might leave West East
♠ 10 9 8 4 ♠3
you in a bad spot, but West leads a trump. Now you must
♥ Q 10 ♥J94
take advantage of your lucky break! ♦J52 ♦ K 10 9 4 3
♣K943 ♣ J 10 6 2
You will need four tricks from hearts to have any chance South
♠KQJ6
of bringing slam home, so hearts must break. You can ♥K62
score four trumps, four hearts and the minor-suit aces ♦A6
♣Q875
without a struggle. But to generate the two extra tricks,
you must ruff two clubs in dummy. South West North East
1 NT Pass 2♣ Pass
If trumps are 3-2, you can win the first trick in either hand. 2♠ Pass 4♣* Pass
However, if trumps are 4-1, you must win the first trick in 4♦ Pass 4 NT Pass
dummy with the ace. Suppose the full deal looks like the
layout shown.
*shortness, agreeing spades
At trick two, you cash dummy’s club ace, but then you
Opening Lead: ♠10
must duck a heart. Suppose West wins and exits with a
trump. After winning in hand with the jack, ruff a club. Then return to hand with a low heart
to the king to ruff a second club. After returning to hand one more time by playing a
diamond to your ace, draw West’s remaining trumps with the king and queen while
throwing diamonds from dummy. You will take the last three tricks with dummy’s three
heart winners.
Caution! If you win the first trick in hand, you will lose either a club trick or a trump, to end
up at least one trick short of your contract.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: Did you plan to make a natural
South Holds: call of two no-trump here? It is a natural
♠KQJ6 reaction to make a call mean what you want
♥K62 to it to mean – Humpty Dumpty would
♦A6 sympathize! In fact a two no-trump call
♣Q875 should be unusual here, for the minors. The
likelihood your side can make three no-
South West North East trump after this start is really small, so using
1♠ Pass 2♠ two no-trump as natural here is inefficient. I’d
? pass, reluctantly.
The Aces on Bridge: Sunday, July 7th, 2019

What can you do at the duplicate club when Yesterday afternoon, after passing in first
you fear you may not have time to finish a chair with: ♠ Q-J, ♥ Q-9-6-5-4, ♦ J-9-3, ♣ A-
round, but your opponents insist on 10-3, I heard my partner open two no-trump.
discussing who should have done what on Is this hand worth a slam try, or would you
an earlier deal? Do you have a patented simply sign off in game (and where)?
method to limit conversations?
— Lumpfish, Huntington, W. Va.
— Tony the Tortoise, Olympia, Wash.
ANSWER: All your soft values suggest that

ANSWER: You cannot stop a postmortem you might not want to find hearts even if you
when a partnership is trying to apportion have a 5-3 fit. I wouldn’t want to try for slam
blame. I try humor or downright sarcasm. unless I found four hearts opposite, so I
“I’m sorry to have held you up — we can would use Stayman rather than transferring.
catch up if we start the new deal at once.” If My plan is to opt for three no-trump unless
my partner is talking to just one of the partner shows hearts. If he does, I will bid
opponents, I sometimes ask the innocent three spades, an artificial call to set hearts
opponent please to stop talking. If the as trump and show at least a little slam
discussion has been about clothes (as it so interest.
often is), I compliment my male opponent on
his shoes.
Dear Mr. Wolff:
Dear Mr. Wolff: When would you suggest leading an
unsupported ace against a suit if you have
In fourth seat, would you open at rubber bid or overcalled in that suit and your partner
bridge, Chicago scoring, at favorable has raised?
vulnerability with: ♠ A-Q-3-2, ♥ Q-5-3, ♦ 10-5,
♣ K-9-4-2. If so, with what call? — Sceptic Tank, Huntsville, Ala.
— Tubby the Tuba, Horn Lake, Miss.
ANSWER: Against part-scores, the need to
cash out is far smaller than against a game
ANSWER: For the benefit of my readers — the likelihood is that your opponents have
who are unfamiliar with Chicago scoring, you limited values. When your partner shows
play four deals with the same partner; one four or more trumps, the likelihood of it being
hand at each of the four vulnerabilities. To wrong to cash out the ace drops
take advantage of the opponents’ dramatically. Facing a simple raise, leading
vulnerability, you should make sure to bid an unsupported ace — especially when your
here. I suggest you open one spade to keep right-hand opponent is strong — is normally
the opponents out. a council of desperation.
Dear Mr. Wolff:

Recently I held ♠ A-8, ♥ K-J-7-6, ♦ K-Q-J-6-
4-3, ♣ 8. I opened one diamond and heard
my left-hand opponent bid one spade. My
partner doubled, and the next hand bid four
spades. What would you advocate, and
why?
— Humble Pie, San Antonio, Texas
ANSWER: Double would be extras and not

specifically takeout. Your partner would
remove only with real extra shape, but here
it is you with the shape. Accordingly, I would
bid four no-trump, intending it to be
diamonds and a second suit. If your partner
bids five clubs, you can correct to five
diamonds to show the red suits and a hand
like this one.
The Aces on Bridge: Monday, July 8th, 2019
by Bobby Wolff on July 22nd, 2019
“In statesmanship get the formalities right, never mind about the moralities.”
— Mark Twain
Dealer: S North
When South shows 22-24, North does not hesitate to Vul: Both ♠A3
jump to seven no-trump — particularly since he will not ♥K75
♦KQ95
have to play it himself. ♣KJ65
West East
Despite the spade wastage, the North-South cards fit ♠ J 10 9 7 4 ♠8652
♥9863 ♥ 10 4 2
reasonably. When dummy comes down, South sees that
♦3 ♦J642
all he needs to do is find four diamond tricks to bring ♣842 ♣73
home the grand slam. He must therefore investigate the South
♠KQ
side suits to plan his play in diamonds. ♥AQJ
♦ A 10 8 7
South wins the king in hand and begins by running clubs, ♣ A Q 10 9
finding West with three clubs. West discards a spade on
the fourth club; East gets rid of two spades. It begins to 2♣ Pass 2♦ Pass
look as though East started with four or five spades, but 2 NT Pass 7 NT All pass
before finalizing his plan, South runs the hearts.
When East drops the heart 10 on the third round, it looks Opening Lead: ♠J
as though West started with four hearts and East with only
three, though East might be fooling, of course. South leads his second spade, and both
opponents follow. Since neither the 10 nor the nine has yet appeared, South should
assume that West has at least the 10 for his opening lead of the jack.
Weighing up all the evidence, it seems certain that West started with at least four spades,
at least three hearts and the three known clubs. At most, therefore, West can have three
diamonds — but he may have fewer.
South can thus ensure his slam by taking dummy’s top diamonds first. When West shows
out at the 11th trick, South takes the marked finesse through East to make his grand slam.
LEAD WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: On blind auctions, it is easy to
South Holds: lead from real length or from sequences. If
♠A752 you can’t do either, you want to find your
♥A93 partner if you are weak, or try to avoid
♦Q532 blowing tricks if you have nothing attractive
♣73 to lead. Leading from ace-third is out. Of the
two four-card suits, I prefer almost anything
South West North East to leading from ace-fourth. A small diamond
1 NT is the least of all evils, but a doubleton club
Pass 3 NT All pass is not completely absurd.
The Aces on Bridge: Tuesday, July 9th, 2019
by Bobby Wolff on July 23rd, 2019
“Courtesy is fundamental: Sometimes it keeps at bay even snarling people.”

— Fausto Cercignani
Dealer: S North
In today’s tortuous auction, two diamonds was an artificial Vul: N-S ♠ Q J 10 9
game force. After you cue-bid the club ace then rather ♥AJ8753
♦A5
sportingly showed your heart control (not mandatory with ♣K
dead minimum high cards and shape for the auction thus West East
♠65 ♠732
far), North drove to the grand slam via Roman Key-card
♥KQ94 ♥ 10 2
Blackwood. ♦Q64 ♦KJ872
♣J973 ♣ Q 10 4
When West leads the trump five, plan the play and reward South
♠AK84
your partnership’s optimism. ♥6
♦ 10 9 3
Clearly, you will need to establish the hearts if you want to ♣A8652
succeed. So, after winning the first trick on the table with
the trump nine, cash the heart ace and ruff a heart with 1♣ Pass 1♥ Pass
the king. Both opponents follow — phew! After crossing to 1♠ Pass 2♦ Pass
dummy with a club, you ruff a heart with the ace. If hearts 3♣ Pass 3♠ Pass
4♣ Pass 4♦ Pass
have broken, you are home free. But if the hearts are 4-2,
4♥ Pass 4 NT Pass
you need trumps 3-2, as here. 5♣ Pass 7♠ All pass
You next throw dummy’s diamond five on the club ace,

then cross to dummy with a diamond to the ace to ruff a Opening Lead: ♠5
third heart, thereby establishing two heart winners on the
table. At this point, after ruffing a diamond in dummy with the 10, you draw the
outstanding trumps with the queen and jack, and dummy is again high.
On this layout, you make four trumps in dummy, three heart tricks and three heart ruffs,
plus the diamond ace and two clubs for a total of 13 tricks.
If hearts had been 3-3, you would have thrown a diamond on the club ace, then drawn the
outstanding trumps without needing them to break.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: It looks easy enough to bid three
South Holds: diamonds here, but sometimes your partner
♠732 will have extras with four hearts and five
♥ 10 2 clubs, and you will have gone past your best
♦KJ872 strain. Wouldn’t it be better to offer partner a
♣ Q 10 4 choice of minors? You can do that with a call
of two no-trump. Your failure to bid one no-
South West North East trump at your first turn means that the call
1♣ 1♠ now suggests this sort of pattern in the
Pass 2♠ Dbl. Pass minors.
?
The Aces on Bridge: Wednesday, July 10th, 2019
“If you’re anxious for to shine in the high aesthetic line as a man of culture rare …”
— W.S. Gilbert
Dealer: W North
Barring a revoke, you cannot make a grand slam without Vul: N-S ♠QJ863
the trump ace. That doesn’t mean it hasn’t happened — I ♥—
♦J4
have made 13 tricks when the opponents revoked before ♣ A K Q J 10 9
taking their trump ace, but that is not a course of events West East
♠K ♠A4
you should count on.
♥ Q J 10 8 7 4 2 ♥K65
♦63 ♦ Q 10 9 8 7 2
A similar feat also requires the opponents to cooperate: ♣865 ♣42
Making a small slam when missing three or more trumps South
♠ 10 9 7 5 2
that include the ace and king is technically possible but ♥A93
equally unlikely. ♦AK5
♣73
In the deal shown, if dummy’s trumps were weaker, with
the jack in declarer’s hand, South could lead the queen, 3♥ 4♥ 6♥
hoping that East would naively cover with a doubleton 6♠ All pass
king, but that won’t work today.
Opening Lead: ♥Q
On a slightly different deal, leading low from the closed
hand might see West rise with his honor from a doubleton holding — but again, that
doesn’t seem practical here.
A third possibility actually worked with the cards as they lie. Declarer Ken Barbour found
himself in an apparently hopeless slam. Can you find the defensive error he managed to
inspire?
Barbour ruffed the heart lead in dummy and led three rounds of clubs, trying to look like a
man with diamond losers to discard. On the third round of clubs, East ruffed in with his
small trump. South overruffed and led a trump; when the ace and king of spades both
appeared, Barbour’s day was complete.
Yes, East should have seen that he had little to gain from this defense. But South gave
him the chance to err, and he took it.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: You have more than enough to
South Holds: join in with a call of two diamonds, which is
♠A4 natural and suggests not much in the way of
♥K65 support for your partner. This hand is worth
♦ Q 10 9 8 7 2 one call but not two, and it certainly feels like
♣42 it is more about diamonds than spade
support.
1♣ 1♠ 1 NT
?
“Tide nor time tarrieth no man.”

— Robert Greene
Dealer: S North
Today’s deal was played in this year’s Tarrytown Vul: None ♠J762
congress. The East and West cards reflect the reward for ♥AK42
♦KQJ9
best declarer play. ♣ 10
West East
North could use fourth suit, then bid spades at his third ♠ 10 5 ♠KQ3
♥976 ♥ Q 10 3
turn, suggesting four-card support and at least some slam
♦ 10 8 6 3 ♦7542
interest. At the table, he chose instead to make a club ♣Q752 ♣K98
splinter in support of spades. Both sides then cuebid, but South
♠A984
each had weak trumps, so neither could advance beyond ♥J85
four spades. ♦A
♣AJ643
It was wise to stop there, but if either North or South had
slightly better trumps (the 10 in either hand), they would 1♣ Pass 1♦ Pass
be aware that one trump honor opposite might suffice, and 1♠ Pass 4♣ Pass
could use key-card to reach a respectable slam. 4♦ Pass 4♥ Pass
4♠ All pass
Assume you have managed to settle in four spades on a
Opening Lead: ♦3
diamond lead. It would probably be sensible to duck a
spade, then cash the trump ace and play a cross-ruff as your best line for 11 tricks. But
what if you are in six spades? Your chances are now extremely slim. Your best bet is to
lead a spade to the six at trick two. When East wins his queen and returns a club, you
take the ace and ruff a club, then pass the spade jack, pinning West’s 10. This maneuver
is known as an intra-finesse.
Assuming East ducks the jack, you next cash three rounds of diamonds, pitching a heart
and two clubs, then three rounds of hearts, ruffing in hand. Finally, you cross your fingers
and ruff a club in dummy. When that stands up, you take trick 13 with the trump ace.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: Despite your lack of fit for clubs,
South Holds: you probably need to force your hand to
♠J762 game. The best way to start is with a cuebid
♥AK42 of two spades, hoping to find a red-suit fit. If
♦KQJ9 you next rebid three no-trump over three
♣ 10 clubs, this should imply doubt about whether
this is the right contract, allowing your
South West North East partner to remove from three no-trump with
1♠ 2♣ Pass very short spades and an appropriate hand.
?
“Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body.”

— Joseph Addison
Dealer: E North
Defense is the most difficult part of the game, but in the Vul: Both ♠ A 10 6
past, journalists did not tend to write about the principles ♥ J 10 3
♦9764
of defense because it is less glamorous than a well- ♣Q82
played declarer hand. This is one of the reasons why past West East
♠5 ♠QJ3
declarers often used to get away with murder.
♥Q872 ♥64
♦ A K 10 5 ♦QJ82
In 1966, Hugh Kelsey’s “Killing Defence at Bridge” dealt ♣J764 ♣K953
with some of the basics of the game for the very first time, South
♠K98742
and the book has become a classic. ♥AK95
♦3
Today’s deal comes from that book. Against four spades, ♣ A 10
West leads and continues diamonds, the second being
ruffed by South. Declarer plays the spade king, then Pass
another spade to the ace, on which East drops the queen. 1♠ Pass 2♠ Pass
When the heart jack from dummy is ducked to the queen, 4♠ All pass
what should West return?
Opening Lead: ♦K
It appears that, for the defense to matter, South must
have started with six spades, and East with queen-jack-third. If East has an ace, it will not
run away, but what hope is there for the defense if South has both missing aces and East
has one of the kings? Note that a club return is unsafe unless East holds both the king
and 10.
If you play a passive diamond, declarer ruffs, plays a heart to the 10, and trumps dummy’s
last diamond, removing East’s only exit card. Declarer cashes the hearts, then throws
East in with the spade queen, to endplay him in clubs.
A heart return is best, and it defeats the game, allowing East to keep a diamond exit card
when thrown in with the spade jack.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: Double by you is takeout,
South Holds: showing extras. Your partner can pass with
♠5 trump tricks, but if he bids, you will be happy
♥Q872 to hear him act no matter what he chooses.
♦ A K 10 5 While you can bid four clubs, there is no
♣J764 reason to expect your partner has real club
length. As usual, it is better to ask your
South West North East partner what he has than to tell him.
1♣ 1♠
Dbl. 3♠ Pass Pass
?
“What I had not foreseen

Was the gradual day
Weakening the will
Leaking the brightness away.”
— Stephen Spender
Dealer: N North
Today, you decide to play four hearts, rather than to Vul: E-W ♠K86
attempt three no-trump, because of your club fit. West ♥64
♦8642
starts out by leading two rounds of diamonds. You ruff and ♣AKQ3
draw all the trumps. How should you continue? West East
♠9752 ♠ A Q 10 3
♥ 10 5 2 ♥87
You must try to protect yourself against an unfriendly lie of
♦AK953 ♦ Q 10 7
the cards in both black suits. So you should continue by ♣ 10 ♣J975
crossing to dummy with a club in order to lead a low South
♠J4
spade toward your jack. ♥AKQJ93
♦J
When you lead a low spade from dummy, East wins with ♣8642
his queen and plays a third round of diamonds. You
simply ruff and advance the spade jack to drive out the 1♣ Pass
ace. A 4-1 club break is no longer a problem, since the 1♥ Pass 1 NT Pass
club king will take care of your fourth diamond. 4♥ All pass
In essence, the recommended line will succeed whenever Opening Lead: ♦K

clubs break, though you may have given up on an
overtrick. However, it also succeeds when clubs break 4-1 and either the spade ace is
onside or East has both the ace and queen of spades — three-quarters of the possible
lies of the spade suit. Leading directly to the king brings home the contract only when the
spade ace is onside.
This position would be easier to see if you knew you needed a discard; here, though, that
need is not entirely obvious. But if you cash two rounds of clubs before playing on spades,
it will be too late to exploit the lie of the spades. You may be able to recover by a squeeze
on East, but the recommended line is surely a better one.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: Is this hand worth a game-forcing
South Holds: action? I say no, with precisely zero of your
♠K86 high cards in partner’s suits, and just one
♥64 spade stopper for no-trump. Imagine how
♦8642 badly three no-trump will play facing a
♣AKQ3 partner with the ace-queen in each of his
long suits. If you invite to game by raising to
South West North East three diamonds, you will rarely miss a good
1♥ 1♠ game.
Dbl. Pass 2♦ Pass
?

Holding ♠ Q-9-7, ♥ 3-2, ♦ A-J-8-7-2, ♣ K-7-4, When should honors be announced?
I heard a call of one diamond on my right. I Someone told me I should declare honors
passed this to my partner, who doubled. I before playing the hand, but this seems to
passed again for penalty; now my left-hand give the opponents too much information. So
opponent redoubled for rescue, and his when is the best moment?
partner ran to one heart. Would pass by me
now be forcing? What would you have — Adding Up, Edmonton , Alberta
done?
— Pony Up, Boise, Idaho ANSWER: Honors do not have to be
claimed at the start of play. It is better to
claim them when leading the last card in
ANSWER: Pass should not be forcing — your sequence or when drawing the last
your side might easily not have more than trump. If you neglect the claim, you have
half the deck here. You’d expect your partner until the score for the rubber is finalized to
to double with four trumps and an opening claim honors — but the longer you leave it,
bid, but if he doesn’t, will he bid a suit? I the harder it may be to convince your
don’t think so, unless he has extras — opponents.
though he might rebid one no-trump,
assuming that you must have a few values.
Dear Mr. Wolff:
Dear Mr. Wolff: Holding ♠ K-10-7-4, ♥ Q-3, ♦ 7-2, ♣ A-K-10-
7-4, I responded one spade to partner’s one
What criteria do you use when opening a heart. Over her two-heart rebid, I simply bid
weak two? If your hand is: ♠ Q-3-2, ♥ Q-5-3, the heart game. But three no-trump would
♦ K-10-6-4-3-2, ♣ 2, what vulnerability and have been easy facing my partner’s diamond
position might make you uncomfortable holding of K-Q-10, while four hearts went
about opening? down when a finesse lost. Was I just
unlucky? My partner thinks I should have bid
— Rusty Nail, Jackson, Miss. two clubs first and not shown my spades.
— Order and Method, New Orleans, La.
ANSWER: I would never open this hand in
fourth seat. In first or second seat
vulnerable, I’d be put off by the suitability for ANSWER: If you agree that this hand is
either major and the weak diamond spots. I worth a force to game, it makes sense to
would always open it in third seat; in first respond in your longest suit. Bid clubs, then
seat non-vulnerable, I’d allow my better introduce your spades, the latter delivering a
instincts to be over-ruled and would pre- four-card suit most, if not all, of the time. The
empt. But I wouldn’t be proud of myself. spade call does not say anything about
extras beyond your initial statement of
game-forcing values, but lets you support
Dear Mr. Wolff: hearts later and help your partner decide on
the best game.
Recently, I held ♠ Q-8-7-4, ♥ 9-5, ♦ A-9-3-2,
♣ A-3-2, and responded one spade to my
partner’s opening bid of one heart. My
partner raised to two spades, and now I
thought once we had found a fit, my hand
had some suitability for game. How much
more would I need to bid on?
— Trying Hard, Corpus Christi, Texas
ANSWER: Your aces are working overtime,

but your weak spot cards persuade me that
trying for game is too aggressive —
particularly because a raise to two spades
on three cards would not be a great surprise.
Make one of your small diamonds or clubs
into a trump, and now you are full value for
the raise. (Indeed, I might take a shot at
four!)
“(Sunday) should be different from another day. … There may be no relaxation, but there
should be no levity.”
— Samuel Johnson
Dealer: N North
Today’s deal saw a fine example of premature euphoria Vul: E-W ♠KJ43
being punished. In my experience, there are two common ♥Q4
♦KQ976
reasons for players failing to find plays they should. These ♣AK
come when things appear to be going so well that they do West East
♠5 ♠A8762
not consider what might go wrong, or when things are
♥AK752 ♥J63
going so badly that they cannot imagine how they might ♦J853 ♦4
recover from the seemingly hopeless position. ♣ 10 9 4 ♣J876
South
♠ Q 10 9
Today, South reached three no-trump without either player ♥ 10 9 8
having significantly overbid. But on a low heart lead, the ♦ A 10 2
♣Q532
outlook did not appear very promising. South nevertheless
made the right play when he put up the heart queen. With South West North East
the heart queen doubleton, there was no advantage to 1♦ Pass
playing low from dummy and forcing a high honor. 1 NT Pass 2 NT Pass
3 NT All pass
Meanwhile, putting up the queen would pay off if West
had underled the ace-king. Opening Lead: ♥5
When the heart queen held, South relaxed and cashed dummy’s top clubs, then came to
the diamond ace and took his remaining top club before leading a second diamond to
dummy’s queen and being disgusted by the result. At that point, the contract could not be
made since the diamonds were dead.
The winning line is to cash dummy’s club winners, then lead the diamond king, on which
you unblock your own 10 before crossing to the diamond ace and taking the club queen.
Now the 4-1 diamond break becomes apparent, and your unblock in diamonds allows you
to finesse against West and run nine winners.
LEAD WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: There is no certainty that dummy
South Holds: will have any ability to ruff clubs — or indeed
♠A9864 that dummy will be able to ruff successfully
♥ 10 8 at all; your partner may be able to over-ruff.
♦A2 So it seems premature to lead a trump at
♣AJ64 trick one; you will surely have time to shift to
a trump later. I prefer to lead the heart 10 to
South West North East the spade ace, as this is less likely to cost a
1♦ trick.
1♠ Pass 2♠ 3♣
Dbl. 3♦ All pass
“First come I; my name is Jowett. There’s no knowledge but I know it.

I am master of this college: What I don’t know isn’t knowledge.”
— Revd. H. C. Beeching
Dealer: N North
In “Master Play in Contract Bridge,” Terence Reese shows Vul: N-S ♠5
this intriguing deal played by world champion Karl ♥Q86
♦ A Q 10 4
Schneider of Austria in an early European Championship ♣K9752
game. West East
♠ 10 8 6 4 3 ♠7
Both tables played four spades. After a club lead, the ♥A95 ♥KJ43
♦K963 ♦J872
British declarer drew four rounds of trumps, then ♣4 ♣J863
successfully finessed the diamond queen for a heart South
♠AKQJ92
discard. ♥ 10 7 2
♦5
But at the other table, on the auction shown, West led the ♣ A Q 10
diamond three. Declarer guessed to win the diamond ace,
then played a spade to the nine, putting West on play Pass Pass
before he had had a chance to observe his partner’s 4♠ Dbl. All pass
discards. West laid down the heart ace, but could not read
his partner’s heart four, so switched to a club, hoping that Opening Lead: ♦3
his partner had the ace. When East correctly played low,
South won cheaply and ran his four top trumps. Then he cashed the club ace and played
the last spade.
In the three-card ending, dummy had the bare heart queen and the K-9 of clubs, while
South had the bare club queen and two hearts in hand. East had to pitch a heart to keep
his club guard, so South cashed the club queen, exited with a heart and won the last trick
with dummy’s club king.
West’s defense would have been right if South had held the heart king and something like
Q-J-x in clubs. But would South then have ducked the first trump? West’s heart holding
should have told him that declarer’s strategy of ducking an early trump must have been
based on hoping to discard hearts on clubs, not clubs on hearts.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: You have a straightforward call of
South Holds: one no-trump, suggesting a few scattered
♠7 values (you would otherwise pass), but
♥KJ43 fewer than 7 or 8 points. If you had that
♦J872 much, you would take stronger action, with
♣J863 either a jump or a cue-bid. You aren’t
stacked in clubs, but one stopper is enough
South West North East for this call.
1♣ Dbl. Pass
1♥ Pass 1♠ Pass
?
“Vision is the art of seeing things invisible.”

— Jonathan Swift
Dealer: E North
When you lead a top club against four spades, partner’s Vul: N ♠Q765
two is a grave disappointment. In order to set four spades, ♥K6
♦A83
it appears to be necessary to win a trick in diamonds. It ♣ Q J 10 8
looks correct, therefore, to shift to a diamond. West East
♠A4 ♠82
♥J54 ♥ Q 10 8 7 3 2
However, even if declarer’s distribution is 5=3=3=2, four
♦ Q 10 7 6 ♦94
spades cannot be set; declarer can arrange to pitch a ♣AK43 ♣962
diamond on dummy’s clubs. But if South’s distribution is South
♠ K J 10 9 3
5=2=4=2, it might be possible to defeat the contract; can ♥A9
you see how? One possibility is to lead a diamond, ♦KJ52
♣75
playing partner for the jack. Then the defense can win a
diamond before declarer discards two diamonds on South West North East
dummy’s clubs. However, the diamond shift is disastrous if Pass
declarer holds the K-J-x-x of diamonds. 1♠ Pass 2 NT * Pass
4♠ All pass
There is a better way to set four spades without risking a *Game-forcing raise in spades
diamond lead away from the queen. You should continue
Opening Lead: ♣K
with the club ace and a third club, which dummy will win
with the jack, declarer pitching a diamond.
Declarer leads a spade to his king and your ace. You then lead a fourth round of clubs,
which partner ruffs low and declarer over-ruffs. South has lost his second discard and is
later forced to take a diamond finesse. When that loses, four spades is down one.
As you can see, if West fails to play the ace, king and another club, and later a fourth club
for East to ruff, then declarer will eventually be able to pitch two diamonds on dummy’s
clubs.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: The two-diamond call is typically
South Holds: NOT based on spade support (although it
♠Q765 may be a prelude to a jump in spades with
♥K6 four-card support). You are asked to define
♦A83 your hand better, and your choice is to raise
♣ Q J 10 8 clubs — which would be forcing — or to bid
no-trump. I prefer the former; slam in clubs
South West North East may be excellent, and your support is far too
1♣ 1♦ good to conceal. Even a jump to four clubs
1♠ Pass 2♦ Pass may be in order.
?
by Bobby Wolff on August 1st, 2019
“We never do anything well till we cease to think about the manner of doing it.”
— William Hazlitt
Dealer: N North
At the 1997 Bermuda Bowl, Paul Thurston of Canada had Vul: None ♠AK742
the opportunity for a simple but elegant play. See if you ♥84
♦ A 10 8 6
can match him. ♣A4
West East
After East’s weak jump overcall of three clubs, Thurston ♠ 10 3
♠Q965
♥ J 10
stretched to force to game with a call of three diamonds, ♥AQ9632
♦92
and soon found himself in to the diamond game when his ♦75
♣ K J 10 7 6 5
♣Q
partner made a forcing raise to four diamonds. 2
South
♠J8
Yes, three no-trump might have come home on an ♥K75
endplay against West, but five diamonds also had play — ♦KQJ43
♣983
even if the contract appeared to need the spade break.
After winning the opening lead in dummy, South drew one
1♠ 3♣
round of trumps, then followed with the two top spades, 3♦ Pass 4♦ Pass
and ruffed a spade in hand. Things might have seemed 5♦ All pass
bleak when that suit broke 4-2, but declarer pressed on
Opening Lead: ♣Q
with a second round of trumps to the ace, pleased to see
them breaking, and led another spade.
When East discarded a second club, Thurston now made the key play of discarding a club
from his hand on the spade loser, putting West on lead with only hearts to lead. He did his
best by leading a low heart to the 10 and king, but now declarer could enter the North
hand with a trump and pitch his last club on dummy’s fifth spade. Declarer could now ruff
his heart loser in dummy for his 11th trick.
Had declarer ruffed the fourth round of spades in hand instead of discarding on that trick,
he would have made only 10 tricks. The endplay against West was necessary to bring
home his game.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: If you play a forcing no-trump,
South Holds: then the simple raise is constructive; if not,
♠AK742 the simple raise could be anywhere between
♥84 5 and 10 points. In the former case, you
♦ A 10 8 6 should simply bid game and not give away
♣A4 information to the opponents to help them
with the lead. If the raise is not guaranteed
South West North East to be constructive, make a help-suit game-
1♠ Pass 2♠ Pass try of three diamonds to let partner evaluate
? his hand.
by Bobby Wolff on August 2nd, 2019
“We must never assume that which is incapable of proof.”

— George Henry Lewes
Dealer: S North
After his forcing response of one no-trump, North shows a Vul: N-S ♠J75
three-card limit raise in spades, which you as South can ♥ A 10 9
♦J9874
comfortably raise to game. ♣A5
West East
You take West’s lead of the club queen with the ace and ♠ 10 ♠K986
♥65 ♥Q843
lead a low trump to the queen, which holds. When you
♦ K 10 6 3 ♦Q2
cash the trump ace, West discards a club. What now? ♣ Q J 10 8 4 2 ♣K97
South
You have three certain losers — two trumps and one ♠AQ432
♥KJ72
diamond — as well as two more potential ones in hearts ♦A5
and clubs. The only hope is to run four heart tricks, ♣63
discarding a club from table while East follows suit. (If
East has three or fewer hearts, he can ruff in and cash the 1♠ Pass 1 NT Pass
trump king, leaving you with a club loser.) Therefore, East 2♥ Pass 3♠ Pass
needs to have at least four hearts, and under that 4♠ All pass
assumption, you must play him to hold the heart queen.
Opening Lead: ♣Q
Basically, you need a layout like the one shown.
At trick four, play a heart to the ace and lead the heart 10. If East plays low, so do you.
Next, you repeat the heart finesse and cash a heart winner to dispose of dummy’s losing
club. A club ruff will be your eighth trick, and your ninth will be the diamond ace, leaving
you with three low trumps in hand, which will suffice for your 10th trick.
If East covered the 10 of hearts with the queen, you would win the king, cross to dummy’s
heart nine and lead a diamond to the ace. Next, you would throw dummy’s club on the
heart jack and play as before.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: I can think of no good reason to
South Holds: bid on. You have found a sensible fit at a
♠J75 sensible level; with the boss suit, you do not
♥ A 10 9 need to compete any further. If you pass and
♦J9874 your left-hand opponent reopens, that will be
♣A5 the time for further bidding. Had your partner
responded one heart instead, you might
South West North East consider bidding one no-trump to keep the
Pass Pass opponents out. But I think I would still pass.
1♦ Pass 1♠ Pass
?
by Bobby Wolff on August 3rd, 2019
“Don’t ask for guarantees. And don’t look to be saved in any one thing, person, machine
or library. Do your own bit of saving, and if you drown, at least die knowing you were
headed for shore.”
— Ray Bradbury
Dealer: S North
When today’s deal was played in a regional pairs event, Vul: E-W ♠ K Q 10 3
an expert player stopped in six spades and was highly ♥KQ9
♦AJ53
disappointed when dummy came down. ♣A2
West East
Playing rather casually, perhaps vexed by his own failure ♠J976 ♠—
♥7 ♥J85432
to bid the hand to the right level, he took 12 tricks after the
♦KQ98 ♦7642
lead of a top diamond. When his partner called him out ♣ Q 10 8 5 ♣J94
after the game, he made the reflex response that the South
♠A8542
double-dummy analyzer of the set had indicated that only ♥ A 10 6
12 tricks were available. That statement was accurate in ♦ 10
♣K763
theory but wrong in practice, since after a top diamond
lead he could have done better. South West North East
1♠ Pass 2 NT * Pass
Let’s say you reach seven spades on the hypothetical 3♦ Pass 4 NT Pass
auction shown, on the lead of the diamond king. Win the 5♥ Pass 5 NT Pass
6♣ Pass 7♠ All pass
diamond ace and ruff a diamond, cash the spade ace,
then lead a heart to dummy to ruff a diamond. Now play a
*Forcing spade raise
club to dummy to ruff a diamond, and lead your last trump
to the 10 to draw all the trumps. Opening Lead: ♦
You have taken three hearts, two clubs, four diamonds — via three ruffs — and four spade
tricks; that adds up to 13. This maneuver of using the long trumps to take ruffs and
drawing trumps with the short hand is called a dummy reversal.
Having said that, the reason 12 tricks are the theoretical limit is that a heart lead defeats
the grand slam. The 6-1 break in the suit deprives declarer of one of his entries to table to
complete the dummy reversal.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: Do you have enough to force to
South Holds: game — and if so, how will you do that? I
♠ K Q 10 3 say no; these days, partner can respond
♥KQ9 quite light, and while your heart fit is nice,
♦AJ53 you still may not make game. With a
♣A2 4=3=5=1 shape, I’d jump to two spades; as it
is, I would bid two no-trump to show a
South West North East balanced 18-19 and paint the perfect picture
1♦ Pass 1♥ Pass of my high-card values. Partner can look for
? spades if he wants to.
The Aces on Bridge: Sunday, July 21st, 2019
by Bobby Wolff on August 4th, 2019

Up to what level are doubles by opener at I’m broadly familiar with the rules on penalty
his second turn considered takeout as cards if your opponents correct a revoke,
opposed to penalty? Say I open one drop a card or lead out of turn. But I’m not
diamond and hear one heart on my left and clear about whether I should selectively
a negative double from my partner. If I hear enforce the penalty based on the strength of
a call of two clubs or a raise to two hearts on the player I am playing against. What is your
my right, what should a double by me mean view?
now?
— Legal Seagull, El Paso, Texas
— Wellington Boot, Spokane, Wash.
ANSWER: At the local club, I’m inclined to

ANSWER: All low-level doubles of raised let players pick up their penalty cards unless
suits at your second turn should be takeout. my partner would be upset by my leniency.
I’d expect a double of two hearts to be a (Some professional-client relationships
good hand with both minors or a balanced require keeping the client happy!) I tend to
18-19 without a stopper. A double of an call the director for leads out of turn, though,
unagreed suit like two clubs should be since this is too hard to unwind. In serious
defensive or penalty. Typically, you would competition, I’d expect my opponents to
have four clubs, but three clubs with extras enforce the rules and would normally do the
is possible. same against any ablebodied opponent.

I thought I had an impossible lead problem How much in the way of extra shape or high
when I heard one diamond to my right, one cards does it show if you double an opening
spade to my left, then two no-trump to my bid and then raise your partner’s response?
right, raised to three. What would you Should that be construed as a courtesy
recommend I lead, holding ♠ 10-9-5-3-2, action, or does it promise interest in game?
♥ Q-3, ♦ K-9-6-4, ♣ J-9? And how is the issue affected in a
competitive auction?
— No Way Out, Kingston, Ontario
— Rebel Yell, Woodland Hills, Calif.
ANSWER: I think a spade is as unlikely to

cost a trick as anything else, but if I led that ANSWER: If opener has not re-entered the
suit, I would surely lead my fourth highest. auction, a raise shows extra high cards — a
There is a decent chance that your right- hand with four trumps, maybe an ace more
hand opponent or your partner might have a than opening values. If opener competes
singleton honor, or that declarer may guess again, doubler’s raise merely indicates
wrongly what to play from dummy. suitable shape, not guaranteeing any real
extras. You’d cue-bid with significant extras,
or raise and bid again. Typically, with a good
Dear Mr. Wolff: hand but only three-card support, doubler
can double again at his second turn.
When partner opens two clubs and the
opponents intervene, what is the best and
simplest meaning for a pass and double?
Should that meaning change depending on
the level of intervention?
— Dog Fight, Grand Junction, Colo.
ANSWER: You should be prepared to shade

a positive response if you have a good suit.
And a bid at no-trump should also be natural
and positive. Pass and double can be used
either as a double negative and semi-
positive, or vice versa. There appears to be
no real advantage one way or the other.
The Aces on Bridge: Monday, July 22nd, 2019
“It is a pleasure to stand upon the shore, and to see ships tossed upon the sea; a
pleasure to stand in the windows of a castle, and to see the battle and the adventures
thereof below.”
— Francis Bacon
Dealer: S North
Last summer, the U.S. National tournament was held in Vul: N-S ♠AK984
Atlanta. The major event at the championships was the ♥AJ5
♦ Q J 10 8 3
Spingold Trophy. This is a knockout tournament featuring ♣—
the best teams from around the world. The top 16 are West East
♠ J 10 6 5 ♠Q72
typically as strong as a major world championship, with
♥92 ♥ Q 10 6 3
teams from every corner of the world assembled. ♦7 ♦964
♣ Q J 10 7 6 5 ♣A94
In the second round of that event, Bruce Rogoff was faced South
♠3
with a touch-and-go grand slam on this deal. He and Alex ♥K874
Ornstein were playing against John Hurd and Joel ♦AK52
♣K832
Wooldridge.
The slightly sporting jump to five no-trump by Ornstein 1♦ 3♣ 5 NT Pass
was the grand slam force, asking Rogoff to bid seven with 7♦ All pass
two of the top three trump honors. Rogoff may have had a
minimum opening bid, but he wasn’t being asked if he had Opening Lead: ♣J
extras.
When Hurd led the deceptive club jack, Rogoff gave serious thought to letting it run to his
king. Eventually, he decided against risking the embarrassment of going down in a
laydown grand slam at trick one. So he ruffed the club, played the spade ace and spade
king, ruffed a spade high, then crossed to a top trump and ruffed the fourth spade high.
That let him draw the trumps, reaching a four-card ending where Wooldridge had three
hearts and the club ace.
The play of the last spade squeezed Wooldridge in hearts and clubs. He discarded his
club ace to keep hearts protected, and declarer had his 13th trick in the form of the club
king.
LEAD WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: Since your partner clearly has a
South Holds: smattering of values but didn’t act, he
♠ A 10 6 3 2 probably has no more than two spades, so
♥98 leading a spade feels more likely to cost a
♦KJ2 trick than set up the suit. Your choice seems
♣ 10 5 2 to be whether to go passive with a heart or
active with the lead of a diamond – in which
South West North East case the jack might unblock the suit. I would
Pass 1♣ go passive by leading the heart nine.
1♠ Dbl. Pass 1 NT
Pass 2 NT All pass
The Aces on Bridge: Tuesday, July 23rd, 2019
“A lie is an abomination unto the Lord, but a very present help in time of trouble.”
— Anonymous
Dealer: E North
On this deal from last summer’s second qualifying session Vul: None ♠QJ63
of the Von Zedtwitz Life Master Pairs, after passing ♥J62
♦A84
initially, most Souths found themselves in a spade part- ♣ A 10 9
score. West East
♠A52 ♠9
♥A7 ♥ 10 9 8 3
Aggressive pairs found themselves in four spades when
♦KJ953 ♦ 10 2
they decided that, as a passed hand, their offensive ♣Q86 ♣KJ5432
values were about as good as they could possibly be. South
♠ K 10 8 7 4
They then had to make their game to justify their ♥KQ54
aggression. ♦Q76
♣7
Much depended on how friendly the defenders were going
to be on opening lead, but declarer was still in a good Pass
place even if the defenders didn’t give him a helping hand. Pass 1♦ Pass 1♥
The point was that if West unimaginatively led the heart 1♠ Pass 2♦ Pass
4♠ All pass
ace and another heart, declarer had 10 tricks without
breaking a sweat. South could draw trumps and pitch a Opening Lead: ♠2
diamond loser on the heart winner.
However, at one table, West was able to see that the heart ruff could probably wait, so he
led a low spade. South won the lead and played back the suit, letting East pitch an
encouraging club as West won his ace. So West shifted to a club.
To make 10 tricks now, declarer should win the club ace, cross to hand in the trump suit
and lead a low heart to the jack, then duck a heart to fell West’s now-bare ace. That gives
declarer a discard of a diamond from dummy and an easy route to plus 620. Since West is
marked with at most a doubleton, this play is strongly indicated. If East has the ace, you
cannot generate a discard for yourself from the hearts.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: Your partner’s double of three
South Holds: hearts is not best played as penalty or even
♠QJ63 defensive. It suggests he has a game try,
♥J62 typically balanced rather than with extreme
♦A84 shape. When the opponents compete to rob
♣ A 10 9 your partner of any game try, double
replaces the game try — the socalled
South West North East maximal double. I’d just bid three spades
1♣ 1♥ 1♠ 2♥ now.
2♠ 3♥ Dbl. Pass
?
“Trust your own instinct. Your mistakes might as well be your own instead of someone
else’s.”
— Billy Wilder
Dealer: W North
This deal from the first final session of the Wernher Open Vul: N-S ♠953
Pairs in Atlanta last summer gave declarers with a good ♥ 10 4
♦AK74
nose the chance to come very close to bringing home four ♣ A 10 3 2
spades, even if not doubled. West East
♠ A J 10 4 2 ♠—
The journalist reporting this deal recounted that at his ♥86 ♥KJ7532
♦Q9 ♦J632
table the heart eight lead ran to the ten jack and queen. ♣8764 ♣KQ5
He took a club finesse, and East won the queen to play South
♠KQ876
back the heart two. This looked like suit preference to ♥AQ9
South, who put in the nine; when it held the trick, he fell ♦ 10 8 5
♣J9
from grace by playing the spade queen. The contract
could now no longer be made. South West North East
Pass Pass 3♥
A better line would have been to play a club to the ace at 3♠ Pass 4♥ Pass
trick four and ruff a club. Then declarer could cash the two 4♠ All pass
top diamonds and lead the fourth club. When East
Opening Lead: ♥8
discards, South can pitch his last diamond.
After eight tricks, declarer has seven winners in the bag and West is down to his five
trumps. A spade to the queen might see West slip up by winning this trick. If he does, then
whether he plays a high or low trump, he scores only one more trump trick. He must
return a low trump, then he is endplayed again at the next trick.
Curiously, though, if West ducks his trump ace, he can then ruff the heart ace with the
spade 10 and exit with a low trump to ensure his extra trump winner for down one. For the
record, going one down in four spades was only a skosh below average.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: With a minimum opening bid and
South Holds: no club stopper, you cannot rebid two no-
♠KQ876 trump. So the choice is to rebid spades or
♥AQ9 raise diamonds. My preference would be to
♦ 10 8 5 rebid spades at pairs. But at teams, you
♣J9 might consider raising diamonds, since that
will guarantee to get you to a sensible fit,
South West North East even if not necessarily the highest-scoring
1♠ 2♣ 2♦ Pass part-score.
?
“Would you do me a favor, Harry? Drop dead!”

— Billie, “Born Yesterday”
Dealer: E North
Jan Jansma was declarer on this deal from the second Vul: E-W ♠ Q 10 8
semifinal session of the Von Zedtwitz Life Master Pairs in ♥Q8643
♦ 10 9
Atlanta last summer. Would you have been good enough ♣Q72
to defeat his game? West East
♠K5 ♠42
♥ J 10 9 ♥K752
You, West, lead the heart jack against four spades: That
♦A7652 ♦K8
goes to the queen, king and ace. Declarer plays a low ♣843 ♣ K J 10 6 5
diamond at trick two. As West, you would play low, I South
♠AJ9763
assume? If you do, partner wins the diamond king to play ♥A
a trump. ♦QJ43
♣A9
When declarer plays low, you win your king … and shift to
a club, I hope. This is necessary if you look at the full Pass
deal. As you can see, if you try to cash a heart, declarer 1♠ Pass 1 NT Pass
has time to dispose of his club loser on the diamonds. 2♦ Pass 2♠ Pass
Jansma’s play of the heart queen at trick one might have
encouraged the defenders to try to cash a heart, but
Opening Lead: ♥J
Marshall Lewis, playing with Jan van Cleeff, wasn’t born
yesterday. He duly shifted to a club and defeated the game. After all, the heart losers were
unlikely to vanish from dummy, whereas club losers might be discarded on declarer’s
diamonds.
Incidentally, Jansma might have gone up with the spade ace to play a second diamond,
but since van Cleeff (who happens to be a former partner of Jansma’s) was perfectly
capable of leading a spade away from the king, declarer couldn’t risk rejecting the finesse.
The 5-2 diamond break would have been fatal anyway, since East would have been able
to ruff in before all of dummy’s clubs could be discarded.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: Do you believe, as I do, that your
South Holds: partner will normally deliver a shape-suitable
♠ Q 10 8 hand for his double, or at least opening
♥Q8643 values, always with three or more cards in
♦ 10 9 an unbid major? If you do, then it is a no-
♣Q72 brainer to compete to two hearts here. Your
partner does not have to bid the same hand
South West North East twice, but you have shape and scattered
1♣ Dbl. Pass values and must trust your partner for the
1♥ 1♠ Pass 2♣ rest.
?
“We must beat the iron while it is hot, but we may polish it at leisure.”
— John Dryden
Dealer: S North
In a deal from a Swiss teams event at last year’s Atlanta Vul: Both ♠QJ942
Summer Nationals, you play three no-trump on the lead of ♥K3
♦A95
the diamond four to the five, jack and queen. You unblock ♣973
the top spades, then a heart to the king loses to the ace. West East
♠ 10 5 3 ♠876
Back comes an unfriendly club 10; what do you play now?
♥8542 ♥AQ9
♦ K 10 7 4 ♦J63
East is likely to have Q-10-(8)x or something similar. He ♣K6 ♣ Q 10 8 4
may be setting the suit up for himself or trying to set it up South
♠AK
for his partner. It seems reasonable to cover with the jack, ♥ J 10 7 6
which loses to the king. Are you still paying attention? ♦Q82
♣AJ52
Now West tables the club six: What should you play from
dummy? South West North East
1 NT Pass 2♥* Pass
The answer is that it doesn’t matter what you do now. The 2♠ Pass 3 NT All pass
way the cards lie, you are down no matter what you do …
unless you unblocked the club seven from dummy on the *Transfer to spades
first round of clubs! If you didn’t, and you win the second
Opening Lead: ♦4
club, the defenders will eventually win the heart queen,
cash a second club and exit in diamonds to score the setting trick there. If you duck the
second club, they play back a low club and achieve the same result.
However, if you unblock the club seven at once, then cover the return of the club six with
the nine while ducking in the closed hand, you have a finesse position against East’s 8-4
of clubs for the ninth trick!
The defenders were Sam Dinkin (West) and Michael Shuster (East). At the other table,
East shifted to a low club at trick four, and declarer Karen McCallum played low from hand
to wrap up nine tricks.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: Your red-suit cards are nice, but
South Holds: your spades do not look especially useful. A
♠QJ942 call of two hearts is more than sufficient
♥K3 here; you need partner to be able to act
♦A95 again for game to remain a consideration.
♣973

1♣ 1♥ Pass
1♠ Pass 2♦ Pass
?
“France and America clash so often not because they are so irreconcilably different, but
because they are so alike.”
— The Economist
Dealer: N North
On this deal from the first round of last year’s Spingold, Vul: N-S ♠AK83
Philippe Soulet, playing with Michel Lebel, played the ♥K764
♦42
cards to perfection. Soulet and Lebel were members of ♣AJ5
the Payen team from France that defeated a strong Dutch West East
♠J954 ♠—
squad.
♥92 ♥ Q J 10 5 3
♦AK5 ♦Q987
West led the diamond king, and East encouraged the suit. ♣ 10 8 7 4 ♣K962
West pressed on with two more rounds of diamonds, South
♠ Q 10 7 6 2
making Soulet suspect strongly that the attempt to ♥A8
weaken declarer’s trumps meant spades were divided 4- ♦ J 10 6 3
♣Q3
0. Soulet pitched a club from dummy, East winning the
diamond queen and returning the heart queen, taken by South West North East
Soulet with the ace. 1 NT 2♥*
Backing his reading of the position, Soulet led the
diamond jack, encouraging West to discard his last heart. *Hearts and a minor
Soulet pitched dummy’s club and advanced the spade 10,
Opening Lead: ♦K
covered by West with the jack. Soulet now crossed to the
spade queen and finessed again in spades, then ran the rest of the trumps.
When the last trump was played, East — holding three hearts and the guarded club king
— was squeezed. If he pitched a club, declarer would cash the club ace, dropping the
king. He could ruff a heart to his hand, which would then be good. If East discarded a
heart, Soulet could cash the heart king and ruff a heart. Dummy, with the club ace as an
entry, would be high.
West had missed his chance to set the game, though it was far from easy; he had needed
to ruff the diamond jack with the spade nine to mess up the entries for the squeeze.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: When your partner reverses to
South Holds: show extra shape and high cards, as here, I
♠ Q 10 7 6 2 suggest that the best way forward is to bid
♥A8 two spades, your own suit, whenever you
♦ J 10 6 3 have five or more cards in that suit. It should
♣Q3 be forcing for one round but not to game —
even though you intend to force to game, of
South West North East course, regardless of partner’s next action.
1♣ Pass
1♠ Pass 2♥ Pass
?

Recently, I opened one diamond with ♠ Q-6, What are the merits and drawbacks of third-
♥ J-3, ♦ A-J-7-4-2, ♣ A-K-J-9, and I heard my and-fifth leads, and why should I consider
lefthand opponent overcall one spade. When playing them?
my partner doubled, I was not sure at what
level to bid clubs, or whether to gamble on — Pippy Longstocking, San Juan, Puerto
one no-trump. My partner told me later that a Rico
jump to three clubs would not be forcing
here. Is that true? I thought opener’s jumps
in new suits were forcing. ANSWER: Third-and-fifth leads may help
you work out how long partner’s suit is.
— Shaking Stephen, Elkhart, Ind. Fourth-highest and second from bad suits
may help you differentiate when the lead is
from an honor or from weakness. The two-
ANSWER: You must differentiate between card disparity of a low card being from three
an uncontested sequence — where your or five cards (as opposed to the one-card
jump rebid of three clubs would be forcing — disparity of fourth from four or five cards) is
and a jump in response to a negative what may help you out here. But if you lead
double. Think of the latter sequence as jump count cards, your partner will often have no
raising a suit partner has implied. Having not idea how good your suit is.
opened one no-trump (well done!), a jump to
three clubs shows this hand nicely.
Dear Mr. Wolff:
Dear Mr. Wolff: I’m not sure whether I’m supposed to
compete facing a negative double with extra
If you open one club and hear a one-spade shape but no extra high cards. I held ♠ Q-J-
call to your left and two hearts from your 9-4-2, ♥ A-Q-3-2, ♦ 5-3, ♣ K-10 and opened
partner, what should you do next with ♠ A-Q- one spade. When the next hand overcalled
3-2, ♥ Q-5-3, ♦ K-10, ♣ J-9-4-2? two diamonds, my partner doubled. The next
hand raised to three diamonds. Should I bid
— Second Chance, Winston-Salem, N.C. three hearts now, or wait for my partner to
double and then show my suit?
ANSWER: You can raise to three hearts, — Raising the Roof, Seneca, S.C.
natural and non-forcing, or you can rebid two
no-trump to protect all your tenaces while
also limiting your hand. I think the latter is ANSWER: You would have bid two hearts
better; you can always support your partner gladly in a non-competitive auction, which
later on. means you are allowed to compete to three
hearts here. With, for example, 16 points or
more and 5-4, you would bid four hearts
Dear Mr. Wolff: here, so the problem is what to do with slight
extras. There is no good answer other than
What is the main difference between the to guess well.
meanings of your calls in direct and
balancing seat? Is it always about high-card
ranges, or are there positions in which bids
have different meanings?
— Protectionist, Lorain, Ohio
ANSWER: When you are in the balancing or

protecting seat, you tend to reopen when
possible, so your actions may be made with
about a king less than they guarantee in
direct seat. In that seat, jumps over one-level
bids, however, are 13-16, not weak, with
good suits. And a jump to two no-trump
would be strong, not unusual, with a range of
18-20 or so.
“Conscience has no more to do with gallantry than it has with politics.”

— Richard Sheridan
Dealer: S North
Just because South has a 19-count doesn’t mean his side Vul: E-W ♠ Q 10 6
can make game; he should open one spade rather than ♥ K J 10 3
♦Q873
with a stronger call. If his partner passes, will his side ♣94
really miss game? Additionally, no-trump may play better West East
♠J85 ♠73
from North. In any event, when North raises spades,
♥96 ♥AQ752
South can simply jump to game. ♦ J 10 6 2 ♦94
♣A875 ♣ J 10 6 3
West leads the heart nine, and South expects to lose two South
♠AK942
hearts and one club. West’s opening lead is surely top of ♥84
a short holding of some kind. South’s possession of the ♦AK5
♣KQ2
eight means West is unlikely to have three or more cards
there. South West North East
1♠ Pass 2♠ Pass
When East wins the first two heart tricks and leads a third 4♠ All pass
heart, South must decide whether to ruff with a high or low
trump. Since West appears to be short in hearts, he is Opening Lead: ♥9
more likely than East to hold the spade jack. So South
ruffs high.
He must next decide whether to draw trumps from the top or to finesse. Again, the odds
make that decision relatively straightforward: After cashing the spade king and leading
toward dummy’s Q-10, it must be right to finesse. At this point in the deal, for declarer to
have a chance, East must have started with two spades and West three — so the jack is
more likely to be with the length than the shortage. After finessing the 10, then drawing
the last trump, South can lead a club toward his king. If it holds, he can play for an
overtrick; if it loses, he will pitch his club loser on dummy’s heart winner.
LEAD WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: The choice here seems to me to
South Holds: be between leading a club in the hope that
♠8542 you can establish a long card, and leading a
♥Q76 heart in the hope that partner has four
♦Q9 decent hearts. Since neither spades nor
♣K763 diamonds seem to be lying well for declarer,
maybe a club lead is best. With Q-J-6 in
South West North East hearts, however, I’d lead from that suit.
1♠ Pass 2♦
Pass 2♥ Pass 3 NT
All pass
“There is nothing so bad or so good that you will not find an Englishman doing it; but you
will never find an Englishman in the wrong.”
Dealer: W North
It is often good strategy for declarer to surrender a critical Vul: None ♠Q95
trick as early as possible in a deal so as to put the ♥Q4
♦ A K J 10 3
defense under maximum pressure before they have had a ♣QJ6
chance to signal. West East
♠87 ♠632
In today’s deal, South took at a flyer at slam, since his ♥ 10 7 5 3 2 ♥J8
♦52 ♦Q94
side was playing a weak no-trump; thus, the simple raise ♣A842 ♣ K 10 7 5 3
would normally deliver extras in the form of shape or high South
♠ A K J 10 4
cards. West avoided leading the club ace (which would ♥AK96
have been fatal), but he did lead a trump rather than a ♦876
♣9
heart, the latter of which would have made East’s task far
easier. South won his jack and immediately took the South West North East
diamond finesse, since the sooner it was taken, the better Pass 1♦ Pass
the chance East might make the wrong return. Note that if 1♠ Pass 2♠ Pass
6♠ All pass
three rounds of trumps had been drawn, West would have
discarded a small heart. Opening Lead: ♠8
When he won with the diamond queen, East realized that he had to find his partner’s ace
at once. With what seemed to him like an open choice, he led a heart and later tried to
excuse himself on the grounds that he had simply guessed wrong.
True enough — except that it was highly improbable that South could be missing the heart
ace and have so few hearts that they could be discarded on the diamonds. That would
give West a six- or seven-card heart suit headed by the ace, with which he might have
opened the bidding and would surely have led that suit to the first trick. A singleton club,
on the other hand, was a more plausible holding for South.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: Faint heart never won fair lady.
South Holds: You have a balanced strong no-trump, and
♠Q95 heart stops are in the eye of the beholder —
♥Q4 if you think you have one, you surely do (and
♦ A K J 10 3 your left-hand opponent will believe you)!
♣QJ6 You should bid two no-trump to show the
basic nature of your hand, and damn the
South West North East torpedoes.
2♥ Pass Pass
?
The Aces on Bridge: Wednesday, July 31st, 2019
“Inspiration is for amateurs. The rest of us just show up and get to work.”
— Chuck Close
Dealer: N North
Today’s slam was played originally by the late Terence Vul: E-W ♠AK6
Reese. Put yourself in South’s seat and see if you can ♥AJ543
♦K3
match his line. ♣A83
West East
When West leads the trump jack against six spades, ♠ J 10 9 ♠7
♥62 ♥ Q 10 9 7
declarer can count 11 tricks, assuming the trumps break
♦J9742 ♦ Q 10 8 6 5
no worse than 3-1. The extra trick needed can come only ♣KJ7 ♣Q92
from the heart suit, and for this, hearts must break no South
♠Q85432
worse than 4-2. ♥K8
♦A
Yet there is still a problem if West began with three ♣ 10 6 5 4
spades and a doubleton heart. If, before trumps are
drawn, the two top hearts are cashed and a third is ruffed 1♥ Pass
in hand, West will over-ruff and will later come into a club 1♠ Pass 2 NT Pass
trick. 3♠ Pass 4♣ Pass
4♦ Pass 4♥ Pass
Should trumps be drawn before hearts are set up, 4♠ Pass 6♠ All pass
declarer must rely on a 3-3 heart break, unless spades

are 2-2. The point is that with spades 3-1 and a 4-2 heart Opening Lead: ♠J
break, the fifth heart can be established, but there is no
entry to cash it.
So, to preserve entries to dummy, declarer must win the opening lead in hand with the
queen, then cash the diamond ace and heart king. He enters dummy with a spade, then
plays the diamond king, on which his own small heart is discarded — the key play.
Declarer then trumps a heart, West impotently following; then a spade to the king draws
the last trump. Only now does declarer cash the heart ace, for a club discard; another
heart ruff establishes dummy’s long heart, for a further club discard, to which the club ace
is the entry.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: Should this be a take-out or
South Holds: penalty double? You can make a case for
♠7 either, but my instinct is that this should be
♥ Q 10 9 7 take-out. Yes, opener could simply bid a
♦ Q 10 8 6 5 second suit, but it feels more flexible to
♣Q92 double first before bidding on with extras if
appropriate. With a penalty double, you can
South West North East pass and wait for partner to reopen with
1♠ Pass extras. I’d bid two diamonds, looking for the
1 NT 2♣ Dbl. Pass safer fit, not the higher-scoring one.
?
The Aces on Bridge: Thursday, August 1st, 2019
“And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine
Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred
Honor.”
— Thomas Jefferson
Dealer: S North
‘The five-level belongs to the opponents” was one of Vul: Both ♠KJ95
Terence Reese’s mottoes. On today’s deal, South violated ♥64
♦7
that principle successfully, but a more inspired defense ♣J86432
would have produced a different result. West East
♠— ♠ Q 10 6
♥KJ975 ♥ Q 10 3 2
West led a heart against five spades. It might have been
♦ J 10 8 6 2 ♦K54
right for South to lead clubs right away, but declarer won ♣ A 10 9 ♣KQ5
in hand and crossed to dummy’s spade king, finding the South
♠A87432
bad news. Now declarer had to take the diamond finesse ♥A8
to discard his heart loser, at which point he exited with a ♦AQ93
♣7
club. East allowed West’s 10 to hold the trick, so West
played another diamond. This allowed declarer to ruff in South West North East
dummy, then cross-ruff clubs and hearts. East could 1♠ 2♥ 4♠ 5♥
eventually over-ruff the fourth round of diamonds with his 5♠ Pass Pass Dbl.
All pass
trump trick, but that was the defense’s second and last
trick. Opening Lead: ♥7
When East sees South lead a low club from hand, he can more or less count 11 tricks for
declarer if this is a singleton, unless he can seize the lead himself in order to switch to a
trump. But if he shifts to a low trump, he is simply exchanging one trick for another — the
outcome will not be affected. What East must do is switch to the spade queen, sacrificing
his honor in battle to win the war. Declarer can win with the ace, but he does not have the
entry to set up dummy’s clubs and can only take two ruffs in the dummy. One of those
ruffs will be with the spade jack, and that repromotes East’s trump 10 back into the setting
trick.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: When you are 6-4 and have the
South Holds: opportunity to make an economical rebid in
♠A87432 the four-card suit, you should almost always
♥A8 take advantage of that opportunity.
♦AQ93 (Exceptions are dead-minimum hands in
♣7 which the four-card suit is weak.) Here, you
have extras and a good four-card suit, so bid
South West North East two diamonds happily.
1♠ Pass 1 NT Pass
?
The Aces on Bridge: Friday, August 2nd, 2019
“A certain amount of distrust is wholesome, but not so much of others as of ourselves;

neither vanity nor conceit can exist in the same atmosphere with it.”
— Madame Necker
Dealer: S North
At the Dyspeptics Club, everyone wisely mistrusts Vul: E-W ♠Q985
everybody else’s declarer play. Even so, when South ♥AK82
♦AK6
showed a spade suit, North had some hope of slam. ♣32
However, when South denied interest, North wisely did West East
♠76 ♠A32
not go past game.
♥Q943 ♥J76
♦875 ♦ Q 10 9 4 3
As he put down dummy, North remarked caustically that ♣KJ97 ♣84
even South would find it difficult to go down here. Not so; South
♠ K J 10 4
West found the intelligent opening lead of a low trump, ♥ 10 5
imagining his club strength would be over declarer’s and ♦J2
♣ A Q 10 6 5
that partner would have hearts over the dummy. East liked
the idea of playing a trump, but realized that if he won the South West North East
ace and returned a trump, he would not be able to get in 1♣ Pass 1♥ Pass
to play a third round of the suit. Accordingly, he ducked 1♠ Pass 2♦ Pass
3♣ Pass 3♠ Pass
the opening lead. Declarer won in hand and crossed to 4♠ All pass
dummy with a top heart to take a club finesse. But West
won and fired back a second trump. Now when East won Opening Lead: ♠6
his ace and drew a third round of trumps, the vile club split
meant there was nothing declarer could do; nine tricks were the limit.
South complained about his bad luck, but had only himself to blame. He should have won
the spade 10, then played three rounds of hearts, ruffing high in hand. He could then play
a diamond to the ace and ruff a second heart high. At this point, he would have the first
seven tricks in the bag and be able to play the ace, king and a third diamond, ruffing low.
He would have the club ace and two more sure trump tricks in dummy for 11 winners.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: The concept of fit bids is
South Holds: controversial, but most agree that passed
♠ K J 10 4 hands won’t introduce a new suit at the
♥ 10 5 three-level or higher once their partner has
♦J2 acted, unless they have some degree of fit.
♣ A Q 10 6 5 By extension, facing a pre-empt, new suits
at a high level (if they aren’t jumps to game)
South West North East always promise a fit Here, a call of four clubs
1♥ 2♠ 3♥ promises a spade fit. This will help partner
? compete and will help with the lead.
The Aces on Bridge: Saturday, August 3rd, 2019
“Thou god of our idolatry, the press …

Thou ever-bubbling spring of endless lies,
Like Eden’s dread probationary tree
Knowledge of good and evil is from thee.”
— William Cowper
Dealer: W North
Do you always tell the truth at the bridge table? It may not Vul: E-W ♠A84
be as much of a virtue as you imagine. Consider the ♥753
♦J875
following deal from a world pairs event at Albuquerque, ♣QJ5
New Mexico, in 1994, in which giving partner the natural West East
♠6 ♠QJ9
signal would have cost you blood.
♥962 ♥AKQJ84
♦Q43 ♦62
It seems natural for West to lead a top club against four ♣AK9632 ♣87
spades, but how should East signal? Although it may not South
♠ K 10 7 5 3 2
be obvious, a little reflection will suggest that it can do no ♥ 10
harm to discourage the suit, because you know that at ♦ A K 10 9
♣ 10 4
best getting a ruff will break even, since you are ruffing
with a trump trick. South West North East
Pass Pass 1♥
As you can see, if West goes ahead and gives his partner 1♠ 2♣ 2♠ 3♥
a ruff, it will allow South to discard his heart loser on this 3♠ 4♥ Pass Pass
4♠ Dbl. All pass
trick. That allows him to escape for just down one — and
minus 100 would represent a very fine score, since it Opening Lead: ♣K
beats all the East-West pairs making game or part-score
in hearts, whereas minus 300 would not be nearly as good.
Of course, West might cash his second top club at trick two, in case East has a singleton
club, though he probably should not do so. But in any event, the position at the end of the
second round of the suit should be clear to West. If partner has a doubleton (which you
now know to be the case) and has told you unequivocally that he does not want a ruff, he
has his reasons — don’t try to overrule him. Just play a heart as directed!
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: Do you pre-empt here or not?
South Holds: The vulnerability may play a key part in your
♠6 decision; vulnerable I would not act, but non-
♥962 vulnerable I would open three clubs in first or
♦Q43 third seat, though not in second. The
♣AK9632 absence of values in the majors is what
should persuade you to consider action.
The Aces on Bridge: Sunday, August 4th, 2019

You recently ran a hand where you passed I d e a l t a n d p a s s e d w i t h ♠ Q-10-3-2,
with a 3=3=2=5 9-count including king- ♣ Q-3-2, ♦ 9-7-5-4-2, ♣ A, and my partner
queen-fifth of clubs and king-jack-third of opened one club, after which the next hand
hearts. After one diamond to your left, one doubled. What is the best tactical response
spade from partner and a negative double to here to make sure we do not miss our best
the right, why not bid two clubs for the lead fit? And what rebid strategy do you have?
in case West declares a red suit? You can
bid two spades later, and if partner raises — Lost Horizon, Brownsboro, Ala.
clubs, you can revert to spades.
— Barbara Ann, Burbank, Calif. ANSWER: You may lose a fit if your partner
rebids one no-trump (concealing a major suit
over your response of one diamond).
ANSWER: Here since you didn’t have a However, I suspect that after the double,
weak two in clubs available, this sequence partner will not rebid one no-trump over one
would be consistent with just clubs, without diamond unless he has both major suits
spade tolerance. Yes, you can probably well-guarded, so this would be my choice.
survive the action, but I’d be a little unhappy The opponents may introduce a major and
at my low offense and defense against make the auction easier for us.
hearts here. Raising spades looks safer and
simpler.
Dear Mr. Wolff:
Dear Mr. Wolff: Do you have any comments on the headline
news recently about the suspension of a top
When your partner doubles a one-spade Monaco player for a drug infraction?
opener, do you play the double of a raise to
four spades by your right-hand opponent as — Raging Bull, Nashville, Tenn.
penalty or take-out? As the original doubler, I
was faced with this problem at my second
turn with a 1-4-5-3 hand with extra values, ANSWER: I’m both upset and sad to hear
and did not know whether to bid or pass. that Geir Helgemo appears to have been
punished for what was not a performance-
— Spare Tire, West Palm Beach, Fla. enhancing drug, because the Olympic rules
require it. Everyone who knows him would
consider him a nice and sporting guy and
ANSWER: I’d play your partner’s double as one whose talent is truly undeniable.
optional; you tend to pass the double unless
removing to a contract you expect to make.
The call of four no-trump in response to the
double would suggest a two-suiter, initially
the minors, but you can have hearts and a
minor, planning to correct a response in your
shortage to the next-higher suit.
Dear Mr. Wolff:

What are the rules when you are dummy
and you believe one of your opponents may
have revoked in the middle of the hand?
Must you stay silent or tell your partner?
— Ruling Passion, Durham, N.C.
ANSWER: As dummy, you must not draw

attention to an irregularity in the middle of
the hand. But when the hand is over —
preferably before all the cards are put away
and the evidence vanishes — tell the table
what has happened, call the director, and if
necessary point out where you thought the
revoke had happened. Importantly, when an
irregularity is agreed to have occurred, you
should call the director as dummy even if no
else does.
The Aces on Bridge: Monday, August 5th, 2019
“This is a world of compensations, and he who would be no slave must consent to have
no slaves. Those who deny freedom to others deserve it not for themselves.”
— Abraham Lincoln
Dealer: W North
In today’s deal, South added one point to his 19 in high Vul: N-S ♠Q2
cards (for aces, his good intermediates, and because it ♥J82
♦Q64
was a Wednesday) and opened two no-trump. North could ♣K7653
find no way to declare the hand, so he simply raised to West East
♠ J 10 9 8 3 ♠K4
game.
♥K74 ♥ Q 10 9
♦875 ♦ J 10 9 3 2
After West’s lead of the spade jack, South reasonably ♣ 10 4 ♣QJ8
covered with dummy’s queen, perhaps more in hope than South
♠A765
expectation, and wisely ducked when the king appeared. ♥A653
He took the next spade trick, worried about a possible ♦AK
♣A92
heart shift if he ducked again, as West followed with the
10 to suggest a heart entry. Then South passed the club South West North East
two around to East. Pass Pass Pass
Declarer won the heart return, tested the clubs and
claimed nine tricks when they split. No one at the table
Opening Lead: ♠J
noticed the blunder that had cost the contract — did you?
It was West who let the game make, when a more thoughtful defense can set it. He must
put up his club 10 on the first round. If declarer lets the 10 hold, West has the spade suit
to cash, and if South covers the 10 with his king, he no longer has any entries to dummy
to reach the good clubs.
Note that if declarer cashes the club ace at trick three, East has to unblock an honor to set
the hand — otherwise South ducks a club to him in safety. But when East unblocks,
West’s club 10 again causes declarer the same problem. He cannot duck the club and
leave West on play, and he cannot capture the club 10 in dummy, or he loses the entry to
the long suit.
LEAD WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: This hand has a clear answer at
South Holds: pairs, and a slightly less obvious one at
♠ Q 10 7 5 teams. On blind auctions like this, look for a
♥ J 10 9 sequence to lead from or a five-card suit.
♦742 Alternatively, you try to locate a five-card
♣K52 major in partner’s hand. Here, the heart
sequence stands out like the proverbial sore
South West North East thumb. Even if a heart doesn’t hit length in
1 NT partner’s hand, it surely won’t cost a trick.
Pass 2♣ Pass 2♦
Pass 3 NT All pass
The Aces on Bridge: Tuesday, August 6th, 2019
“To understand God’s thoughts we must study statistics, for these are the measure of his
purpose.”
— Florence Nightingale
Dealer: E North
There are, on occasion, good reasons for not telling the Vul: N-S ♠Q96
truth with your initial signal. For example, sometimes you ♥AJ5
♦653
should tell partner you like his opening lead, even when ♣ A K 10 6
you are not wild about it. The best reason for doing so is West East
♠ A K 10 5 4 ♠872
that there may be no better lead available to him; let us
♥974 ♥ 10 2
look at where we want to deter partner from making the ♦KJ8 ♦ 10 9
“obvious” switch. ♣95 ♣QJ8743
South
♠J3
On the auction shown, put yourself in the East seat, and ♥KQ863
consider how you want to signal when partner leads the ♦AQ742
♣2
spade king. Your systematic play would be to discourage
by playing your lowest spade, here the two, but think South West North East
before you play. Do you really want partner to attack Pass
diamonds, which is his most probable switch if you 1♥ 1♠ 2♠* Pass
4♥ All pass
discourage spades? After all, your partner does not know
*Limit raise or better in hearts
that the clubs will not prove a fertile source of discards for
declarer. If the layout is like the one shown, you will Opening Lead: ♠K
certainly be better off encouraging a spade continuation.
(Partner needs to cash that second spade winner while he can, before declarer pitches his
spade loser on the clubs.)
When West leads three rounds of spades, declarer pitches one diamond loser, then can
discard another diamond on the second of the top clubs. But he is left with three diamonds
in each hand and no way to avoid losing two diamond tricks in the fullness of time, no
matter what he does.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: I’m a great fan of the quick-and-
South Holds: dirty approach to overcalling. That is to say,
♠Q96 get in fast on marginal hands, and the
♥AJ5 danger of being penalized is less severe.
♦653 So, is this hand worth a double, given your
♣ A K 10 6 soft defense in hearts? I think it is on the
cusp. The point is that while acting is
South West North East dangerous, bidding later may be even
Pass 1♥ riskier. I’d double, but with the heart king
? instead of the ace, I might pass.
The Aces on Bridge: Wednesday, August 7th, 2019
“Logic is a large drawer, containing some useful instruments, and many more that are
superfluous. A wise man will look into it for two purposes, to avail himself of those
instruments that are really useful, and to admire the ingenuity with which those that are
not so, are assorted and arranged.”
— Charles Caleb Colton
Dealer: W North
Defense may be the hardest part of the game, since Vul: N-S ♠984
partner’s hand is concealed, but sometimes logic will help ♥QJ98
♦ A 10 9 7
you out. Declarer wins the opening diamond lead in hand ♣Q6
with the king. He next plays a club to dummy’s queen and West East
♠32 ♠ J 10 7 6
East’s ace. What should East do now?
♥ K 10 7 6 5 4 2 ♥3
♦J5 ♦Q8642
At the table, East returned a heart. Declarer won with the ♣87 ♣A92
ace and ran all his trumps. His last five cards were four South
♠AKQ5
spades and a diamond, while dummy kept three spades ♥A
and ace doubleton in diamonds. East wanted to keep four ♦K3
♣ K J 10 5 4 3
spades and two diamonds, but had to discard from one
suit or the other, and either would be fatal. South West North East
3♥ Pass Pass
Could East have done better? Yes, he had a chance to Dbl. Pass 3 NT Pass
break up the squeeze by playing a second diamond when 4♣ Pass 4♦ Pass
4 NT Pass 5♦ Pass
in with the club ace. West might have started with a
6♣ All pass
singleton diamond, in which case the contract would have
been beaten immediately. Furthermore, even if West had Opening Lead: ♦J
a doubleton diamond, although declarer could win a
cheap trick with dummy’s 10, he would not be able to cash the ace without letting West
obtain a ruff. His best play would be for spades to break, and when that did not happen,
he would be one down.
Note that declarer could have succeeded anyway by starting with a high trump from hand
at trick two. East wins (it does not help to duck) and must play a diamond. But now
declarer can guess to draw West’s last trump with the club queen and cash dummy’s
diamond ace, discarding his spade loser.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: Nothing is perfect here. A jump
South Holds: to three diamonds would be pre-emptive,
♠984 and a simple raise of diamonds would not
♥QJ98 keep the opponents out (and would not help
♦ A 10 9 7 my partner compete, if appropriate). I’d
♣Q6 gamble with the slight overbid of two clubs, a
cuebid raise promising limit-raise values. (A
South West North East jump to three clubs to show a mixed raise –
1♣ 1♦ Dbl. 6-9 high-card points and four trumps – is
?
also a possibility.)
The Aces on Bridge: Thursday, August 8th, 2019
by Bobby Wolff on August 22nd, 2019
“When I consider how my life is spent, I hardly ever repent.”

— Ogden Nash
Dealer: S North
On today’s hand, an unorthodox (many would use a Vul: None ♠A6
stronger term, with five cards in the other major) weak ♥QJ72
♦A42
jump overcall from West propelled North-South into a ♣ J 10 6 2
dicey five clubs, not that the no-trump game would have West East
♠KQ9875 ♠J43
fared any better. North started with a negative double,
♥ 10 8 6 5 4 ♥A93
then tried to right-side three no-trump. South showed his ♦Q ♦J875
extras and fifth club with a jump to game, but North had ♣7 ♣843
South
nothing more to say. ♠ 10 2
♥K
Declarer won the spade lead in dummy and drew trumps ♦ K 10 9 6 3
♣AKQ95
in three rounds, ending on the table. A heart followed,
East swooping in with the ace to cash the spade jack South West North East
before returning a passive heart. 1♦ 2♠ Dbl. Pass
3♣ Pass 3♠ Pass
South now decided not to play for a red-suit squeeze on 5♣ All Pass
East. Given that West apparently had six spades and one
Opening Lead: ♠K
club, he therefore had to hold a fourth heart or three
diamonds.
Instead, declarer discarded diamonds on the heart queen-jack and, when everyone
followed, East was marked with diamond length. West must hold either the queen-jack
doubleton or a singleton honor for the game to stand a chance, but which?
Aiming to get a count on the hand, declarer ruffed dummy’s last heart. When East showed
out, declarer now needed to find West with a singleton diamond honor. When it appeared
on the diamond ace, he tabled his cards, taking the marked diamond finesse.
A neat discovery play — while a singleton honor is more likely than the doubleton queen-
jack, why guess when you can be sure of the answer?
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: There are many
South Holds: misapprehensions about the unusual two-
♠ 10 2 no-trump call. Do not wait for the perfect
♥K hand; if you have decent suits, get in there
♦ K 10 9 6 3 — especially when (as here) the lower suit is
♣AKQ95 stronger. With the minors switched, I could
understand overcalling two diamonds to
South West North East make sure you played the better trump suit
1♥ facing equal length.
?
The Aces on Bridge: Friday, August 9th, 2019
by Bobby Wolff on August 23rd, 2019
“For early today to my utter dismay, It had vanished away like the dew in the morn.—
Michael Flanders and Donald”
—
Dealer: S North
The modern style is to open a no-trump on in-range (and Vul: Both ♠A62
occasionally out-of-range!) hands when balanced or semi- ♥KJ87
♦ A Q 10
balanced. So, hands may qualify that contain a five-card ♣K64
major, a six-card minor or even a 5-4-2-2 pattern with an West East
♠ K J 10 9 7 4 ♠8
awkward rebid or with its values concentrated in the short
♥6 ♥ 10 4 2
suits. The most inconvenient hands are those with a five- ♦83 ♦J9642
card minor and a higher suit, though hands with four ♣ Q J 10 2 ♣9753
South
spades are rarely a problem. ♠Q53
♥AQ953
South was a purist, though, and opened one heart. When ♦K75
♣A8
West pre-empted in spades, North cue-bid three spades
to show at least a high-card raise to game. South cue-bid South West North East
four clubs, letting North drive to slam via the obligatory 1♥ 2♠ 3♠ Pass
use of Key-card Blackwood. Plan the play now. 4♣ Pass 4 NT Pass
5♠* Pass 5 NT Pass
Declarer takes the club queen lead in hand and, after
drawing trumps in three rounds, eliminates the minors in
*Two aces and the trump queen
preparation for an endplay. He can surely see that West
has six spades headed by the king for his weak jump Opening Lead: ♣Q
overcall — can you see the winning line?
South cashes the club king, ruffs a club and plays three rounds of diamonds. He then
plays a low spade from both hands. If East is allowed to win, he must give declarer a ruff-
and-discard, while if West wins, he has an equally unattractive option of leading around to
declarer’s spade queen. Either way, the second spade loser vanishes.
Note that cashing the spade ace first, or leading a spade to the queen, would allow West
to win and safely return a spade.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: Your partner may not have much
South Holds: spade support, but your hand will surely play
♠ K J 10 9 7 4 much better in spades than hearts. Imagine
♥6 your partner with a singleton spade, and you
♦83 can still score five tricks if that is the trump
♣ Q J 10 2 suit, whereas your hand will be worthless in
hearts. So bid two spades now.
1♣ 1♥ Pass
1♠ Pass 2♥ Pass
?
The Aces on Bridge: Saturday, August 10th, 2019
“It is said that God is always on the side of the bigger battalions.”
— Voltaire
Dealer: W North
After South doubles two hearts, then bids spades to show Vul: E-W ♠974
a good hand, North uses Keycard Blackwood, then asks ♥A82
♦K75
for the trump queen (finding it and the club king). ♣AJ92
West East
In six spades, South takes the heart king lead in dummy ♠3 ♠ J 10 8 6
♥ K Q J 10 9 4 ♥753
and, protecting against an adverse trump split, begins to
♦9643 ♦ 10 8
elope with his small trumps. A heart ruff is followed by the ♣86 ♣ Q 10 7 4
three top spades, West showing out on the second round. South
♠AKQ52
Declarer, pleased to have made good use of his heart ♥6
entry, leads a diamond to the king and ruffs another heart. ♦AQJ2
♣K53
East should not have more than three hearts after West’s
vulnerable weak two, coupled with the odd count signal at South West North East
trick one. On this assumption, declarer has a lock for his 2♥ Pass Pass
contract. Dbl. Pass 3 NT Pass
4♠ Pass 4 NT Pass
5♣* Pass 5♦ Pass
He cashes the diamond ace; if West discards, East will be
6♣** Pass 6♠ All pass
marked with a 4=3=5=1 pattern, and declarer will cash the
club king, then take a club finesse to avoid setting up *Three key-cards
East’s long diamond. As it is, though, everyone follows to **Trump queen and club king
the diamond.
Opening Lead: ♥K
Accordingly, declarer continues with the diamond queen,
putting East in an impossible position. If he ruffs with his master trump, he will be forced to
lead into dummy’s club tenace. East can discard a club, which would suffice if declarer
had begun with only three diamonds. But today this only delays the inevitable. On the next
diamond, East is faced with a similar dilemma. Either he ruffs and leads a club, or he
discards again and lets declarer collect two club tricks for his contract.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: The three-heart call suggests a
South Holds: weak hand with reasonably long hearts,
♠AKQ52 making it straightforward enough to bid three
♥6 no-trump, since you have the fourth suit
♦AQJ2 guarded and no fit for your partner. Whether
♣K53 or not you can make three no-trump, no
other game looks appealing.
1♠ Pass 1 NT Pass
3♦ Pass 3♥ Pass
?

If you open one spade and the opponents Holding ♠ Q-3-2, ♥ Q-9-7-4-2, ♦ 10-8, ♣ A-Q-
intervene with two diamonds, what action J, I assume you would not open the bidding.
would you take, holding ♠ K-Q-8-7-2, ♥ K-Q, If you passed and heard a one-diamond
♦ Q-3, ♣ A-Q-J-4, when the auction comes opening bid on your left, passed back to you,
back around to you? I assume the hand is would you balance over it, and with what
too good for a pass, but what action covers call?
the most bases?
— Backup Planner, Pierre, S.D.
— Great Auk, Galveston, Texas
ANSWER: Vulnerability or position might

ANSWER: You should not pass, though influence you; I’d open in third seat but not in
defending two diamonds may be the only first or second. If I passed, I’d certainly
way to go plus — or yield the smallest balance over one diamond at any
negative. If you do bid, a call of three clubs vulnerability. I’d plan to bid one heart and
is on the table — the problem being that it is consider balancing a second time with a
such a committal action. Doubling for take- double of two diamonds, if necessary, to get
out and converting a response of two hearts both black suits into play. That fifth heart is
to three clubs suggests this hand type, but too important to conceal, and if I double, we
that route also lets partner bid two spades may lose it altogether.
over the double, or even pass.
Dear Mr. Wolff:

Dear Mr. Wolff:
My partner has asked me to play Lebensohl,
Say you have ♠ K-8-2, ♥ K-Q-7-6-5-4 ♦ Q-3, but I’m not sure I understand the implications.
♣ J-4. Do you pass, open at the one-level or Can you explain the call and discuss in which
open at the two-level, and what factors sequences it is commonly played?
determine which way you should go?
— Cold Comfort, Fort Walton Beach, Fla.
— Green Grouper, Eau Claire, Wis.
ANSWER: After the opponents butt in over

ANSWER: Non-vulnerable, this is just too your partner’s one-no-trump opening or
strong to pass in any seat. Opening two overcall, two-level calls by you are non-
hearts in third seat might see your side forcing. Three-level bids are strong, and two
undercompete if the hand belonged to you. no-trumps puppets to three clubs — typically
Vulnerable, I hate the weak spots and the a weak hand with its own suit, but it may
side defense, so I’d open one heart, even if include some balanced or invitational hands.
it might be a fraction too weak. Everything See
else, especially passing, seems worse. https://www.bridgebum.com/lebensohl_after_1nt.php.
These methods can be played after the
double of a weak two-bid, but here, two-level
Dear Mr. Wolff: bids can be a bust, while actions at the three-
level are invitational, not forcing.
I am interested in trying to acquire more
master points. How do Swiss Teams work,
and would they be a sensible way to go
about achieving my goal?
— Chasing the Dream, Ketchikan, Alaska
ANSWER: The urge to acquire points often

exists in inverse proportion to the number
you already have. But Swiss Teams are
typically played over a single day, with
multiple teams playing short matches. Your
pairing is based on your day’s results, with
matches scored not on a win-loss basis, but
on a sliding scale where you can earn from
0-20 victory points. These points are
accumulated over the whole event.
“Thou art not for the fashion of these times, Where none will sweat but for promotion.”
Dealer: N North
All this week’s deals share a theme of the defenders Vul: Both ♠642
utilizing their trumps to unusually good effect. Two of the ♥K65
♦ K J 10 5 3
maneuvers available to the defense in trumps are the ruff ♣J6
and the uppercut. Logic argues that if one defender takes West East
♠A93 ♠ 10 8 7
ruffs, his partner will be the one to obtain the promotions,
♥AQ973 ♥ J 10
but today’s deal shows East-West scoring well on defense ♦82 ♦AQ9
with the defender who had taken the ruff also being the ♣ K 10 4 ♣98532
South
one who ended up with the promoted trump. ♠KQJ5
♥842
At just about every table, South in third seat opened a ♦764
♣AQ7
leaddirecting one spade on his four-card major. West
risked a twoheart overcall, and North ended the auction South West North East
with a two-spade call. I’m sure North was probably happy Pass Pass
when he put down his dummy, but that didn’t last long. 1♠ 2♥ 2♠ All pass
After a diamond lead to the 10 and queen, East cashed

Opening Lead: ♦8
his ace and gave West a ruff. Now came the heart ace
and a heart to dummy’s king, after which declarer ran the club jack to West’s king. That
player cashed the heart queen, then led another heart. Dummy ruffed with the six, and
East over-ruffed with the 10, forcing declarer’s jack.
South next cashed the club ace and ruffed the queen in dummy, then led dummy’s last
trump to the queen and West’s ace. When West led his last heart at trick 12, East ruffed in
with the eight, forcing the over-ruff. The spade nine represented the third undertrick for
plus 300 and a 90% board.
Two down would have been virtually an average board; maybe there is a message for all
those third-in-hand openers!
LEAD WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: I’d lead the heart eight. It feels as
South Holds: if partner has at least four hearts, so leading
♠Q742 our side’s long suit should give us a decent
♥J98 chance to set up an extra trump trick one
♦ 10 5 way or another. A club lead might achieve
♣KJ54 the same result, but that is more likely to
cost a trick if it is doesn’t hit an honor in
South West North East partner’s hand.
1♠
Pass 2♣ Pass 2 NT
Pass 4♠ All pass
“Books must follow sciences and not sciences books.”

— Francis Bacon
Dealer: N North
Today, we see an expert following a textbook play. Alas for Vul: N-S ♠AQ62
him, he had failed to realize that it is sometimes ♥A85
♦A86
necessary to set aside the manuals when other issues ♣652
demand it. Fortunately for our hero, the defense were also West East
♠ 10 8 ♠K9753
on autopilot, not using their imagination sufficiently to
♥Q6 ♥K43
generate extra trump tricks for themselves, which is the ♦ K Q J 10 9 ♦543
theme of this week’s deals. ♣J873 ♣ 10 4
South
♠J4
Four hearts was the normal contract on this board, and ♥ J 10 9 7 2
Zia Mahmood and Norberto Bocchi reached it ♦72
♣AKQ9
straightforwardly. When West led the diamond king, which
went to the six, three, and seven (a routine falsecard from South West North East
Zia). West now understandably, but perhaps a trifle 1♣ Pass
unimaginatively, continued with a second diamond, which 1♥ Pass 1♠ Pass
3♣ Pass 3♥ Pass
Zia won and crossed to hand twice in clubs to take two 4♥ All pass
finesses in hearts, making the routine 10 tricks for an
above-average score. Opening Lead: ♦K
Unremarkable, you may say. Yes, but Zia had given the defense a chance when he
ducked the first diamond, a play that was unlikely to gain him anything.
Similarly, West might have reasoned that if declarer had two diamonds, continuing the suit
would achieve nothing, while even if he had three diamonds, there could be no entries
back to the West hand to reach the defense’s second trick in that suit. If West had shifted
to a spade at trick two, the defense could lead that suit at every opportunity to arrange a
trump promotion for the heart queen that Zia would be unable to stop.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: Since you limited your hand at
South Holds: your first turn to be in the range 0-9 high-
♠K9753 card points, your partner’s double suggests
♥K43 real extras. In that context, because of your
♦543 first two calls, you have a pretty decent
♣ 10 4 hand, and the best way to show it is to jump
to three spades. Partner will infer that you
South West North East have five spades and about 6 or 7 points.
Pass 1♣ Dbl. Pass
1♠ 2♣ Dbl. Pass
?
“When you study natural science and the miracles of creation, if you don’t turn into a
mystic you are not a natural scientist.”
— Albert Hofmann
Dealer: N North
Today’s deal to continue our week’s theme of trump Vul: None ♠AK98
promotions comes from “On the Other Hand — A Bridge ♥9
♦A53
From East to West” by Martin Hoffman and Kathie Wei- ♣KQ764
Sender. West East
♠J7632 ♠ 10 5 4
South, who had put himself in four hearts instead of letting ♥J83 ♥ A 10 7
♦92 ♦ Q J 10 6
his partner play three no-trump, won the opening diamond ♣ A 10 3 ♣985
lead with the king, then cashed the spade queen. He then South
♠Q
led the club two, and West took his ace, fearing the two ♥KQ6542
was a singleton. West returned his remaining diamond, ♦K874
♣J2
and South won with dummy’s ace, then threw his
remaining diamonds on the spade ace-king. South West North East
1♣ Pass
The question now was whether the defenders could score 1♥ Pass 1♠ Pass
three trump tricks. They did not, because South led 2♥ Pass 2 NT Pass
4♥ All pass
dummy’s heart to his own queen, and East won the next
heart lead with the 10. On East’s diamond lead, South Opening Lead: ♦9
thoughtfully ruffed with the heart king. Then he led a heart
and cashed the remaining trumps to make the game.
Nicely played, but the defense would have prevailed if West had won the second trump
trick with the jack. He could then lead a spade, allowing East to ruff with the heart ace.
Then a diamond lead would promote West’s remaining heart as the setting trick.
Does that mean West was at fault here? Yes and no. East could have made the defense
easier by playing the heart 10 on the nine. Then West would have been forced to win the
second trump trick, and now the trump promotion would be much easier to find.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: You have some nice shape
South Holds: (albeit no great fit for partner) and some real
♠AK98 extra values. Do you have enough to raise to
♥9 two no-trump? I’d say so, but if I had the
♦A53 club 10, I’d be more optimistic about my
♣KQ764 partner’s chance to set up the suit for one or
two losers.
1♣ Pass 1♥ Pass
1♠ Pass 1 NT Pass
?
“You don’t have to be intelligent, but I think you have to be open to possibilities and willing
to explore. The only stupid people are those who are arrogant and closed off.”
— Edward de Bono
Dealer: E North
Today’s deal is part of the week’s theme of the defenders Vul: N-S ♠ 10
maximizing their trump tricks. South had reached a ♥AQ4
♦ A Q 10 9 3
respectable suit game when he converted three no-trump ♣K874
to four spades; his decision was sensible because if North West East
♠865 ♠A92
didn’t have the spade ace, the South hand might have
♥ K 10 8 7 ♥6532
been worthless in no-trump. ♦74 ♦KJ86
♣ J 10 3 2 ♣A5
West kicked off with a diamond, taken by dummy’s ace. South
♠KQJ743
Declarer naturally began to draw trumps, starting with 10. ♥J9
East knew that West would have led his lowest from three ♦52
♣Q96
small in his partner’s suit. So the best chance for another
trick seemed to lie in trumps. He played small on the first South West North East
spade, and declarer, unwilling to overtake the 10, left the 1♦
lead on the table. 1♠ Pass 3 NT Pass
4♠ All pass
When declarer called for a club, East could see he had
Opening Lead: ♦7
little chance of a second club trick, since his ace was
about to fall. To keep the defense a step ahead, he rose with the ace, then took the
diamond king, followed by another diamond. His plan was to promote a trump trick for his
side when his partner had as little as the spade eight.
Declarer ruffed the third diamond high and led the spade jack, but when East took the ace
and played another diamond, the jig was up. The defense had to take another trick for one
down, in a maneuver that represented a double trump promotion.
Note that if declarer had guessed to play the diamond queen on the first trick, the only
way to set the game would have been to win with the king … and return a diamond.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: There is no guarantee that it is
South Holds: safe to come back into this auction (your
♠ 10 partner could have close to a Yarborough,
♥AQ4 after all), and I suspect I would pass if my
♦ A Q 10 9 3 right-hand opponent weren’t already a
♣K874 passed hand. But as it is, I think it is right to
double, hoping partner will have a long suit
South West North East of his own, have three cards in support of
Pass Pass 1♣ diamonds, or be able to bid two no-trump as
1♦ 1♠ Pass 2♠ a scramble to let you bid your second suit.
?
“There is a loveliness exists, Preserves us, not for specialists.”

— W.D. Snodgrass
Dealer: W North
Today’s deal from the European Mixed Teams Vul: None ♠832
Championships defeated most defenders. It focuses on ♥QJ62
♦Q8742
this week’s theme of the defenders needing to promote ♣K
trump tricks for themselves. West East
♠QJ ♠ A K 10 9 5 4
♥K ♥ 10 8
East feared wasting one of partner’s trump tricks if he
♦ K 10 9 6 ♦53
overtook the spade queen, so he let it hold the first trick. ♣A97532 ♣Q64
West can now visualize five tricks for the defense: two South
♠76
spades, a diamond, a club and a promotion for the heart ♥A97543
king on the third spade. While declarer might finesse in ♦AJ
♣ J 10 8
hearts even if his side doesn’t maneuver a trump
promotion, South won’t finesse once he knows East has South West North East
the spade aceking. 1♣ Pass 1♠
However, continuing spades at trick two won’t do. East
would overtake and play a third round, but declarer could
Opening Lead: ♠Q
discard his diamond loser. East could lead a further
spade, but declarer would ruff in hand and pitch dummy’s club king, losing just three
spades and an over-ruff.
West should follow the normal practice of taking the side-suit winners that aren’t needed
for communication purposes before trying for a trump promotion. He must cash the club
ace before playing a second spade.
Now West’s heart king will be good for the fourth defensive trick if declarer ruffs in on the
third spade, with a diamond still to come. And if South discards, then the fourth round of
spades will do the trick.
At other tables, some Easts overtook the first spade and shifted to diamonds. Declarer
could now succeed by taking his red-suit aces.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: My general rules about whether
South Holds: to bid and what to bid on marginal hands
♠76 that include a six-card suit start from the
♥A97543 assumption that you should always bid
♦AJ immediately with a good six-card suit.
♣ J 10 8 Whether you act at the one- or two-level will
depend on the specific hand, of course, but
South West North East this hand has a bad suit and isn’t worth a
? one-level opener in first seat, so I’d pass.
“Art is a human activity having for its purpose the transmission to others of the highest and
best feelings to which men have risen.”
— Leo Tolstoy
Dealer: N North
In today’s deal from a recent knockout match in England, Vul: None ♠97
North-South got too high, but it still required good carding ♥J4
♦ A 10 7 5
to maximize the defensive trump tricks — the theme of all ♣ 10 7 5 4 2
this week’s deals. West East
♠J82 ♠ A 10 5 4 3
South thought he was facing a mild invitation to game, so ♥ Q 10 9 6 ♥7
♦962 ♦J43
he bid on. West doubled because he had trump tricks; he ♣QJ9 ♣AK63
led out the club queen, then the jack. South
♠KQ6
♥AK8532
Declarer could mark West with four hearts to the queen ♦KQ8
for his double, with East presumably holding the black top ♣8
cards. Leading a low trump at trick three would limit his
trump losers to one, but West would take the heart queen Pass 1♠
and play a third club to force declarer down to trump 2♥ Pass Pass Dbl.
parity. Declarer could then draw trumps and run the Pass 2♠ Pass Pass
Dbl. Pass 2 NT * Pass
diamonds, but would no longer be able to set up a spade
3♦ Pass 3♥ Pass
for his 10th trick while East still had the spade ace and the 4♥ Dbl. All pass
master club. *Takeout
So declarer had to knock out East’s spade ace, the entry Opening Lead: ♣Q
to the long club, at once. He could not cross to the
diamond ace, since that was dummy’s late entry to the diamonds, so he led the spade
king from hand, hoping for a club continuation, which would have seen him home.
However, East could see that a further club lead would be no good, so he changed tack.
Looking to promote a trump trick for his partner, he returned a spade.
Declarer took the spade queen and led a low heart toward dummy, but West took his
queen and forced dummy to ruff with a third spade, promoting his heart 10 to the setting
trick.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: Your partner’s double should be
South Holds: take-out showing values, presumably with
♠ A 10 5 4 3 no more than two spades and two or three
♥7 diamonds. Since he did not overcall one
♦J43 heart, he must have at least four clubs, so it
♣AK63 seems right to bid three clubs now.

1♦ Pass 1♥
1♠ 2♦ Dbl. Pass
?
by Bobby Wolff on September 1st, 2019

Holding ♠ J-9, ♥ A-Q-J, ♦ A-10-4-3, ♣ A-7-6- Please tell me how I can discreetly ask my
4, I believe I have a straightforward opening opponents not to look at my partner’s cards
of one no-trump. After my left-hand — or find a way to help my partner hold his
opponent overcalls two spades, how should cards back!
my partnership play a double over and under
the trumps — and what should I do if the — Hiding in Plain Sight, Dodge City, Kan.
auction comes back to me?
— Crowded House, Pasadena, Calif. ANSWER: One thought is that you might
ask an opponent to hold his cards back, and
then extend the warning to your partner.
ANSWER: It is sensible to play all doubles Incidentally, one thing that always gets my
of a natural call (or of a two-suited call that goat is people who count their suits so their
names one of the two suits naturally) as partner (but only their partner) might see, if
take-out, if and only if it is the first call your they are looking. That should be firmly if
partnership has made after the no-trump politely discouraged, too.
opener. So both sides play take-out doubles
of two spades here. I’d make that call in this
case; this shape is perfect for it, and my Dear Mr. Wolff:
partner can bid his suit. If he has two places
to play, he can bid two no-trump. What scheme of responses do you
recommend to a two-club opener? Do you
prefer complex over simple schemes, and
Dear Mr. Wolff: what is your opinion of control-showing
responses?
I understood that following an overcall after
your partner opens, as responder you can — Tripe and Onions, Troy, N.Y.
always start with a take-out double, no
matter what was bid to your right. In what
cases would double be for penalty? ANSWER: I recommend a simple scheme of
responses. I’m happy to bid two hearts with
— Red Flag, Cartersville, Ga. positive values and a reasonable suit,
whereas a two-spade call needs two top
honors in five or more cards, or a six-card
ANSWER: If you play negative doubles in suit and one top honor. I can see the logic of
response to an opening bid, it means that all using all other calls as natural, but if you
initial doubles of overcalls of four spades or prefer something artificial, use two no-trump
lower are emphasized toward take-out. as clubs with limited values. Bids at the
Doubles of three spades and higher may three-level would then be natural with very
tend toward optional, though. Doubles of no- good suits (or transfers if you want to live a
trump bids and of artificial calls that show little).
two-suited hands, however, suggest a desire
to defend. (When the opponents find a fit, all
doubles by either player at their second turn
tend to be take-out).
Dear Mr. Wolff:

Should you wait until you have all suits
properly controlled before launching into
Blackwood? Or should you cue-bid instead?
— Mumbo-Jumbo, Muncie, Ind.
ANSWER: Don’t use Blackwood if you are

sure you won’t know what to do over the
response. In other words, if your hand
consists of the first-round controls but not
second- and third-round controls, let your
partner ask; cue-bid instead to let him do so.
When your side has more than enough high-
card points for slam, it is not terrible to use
Blackwood with one suit that may be
unguarded if no sensible alternative exists.
by Bobby Wolff on September 2nd, 2019
“Reason still keeps its throne, but it nods a little, that’s all.”
— George Farquhar
Dealer: W North
When South balances with one spade, West rebids his Vul: N-S ♠KQ
suit, then North makes a responsive double to show a ♥6532
♦ K 10 6 4
good hand with spade tolerance. (Some would play this ♣A62
as penalty, but in hand-frequency terms, the other West East
♠75 ♠ 10 8 6 2
meaning makes much more sense.) After South shows
♥AKQ984 ♥ J 10
his second suit, North reverts to three spades; South then ♦83 ♦J952
raises himself to game. ♣K98 ♣ J 10 3
South
♠AJ943
West leads out his top hearts, declarer ruffing the second. ♥7
There is no advantage to be gained in discarding a club ♦AQ7
♣Q754
loser instead, although it doesn’t hurt. Declarer’s first
move is to unblock the spade king-queen; he then crosses South West North East
to hand with a diamond and cashes the spade acejack, 1♥ Pass Pass
dummy matching West’s discards of a heart and a club. 1♠ 2♥ Dbl. Pass
3♣ Pass 3♥ Pass
If diamonds break or the jack falls doubleton, declarer is
home, but West shows out on the third round, marking
him with precisely a 2=6=2=3 distribution. However, all is Opening Lead: ♥K
not lost, as the final diamond winner brings West under
pressure. In the three-card ending, if West comes down to a single heart, declarer puts
him on lead with that suit and awaits a lead into his club tenace at trick 12. If West instead
bares his club king (never a bad strategy in these positions), South calls for the club ace,
and his club queen is the game-going trick.
South knows West holds the club king because if East had started with the red jacks and
the club king, he would ‘probably’ have responded to the opening bid. Also, West would
‘really have ‘been’ (really) over (extend)bidding to ‘act’ (bid) twice with only a 10-count.
LEAD WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: This auction calls for a heart
South Holds: lead. It is akin to a Lightner double, in which
♠Q7542 the double of a high-level contract calls for
♥J3 dummy’s first-bid suit. There is no reason
♦ 10 8 3 not to lead the top of your doubleton. You
♣J74 could make a case for leading high from a
three-card suit as well, but that is a bit of a
South West North East digression.
1♦
Pass 1♥ Pass 1 NT
Pass 3 NT Dbl. All pass
by Bobby Wolff on September 3rd, 2019
“A smattering of everything and a knowledge of nothing.”

— Charles Dickens
Dealer: S North
When you have a combined eight-card holding in a suit, Vul: Both ♠J753
the missing five cards will split 3-2 some two-thirds of the ♥64
♦A72
time. But they will split 4-1 a little over a quarter of the ♣ 10 9 6 5
time. The second declarer in today’s deal allowed for this West East
♠8642 ♠ 10
possibility, while the first did not — and the results were
♥ K J 10 8 ♥Q9753
about what you would expect. ♦KQJ9 ♦853
♣8 ♣K742
In each room, South ended in the routine spade game South
♠AKQ9
after opening two no-trump and going through Stayman. ♥A2
At both tables, South took the lead of the diamond king. ♦ 10 6 4
♣AQJ3
After this, the play diverged.
The first declarer immediately did what I suspect at least 2 NT Pass 3♣ Pass
half of my readers might do — if they hadn’t been warned 3♠ Pass 4♠ All pass
that there was a trap! He drew all the opponents’ trumps,
ending in North. Then he ran the club 10, and when that
Opening Lead: ♦K
held, he continued by finessing the jack. But the 4-1 break
meant there was no chance for a further finesse, because the second club had to be won
in hand. So he had to lose a club trick eventually, and his chance to make the contract
had vanished.
The second declarer saw that the club finesse was inevitable. He was aware of the
possibility of a 4-1 club break and the club suit becoming blocked, so he carefully led
dummy’s club five to the jack at trick two, which held the trick. Only then did he extract all
of the defensive trumps, ending in dummy.
His next move was to play the club 10 from dummy and let it run. When this held, he could
finesse the club queen and claim.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: The only way to show a good
South Holds: hand here is to start with a double. Your plan
♠AKQ9 will be to rebid in no-trump at your next turn,
♥A2 and the question is whether a simple bid
♦ 10 6 4 (showing more than a strong no-trump) will
♣AQJ3 suffice. Given that your club honors should
be pulling extra weight, you might consider
South West North East jumping to two no-trump over a red-suit call
Pass Pass 1♣ from your partner.
?
The Aces on Bridge: Wednesday, August 21st, 2019
by Bobby Wolff on September 4th, 2019
“Your lost friends are not dead, but gone before, Advanced a stage or two upon that road
Which you must travel, in the steps they trod.”
— Antiphanes
Dealer: W North
With 25 points between the two hands, stoppers in all Vul: E-W ♠J
suits and no major-suit fit, the tendency is to subside in ♥AJ976
♦A985
three no-trump. But sometimes the contract can be ♣J76
tenuous, to say the least, and assumptions, even far-out West East
♠ 10 9 8 5 3 ♠AK76
ones, must be made for it to come home. This deal arose
♥Q8 ♥ 10 5 4 3 2
in a trial to select the team to represent the USA some ♦Q74 ♦2
years ago, and declarer was the late Michael Seamon. ♣985 ♣A42
South
Seamon died shockingly young, but his talent was ♠Q42
undeniable, and he was elected to the Hall of Fame last ♥K
♦ K J 10 6 3
July. ♣ K Q 10 3
Against three no-trump, West led the spade 10, which South West North East
went to the jack and king. East returned a low spade, and Pass 1♥ Pass
Seamon put in the queen, which held. Declarer was 2♦ Pass 3♦ Pass
3 NT All pass
aware that in order to fulfill his contract, he needed to
rattle off eight quick tricks; if the defenders got in, they Opening Lead: ♠10
surely had three more spade tricks to take, in addition to
the one already in the bag, plus the club ace.
Specifically, Seamon needed five tricks from the diamond suit, plus three from hearts — a
tall order. So, at trick three, he cashed the heart king and noted the fall of the eight from
West. Needing this to be from Q-8 exactly, Seamon had to assume that, being short in
one red suit, West was likely to be longer in the other. So he cashed the diamond king,
then successfully finessed West for the queen. The heart ace saw the queen drop, and
Seamon had his nine tricks for plus 400 and a well-deserved swing.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: Had the opponents not
South Holds: intervened, you would have rebid two clubs,
♠Q42 of course. But here you do not have to bid —
♥K the opponents surely aren’t going to pass
♦ K J 10 6 3 out one heart doubled, are they? With clubs
♣ K Q 10 3 a relatively unlikely place for your side to
play, and given your lack of aces, I think I
South West North East would pass and see what happens next. I’d
1♦ Pass 1♥ Dbl. be prepared to introduce my clubs at my
? next turn, maybe.
The Aces on Bridge: Thursday, August 22nd, 2019
“In school they told me, “Practice makes perfect.” And then they told me, “Nobody’s
perfect,so then I stopped practicing.”
— Steven Wright
Dealer: S North
Should North use Stayman here? His square shape Vul: N-S ♠K63
suggests four hearts will rarely be much better than three ♥ A K 10 4
♦Q65
no-trump, while the direct route to game gives less ♣ 10 5 3
information away to the defenders. West East
♠Q4 ♠ J 10 8 7 5
In any event, when South arrives at three no-trump, West ♥Q987 ♥J5
♦84 ♦ J 10 9 2
leads the club queen, giving South an eighth trick at once. ♣AQJ76 ♣82
An even diamond split or favorable layout in hearts will South
♠A92
provide another, but South must beware of losing the ♥632
lead, since the defenders may be able to cash four club ♦AK73
♣K94
tricks.
Instead, hoping West has not led from a six-card suit, 1 NT Pass 2♣ Pass
declarer returns a club at trick two. Even if West can cash 2♦ Pass 3 NT All pass
four tricks, this play is unlikely to lose and lets declarer
test the red suits later on.
Opening Lead: ♣Q
As West plays his clubs, dummy lets go a heart and a
spade, declarer two hearts, and East two spades and a heart. West exits with a heart, and
declarer guesses to take the ace rather than risking everything on the double finesse.
When declarer cashes three diamond tricks and West shows out, things might look bleak.
But declarer returns to dummy with the spade king and takes the heart king, reducing
everyone to two cards. With the sole guard in both spades and diamonds, East must pitch
before declarer and let him score his ninth trick with either the diamond seven or spade
nine.
Note: If declarer tests diamonds before exiting with a club, the defense can prevail — but
only if West does not cash all his clubs to squeeze his partner.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: Half the world believes in bidding
South Holds: suits up the line here. The rest — including
♠K63 me — believe that their partner either has no
♥ A K 10 4 major (if they have less than invitational
♦Q65 values) or that they will be good enough to
♣ 10 5 3 bid their major over a rebid of one no-trump.
This style is called Walsh, and the
South West North East implication is that if you bid one heart now,
1♣ Pass 1♦ Pass you guarantee real clubs. So, I would bid
? one no-trump now.
The Aces on Bridge: Friday, August 23rd, 2019
“Into the darkness they go, the wise and the lovely. Crowned With lilies and with laurel
they go; but I am not resigned.”
— Edna St. Vincent Millay
Dealer: S North
North-South would probably have arranged to play this Vul: E-W ♠AJ93
deal in a part-score if the opponents had not competed. ♥8
♦QJ9763
But when West got involved by overcalling then competing ♣75
to four hearts, the auction became highly competitive. West East
♠K6 ♠8754
North can hardly be blamed for pushing to five diamonds
♥ Q 10 3 2 ♥KJ654
as a sort of two-way shot. ♦K2 ♦ 10
♣ A J 10 8 6 ♣Q93
The heart lead went to the king and ace. Declarer, South
♠ Q 10 2
expecting the diamond king and club ace to be on his left ♥A97
after the bidding and final double, sought to eliminate the ♦A854
♣K42
hand. He ruffed a heart at trick two, making the most of
his entries to hand, and returned with a diamond to the South West North East
ace. 1♦ 2♣ 3♣ 3♥
Pass 4♥ 5♦ Pass
The spade queen came next, covered by West. Declarer Pass Dbl. All pass
came back to the spade 10 to ruff his final heart before
Opening Lead: ♥3
cashing the spade jack. Had West ruffed, he would have
been endplayed, so he discarded. This only delayed his demise, however. Declarer exited
with a trump, and West had to grant declarer his gamegoing trick with the club king.
Had he been able to see all 52 cards, West might have done better to play small on the
spade queen, but declarer, perhaps imagining West with a doubleton spade after that
auction, would have stuck with his original plan by ruffing a heart and cashing the spade
ace.
Note that if West had begun with three spades to the king, he could beat the game
legitimately by ducking the first spade and covering the second. Declarer would then be
unable to eliminate the majors.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: I would have no objection to
South Holds: doubling on the first rounds despite my
♠ Q 10 2 sterile shape and the fact that I am facing a
♥A97 passed partner. Now it is imperative that we
♦A854 reopen the bidding by doubling. Don’t let the
♣K42 opponents buy the hand cheaply when they
have announced a fit.
Pass 1♥
Pass 2♥ Pass Pass
??
“Love of fame is the last thing even learned men can bear to be parted from.”
— Tacitus
Dealer: N North
Journalist Kees Tammens has just retired from his duties Vul: Both ♠J4
with the Dutch team as coach, reporter and cheerleader. ♥KJ98
♦KJ7
This was one of his last contributions to the bulletin. As ♣K852
West, when your lead of the spade king against four West East
♠ K Q 10 9 2 ♠753
hearts holds the trick, you must decide what to do next.
♥Q7 ♥ 10 6 3
♦ 10 6 4 3 ♦AQ95
A spade continuation may seem harmless, but it would ♣J9 ♣Q64
give declarer the chance for a brilliant maneuver. He could South
♠A86
play the spade ace and ruff a spade, lead a heart to the ♥A542
ace, then draw trumps in three rounds, cash both top ♦82
♣ A 10 7 3
clubs and endplay East with the third club.
The endplay holds the diamond losers to one and makes 1♣ Pass
the contract. We all wanted to know which declarer if any 1♥ 1♠ 2♥ 2♠
had played like that. Aarnout Helmich, coach of the Dutch 4♥ All pass
girls’ team (and himself a junior world champion in 2011
Opening Lead: ♠K
and 2012), was proud to announce that after the defense
of repeated spade leads, Juliet Berwald of the Netherlands had executed this very neat
endplay in her debut in international bridge.
But now you ask: Was there a defense, and if so, did anyone find it? Yes — a diamond
shift by West at trick two beats the contract. And, indeed, Brad Johnston from New
Zealand found the killing diamond shift when Dutch declarer Thibo Sprinkhuizen ducked
the opening top spade lead. While this only led to a flat board (since game was far easier
to defeat in the other room after a spade lead, where North was declarer), kudos to Brad
here.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: With no aces, but a full opener,
South Holds: do you want to drive your hand to game or
♠J4 merely invite it? I’m firmly in the pessimistic
♥KJ98 category in this case. I would raise to three
♦KJ7 clubs and, if partner were unable to make
♣K852 another call, be astonished if game turned
out to be makeable.
1♣ 1♠
Dbl. Pass 2♣ Pass
?

I assume you would pass in first seat with When balancing over the opponents’
♠ J-8-2, ♥ A-5-3-2, ♦ Q-5-3, ♣ K-9-4. If your opening call, I’m aware that a hand like ♠ Q-
partner opens one diamond and the next 6-2, ♥ Q-9-7-5-3, ♦ K-10, ♣ A-J-2 is more
hand overcalls one no-trump, do you double than sufficient to bid one heart over one
or assume your partner does not have a full diamond. But would you also balance at any
opener? vulnerability when playing pairs over a pre-
emptive two diamonds, or even a three-
— Trusted Traveler, Lorain, Ohio diamond opener?
— Lucky Luke, Monterey, Calif.
ANSWER: This is a very slippery slope. You
don’t have to double when the auction tells
you that your partner has embellished his ANSWER: You are right that this is a simple
initial call, because both opponents have bid hand with which to balance over one or two
strongly. But here, I think you do have to diamonds. But do you have enough to bid
double and take your lumps if partner has over a three-level preempt? I guess I might
psyched. If nothing else, it may discourage bid when non-vulnerable, but I wouldn’t be
him from further flights of fancy. thrilled by the prospect.

Holding ♠ K-9, ♥ A-Q-7-2, ♦ Q, ♣ A-K-Q-9-6- Say you have ♠ 9-2, ♥ 5-4, ♦ A-Q-7-3, ♣ Q-J-
3, would you open two clubs or one club, 4-3-2. After your left-hand opponent opens
and why? one no-trump and right-hand opponent
transfers into hearts, then passes, do you
— Hi-Lo Country, Bristol, Va. pass, double or bid a suit?
— Gerry the Gryphon, Bellingham, Wash.
ANSWER: Minor-suit oriented hands with
average controls often handle well by
starting low. Opening one club and jumping ANSWER: At pairs non-vulnerable, I think
to two hearts over one diamond or reversing this is just strong enough to act. The right
into hearts over a one-spade response tells way to get both minors into play is to bid two
partner much about your shape and high no-trump, suggesting both minors. Switch
cards at the two-level. You will seldom be your spades with one of the minors, and you
passed out in one club — and if you are, might double. Partner will bid spades or a
what chance did you have at game? five-card minor of his own, or scramble with
two no-trump to get you to pick a minor.
Dear Mr. Wolff:

I have been struggling to learn New Minor
after my partner rebids one no-trump, as a
way to explore for game and slam. Is it worth
the effort to play, and what would you
recommend after a jump rebid by opener of
two no-trump? Desperately Seeking
Something, Tunica,
— Miss.
ANSWER: Yes, New Minor (also called

Checkback) is well worth the effort — in the
same way that Stayman is an essential
adjunct to modern bidding. This way you get
to find fits in unbid majors, explore for 5-3
fits, and invite game efficiently. Over two no-
trump, using the unbid minor as artificial is
possible, but the Wolff Signoff
(www.acblunit390.org/Simon/wolff.htm)
works well, too.
“(The pragmatic method is) the attitude of looking away from first things, principles,
‘categories,’ supposed necessities; and of looking towards last things, fruits,
consequences, facts.”
— William James
Dealer: W North
When the World Youth Bridge Team Championships Vul: None ♠A
started exactly a year ago today in China, Phillip Alder ♥AQ8632
♦ K 10 8 7 5
pointed out that on the first board of each session, players ♣9
often aren’t warmed up; while on the last they are in a West East
♠ K Q 10 ♠754
hurry to dash out and score. But Giovanni Donati of Italy
♥ J 10 9 ♥7
proved that he needed no wake-up call. ♦Q6 ♦AJ943
♣ A 10 7 5 4 ♣K632
Against four hearts, West’s lead of the spade king went to South
♠J98632
the ace. Donati led the club nine to the jack and ace. ♥K54
When West shifted to the heart jack, South took that with ♦2
♣QJ8
his king and played a diamond to the seven and nine.
Back came a spade, ruffed in dummy, and now declarer South West North East
made the key play, leading dummy’s diamond king. When 1♣ 2 NT * Pass
East covered, Donati ruffed, drew trumps and conceded a 3♥ Pass 4♥ All pass
diamond to East’s jack to make his game.

*At least 5-5 in the red suits
Why did Donati find this play? Bridge at this level is
Opening Lead: ♠K
played with screens bisecting the table, and on his side of
the screen East had paused noticeably over four hearts. Clearly, he was thinking about
making a penalty double. Since he did not have a trump stack, the only reason to justify
that decision would be good diamonds.
Finally, did you notice that East could still have set the game, even after declarer’s
excellent decision? The contract still would have gone down if East had not covered the
diamond king with his ace. Then, if declarer had drawn trumps, he would have lost one
club and three diamonds. Alternatively, if he tried to ruff another diamond in hand, West
would have been able to over-ruff declarer.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: This hand seems too good to
South Holds: pass, and I don’t think double describes it
♠754 well. (I’d assume it was a balanced 9-10
♥7 count with at least two hearts.) The best way
♦AJ943 to get diamonds into play is to bid two no-
♣K632 trump, emphasizing the minors and
suggesting more diamonds than clubs
South West North East (otherwise, you would reraise clubs). Since
1♣ 1♠ you didn’t bid one no-trump before, you
2♣ 2♥ Pass Pass
surely don’t want to play no-trump now.
?
“Our love of what is beautiful does not lead to extravagance; our love of the things of the
mind does not make us soft.”
— Pericles
Dealer: E North
In today’s deal from last year’s World Youth Teams, Ida Vul: None ♠84
Gronkvist of Sweden reached four hearts from the short ♥ Q J 10 9 2
♦Q764
side, rather than the easier three no-trump. ♣ 10 5
West East
She won the spade lead and played a heart. When West ♠ Q J 10 9 5 ♠K763
won the ace, the contract turned out to be simple to make. ♥A3 ♥K854
♦ 10 9 5 2 ♦J8
If West played two more rounds of spades, declarer could ♣86 ♣J73
ruff in the short hand; nothing else would threaten trump South
♠A2
control. ♥76
♦AK3
Had both defenders ducked the first trump, a second ♣AKQ942
round of trumps would have been fatal. West would win
his ace and play two more rounds of spades, with East Pass
winning the next heart to lead another spade and wrest 1♣ 1♠ Pass 3♠
trump control from declarer. 3 NT Pass 4♦* Pass
4♥ All pass
Instead of continuing trumps, declarer would have had to *Hearts
play three rounds of clubs, then pitch a spade as West
Opening Lead: ♠Q
ruffed in. South would ruff a second spade in dummy and
again need to refrain from leading a trump. Instead, declarer would take two top diamonds
in hand and lead a fourth club to discard dummy’s small diamond. A further spade play by
East after ruffing this trick could be ruffed in hand, and the diamond queen discarded.
The contract can only be set on an initial low diamond lead by West. He then ducks the
first trump; East wins and returns a diamond. West then wins the next trump and leads the
diamond 10, ruffing out dummy’s queen and setting up a diamond for himself. Finally, East
shifts to a spade, dislodging declarer’s entry to the clubs after drawing trumps — and
declarer is sunk.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: Whether you play transfers or not
South Holds: is, in a sense, irrelevant here. The key point
♠84 is whether you want to show hearts and let
♥ Q J 10 9 2 partner play three no-trump with a
♦Q764 doubleton, or whether you want to insist on
♣ 10 5 hearts. I say insist on hearts. Unless partner
has six solid clubs, no-trump rates to be
South West North East best; if you can transfer there, so much the
2 NT Pass better.
?
“You can build a throne with bayonets, but it’s difficult to sit on it.”
— Boris Yeltsin
Dealer: W North
The Daily Bulletins at the World Youth Teams often rely on Vul: Both ♠ K 10 8
input not only from the players, but also from the coaches ♥76
♦KQJ4
and captains of the teams. Today’s exhibit, from the ♣AK75
France-Finland match, was reported by Kees Tammens West East
♠A3 ♠J6
and provided to him by Christophe Oursel, the French
♥Q83 ♥KJ952
coach and a strong player in his own right. ♦9532 ♦ A 10 8 7
♣ J 10 9 3 ♣Q6
The deal features a delightful coup executed by Aleksi South
♠Q97542
Aalto of the Finland team. You would certainly consider it ♥ A 10 4
a candidate for the shortlist of Best Play by a Junior. ♦6
♣842
North was playing a weak no-trump, so his rebid showed
a balanced 15-17. South showed invitational values and Pass 1♣ Pass
could hardly refuse his own invitation at his next turn. 1♠ Pass 1 NT * Pass
2♣** Pass 2♠ Pass
When West led the club jack, declarer won with the club 3♠ Pass 4♠ All pass
ace and continued with the diamond queen, taken by the
ace. Next came the club queen to dummy’s king. Declarer *15-17 points
disposed of one losing club on the diamond king and **Starting an invitational sequence
carried on with a low spade to the spade queen and ace.
Opening Lead: ♣J
When West played the master club 10, North followed
suit, and what was East to do? If he had ruffed in, the deal would have been over, since
one of declarer’s losing hearts would have disappeared, and the other would have gone
on the diamond jack.
But without hesitation, East pitched a heart. Now declarer had a tricky decision in the
trump suit. He played a spade to the 10, and East made his trump trick after all, with a
heart still to come, for down one.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: If playing negative doubles,
South Holds: opener must reopen with shortage when the
♠J6 auction gets back to him at a sensible level,
♥KJ952 whether he has a minimum or a maximum.
♦ A 10 8 7 You don’t have to double if you would pull a
♣Q6 penalty double from your partner (for
example, with king-queen-jack-fifth of
South West North East diamonds and a singleton small club, when
Pass a two-diamond call is sensible). But here,
1♥ 1♠ Pass Pass double and let the chips fall where they may!
?
“Christopher Robin was sitting outside his door, putting on his Big Boots. As soon as he
saw the Big Boots, Pooh knew that an Adventure was about to happen, and he brushed
the honey off his nose with the back of his paw, and spruced himself up as well as he
could, so as to look Ready for Anything.”
— A.A. Milne
Dealer: N North
When Poland played England in the World Youth Teams Vul: E-W ♠ A K Q 10 6
last year, we could watch the match on Bridge Base ♥K
♦KQ54
Online, with David Bird providing the spoken commentary, ♣AJ3
then the written in the bulletin the next day. West East
♠953 ♠J874
♥ Q J 10 9 3 ♥76
After a strong club and positive response, the English had
♦86 ♦J32
done well to reach six diamonds — the optimal contract. ♣Q97 ♣K854
Many pairs had failed the test and played three no-trump. South
♠2
Would the Poles be able to match that feat? Indeed, they ♥A8542
did — and more — on the auction shown. ♦ A 10 9 7
♣ 10 6 2
North got to show a strong hand with his repeated spade
calls. When the diamond fit came to light, Mateusz 1♣* Pass
Sobczak drove to a grand slam after finding two aces 1♥ Pass 1♠ Pass
opposite. Since declarer was dead minimum in high cards 2♥ Pass 2♠ Pass
3♦ Pass 4♦ Pass
and shape, the contract required very careful play, but
4♥ Pass 4 NT Pass
Piotr Marcinowski was up to the task. 5♥ Pass 7♦ All pass
He won the top heart lead in dummy and immediately

*12-14 balanced, or (as here) any
played three top spades, throwing his club losers. When 18 or more
he continued with a fourth spade, it was disappointing that
Opening Lead: ♥Q
it was East who produced the jack. Declarer followed the
odds when he ruffed with the diamond 10, and he was relieved that West could not over-
ruff.
Declarer now played the heart ace, diamond ace and club ace, ruffing the club jack with
the diamond nine. It remained only to draw trumps and claim the established long spade
for his 13th trick. The grand slam may have been against the odds, but the bidding had
been spirited, and the play had justified the optimism.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: Most doubles facing a passing
South Holds: partner should be take-out, and this is no
♠J874 exception. There is no reason to bid no-
♥76 trump with a feeble spade stopper and a
♦J32 perfectly good minor suit to bid. Just bid two
♣K854 clubs and see where things go from there.

1♥ Pass
Pass 1♠ Dbl. Pass
?
“How can a rational being be ennobled by anything that is not obtained by its own
exertions?”
— Mary Wollstonecraft
Dealer: W North
This deal from last year’s World Youth Teams in China Vul: Both ♠ 10 8 7 2
was originally reported by its victim, Australian junior Matt ♥AK5
♦32
Smith. ♣KJ93
West East
North played the hand in three no-trump successfully at ♠93 ♠KQJ5
16 of the 18 tables. After a friendly spade or club lead, the ♥ 10 6 3 2 ♥J7
♦ 10 9 8 5 4 ♦Q
contract came home almost every time. But Maxim ♣ 10 7 ♣AQ6542
Chodacki was declarer as South against Australia on an South
♠A64
auction where North’s one-club call had temporarily ♥Q984
silenced East, whereupon the jump to two diamonds was ♦AKJ76
♣8
natural and game forcing, keeping East out of the auction
altogether. South West North East
Pass 1♣ Pass
Jamie Thompson led a safe low heart to the jack and 2♦ Pass 2♠ Pass
queen. Declarer advanced the spade six and let it run to 2 NT Pass 3 NT All pass
East’s queen. Back came a heart, and declarer won in
dummy to lead a diamond to the queen and ace. Declarer Opening Lead: ♥2
now cashed a second top diamond, then crossed to the
heart ace and advanced the spade 10. When Matt Smith ducked this, declarer let it run!
Now declarer could cash his winners in the red suits, ending in dummy, to endplay East
with the fourth round of spades for the game-going trick. Had East covered the second
spade, declarer would simply have taken his diamonds, then set up his spade winner.
East could temporarily escape the endplay by exiting with the fourth spade to dummy, but
dummy would then advance the club king and eventually collect a club trick in the ending.
Technically, a low spade to the seven at trick two would have been safer, since West could
have covered the six and set the game.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: You may have only a 14-count,
South Holds: but slam in diamonds is easy to imagine if
♠A64 partner has nothing wasted in clubs. The
♥Q984 way to make a slam try and stay safely low if
♦AKJ76 necessary is to bid four clubs, showing
♣8 shortage in clubs and letting partner decide
whether to go high or low. Hearts is likely to
South West North East play better than diamonds — you should be
1♦ Pass able to pitch partner’s slow spade losers on
1♥ Pass 2♥ Pass your diamonds.
?
The Aces on Bridge: Saturday, August 31st, 2019
“Do not commence your exercises in philosophy in those regions where an error can
deliver you over to the executioner.”
— Georg Christoph Lichtenberg
Dealer: N North
In olden days, South would bid a forcing two-no-trump call Vul: None ♠K5
in response to one heart. These days, this call tends to be ♥AQ875
♦A65
reserved for forcing heart raises; South should instead ♣865
introduce his diamonds. West East
♠ J 10 9 8 4 ♠Q72
North then has a rebid problem. I wouldn’t want to bid two ♥ 10 9 4 2 ♥KJ
♦8 ♦ K 10 9 2
no-trump with three small clubs, and I prefer to raise ♣J92 ♣ Q 10 7 3
diamonds only with four trumps or some extras, though a South
♠A63
three-card raise in an unbalanced hand is possible. Here, ♥63
repeating the hearts looks best. ♦QJ743
♣AK4
Against three no-trump, West leads the spade jack, and
declarer sees he has just six top winners. His extra tricks 1♥ Pass
will be from a red suit, and diamonds seem like the most 2♦ Pass 2♥ Pass
promising direction. While the hand is likely to present no 2 NT Pass 3♦ Pass
3 NT All pass
special problem, South must still keep his eye on the ball.
Opening Lead: ♠J
South wins the first spade in his hand, but he must not
advance the diamond queen. Instead, at trick two, South leads a low diamond toward
dummy’s ace, then plays a diamond to his queen. If the suit breaks 3-2, his problems are
over. When West shows out, declarer must go back to dummy to make another diamond
play. He cannot afford to take the heart finesse; if it lost, a spade back might doom him.
Instead, he leads a low heart from his hand to dummy’s ace and plays a third diamond.
East returns the spade queen to dummy’s king, and declarer will cash out his nine tricks.
Note that the 4-1 diamond break means declarer will go down if he leads the diamond
queen at trick two.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: This auction should be played as
South Holds: forcing. If your partner had a limit raise in
♠A63 diamonds, he would invite at his first turn or
♥63 pass your non-forcing three-club call. If you
♦QJ743 believe you are being forced to act, bid three
♣AK4 spades, showing values and implicitly
denying even half a heart stop, in which
South West North East case you would have bid three hearts.
1♦ 1♥ 2♣ Pass
3♣ Pass 3♦ Pass
?
The Aces on Bridge: Sunday, September 1st, 2019

Does a successful doubled contract produce How important do you think it is to learn the
a game even if game has not been bid, or do precise percentages at bridge? How much of
the extra scores go above the line? Both correct declarer play and defense is about
interpretations make sense to me, but which table feel and table presence?
is correct?
— 10 Gallon Matt, Cedar Rapids, Iowa
— Bonus Baby, Tucson, Ariz.
ANSWER: You do not have to learn all the

ANSWER: When you make a doubled part- percentages; a few simple ones are enough.
score, the score for the contract goes below (Kelsey and Glauert’s book on practical odds
the line. Thus, three diamonds doubled should suffice.) Table presence outranks
scores as twice 60 or 120. Since that percentages all the time! But you must learn
number exceeds 100, it qualifies for the to hone your card-reading skills, to try to
game bonus. The insult, game bonus, and learn when you can trust your instincts and
overtricks go above the line — as usual. Two when you cannot.
clubs doubled scores as 80 — thus no game
bonus; two diamonds redoubled is 160 and
thus generates the game bonus. Dear Mr. Wolff:
Holding ♠ A-J-9, ♥ K-Q-J-9-3-2, ♦ 10-2, ♣ A-
Dear Mr. Wolff: J, my partner opened three diamonds in first
chair. Would your decision to bid on or pass
I heard my partner open with an artificial be influenced by vulnerability more than by
two-club bid with ♠ A Q-9-4-2, ♥ —-, ♦ A-Q- your choice of partner? Would it matter if the
10, ♣ A-J-10-9-5. I responded two diamonds, pre-empt was in second seat?
then raised a two-spade call to game with
♠ K-J-8-6-3, ♥ J-9-4, ♦ 8-3-2, ♣ 8-4, and we — Steven’s Son, Detroit, Mich.
played there. How might we have bid our
cards to slam — or should we have been
content with game? ANSWER: I know that four hearts might
make when facing heart length, but if I bid
— Orpheus, Hartford, Conn. three hearts, will partner be able to bid three
no-trump if he has no fit in hearts? Probably
not. It is much more likely that I can make
ANSWER: A two-club opening on an three no-trump my way up, so I might
unbalanced hand is game-forcing unless gamble it out. Facing a pre-empt in first seat
responder bids two diamonds, then issues a at favorable vulnerability, I would pass.
double negative at his second turn. Your
partner should have opened one spade;
after you jumped to four spades, he could
have shot to slam — which is an excellent
spot. Of course, had you raised two spades
to three (showing a better hand than a jump
to game), you still might have recovered.
Dear Mr. Wolff:

Holding ♠ Q-10-5-4, ♥ A, ♦ A-10-8-2, ♣ A-Q-
J-4, it felt right to open one diamond and
jump to three spades over the one-spade
response. My partner felt I could have driven
to game or even bid four hearts as a splinter
raise. Where do you stand on this issue?
— Billy Goat, Augusta, Ga.
ANSWER: Your values are on the cusp

between a drive to game and an invitation —
the singleton ace doesn’t really pull its full
weight. I wouldn’t jump to four hearts with a
4-1-4-4 shape unless I had full value in high
cards. This hand is not worth that action, so
your choice was a little pessimistic but
entirely reasonable.
The Aces on Bridge: Monday, September 2nd, 2019
“Truth sits upon the lips of dying men.”

— Matthew Arnold
Dealer: S North
In today’s deal, West’s weak jump overcall only served to Vul: Both ♠AK964
help declarer place the cards. Having found out his side ♥K854
♦A9
had all the keycards, North asked for the trump queen. ♣A9
South knew his partner was interested in a grand slam, so West East
♠ 10 3 ♠QJ875
with the queen and a source of tricks, South needed no
♥9632 ♥—
further encouragement to go for the big prize. ♦ K J 10 8 5 3 2 ♦64
♣— ♣ J 10 8 6 4 2
West, unwilling to risk a pointed-suit attack, led a safe South
♠2
trump, ducked in dummy. When East showed out, South ♥ A Q J 10 7
could count only 11 tricks. One line might have been to ♦Q7
♣KQ753
ruff clubs in dummy. However, the combination of West’s
overcall plus his known trump length marked him with a South West North East
minimum of 10 red cards, and therefore no more than 1♥ 3♦ 4♦ Pass
three in the black suits. 4♥ Pass 4 NT Pass
5♦ Pass 5♠* Pass
7♥ All pass
Still, the corollary to West having these red-suit cards
meant that East had an equivalent number of black-suit *Asking for the trump queen
cards, which might render him ripe for a squeeze. South Opening Lead: ♥2
saw that he could generate one extra trick from a dummy
reversal. He won the trump lead with the ace, cashed the heart queen and led a spade to
the ace (West following suit, to declarer’s relief), then trumped a spade with the jack. A
diamond to the ace was followed by another spade, this time ruffed with the 10. Declarer
next led his last trump, the seven, and overtook it with the eight.
The heart king pulled West’s last trump, and East was squeezed. That player could not
retain four clubs and two spades. Rather than watch East squirm, South showed him his
hand, and East conceded defeat.
LEAD WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: I would lead the diamond two.
South Holds: My best shot appears to be to give partner a
♠72 diamond ruff when I get in with the heart
♥A5 ace. It is unlikely that a club trick will stand
♦ 10 8 6 2 up, but if it does, we can probably try it later
♣K8742 on. Note that a spade lead is unlikely to do
much good. If partner has the spade king
South West North East over dummy’s ace, he will probably score it
Pass 1♦ 2♣ 2♥ sooner or later.
5♣ 6♥ All pass
The Aces on Bridge: Tuesday, September 3rd, 2019
“A community is like a ship; everyone ought to be prepared to take the helm.”

— Henrik Ibsen
Dealer: W North
This hand came along at the 2017 Vanderbilt Trophy in Vul: None ♠AJ5
the North American Spring Nationals; at the wheel was ♥75
♦J9754
Jan Jansma of the Netherlands. ♣K84
West East
West opened the bidding light, then compounded his ♠3 ♠8762
♥ 10 9 2 ♥KJ63
felony with a support double to show three hearts. This
♦AKQ62 ♦ 10
didn’t keep North-South from reaching the spade game, ♣9632 ♣ A J 10 5
though, after North made an unassuming cue-bid. South South
♠ K Q 10 9 4
suggested no-trump initially, then despite his partner’s ♥AQ84
retreat to three spades, he awarded himself a fourth ♦83
♣Q7
spade.
It is difficult to consider any lead other than a top diamond 1♦ Pass 1♥
from West’s hand, and it was the king that was tabled. 1♠ Dbl.* 2♦ Pass
West switched to his singleton trump at trick two, but it 2 NT Pass 3♠ Pass
4♠ All pass
came too late. Jansma won with dummy’s ace, finessed
the heart queen successfully, cashed the heart ace and *Three hearts
ruffed a third heart low in dummy. Opening Lead: ♦K
Then, planning to ruff his last heart in dummy, declarer played a low club toward his
queen. Divining declarer’s intentions, East rose with the ace and played another trump.
This served to give declarer a 10th trick, but it was not immediately clear how South could
make use of it, given the club blockage and the lack of a side-suit entry to dummy.
However, South drew the rest of East’s trumps and cashed his own club queen. He then
exited with his last heart. East won with the king, but with no diamonds remaining, he was
forced to resurrect dummy’s club king for the game-going trick. East had been used as a
stepping-stone to reach dummy’s stranded winner.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: I would pass here. A two-level
South Holds: overcall usually promises a six-card suit and
♠3 for good reason. Even though I have
♥ 10 9 2 excellent diamonds and want them led, I
♦AKQ62 have no desire to win the contract, and my
♣9632 heart holding is very bad for declaring. The
real danger may be that partner leads a
South West North East club, not a diamond, against a spade game;
1♥ I’ll pay off to that.
?
The Aces on Bridge: Wednesday, September 4th, 2019
“A writer is somebody for whom writing is more difficult than it is for other people.”
— Thomas Mann
Dealer: N North
After some aggressive bidding from almost everybody at Vul: N-S ♠QJ862
the table, West led a top spade against five clubs and ♥KQ
♦K964
shifted to a heart. When East won and returned the suit, ♣42
South saw that it would be suicidal to try for a heart ruff in West East
♠AK943 ♠75
dummy, since West was all but certain to ruff in ahead of
♥54 ♥ A J 10 9 8 3
dummy. So declarer banged down the club ace-king and ♦QJ82 ♦ 10 7 5
breathed a sigh of relief when the suit split. ♣Q5 ♣J8
South
♠ 10
Since his heart seven was surely going to be a menace ♥762
against East, declarer could see that both opponents were ♦A3
♣ A K 10 9 7 6 3
going to be squeezed dry on the run of the trumps. West
was in sole possession of the spade guard, so who would South West North East
be able to hold onto the diamond guard? 1♠ 3♥
4♣ Pass 4♦ Pass
On the last club, everyone came down to three cards. 5♣ All pass
West had to keep the spade ace and reduced himself to
Opening Lead: ♠K
two diamonds. When dummy let go of the spade queen
from the board, East came under the gun. He had to allow declarer his game-going trick
by unguarding one of the red suits.
Hard as it may seem, West could have attacked the entry to the double menace by
shifting to diamonds at trick two, or East could have broken up the timing for the squeeze
by ducking the first heart.
I suppose East might have figured out that even if South had four hearts, the heart losers
were going nowhere. And if declarer held the diamond ace-queen, they would have to be
doubleton. So, ducking the first heart must be right, hard as that might seem.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: It is risky, but three no-trump is
South Holds: where the money is. I hope to run the club
♠ 10 suit, scoring nine quick tricks with partner’s
♥762 hoped-for major-suit ace. If my major suit
♦A3 holdings were swapped, I would of course
♣ A K 10 9 7 6 3 raise partner’s suit. And will I sit for it if
doubled? I’m glad I don’t have enough
South West North East space to answer that.
1♦ 1♠ 3♦
?
The Aces on Bridge: Thursday, September 5th, 2019
“God be thanked, the meanest of his creatures Boasts two soul-sides; one to face the
world with, One to show a woman when he loves her!”
— Robert Browning
Dealer: W North
Eric Greco won player of the year for the ACBL by virtue Vul: N-S ♠J95
of a series of outstanding finishes in the major events in ♥AK6
♦ 10 9 8
2018. I first registered Eric’s talent when he played for the ♣Q742
U.S. Juniors over 20 years ago; here he is at work from West East
♠ Q 10 6 ♠8
the finals of the 1997 World Junior Team Championships.
♥ 10 9 ♥Q8752
It was somewhat ironic that he found one of the best plays ♦KQ5 ♦J76
of the tournament here, to hold his losses on the deal to 5 ♣ K J 10 9 3 ♣A865
South
IMPs. ♠AK7432
♥J43
In four spades on the opening lead of the heart 10, Greco ♦A432
♣—
rose with the king and ran the diamond 10. He won the
heart return in dummy, and then passed the diamond nine South West North East
after a lot of thought. 1♣ Pass 1♥
1♠ Pass 2♥ 3♣
His plan was to set up the diamonds without letting East 4♠ All pass
in. That would work if hearts were 5-2, but if hearts broke
Opening Lead: ♥10
4-3, there might easily be a trump promotion on the 13th
heart.
All was well, since Greco had read the cards correctly, and West had no heart to lead
when he took the second diamond. West exited with a club, and declarer ruffed, cashed
the top spades and led the fourth diamond to pitch the heart loser to make the hand. Alas
for USA, four spades doubled was let through in the other room when the first three tricks
started the same way, but declarer then came to hand with a top spade to lead the
diamond ace. West forgot to unblock his other top diamond on this trick, so East could not
get in to cash the hearts, and the play transposed back to Greco’s line.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: Clearly the hand is far too good
South Holds: to pass two hearts. Should you drive to four
♠8 hearts or consult your partner by making an
♥Q8752 invitational raise? Here, the singleton in
♦J76 partner’s suit is more useful than usual
♣A865 because of the fifth trump. At teams, I could
understand driving to game, but at pairs, a
South West North East simple raise looks right to protect the plus
1♠ Pass score.
1 NT Pass 2♥ Pass
?
The Aces on Bridge: Friday, September 6th, 2019
“A severed foot is the ultimate stocking stuffer.”

— Mitch Hedberg
Dealer: S North
After West’s weak jump overcall, North’s cue-bid of three Vul: None ♠A6
spades promised a game-going hand with at least three ♥Q74
♦AKQ4
hearts. Despite South’s discouraging signoff in game, ♣K732
North continued rather optimistically to what proved to be West East
♠ K Q 10 9 8 2 ♠3
the delicate slam.
♥8 ♥ J 10 9 3
♦932 ♦ J 10 7 5
West led the spade king to dummy’s ace, and declarer ♣ Q 10 6 ♣J984
paused to form a plan. Declarer saw that even if trumps South
♠J754
were 3-2, he would only have 11 top tricks. He rejected ♥AK652
the idea of ruffing a spade low in dummy as hopeless, and ♦86
♣A5
saw that a squeeze on West between spades and a minor
suit was impractical because of his need to find trumps South West North East
breaking. 1♥ 2♠ 3♠ Pass
4♥ Pass 4♠ Pass
With known spade length to his left, declarer realized that 5♣ Pass 6♥ All pass
pressure on East was possible but the key would come
from scoring all his small trumps in hand. So he continued Opening Lead: ♠K
by cashing the two top hearts in his hand, followed by the
club aceking. After ruffing a club, declarer returned to dummy with the diamond queen to
ruff the fourth round of clubs. Declarer next cashed the diamond aceking, then led the
fourth diamond from table. When East followed suit, declarer ruffed with his last trump.
At this point, declarer had taken one spade, two trumps, three ruffs and the five minor-suit
winners, with the master trump still in dummy.
This line needed West to have either one or two trumps and East to have at least four
cards in each minor. If that was not so, East could ruff a minor-suit card and leave
declarer with a spade loser.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: I would take the slow route with a
South Holds: two-heart cue-bid. A jump to the no-trump
♠A6 game would be premature; we could easily
♥Q74 belong in spades or even a minor suit. This
♦AKQ4 cue-bid does not guarantee spade support,
♣K732 and I plan to suggest no-trump later, to show
a flexible hand with doubts as to the best
South West North East strain. You would not bid this way with only a
1♥ 1♠ Pass singleton spade, so partner can always
? convert to four spades.
The Aces on Bridge: Saturday, September 7th, 2019
by Bobby Wolff on September 21st, 2019
“Against the disease of writing one must take special precautions, since it is a dangerous
and contagious disease.”
— Peter Abelard
Dealer: S North
In a high-level teams game, both tables reached four Vul: E-W ♠5
hearts on the lead of the club three. Both declarers played ♥J942
♦AQJ653
low from dummy, and East inserted the club 10. Each ♣J5
declarer won the first trick in hand and guessed well to West East
♠ 10 8 6 4 3 ♠A972
lead a low trump. After winning the ace, both Wests
♥A ♥ 10 7 6 5
continued clubs to dummy’s jack and East’s king. The ♦ K 10 8 ♦9
defenders continued the accurate play by cashing the ♣Q983 ♣ K 10 6 2
South
spade ace, then forcing dummy with a club. ♠KQJ
♥KQ83
At the first table, declarer ruffed low, then drew trumps ♦742
♣A74
with the jack, king and ace. After cashing the spade king-
queen, declarer took a diamond finesse; when that held, South West North East
he called for the diamond ace. When East discarded a 1 NT Pass 2♣ Pass
spade, declarer had to concede the setting trick to the 2♥ Pass 4♥ All pass
diamond king.
Opening Lead: ♣3
The second declarer, warned by the premature
appearance of the trump ace, ruffed the third round of clubs with the heart nine and
continued with the trump jack. He realized that the contract would depend on West
holding the diamond king, and that entries to hand were at a premium, so when East
followed with a low trump, declarer overtook dummy’s jack with his queen. Now he was in
the right hand to take the diamond finesse. Once that succeeded, declarer led dummy’s
trump four to his eight.
After drawing the last trump, declarer cashed his spade winners, then led a diamond to
the 10 and jack. The diamond ace was his 10th trick: he had made two spades, three
trumps, three diamonds, a club and a club ruff.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: This is not a great 15-count I
South Holds: admit, but it feels like you should take a call.
♠KQJ The choice is to bid one no-trump (ugly
♥KQ83 without a diamond stopper) or to double with
♦742 only three cards in an unbid major. Your
♣A74 slight extra values suggest that you have
just enough compensation for the lack of
South West North East shape. so I would double.
1♣ Pass 1♦
?
The Aces on Bridge: Sunday, September 8th, 2019
by Bobby Wolff on September 22nd, 2019

Recently, you discussed a sequence in What is the best defense against opponents’
which opener bids one spade and the next three-level pre-emptive bids? I play Michaels
hand overcalls two clubs. What options are Cuebids, but recently my partner mentioned
available in the modern game of raising that the principle could be extended to more
spades, and how would that change for a situations than just a cue-bid. I’m assuming
passed hand? these methods should be combined with
take-out doubles and a natural bid in no-
— Pick-up Pete, New Smyrna Beach, Fla. trump.
— Headliner, Newark, N.J.
ANSWER: Clearly bidding spades at the
two-, three- and four-levels means the same
whether you are a passed hand or not, with ANSWER: Yes, if you play take-out doubles
a cuebid suggesting a high-card limit raise or and a natural three no-trump call over a
better. But by a passed hand you can play fit major-suit pre-empt, you can, if you want,
jumps in new suits, while as an unpassed give up on playing four of a minor as natural.
hand you may prefer to use those Instead, play it as that minor and the unbid
sequences as natural and weak. major, 5-5 pattern. Here, the cue-bid of the
major would either be both minors or
whatever else you want it to be.
Dear Mr. Wolff:
Playing two-over-one, my partner opened Dear Mr. Wolff:
one club. I held: ♠ J-9-3, ♥ K-5, ♦ A-J-10-6-3-
2, ♣ 10-4. I was planning to bid and rebid my Holding ♠ Q-10-5-4, ♥ 6, ♦ 8-6, ♣ K-10-6-5-4-
diamonds, but my right-hand opopnent 2 at favorable vulnerability, I heard my
overcalled one spade, and now I did not partner bid three spades over a one-heart
know if a two-diamond response would opening. My right-hand-opponent raised to
constitute an overbid. four hearts. What would you do?
— Roman Candle, Palm Springs, Calif. — Sleeping Dogs, Columbia, S.C.
ANSWER: In competition, the doctrine of ANSWER: I do not normally like to jump

two-over-one as game forcing can be set raise to the five-level pre-emptively, because
aside, since you have to be able to bid when the opponents often misjudge and decide to
you have shape and some values. Playing defend a level lower. Here, however, I would
weak jump responses, this hand is far too guess to cramp the bidding with a five-spade
strong, but it is well within the constraints for bid, hoping to give my opponents the last
bidding and rebidding diamonds to suggest guess. Will I save if they bid slam? I’m glad
quasi-invitational values. you didn’t ask!
Dear Mr. Wolff:

When overcalling a strong no-trump to show
a single-suited or two-suited hand, what
criteria should I use to decide whether to act
or pass in direct and balancing seat? And
how should I think about this system at pairs
as opposed to teams?
— Dumbo, Rockford, Ill.
ANSWER: At teams and at pairs when

vulnerable and in direct seat, try to wait for
the right shape to bid, since the penalties for
wandering in inappropriately can be severe.
In balancing seat, and especially non-
vulnerable or when a passed hand, I strive to
act with any excuse. Sometimes my idea of
what is reasonable can be distinctly dubious.
Playing a method that allows you to bid with
both one-suited and two-suited hands is
advisable.
The Aces on Bridge: Monday, September 9th, 2019
by Bobby Wolff on September 23rd, 2019
“He’s a muddle-headed fool with frequent lucid intervals.”

— Miguel de Cervantes
Dealer: N North
This week’s themed deals are based on mandatory Vul: Both ♠AJ
falsecards in defense. When it cannot deceive partner, or ♥AJ2
♦KQ732
if doing so will not matter, it may pay to try to lead declarer ♣A95
astray. West East
♠ Q 10 9 2 ♠6
♥ K Q 10 7 3 ♥9654
South somewhat prematurely committed to six spades
♦ 10 8 ♦J95
instead of six diamonds here; then he had to make it. ♣J6 ♣ 10 8 4 3 2
Having taken the heart lead in dummy, he focused on South
♠K87543
bringing the trumps in for one loser. There would be no ♥8
problem on a 3-2 break, so declarer turned his mind to the ♦A64
♣KQ7
possibility of a 4-1 split.
The percentage play here is simply to finesse the jack, 1♦ Pass
gaining against the four cases of queenfourth onside 1♠ Pass 2 NT Pass
compared with the one instance of a bare queen offside. 3♠ Pass 4♠ Pass
6♠ All pass
This is what declarer would have done if West had
followed lazily with the two. But West tried the effect of Opening Lead: ♥K
contributing the 10 at his first turn, offering declarer an
alternative.
Seeing that he could now protect a singleton 10 to his left, declarer rose with the ace and
returned the jack — and was mightily discomfited when East showed out.
South was just a little naive here. When the spade 10 or nine appeared, rising with the
spade ace was playing against the odds. And note that South had an extra chance even if
he finessed into East’s four-card suit. After a club return, declarer would win in hand,
cross to the trump ace and diamond king to ruff hearts, then try to run the diamonds. If
East had been forced to follow to three diamond leads, declarer would have finished in
dummy at trick 12 for a trump coup.
LEAD WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: I would lead a club. Dummy’s
South Holds: long spades are looming for discards, and
♠J43 unless we cash our top tricks right away, we
♥73 may never score them. Even though our
♦ J 10 8 respective lengths suggest that more
♣KJ532 diamond tricks will stand up than clubs, we
need much less from partner in clubs.
South West North East Arguably, the king might be the right card to
Pass 1♠ Dbl. 2♥ offer up, allowing us to retain the lead if a
Pass 3♠ Pass 4♥ diamond shift looks necessary at trick two.
All pass
The Aces on Bridge: Tuesday, September 10th, 2019
“Errors are not in the art but in the artificers.”

— Sir Isaac Newton
Dealer: S North
None of the falsecards discussed this week are likely to Vul: None ♠Q92
cost, and all of them offer declarer a different, ♥Q86
♦ Q 10 2
unsuccessful line of play. Here, West led the unbid suit ♣AK97
against four hearts, setting up a spade winner for his side West East
♠ J 10 7 5 ♠K843
and compelling declarer to bring trumps in for one loser.
♥K75 ♥J9
♦A754 ♦86
Some would tackle trumps by leading to the queen, ♣Q3 ♣ J 10 8 6 4
intending to finesse the 10 on the way back if that loses. South
♠A6
However, due to South’s poor intermediates, he preferred ♥ A 10 4 3 2
to cash the ace, then play toward the queen. In ♦KJ93
♣52
comparison to the other line, this picks up a singleton jack
or king offside and the doubleton jack with West, five South West North East
cases in total. The alternative line succeeds against king- 1♥ Pass 2♣ Pass
jack-low and jack-nine doubleton offside, only four cases. 2♦ Pass 4♥ All pass
Had East dropped the nine under the ace, South would no
Opening Lead: ♠J
doubt have led to the queen next, since he could not
succeed against king-jack-fourth with West. But our East was made of sterner stuff and
nonchalantly dropped the heart jack under the ace, presenting South with an attractive
losing option.
Taken in by this, declarer confidently finessed the heart eight on the next round, playing
for East to have started with the bare jack or king-jack doubleton. He could survive a 4-1
trump break, since dummy’s spade nine would serve to stop that suit and prevent the
force.
Unfortunately for declarer, East won with the heart nine, and yet another apparently
unbreakable game had vanished down the drain.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: It is normally the duty of the
South Holds: player with shortness in their suit to enter the
♠A6 auction. Here, it is more dangerous to stand
♥ A 10 4 3 2 idly by and allow the opponents to play two
♦KJ93 spades than to enter the bidding. After all, a
♣52 heart contract could easily be in the offing.
However, three hearts would be too
South West North East committal and would overstate the quality of
1♠ Pass 2♠ the suit. Double is best; if partner bids three
? clubs, respect his decision.
“Back on planet Earth they shatter the illusion The world’s going ‘round in a state of
confusion”
— Ray Davies
Dealer: S North
This week’s theme involves giving your opponents a Vul: N-S ♠ 10 8 2
chance to go wrong. If a play has only upsides, it is clearly ♥AK2
♦63
a useful weapon to add to your armory. ♣ Q 10 8 7 3
West East
A normal auction from a teams game landed South in a ♠Q9763 ♠J5
poor but makeable contract on today’s deal. Not for the ♥ 10 9 6 ♥8754
♦AJ ♦ K 10 8 2
first time, though, the defense had other ideas, and they ♣J64 ♣K92
successfully led declarer down the garden path. South
♠AK4
♥QJ3
West led his fourth-highest spade against three no-trump, ♦Q9754
and declarer optimistically tried the 10, covered by the ♣A5
jack and ace. Needing four club tricks for his contract,
declarer laid down the club ace, hoping to guess well on 1 NT Pass 3 NT All pass
the next round.
When East followed with the deuce, declarer had to Opening Lead: ♠6
decide whether West had king-third or jack-third. He
mentally flipped a coin and called for dummy’s 10, landing his game.
In the other room, East made declarer’s losing option more attractive by dropping the club
nine under the ace, making dummy’s spot cards solid. Thus, declarer could now succeed
against one 4-2 break as well — jack-nine doubleton with East. This extra chance was
enough to tip the scales in favor of playing the club queen. East had swindled declarer out
of his game bonus.
An interesting corollary to this is that if an expert East does not drop the nine, he cannot
hold king-nine-low. However, jacknine-low is still a possibility because playing the nine
from that holding would serve only to help declarer.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: This hand is far from useless in
South Holds: context because the spade jack and
♠J5 diamond king should be useful fillers in
♥8754 partner’s long suits. Two diamonds may be
♦ K 10 8 2 the best partscore to play in, but we cannot
♣K92 be sure how strong partner’s hand is. We
could still have a game, so passing now
South West North East would be too pessimistic. False preference
1♠ Pass to two spades is best, since if partner makes
1 NT Pass 2♦ Pass another bid, we are likely to belong in game.
?
“Man is Nature’s sole mistake!”

— W.S. Gilbert
Dealer: W North
Despite the disparity in North’s suits, he preferred to get Vul: None ♠ A Q J 10 2
his hand off his chest in one turn, hence his Michaels ♥ 10 8 7 5 4
♦K2
Cue-bid as opposed to a simple one-spade overcall. ♣4
South jumped to four hearts, and West tabled the West East
♠973 ♠854
diamond queen.
♥A ♥KJ9
♦QJ65 ♦9843
With a club trick to lose, South needed to limit his trump ♣AJ976 ♣K53
losers to two. He won the diamond king in dummy and South
♠K6
called for a low heart. If East followed with the nine, ♥Q632
declarer intended to follow small. Since West had opened ♦ A 10 7
♣ Q 10 8 2
the bidding and had not led a top club, he seemed to have
at most eight points in the minors and thus had to hold a South West North East
top heart honor. Intended to duck the first heart would be 1♣ 2♣* Pass
beneficial if West held a singleton top heart honor, and it 4♥ All pass
would almost never lose against other lines. *Majors
However, East had also been thinking ahead and had Opening Lead: ♦Q
worked out that declarer must have the diamond ace, and
that even if West had the spade king, it would be in the pocket. Since the defenders were
entitled to at most one club trick, they needed three trumps — which could only be done if
West had the heart ace. That would be simple if West had the doubleton ace, but what if it
were singleton?
Hoping to put declarer off the right track, East inserted the heart jack. Now declarer could
no longer duck in complete safety, since West might have aceking-nine. No count of the
hand was available, and declarer was forced to guess. Can you blame him for putting up
the queen and dooming his own contract?
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: Partner has an unbalanced hand
South Holds: with at least five clubs and four spades.
♠854 Although this shape and heart holding
♥KJ9 suggest no-trump, a twoclub preference is
♦9843 the better call. If partner has something like
♣K53 a 4=3=1=5 shape, it will not take the defense
long to go after the diamonds once the
South West North East dummy is displayed in one no-trump. Clubs
1♣ Pass may not be the top-scoring contract, but it is
1♦ Pass 1♠ Pass
probably the safest.
?
“Necessity never made a good bargain.”

— Benjamin Franklin
Dealer: S North
Mandatory falsecards may temporarily mislead partner, Vul: E-W ♠2
but the trade-off of confusing partner as opposed to ♥QJ73
♦A986
declarer is one you can accept if the circumstances are ♣AK54
right. West East
♠ J 10 5 ♠A3
♥ A K 10 4 ♥9852
In today’s deal, South exploited the vulnerability with an
♦ 10 7 3 ♦KQ54
aggressive four-spade opening. He had good spades, no ♣863 ♣QJ7
defense and a singleton in the other major, making this a South
♠KQ98764
reasonable tactical move. ♥6
♦J2
A minor-suit lead would have given the contract no ♣ 10 9 2
chance, but West led a top heart, of course. On seeing the
dummy and a discouraging card from his partner, West 4♠ All pass
shifted to a diamond. Declarer took dummy’s ace and
threw a diamond on the heart queen, setting up a trick in Opening Lead: ♥K
that suit.
Declarer ruffed the next diamond, crossed to the club ace and led a trump off dummy.
When East followed low, declarer won his king. He needed to bring spades in for one
loser, and if West had instinctively followed with the five, South would have had to play for
ace-doubleton on his right by leading a low trump next, making his game.
However, West was aware of the situation and dropped the 10, creating a losing option for
declarer where none had previously existed. South now had to decide whether West had
jack-10 doubleton or jack-10-low. The Principle of Restricted Choice could not help
because West had two equals either way. The only inference he had was that West might
not have found this defense if he had three trumps. So South continued with the spade
queen and lost his game.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: This hand has great potential in
South Holds: support of hearts. The ruffing value in
♠2 spades, top cards in the side suits and
♥QJ73 secondary trump honors are all positive
♦A986 features, so a simple raise to two hearts,
♣AK54 while correct in terms of high-card points,
would be inadequate. A jump raise to three
South West North East hearts is what this hand is worth. Compare
1♦ Pass 1♥ Pass this hand to a 4-4-3-2 shape to see the extra
? potential here.
“Credulity is the man’s weakness but the child’s strength.”

— Charles Lamb
Dealer: N North
West led the fourth highest of the unbid suit, clubs, Vul: None ♠QJ963
against three no-trump, letting East encourage under ♥ A J 10 2
♦962
dummy’s ace. Declarer immediately began work on the ♣A
diamonds, leading low from dummy toward his honors. If West East
♠ A 10 7 5 ♠K82
East had followed with the eight, declarer surely would
♥87 ♥9653
have succeeded. The winning line of crossing back to ♦AK4 ♦ 10 8
dummy in hearts and leading the diamond nine would ♣ 10 7 5 2 ♣J864
South
have unblocked the suit and seen declarer come home. ♠4
♥KQ4
However, East threw a wrench into the works when he ♦QJ753
♣KQ93
inserted the 10 at his first turn. Given his failure to support
his partner, South was all but certain to hold five South West North East
diamonds, so the play was unlikely to cause harm. 1♠ Pass
2♦ Pass 2♥ Pass
West took South’s queen and continued clubs to the jack 2 NT Pass 3 NT All pass
and king, dummy throwing a spade. Declarer continued
diamonds from his hand, and when West played the four, Opening Lead: ♣2
he called for dummy’s six! He was trying to pick up West’s
ace-king-eightlow. As it was, though, East scored his diamond eight, and down went the
game.
You can hardly blame declarer here. He could have played the diamond nine on the
grounds that he wasn’t down in top tricks if East showed out, but his chance of coming
home would have been so small that his actual play was completely logical.
It is interesting to note that East can afford this play of the diamond 10 from honor-10-
eight as well. It may feel as if you are sacrificing something of value, but there is almost no
scenario where the play will cost you.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: Speak now or forever hold your
South Holds: peace. If you pass, you may find yourself on
♠4 lead against one no-trump. Partner may or
♥KQ4 may not have spade values, but he could
♦QJ753 certainly have a good hand, especially given
♣KQ93 the limited values many players open and
respond with these days. I would make a
South West North East take-out double and be glad that I have a
1♠ Pass 1 NT way to get my shape across.
?

Please explain the philosophy behind cue- I picked up ♠ K-3, ♥ K-Q-5-4, ♦ A-9, ♣ A-J-6-
bidding aces before second-round controls, 5-4 and was torn between opening one no-
as opposed to making the most economical trump and bidding one club, with the
cue-bid. Doesn’t this run the risk of reaching intention of reversing into hearts. What
slam with two aces missing? should be the deciding factor here?
— Roman Candle, Tupelo, Miss. — Locum Tenens, Pueblo, Colo.
ANSWER: You can combine cue-bidding ANSWER: I’m somewhat out of step with the
with Blackwood to minimize the risk you “open one no-trump on everything that
mention. Cue-bidding is best used when you moves and some things that don’t” faction.
need to know if partner can co-operate. To my mind, if a hand can be easily and
Often there will be a danger suit where you accurately described by bidding suits, as
need help from partner before heading for here, then just do it. With a 16-count, you
the stratosphere. These days, the practice of might feel differently; make the club jack the
cue-bidding indiscriminately up the line has club three, for example, and this is a clear
become the norm. one-no-trump opener.

Recently, at pairs, I held ♠ 10-4, ♥ K-10-2, I’m curious as to whether the national team
♦ A-7-6-2, ♣ A-Q-5-4. I opened one diamond, for the USA usually has a sponsor. What is
and after a one-heart response, I could not your opinion on the subject? Would
decide whether to raise hearts, introduce excluding professionals by having pairs trials
clubs or rebid one no-trump. The heart raise make a noticeable difference in our chances
did not work out well when trumps were 5-1! of success in world events?
Bring on the Moyse, Saint John’s, Newfound
— Rumblefish, Manchester, N.H.
— land
ANSWER: While sponsorship allows good

ANSWER: Two points: First, I prefer to open players to concentrate on bridge and thus to
one club, not one diamond, since I’ve seen get better, I’d still like to see a system that
my partner on lead before and I prefer to allows the three best pairs to make up our
have him lead good suits instead of bad team. That said, two or three sponsors are
ones. Second, raising hearts is fine by me. more than good enough to play for USA with
This way, we make sure to reach our 5-3 fits no weakening of the team. Marty Fleisher
on part-score hands, and partner can ask if I and Nick Nickell, who are captaining the
have three or four trumps when we belong in U.S. teams in China this week, are really fine
game. players.
Dear Mr. Wolff:

Is there any point in discussing good or bad
results at the table, or is it better to wait until
after the game? If you advise against going
over unfavorable results immediately, is
there anything that is worth discussing?
— Well-Tempered Clarence, Wilmington ,
N.C.
ANSWER: There is little reason to discuss

your side’s declarer play. A bidding accident
will merit discussion only if you need to
ensure it will not happen again in the current
set. Defensive cardplay (where the blame is
often hardest to assign) may be the toughest
to ignore. But very little is gained by debate
at the table — unless you have downtime in
a set for some reason.
“The past is the only dead thing that smells sweet.”

— Edward Thomas
Dealer: E North
In today’s auction, South opted for a simple overcall, Vul: E-W ♠Q5
rather than a preempt. Then West decided on a simple ♥2
♦K875
raise, planning to re-compete with a further raise if he had ♣ A J 10 9 7 3
the chance. He didn’t, because North exploited the West East
♠9763 ♠ A J 10 8 2
vulnerability to drive to five diamonds, hoping his clubs
♥ Q 10 9 ♥KJ743
would come in handy. ♦A6 ♦2
♣Q862 ♣K5
No one had anything further to say, but looking at his high- South
♠K4
card values, West sensibly led out ace and another ♥A865
diamond. Declarer realized that there was a spade trick to ♦ Q J 10 9 4 3
♣4
lose, and now that dummy was reduced to two trumps,
declarer could no longer take three heart ruffs. South West North East
1♠
In order to bring his game home, declarer realized that he 2♦ 2♠ 5♦ All pass
needed to bring in dummy’s clubs. At trick three, he
played a club to the ace and ruffed a club, bringing down
Opening Lead: ♦A
the king from East. If clubs broke 3-3, declarer would have
the entries he needed via heart ruffs both to set up and then to enjoy the clubs. But if
clubs broke 4-2, he would be an entry short.
South found a neat solution via a variation on the Morton’s Fork. He played his spade king
next. If East had taken it, the spade queen would have been the third entry to dummy,
allowing declarer to set up clubs. East saw through South’s stratagem and held back the
ace, but declarer countered by cashing the heart ace, ruffing a heart and then leading the
club jack, on which he threw the spade four from hand. West won with the club queen, but
that was the last trick for the defense.
LEAD WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: Invitational auctions call for
South Holds: passive leads, but even so, our strong spade
♠AQJ64 suit should surely be led. The problem is that
♥9 we do not know which spade; a low card
♦Q92 could be very silly if each opponent has
♣ 10 8 6 2 three cards and your partner has no high
card. But if one defender has the doubleton
South West North East king or partner has the doubleton spade 10
Pass Pass 1 NT or king, you’d much rather lead a low card.
Pass 2 NT All pass I’d go for the spade queen with minimal
confidence.
by Bobby Wolff on October 1st, 2019
“Minds are like parachutes. They only function when they are open.”
— Sir James Dewar
Dealer: S North
It is rarely attractive to upgrade 19-counts in first or Vul: Both ♠K65
second seat to a two-no-trump opening. When ♥8652
♦K4
investigating a slam, starting the exploration at the three- ♣8432
level is rarely optimal. Also, it can be difficult to locate 5-3 West East
♠2 ♠ J 10 9 3
fits after a two-no-trump start. So South was sensible to
♥ K Q 10 7 ♥J94
open one spade. He jumped directly to four spades when ♦ Q J 10 7 ♦8652
he found the fit, since his aces and kings suggested a suit ♣KQ96 ♣ 10 7
South
contract. ♠AQ874
♥A3
When West led the diamond queen, South could see 10 ♦A93
♣AJ5
tricks via a diamond ruff in dummy, as long as trumps
broke 3-2. But what if they broke 4-1? South West North East
1♠ Dbl. 2♠ Pass
In that case, the way home would be for South to score 4♠ All pass
his small trumps via heart ruffs, thus coming to six trump
tricks to go with his four top side-suit winners. But this Opening Lead: ♦Q
would require careful planning.
To start with, South carefully won the diamond lead in hand and continued with the heart
ace and another heart. East overtook West’s 10 with the jack and shifted to the club 10.
Declarer rose with the ace and played the spade queen and a trump to dummy’s king —
discovering the 4-1 break.
Now came the diamond king followed by a heart, ruffed low in hand. A diamond ruff with
dummy’s last trump was followed by dummy’s last heart. When East discarded his second
club, declarer scored his remaining low trump, with the spade ace still to come, for the
10th trick.
If East had ruffed in on the fourth heart, South would have discarded a club instead of
over-ruffing, with two more trump tricks guaranteed.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: We do not want to introduce
South Holds: hearts — the last thing we want to do is to
♠K65 play in hearts if partner cannot bid them.
♥8652 Raising clubs may not achieve much and
♦K4 could mislead partner about our defense if
♣8432 the opponents come in. Since our kings
suggest defense, not offense, I’d pass now
South West North East and hope to balance later. I’m tempted to try
1♣ Dbl. one no-trump, but a free bid suggests a
? slightly better hand than this.
by Bobby Wolff on October 2nd, 2019
“Skill is a function of chance. It’s an intuitive best use of chance situations.”

— Philip K. Dick
Dealer: S North
When South felt obligated to break his partner’s transfer Vul: None ♠AQ2
by jumping to three hearts, North used the excuse of ♥ 10 9 7 5 2
♦872
being vulnerable at teams to press on to game. ♣J5
West East
When West led the diamond queen, South saw that the ♠ K 10 ♠J8654
♥J4 ♥K
mirror distribution meant he would need not only to find
♦ Q J 10 4 ♦653
both major-suit kings onside, but also some sort of ♣K9763 ♣ A 10 8 4
endplay for his 10th trick. South
♠973
♥AQ863
Placing all the top diamonds with West after the lead and ♦AK9
East’s discouraging signal, declarer decided he would ♣Q2
need to eliminate West’s black suits, then throw that
player in with the diamond nine. But this would also 1 NT Pass 2♦* Pass
require cutting the defenders’ communications in clubs. 3♥ Pass 4♥ All pass
If the club honors were split, declarer would need to *Hearts

convince East rather than West to take his club entry first.
Deciding that leading the club jack from dummy might Opening Lead: ♦Q
persuade East to duck his ace, for fear of solving a guess
for South, declarer innocently played a low club out of hand at trick two. When West
played low, East had to take his ace and could do no better than return a diamond.
Declarer won this, then led a spade to the queen, followed by a trump to the king and ace.
South cashed the trump queen, then played a spade to the ace to extract West’s last safe
exit card.
Finally, when declarer led a club to his queen and West’s king, that player could cash his
diamond winner. However, he then had to lead a minor and let declarer discard a spade
loser from one hand or the other.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: You could have an eight-card
South Holds: heart fit, but even then, one no-trump might
♠AQ2 play reasonably. With such poor hearts, you
♥ 10 9 7 5 2 should pass and hope partner can conjure
♦872 seven tricks. You would not want to play in
♣J5 two hearts opposite a small doubleton.

1♣ Pass
1♥ Pass 1 NT Pass
?
by Bobby Wolff on October 3rd, 2019
“It is folly to expect men to do all that they may reasonably be expected to do.”
— Richard Whately
Dealer: N North
In today’s deal, South’s threeno-trump call was an attempt Vul: None ♠J
to protect his spade tenace. An alternative would have ♥KQ972
♦K97
been a stopper-showing three spades instead, to highlight ♣ A 10 7 3
the danger of the diamonds. After all, if North’s pointed- West East
♠98542 ♠ K 10 7 3
suit holdings had been interchanged, five clubs would
♥J85 ♥ A 10 6
have been far better than three no-trump. Also, curiously, ♦ J 10 8 4 ♦Q53
three no-trump by North likely would have made on a low ♣6 ♣KJ4
South
spade lead! ♠AQ6
♥43
Against three no-trump, West led the second-highest ♦A62
♣Q9852
spade eight to deny an honor in the suit. This went to the
jack, king and ace. Declarer could see that even taking South West North East
four club tricks would probably not be enough. The 1♥ Pass
defense would establish the spade suit and come to five 2♣ Pass 3♣ Pass
3 NT All pass
winners before he had nine.
Opening Lead: ♠8
So South decided his best chance was to sneak a heart
trick first. If the heart king held, he could turn to clubs with the game-going trick in his
pocket. Alas, East won the first heart and persevered with spades. Not just any spade,
though. South was marked with the spade queen, and if he had started with acequeen-six,
the “normal” current count return of the spade three would block the suit, assuming
declarer played low.
So East put the spade 10 on the table. Declarer ducked that and won the third round,
hoping for a 6-3 split. He then turned to the clubs, cashing the ace first in case West
miraculously had the singleton king. But no — East won the second club and had a fourth
spade to lead to West, who cashed out for down one.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: I would raise to four spades at
South Holds: any vulnerability. Partner likely has a
♠98542 singleton heart, and our own singleton
♥J85 should allow him to cross-ruff the hand. We
♦ J 10 8 4 definitely want to sacrifice over four hearts,
♣6 so we should do so immediately, making life
as difficult as possible for the opponents.
1♥ 1♠ 3♥
?
by Bobby Wolff on October 4th, 2019
“Truth has no special time of its own. Its hour is now — always.”
— Albert Schweitzer
Dealer: S North
North’s response of two no-trump was a Jacoby-style Vul: E-W ♠A8
forcing raise in hearts. South ignored East’s intervention ♥ A 10 7 6
♦AK8
and asked for aces, then, once his partner admitted to ♣7642
three key-cards, he made a grand slam try. After North West East
♠ K Q J 10 7 4
showed the diamond king, South knew what to do. ♠96
32
♥9854
♥—
West led the spade nine, suggesting an original holding of ♦62
♦ J 10 9 4
♣ J 10 8 5 3
a singleton or doubleton in the suit, given dummy’s spade ♣9
South
eight. When trumps broke 4-0, declarer knew East had ♠5
started with eight spades and five in the minors. Thus, ♥KQJ32
♦Q753
West had to have at least one card in each minor. ♣AKQ
Once East followed to both a top club and a diamond, South West North East
there were only three unknown minorsuit cards in his 1♥ Pass 2 NT * 4♠
hand. Therefore, East could not hold a five-card minor, so 4 NT Pass 5♣ Pass
5 NT Pass 6♦ Pass
it was safe to cash a second top club, then a diamond. 7♥ All pass
When East discarded on the second round of clubs,
*Hearts, forcing
declarer ruffed a spade with the trump king. After cashing
the club queen, declarer led the heart two toward dummy. Opening Lead: ♠9
West inserted the eight, and dummy’s 10 won the trick.
Now declarer ruffed dummy’s remaining club with the queen, then led the heart three to
the five and seven. The heart ace drew West’s last trump, while South threw a diamond.
Declarer ended up with two ruffs in hand, four trumps in dummy, and seven side-suit top
cards.
Note that if East had followed twice in each minor, it would have been safe to cash the
queens of both minors. Finally, if East had discarded on the second diamond, then a
diamond could have been ruffed safely in dummy.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: This hand may appear too strong
South Holds: for a simple overcall, and in a way it is. But if
♠5 elect to double, you are likely to find
♥KQJ32 somebody bidding spades and making it
♦Q753 awkward for you to get your values across.
♣AKQ Your plan should be to bid hearts, then
double an opponent’s spade call at your next
South West North East turn, if necessary, to show extras. That is
1♣ exactly what you have!
?
The Aces on Bridge: Saturday, September 21st, 2019
“Consequences are unpitying. Our deeds carry their terrible consequences, quite apart
from any fluctuations that went before — consequences that are hardly ever confined to
ourselves.”
— George Eliot
Dealer: S North
Today’s deal features an approach in which declarer takes Vul: Both ♠AKJ54
his chances in the right order rather than putting all his ♥92
♦KQ2
eggs in one basket. ♣J94
West East
When South heard his partner transfer to spades, he had ♠ 10 7 ♠Q83
♥ J 10 6 3 ♥KQ87
no reason to break the transfer, but at his third turn he
♦ 10 5 4 3 ♦J98
could show a maximum hand with a source of tricks in his ♣876 ♣ 10 3 2
four-club call. Cue-bidding and Blackwood then got him to South
♠962
a slam that would have been excellent if West hadn’t hit ♥A54
upon the heart lead. How would you play it now? ♦A76
♣AKQ5
This hand offers a simple choice of approaches. You can
cash the spade ace, then take a finesse on the second 1 NT Pass 2♥* Pass
round. This is an all-or-nothing play, but it will lead to 13 2♠ Pass 3 NT Pass
tricks if spades behave. Alternatively, you can cash the 4♣ Pass 4♦ Pass
4 NT Pass 5♥ Pass
top spades and, if nothing nice happens, go after clubs,
6♠ All pass
hoping to pitch your heart from dummy on the fourth club,
*Spades
regardless of whether West ruffs in.
Opening Lead: ♥J
Taking the spade finesse (as opposed to the combination
chance) wins when West has four spades to the queen and precisely three clubs, or
precisely three spades to the queen and fewer than three clubs. Those combined chances
happen about one time in 10. By contrast, playing spades from the top, then relying on
clubs, brings the contract home (while the other line would fail) whenever East has a
doubleton spade queen or when he has three spades to the queen and three or more
clubs. That happens almost one time in three. So, cashing the spade ace-king is a far
superior line.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: One choice is to rebid two no-
South Holds: trump, even without a heart guard, in order
♠AKJ54 to show the hand type. The second choice is
♥92 to rebid spades, which might be acceptable
♦KQ2 even if you play it as promising six. For the
♣J94 record, bidding diamonds might not only
mislead your partner, but would also
South West North East highlight the heart weakness to the
1♠ Pass 2♣ Pass opponents.
?
The Aces on Bridge: Sunday, September 22nd, 2019

What would be your hopes for the world of If you have agreed to play two-over-one
bridge in 2020? game-forcing, can you suggest how to bid an
11-count with a doubleton support for partner
— Nostradamus, Sacramento, Calif. and a six-card side suit? Should you go high
via the two-over-one or low via one no-
trump?
ANSWER: Perhaps I should hope for
something attainable and not look for pie in — Clara Cluck, San Antonio, Texas
the sky. Maybe we might be successful in
persuading a few school districts to teach
bridge to the pupils, accepting that it is a fine ANSWER: Assuming that a jump to three of
tool to help children understand mathematics a minor is not this hand (it would be for
and develop concentration? some), I suggest you decide if you would
have opened the hand in question at the
one-level. If you would, then bid two-over-
Dear Mr. Wolff: one. If you wouldn’t, then bid one no-trump
and follow up by bidding your suit at the
Holding ♠ K-8-4, ♥ Q-4, ♦ A-10-6-4-3-2, ♣ J- three-level or making some other quasi-
10, I elected to open one diamond rather descriptive call (raising partner or bidding
than two, because at favorable vulnerability I two no-trump might be reasonable
thought I had too much to pre-empt. We approximations).
reached a hopeless slam, and my partner
commented that he did not feel this hand
was worth an opener. What do you say? Dear Mr. Wolff:
— Hambone, Naples, Fla. What are the advantages of leading the king
from the ace-king? If your partner is void, he
won’t know if you are leading from the ace-
ANSWER: Wolff’s rule for pre-empting No. king or king-queen and so cannot tell if it is
1: Never pass with a bad suit — open one or right to ruff or not. Wouldn’t leading the ace
two. This hand doesn’t qualify as a good inform your partner you have it, while leading
suit, so you can choose to go high, go low or the king would reveal that you don’t have it?
pass. To me, the pass stands out; with a bad
suit — exactly the wrong top honor with — Clearwater Chuck, Raleigh, N.C.
which to pre-empt, since if partner is short,
you can give him ruffs — and not enough to
open, I pass. With the club queen instead of ANSWER: The more common problem with
the jack, I might stretch to open. the lead of an ambiguous king is how to
signal with length including the jack, facing a
king lead. Compared to that, leading the
Dear Mr. Wolff: unsupported ace and having partner know
you need a signal for attitude, not count, is
What is the best way to deal with more helpful and comes up more often.
interference to Blackwood? Having a void facing the king is rare enough
— Buckaroo Banzai, Mason City, Iowa that I’ve seen only two disasters along this
line in my life. But one was this year, I admit!
ANSWER: DOPI and ROPI aren’t just two of

the lesser-known dwarves in Snow White. If
the opponents intervene below five of your
trump suit, use double or redouble (D or R)
for zero (O), pass (P) for one (I) and the next
steps for increasing numbers of aces. After
higher intervention, doubling for an even
number of aces (zero or two) and passing for
one is just one of many options here.
The Aces on Bridge: Monday, September 23rd, 2019
“Say first, of God above or man below, What can we reason, but from what we know?”
— Alexander Pope
Dealer: W North
The McConnell Cup for women’s teams was held in Vul: E-W ♠KJ8
Orlando last September. In the finals of that event, both ♥A54
♦ A 10 7 6 4 3
Souths arrived in four spades. ♣3
West East
In the open room, West took the heart nine in hand to try a ♠9 ♠ A 10 3 2
♥Q982 ♥ J 10 7 6
small spade to the jack, which held the trick. When
♦98 ♦J2
declarer led the spade king, East rose with the ace and ♣ A Q J 10 5 4 ♣976
pushed the club nine through. Declarer played small, and South
♠Q7654
East continued the suit, forcing declarer to ruff in dummy. ♥K3
A small diamond to the queen in hand was followed by the ♦KQ5
♣K82
trump queen, but declarer still had a trump and a club to
lose, for one off. South West North East
Pass 1♦ Pass
In the closed room, the same contract was reached, and 1♠ Dbl. Rdbl.* 2♥
on the same lead, but on the auction shown here. Karen 4♠ All pass
McCallum won with the king and played a trump to the *Three spades
king, which held. But now she played three rounds of
diamonds, and though East could ruff the third round, Opening Lead: ♥9
declarer was in full control.
East switched to the club nine, covered by the king and won by West‘s ace. The club
continuation was ruffed in dummy, and declarer continued with diamonds, leaving East no
counter. When she ruffed in, declarer over-ruffed and trumped her club loser in dummy,
losing just the trump ace.
McCallum reasoned that after West’s double and East’s twoheart bid, hearts appeared to
be 4-4 and East had more hearts than clubs. If so, West had to have six clubs and thus
probably a singleton spade. This produced a well-earned 10 IMPs to Team Baker, the
eventual winners of the gold medal.
LEAD WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: Partner has probably opened
South Holds: light in third chair, and you have enough in
♠5 terms of high cards to expect to gain the
♥ 10 9 6 lead again. It is therefore more than
♦K8762 reasonable to lead your own long suit in
♣K987 preference to a singleton in partner’s. You
will need to ready your apologies if you turn
South West North East out to be wrong, though!
Pass Pass 1♠ 1 NT
Pass 3 NT All pass
“Better mendacities Than the classics in paraphrase!”

— Ezra Pound
Dealer: E North
Since the world championship is taking place this week in Vul: E-W ♠A42
China, we’ll be looking at last year’s event all week. ♥J
♦ A Q 10 5 3
Today’s deal is from the quarterfinals of the 2018 ♣AJ83
McConnell Cup. West East
♠93 ♠K865
♥K754 ♥ 10 2
When the Russian North-South climbed to the perilous
♦8762 ♦KJ94
contract of five hearts, it provided the Swedish East-West ♣Q92 ♣ 10 5 4
a fine chance for deception, which they duly took. (In the South
♠ Q J 10 7
other room, their teammates Marion Michielsen and Meike ♥AQ9863
Wortel had stopped safely in four hearts.) ♦—
♣K76
West, Ida Groenkvist, started her campaign of deception
by leading a diamond rather than the unbid suit, clubs. Pass
Had she led a club, declarer would have put in the jack, 1♥ Pass 2♦ Pass
and the hand would have been over. 2♥ Pass 3 NT Pass
After the lead of the diamond six to the queen, king and
ruff, Victoria Gromova, the declarer, led a low trump
Opening Lead: ♦6
toward the jack — an interesting choice and as good as
anything as the cards lay that day.
Groenkvist ducked, so declarer came back to hand with the club king and cashed the
heart ace, dropping the 10. Next, she took a spade finesse, and Cecilia Rimstedt, East,
ducked very smoothly. Declarer advanced the heart nine; West won and played back a
club. Declarer rose with the ace, pitched her losing club on the diamond ace, then played
the spade ace and another spade, expecting West to win, whereupon South would be
able to claim the balance. But instead it was East who took the third spade, and she then
gave her partner a spade ruff for down one. Very nicely done.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: You do not yet know where you
South Holds: want to play the hand, five diamonds or
♠K865 three no-trump. It would therefore be
♥ 10 2 premature to raise partner’s second suit. I
♦KJ94 would temporize with three hearts and pass
♣ 10 5 4 three no-trump if partner bids it. In all
auctions of this sort, where opener jump
South West North East shifts, give priority to supporting opener’s
1♥ Pass first-bid suit if you can.
1♠ Pass 3♦ Pass
?
“One of my Polish acquaintances said that Russian letters look like small chairs. On these
chairs sit the apostles of Russian literature. Some of these chairs turned out to be
electric.”
— Victor Erofeyev
Dealer: S North
All this week’s deals come from the 2018 McConnell Cup. Vul: None ♠KJ754
In the round robin, Anna Gulevich and Tatiana Dikhnova ♥A74
♦KQ65
defeated four spades here. ♣6
West East
Declarer took the heart lead in dummy to try a club to the ♠Q3 ♠ 10 6 2
♥ J 10 8 2 ♥Q63
king and ace. She won the next heart and pitched her
♦J74 ♦ A 10 9 8
heart loser on the top club. A winning line now is to ruff ♣A754 ♣ J 10 2
out clubs, but declarer quite reasonably led a diamond to South
♠A98
the king, ducked by East. ♥K95
♦32
It might be best now to cross to the spade ace and lead a ♣KQ983
second diamond to the queen. When East wins, she will
return a heart. Declarer ruffs in dummy, ruffs a diamond, 1♣ Pass 1♥* Pass
ruffs a club, and ruffs dummy’s fourth diamond with the 1♠** Pass 4♠ All pass
spade nine. This loses when (in the deal shown) the
spade queen and 10 are switched, but is otherwise fairly *Spades
safe. **Three or four spades
At the table, though, declarer chose to cash both top Opening Lead: ♥J
spades before leading a second diamond. Now East could
win and play her last spade, leaving dummy with two diamond losers for down one.
In the seniors event, Bart Bramley, West, and Kit Woolsey, East, also defended four
spades on a heart lead. Declarer dislodged the club ace, and Bramley won and played a
diamond to the king and ace, for a second heart back. Declarer won, took his discard,
then crossed to the diamond queen to ruff a diamond. He then cashed the spade ace and
went back to dummy with a heart ruff to ruff the fourth diamond. Bramley over-ruffed and
led the fourth heart to promote Woolsey‘s spade 10 for down one.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: Raising partner’s suit is generally
South Holds: a good idea, even when we have a more
♠A98 descriptive bid available. By rebidding one
♥K95 no-trump, we describe our strength and
♦32 shape, but this could turn out to be the
♣KQ983 wrong part-score, possibly the wrong way
up. Not much can go wrong by raising to two
South West North East spades; if the auction suddenly becomes
1♣ Pass 1♠ Pass competitive, it will work well.
?
“Who shoots at the mid-day sun, though he be sure he shall never hit the mark; yet as
sure he is he shall shoot higher than who aims but at a bush.”
— Sir Philip Sidney
Dealer: E North
In the quarterfinals of the 2018 McConnell Cup, this board Vul: Both ♠6
was critical to the win for Nicola Smith’s team over a ♥K53
♦94
Polish squad. ♣ K J 10 9 7 4 2
West East
In one room facing a strong no-trump, the Polish North ♠ A K Q 10 ♠J987
had stopped in three clubs. But Smith drove her partner ♥QJ8 ♥974
♦763 ♦ Q J 10 8 2
Yvonne Wiseman to five clubs, by showing clubs and ♣Q83 ♣5
short spades. South
♠5432
♥ A 10 6 2
After a spade lead and top heart shift, there is a winning ♦AK5
line that does not require you to guess clubs, as we shall ♣A6
see. However, Wiseman won the heart king and played
the top clubs, then exited in clubs, letting West win and Pass
play back a top spade. Wiseman now ran all but one of 1 NT Pass 2♠* Pass
the trumps, then played the king, ace and a third diamond, 3♣ Pass 3♠** Pass
4♣ Pass 5♣ All pass
ruffing in dummy.
East’s last three cards included the diamond queen and *Clubs
either two hearts or the spade jack and one heart. West **Short spades
mistakenly pitched her heart, and declarer scored her last
Opening Lead: ♠K
two tricks with the heart ace and 10.
West should have expected East to have encouraged hearts at trick two with the 10.
Furthermore, declarer would surely have ruffed out spades for her 11th trick if she had
begun with five.
In the open event, Jacek Kalita received the same lead and continuation, but won the
heart ace. Then came a spade ruff, the club king, club ace and a second spade ruff. Now
declarer cashed the diamond ace, took a third spade ruff, and followed with the diamond
king and a diamond ruff. The trump exit endplayed West to lead a heart, and South had a
brilliancy prize candidate.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: I would double. A call of no-
South Holds: trump gets the value of the hand across, but
♠5432 may land us in the wrong part-score far too
♥ A 10 6 2 often, while also potentially wrongsiding the
♦AK5 contract. By doubling and raising partner’s
♣A6 majorsuit response to the two-level, we can
describe our strength while maximizing our
South West North East chances of reaching the best strain.
1♣
?
“Like Dead Sea fruits, that tempt the eye, But turn to ashes on the lips.”
— Thomas Moore
Dealer: N North
The final of the McConnell Cup was contested by the Vul: N-S ♠ K J 10
Baker and Smith teams, Baker eventually proving ♥ A 10 9
♦J6
victorious by the comfortable margin of 66 IMPs. Lynn ♣ K J 10 7 5
Baker, Karen McCallum and Sally Brock were defending West East
♠9865 ♠Q4
the trophy from two years before — an impressive
♥Q7 ♥854
achievement. ♦ Q 10 9 8 3 ♦AK4
♣94 ♣A8632
This deal contributed to their triumph. Both tables reached South
♠A732
four hearts, in each case after North had opened one ♥KJ632
club. After a diamond lead, Yvonne Wiseman, East, ♦752
♣Q
played three rounds of the suit, forcing dummy to ruff.
Fiona Brown, the declarer, led a club from dummy, and South West North East
Wiseman won her ace to exit in clubs. All now depended 1♣ Pass
on how declarer would view the trumps. Brown deemed it 1♥ Pass 1 NT Pass
2♣* Pass 2♦ Pass
unlikely that East, who had turned up with 11 points in the 2♠ Pass 4♥ All pass
minor suits and had not taken a bid, would also have the
heart queen. So she ruffed the club, led a trump to the 10 *Checkback, forcing two dia
and was home with 10 tricks. monds
Opening Lead: ♦10

In the other room, Irina Levitina led the club nine. Kerri
Sanborn won this and cashed the diamond king, Levitina
encouraging to indicate she could not ruff a club. Sanborn then took a second top
diamond and shifted to spades rather than tapping the dummy. Was Jessica Larsson
naive to cash the heart ace and finesse against East?
If declarer had taken a second top spade and seen the fall of the spade queen, she would
have been able to place the heart queen with West because East had not overcalled one
no-trump. But Baker would pocket her 12 IMPs and move on without complaint.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: When partner doubles for take-
South Holds: out, the emphasis is usually on finding a fit in
♠9865 a major suit. Therefore, I would eschew our
♥Q7 good-looking diamonds in favor of two
♦ Q 10 9 8 3 spades. The other upside to making the
♣94 cheapest call is that if partner wants to act,
we haven’t gotten in the way.
1♥
Pass 2♥ Dbl. Pass
?
“When torrential water tosses boulders, it is because of its momentum. When the strike of
a hawk breaks the body of its prey, it is because of timing.”
— Sun Tzu
Dealer: E North
All this week’s deals come from last year’s McConnell Vul: Both ♠J64
Cup. Here, teams gold- medalist Fiona Brown and ♥QJ85
♦ 10 9 7
women’s pairs winner Anne-Laure Huberschwiller both ♣A87
overcalled one no-trump over one spade, and each ended West East
♠87 ♠KQ953
in three no-trump, but with different results.
♥ 10 9 7 2 ♥K64
♦KJ2 ♦Q654
After the spade-eight lead, Brown put up the jack and ♣Q632 ♣J
ducked the queen. Then came a diamond shift. Brown South
♠ A 10 2
ducked to the jack, then ducked West’s diamond king and ♥A3
won the third round. She next led a club to dummy and ♦A83
♣ K 10 9 5 4
took first the heart then the spade finesse. Finally, she
knocked out the club queen, after which her hand was South West North East
high. 1♠
1 NT Pass 2♣ Pass
Brown had correctly inferred that East must have the 2♦ Pass 3 NT All pass
diamond length since West would have continued with a
low diamond at trick three from a four-card holding, to Opening Lead: ♠8
avoid blocking the suit.
By contrast, Huberschwiller took the first spade, crossed to the club ace and cleared
clubs. Now a top diamond shift from Irina Levitina as West set up the defense’s fifth
winner, while East retained the spade king as an entry.
At trick one, declarer had to decide whom to play for long diamonds. Since West, the hand
with short spades, was likely to have the length, that might have suggested knocking out
the club entry first. But winning the first spade and playing a club to the ace gives declarer
serious communication issues. All things considered, ducking the first trick looks right.
Should it appear that West has the long diamonds, declarer can try to duck a club to East,
now the safe hand.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: This hand is not worth an
South Holds: invitation to game. The singleton in partner’s
♠KQ953 suit is a bad sign, as is the lack of aces and
♥K64 poor intermediates. I would settle for a plus
♦Q654 score in two clubs and hope West protects.
♣J We can then teach him a sharp lesson!

1♣ Pass
1♠ Pass 2♣ Pass
?

I picked up ♠ 8-2, ♥ 10-3, ♦ Q-J-10-9-7-5-3-2, I recently played against a pair who were
♣ 3 and opened three diamonds as dealer at using attitude leads. What are these? Do
game all. Partner bid three no-trump. I did you recommend them?
not like the look of that, but I did not feel I
could remove it. We went down 300 when — Alexander Pope, Rutland, Vermont
four diamonds was making and they had no
game. What would you have done?
ANSWER: Playing attitude leads, the
— Broken Reed, Jackson, Tenn. smaller the card led to a trick, the better the
holding. You’d lead the high card from three-
small, a middle card from jack to five and a
ANSWER: When you open with a pre-empt, small card from a good suit. Many pairs use
you are not expected to act again unless them in the middle of the hand to direct the
partner makes a forcing bid. Having decided defensive attack, while some also use them
to pre-empt in the first place, which I would on opening lead to no-trump contracts.
have done, you cannot override partner. There are certainly pluses to the approach,
Who knows, three no-trump might even be but the inferences regarding count are no
making because partner, who cannot expect longer present.
you to have anything outside diamonds,
often produces good diamond support for
three no-trump. Dear Mr. Wolff:
Say you are in fourth chair after hearing, for
Dear Mr. Wolff: example, one diamond to your left and one
no-trump to your right. Does it make more
Holding ♠ A-K-4, ♥ A-10-3-2, ♦ A-Q-6, ♣ K-7- sense to use the suit named by your
4, I opened two no-trump with no one opponents as artificial as opposed to
vulnerable. My left-hand-opponent natural? Is there anything else that you
overcalled four clubs, and partner doubled. would recommend?
What is this double? What would you do with
my hand? — White Oleander, Tunica, Miss.
— On the Spot, Bellevue, Wash.
ANSWER: I suggest that when the
opponents open a major and respond one
ANSWER: I play that all doubles of threeno-trump, everything is basically natural.
level intervention are for take-out. With a Double is take-out, a cue-bid is Michaels and
penalty double, I pass and hope partner can two no-trump is the minors. After they open
reopen, or just bid three no-trump. At the a minor, you can, should you wish, play both
four-level, since opener may not balance two clubs and two diamonds as majors (5-4
with a double, responder must double with and 5-5 respectively), with everything else
many strong hands. I’d sit for the double parallel to the earlier sequence.
here, given these aces and kings. That is a
small loss against a major-suit game we may
not even make if suits do not break.
Dear Mr. Wolff:

My partner and I play Landy over a no-trump
opening. We had a misunderstanding when I
overcalled two clubs for the majors and my
left-hand-opponent doubled, showing values.
Partner bid two diamonds. How do you play
this?
— Spats and Spots, Portland, Ore.
ANSWER: The most common agreement is

for two diamonds to be natural. To ask
partner for a preference between the majors,
you can redouble. Pass would show clubs,
prepared to play in two clubs doubled. Rule
No. 1 in these auctions: Redouble is always
for rescue!
“Laws were made to be broken.”

— Christopher North
Dealer: S North
Buoyed by his partner’s strong raise of spades, South Vul: N-S ♠KQ73
thought as a passed hand he could afford to cue-bid five ♥A74
♦A9742
diamonds. North co-operated with five hearts, and South ♣ 10
leapt to six spades. West East
♠8 ♠654
♥K9652 ♥QJ
The defenders led a club to East’s jack, then shifted to the
♦Q85 ♦ 10 6
heart queen, won in dummy. West threw two hearts as ♣9743 ♣AKQJ52
declarer drew trumps. South
♠ A J 10 9 2
♥ 10 8 3
With clubs apparently 6-4, South knew East had room for ♦KJ3
only four red-suit cards. West surely had fewer than six ♣86
hearts, since he had not pre-empted, so East had at most
two diamonds in a 3=3=1=6 or 3=2=2=6 pattern. Pass Pass 1♦ 2♣
2♠ 3♣ 4♣ 5♣
Assuming West had not underled the club ace, East had 5♦ Pass 5♥ Pass
very good clubs and had turned up with the heart queen, 6♠ All pass
perhaps alongside the jack. What, then, did West have for
Opening Lead: ♣4
his raise to three clubs?
South reasoned West was favored to hold the diamond queen, to give him any values at
all. So, backing his judgment, South scorned the percentage play, a diamond to the jack,
in favor of leading the diamond jack from hand. This way, he would take the necessary
five diamond tricks if East had a singleton 10. He could return to hand with the diamond
king for a further finesse, keeping dummy’s trump suit intact.
West ducked the diamond jack in case declarer had a two-way guess. But South had
already committed himself, and let the jack run to bring home his slam.
Note: East’s honesty in winning trick one with the jack, not the ace, led to this result by
allowing South to drawn the winning inferences.
LEAD WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: I t h i n k I w o u l d lead a five-
South Holds: card major on this auction instead of an
♠ Q J 10 honor sequence. But here I’m really torn. I
♥52 suspect the solidity of the sequence makes it
♦987 a better lead and may still give me time for
♣A8642 the club shift. So, I would lead the spade
queen.
1 NT
Pass 3 NT All pass
The Aces on Bridge: Tuesday, October 1st, 2019
“Love knows nothing of order.”

— Saint Jerome
Dealer: S North
South has a textbook opening bid of one no-trump, and Vul: None ♠AQ2
North promptly raises to game, giving nothing away. The ♥J87
♦J98
opening low diamond lead sees South play low from ♣Q652
dummy and capture the 10 with the king. If diamonds are West East
♠986 ♠K43
4-4, declarer can simply finesse in spades and be safe
♥ Q 10 ♥9652
whether it wins or loses. But that six is a dangerously ♦AK762 ♦ 10 5 3
large spot, looking far more like fourth-highest from five ♣J83 ♣ 10 9 4
South
than an original four-card suit. ♠ J 10 7 5
♥AK43
So South decides he must make nine tricks without giving ♦Q4
♣AK7
up the lead. While a successful finesse in spades would
solve the problem, there is no need to rush into things: If South West North East
the spade king is in the West hand, it will not run away. 1 NT Pass 3 NT All pass
South can afford to try his other options first.
To begin with, South cashes the top clubs, ending in the Opening Lead: ♦6
North hand. If the clubs failed to break, South would be in
position to cross to hand in hearts to lead the spade jack for a finesse. When the clubs do
break, South takes his last club winner, pitching a heart from hand and hoping to
encourage a defensive error. He then takes the top hearts, and when the queen falls, he
has nine tricks. He leads the spade jack from hand (in case West wishes to cover) to
dummy’s ace and cashes the good club and heart jack for a safe nine tricks.
If West believes in covering an honor with an honor in spades, South will make several
overtricks. There is no harm in giving your opponents the chance to err.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: Thirty years ago, you might have
South Holds: been able to respond two diamonds here, to
♠986 show 10 or more points, not forcing to game.
♥ Q 10 Not anymore. This hand may seem too good
♦AK762 for a call of one no-trump, but you should
♣J83 make that call whether it is forcing for one
round or not. When partner has 12-14
South West North East points, you probably do not want to go past
1♥ Pass the two-level; when he has more, he will be
? unbalanced, and you can surely make
game.
The Aces on Bridge: Wednesday, October 2nd, 2019
“But to us, probability is the very guide of life.”

— Joseph Butler
Dealer: S North
Despite having four hearts on the side, South tried to Vul: E-W ♠AJ9
exploit the vulnerability by opening three spades and was ♥Q742
♦ K 10 3
promptly raised to game. (Yes, three no-trump was a ♣AK2
serious practical alternative for North.) West East
♠8 ♠765
♥K65 ♥ A 10
An aggressive lead is often called for against a pre-empt:
♦Q654 ♦AJ8
Since it is unlikely that declarer has many high honors ♣ 10 9 8 7 6 ♣QJ543
outside his own suit, the lead will rarely give him anything South
♠ K Q 10 4 3 2
he cannot do for himself. This might have suggested a ♥J983
red-suit lead from West, specifically a heart. But West ♦972
♣—
chose the safe lead of the club 10, giving declarer a
reprieve. After throwing two diamonds on the top clubs South West North East
and ruffing a club, declarer drew trumps, unwilling to give 3♠ Pass 4♠ All pass
the defense a chance to score a heart ruff. He then played
a diamond toward dummy’s king, hoping to steal a trick or
Opening Lead: ♣10
build a discard.
East captured dummy’s diamond king with the ace and returned the suit. Declarer had to
ruff and could delay the decision no more. He guessed to run the heart nine immediately
and went down when the hand with the short spades had the heart 10. A winning
approach would have been to run the heart jack first. Had he next led a heart to the
queen, he would have come home.
But perhaps a better approach is to take the spade king, then the ace. When East turns
up with three trumps, declarer can win the spade jack and lead a low heart from dummy.
That allows for almost any distribution in which West has the heart 10 or, as in the actual
deal, when East has honor-10 doubleton.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: Inviting with distributional hands
South Holds: is rarely profitable, as partner never knows
♠KQ7432 which of his cards will be working. Here, just
♥J983 force to game, expecting to make it most of
♦972 the time. There still remains the issue of
♣ strain. Four hearts could easily be the right
game, so bid Stayman, intending to raise
South West North East two hearts to game and bid four spades
1 NT Pass otherwise.
?
The Aces on Bridge: Friday, October 3rd, 2019
“Courage is almost a contradiction in terms. It means a strong desire to live taking the
form of a readiness to die.”
— G.K. Chesterton
Dealer: W North
On today’s deal, South became declarer in a dicey spade Vul: Neither ♠Q75
slam after an enterprising, but revealing, pre-emptive ♥K543
♦AKQ7
overcall. ♣A8
West East
North opened one diamond, and East bid two hearts in an ♠ 10 4 ♠A98
attempt to cramp the auction. When South bid two ♥J6 ♥ Q 10 9 8 7 2
♦J982 ♦64
spades, North cue-bid three hearts before removing ♣ Q 10 7 5 3 ♣42
South’s three no-trump to four spades, showing a raise to South
♠KJ632
game with extra values. South had a great deal in reserve ♥A
and cue-bid five clubs, persuading his partner to bid the ♦ 10 5 3
♣KJ96
slam.
West obediently led the heart jack, taken in declarer’s Pass 1♦ 2♥
hand. Protecting against a singleton spade ace on his 2♠ Pass 3♥ Pass
right, South crossed to the club ace (safer than a 3 NT Pass 4♠ Pass
5♣ Pass 6♠ All pass
diamond, which might have allowed the defenders a ruff)
and led a spade off dummy. East went in with the ace and Opening Lead: ♥J
returned a heart, hoping his partner could ruff. Declarer
threw a club from his hand and, after winning the heart king, decided it would be too
committal to try for a club ruff, since he had so many other chances.
So he drew the remaining trumps, and when East followed to all three rounds, declarer
could see that a diamond break or working club finesse was unlikely. He cashed the
diamond king and ace, then ruffed a heart to confirm the count of that suit. Finally, South
played off his last trump, and West was caught in a squeeze. Forced to keep his diamond
guard, he let go of a club. Dummy pitched the diamond, and now declarer played a
diamond to the queen. Since East was known to have a club and a heart left, South
played a club to his king for his 12th trick.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: Your good intermediates argue
South Holds: that you have just enough to compete to two
♠A98 hearts. Your partner is probably relatively
♥ Q 10 9 8 7 2 short in hearts (a singleton would not be
♦64 surprising), but your spot-cards guarantee
♣42 you can hold the losers in the suit to three as
long as you can avoid defensive ruffs.
1♣ Pass
1♥ Dbl. 1♠ 2♦
?
The Aces on Bridge: Friday, October 4th, 2019
“Whoso would be a man must be a nonconformist.”

Dealer: N North
After North’s no-trump rebid to show 12-14 high-card Vul: Both ♠A32
points, South forced to game with an artificial inquiry of ♥A53
♦32
two diamonds. When North admitted to three-card support ♣A8542
for spades at his next turn, South jumped to four clubs to West East
♠J54 ♠ 10 6
show shortness in that suit. After a cue-bid and Roman
♥Q982 ♥ J 10
Key-card Blackwood, a small dose of optimism prompted ♦ Q J 10 ♦98765
South to jump to the slam in spades. ♣KJ9 ♣ 10 7 6 3
South
♠KQ987
West led the diamond queen, and declarer wisely paused ♥K764
to form a plan. He saw that trumps would have to be 3-2 if ♦AK4
♣Q
he were to have any chance. He could generate a
diamond ruff in dummy, but that would still leave him a South West North East
trick short of his contract. 1♣ Pass
1♠ Pass 1 NT Pass
It was far from obvious, but the best hope for a 12th trick 2♦* Pass 2♠ Pass
4♣ Pass 4♥ Pass
was to establish a trick in clubs. So, after winning the
4 NT Pass 5♣ Pass
diamond king, declarer led the club queen. When this was 6♠ All pass
covered with the king, declarer’s first instinct was to play *Checkback
the ace. But since he did not have the entries to ruff three
clubs, he let the king hold. Opening Lead: ♦Q
When West exited with the diamond jack, declarer won his ace, then cashed the trump
king and ace. After ruffing a low club in hand, declarer trumped his diamond loser in
dummy. He then ruffed a second club in hand and got the good news of the 4-3 break. He
drew West’s remaining trump, discarding a low heart from dummy, at which point he had
eight tricks. The heart aceking brought the total to 10, with the club ace and the
established club eight taking the last two tricks.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: Even with four-card support and
South Holds: 10 points, with its lack of aces and flat
♠J54 shape, this hand is worth only a simple
♥Q982 raise. We certainly would not like partner to
♦ Q J 10 bid game with a maximum weak no-trump.
♣KJ9 One of the easiest ways in a strong no-
trump base to turn a plus into a minus is to
South West North East invite game facing an opener with an
1♥ Pass unremarkable 10-point hand.
?
The Aces on Bridge: Saturday, October 5th, 2019
“Nothing is so good as it seems beforehand.”

— George Eliot
Dealer: S North
A little learning is a dangerous thing, they say. Consider Vul: E-W ♠ J 10 6 5
this deal from a knockout match, where the defense ♥ 10 4
♦65
against four spades at both tables began in the same ♣ A 10 9 7 4
way: West cashed both top hearts and shifted to the club West East
♠3 ♠8742
king, taken by the ace.
♥AK983 ♥Q752
♦ Q 10 8 2 ♦4
At the first table, declarer took the diamond ace, then led ♣KQ2 ♣J863
the trump nine to dummy’s 10 to play a diamond toward South
♠AKQ9
his hand, in case East wanted to ruff in from out of ♥J6
nowhere. ♦AKJ973
♣5
When East discarded a club, South won with the ace.
After ruffing a diamond with the trump jack, declarer 1♦ 1♥ Dbl. 3♥
returned to hand with a trump to ruff a second diamond in 4♠ All pass
dummy. When East discarded a heart, declarer could now
make only his two remaining trumps — he had lost trump Opening Lead: ♥K
control when he ruffed a club back to hand.
At the other table, declarer also led a diamond to the ace at trick four. However, instead of
playing a trump, declarer tried to cash the diamond king. East ruffed and played a club.
Declarer ruffed this with the trump nine, then ruffed a diamond in dummy with the spade
10. Next, declarer returned to his hand via a low trump to the queen to ruff a diamond with
the jack, thereby establishing two long diamond tricks.
Declarer still had a trump left with which to return to hand. He drew the remaining
defensive trumps with the ace and king, then claimed the rest of the tricks. He had made
four trumps, three diamonds, two diamond ruffs and the club ace for a total of 10 tricks.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: Here your first bid of one heart
South Holds: was fine, though with an extra queen, a call
♠8742 of one spade — planning to compete in
♥Q752 hearts next — would have been right. On
♦4 your actual auction, some people quite
♣J863 sensibly play a “next-step negative,” also
called a Herbert negative, after the cuebid. If
South West North East you can’t bid two diamonds to show this
1♣ Dbl. Pass hand, you have to bid two hearts now, since
1♥ Pass 2♣ Pass two spades would show 5-9 or so.
?
The Aces on Bridge: Sunday, October 6th, 2019

How should I value 10s and five-card suits in I found myself in second seat, holding ♠ K-9-
deciding whether to upgrade my hand into or 7-2, ♥ A-K-8-3, ♦ 9-6-4, ♣ K-10, and I elected
out of a one no-trump opener, but also in to double a one-diamond opening bid. I
deciding whether to open 11-counts at all? heard one heart to my left and two clubs
from my partner. Was I wrong to try to
— Princess Pushy, Panama City, Fla. improve the contract by bidding two no-
trump? I did not achieve my target!
ANSWER: Never upgrade a 4-3-3-3 hand. — Barnacle Bill, Doylestown, Pa.
Consider adding a point when opening one
no-trump (and especially when responding
to one no-trump with a five-card suit that ANSWER: The main focus of a double of a
includes a top honor and decent minor is suitability for the unbid majors, with
intermediates — you will know them when opening values. If you do not have three or
you see them). When considering opening a more cards in both majors, you will always
suit, 5-4 shape is worth an extra point, but deliver real extras. When balanced, pass
not if it means you can’t easily introduce with a minimum opener and unsuitable
your four-card suit at your next turn. shape, if overcalling on a chunky four-card
suit at the one-level doesn’t feel right. Here,
double was a good gamble, but you lost out.
Dear Mr. Wolff: Do not bid on and make it worse.
What would you bid with this hand: ♠ 6-2,
♥ J-9-2, ♦ A-Q-10-4-3, ♣ Q-7-4, when, as a Dear Mr. Wolff:
passed hand, you hear one spade to your
left, three hearts from partner (intermediate) Where can I learn about advanced card play
and three spades to your right? Do you have concepts such as squeezes?
enough to bid here?
— Trumpet Major, Bennington, Vt.
— Silent Sam, Honolulu, Hawaii
ANSWER: I would strongly advise you to

ANSWER: I would bid — but I would not focus on drawing trumps, taking finesses
raise to four hearts. As a passed hand, I can and cashing winners, and to ignore more
bid four diamonds, a natural call, but one complex concepts. Even at the top level,
that promises support for hearts. This gets most errors fall into one of these categories.
my partner off to my preferred lead against “Squeezes Made Simple” by Marc Smith and
four spades if the opponents decide to bid David Bird might help — or make things
on over our four-heart contract. The chance much worse.
that we get doubled here is smaller than that
this is the key lead for the defense.
Dear Mr. Wolff:

Please compare the merits of leading
second-highest from bad suits against
leading fourth-highest, or third-and-lowest.
Can you combine the two methods?
— Bats in the Belfry, Elkhart, Ind.
ANSWER: Third-and-lowest can never

sensibly be combined with second-highest
leads. If you must lead a card from three or
four small to deny an honor in a suit where
you’ve shown length, make it the top card.
As long as you don’t lead MUD (middle-
updown) from three cards against suits, any
lead method is fine by me. At no-trump,
leading second from four may be sensible,
but be aware that partner will not always be
able to read it.
The Aces on Bridge: Monday, October 7th, 2019
“As soon as he saw the Big Boots, Pooh knew that an Adventure was about to happen,
and he brushed the honey off his nose with the back of his paw, and spruced himself up
as well as he could, so as to look Ready for Anything.”
— A.A. Milne
Dealer: N North
This week, we will be focusing on subtle suit Vul: E-W ♠A742
combinations. Knowing how to play certain suits in ♥—
♦ A K J 10 2
isolation is only half the battle, though. Being able to make ♣A962
the best play in the context of the whole hand is key. West East
♠ Q J 10 9 5 ♠K86
♥AKJ6 ♥94
South took a unilateral shot when he jumped to four
♦94 ♦86
hearts. West licked his lips and doubled, then led the ♣ 10 5 ♣KQJ873
spade queen. Declarer could see three likely top losers in South
♠3
trumps. In order to avoid a fourth, he needed some luck in ♥ Q 10 8 7 5 3 2
hearts. ♦Q753
♣4
Hoping to prevent the defenders from scoring a spade ruff
with a high trump, declarer crossed to hand with a 1♦ 2♣
diamond at trick two, after winning the spade ace. This 4♥ Dbl. All pass
was relatively safe because if diamonds were 3-1, the
defense could probably arrange a ruff in their own time. Opening Lead: ♠Q
Declarer next led the heart queen from hand. This gave
him an extra chance in addition to 3-3 hearts — that of finding a defender with the
doubleton nine. Any honor-doubleton holding without the nine would not help.
West took the first trump and continued spades. South ruffed and led the heart 10,
crushing the nine. West pressed on with another spade; declarer ruffed and continued
with the heart seven. West won and put a fourth spade on the table, but declarer ruffed
again, cashed the heart eight, felling the six, then claimed the rest.
Ruffing a black suit to hand at trick two would have given West trump control, as declarer
would have been forced to ruff four times.
LEAD WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: You should try to establish tricks
South Holds: for partner in the minors, but which one? It
♠97 may be best to take the heart king first,
♥K94 retaining the lead to switch through dummy
♦ J 10 8 6 3 2 at trick two. You might not get in again, after
♣ 10 9 all, and hopefully you will know what to do
after a look at dummy. Note: Partner might
South West North East have bid a minor at his second turn if he had
Pass Pass 1♥ 1♠ known what the best defense was.
2♥ 3♥ 4♥ 4♠
Pass Pass Dbl. All pass
The Aces on Bridge: Tuesday, October 8th, 2019
by Bobby Wolff on October 22nd, 2019
“I’m tired of Love: I’m still more tired of Rhyme. But Money gives me pleasure all the time.”
— Hilaire Belloc
Dealer: E North
When South overcalled, North elected to offer three no- Vul: None ♠A2
trump rather than driving there directly, and South’s sixth ♥QJ943
♦A84
spade persuaded him to revert to spades. ♣K93
West East
East won West’s club lead with the ace and shifted to the ♠QJ63 ♠9
♥ 10 8 5 ♥AK76
diamond jack, suggesting he would have most of the
♦Q53 ♦ J 10 9 2
remaining high cards, so South won his diamond king and ♣ 10 6 4 ♣A872
led a low heart. West followed low, and declarer finessed South
♠ K 10 8 7 5 4
the heart nine. East deceptively took the heart ace and ♥2
pressed on with the diamond 10 to dummy’s ace, but ♦K76
♣QJ5
declarer now had little choice but to run the heart queen.
East followed low smoothly, and declarer discarded his South West North East
diamond loser. 1♣
1♠ Pass 2♣ Pass
Declarer next focused on trumps. 10 tricks would be trivial 2♠ Pass 3 NT Pass
4♠ All pass
if trumps broke, but if they were 4-1, declarer probably
needed to find West with a significant singleton. Opening Lead: ♣4
South saw an extra chance, though. Instead of blithely cashing the spade ace, he crossed
to hand with a club and advanced the spade 10. If West had followed with the nine or an
honor, he would have taken dummy’s ace and tried a finesse on the way back. As it was,
when West produced a small card, South let the 10 run.
He knew that if East won the trick, he could not give his partner a trump promotion; as it
was, when the nine appeared, declarer had held his losses in trumps to one trick.
If East had covered the second heart, declarer probably would have been unable to make
this maneuver in trumps safely, because of the risk of a trump promotion.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: There are three sensible policies
South Holds: that five-cardmajor adherents can follow
♠9 here. They can open one of a minor and
♥AK76 rebid one no-trump over one spade, or open
♦ J 10 9 2 one diamond and rebid two clubs over one
♣A872 spade. With most of my points in hearts, I
tend to open my better minor and rebid one
South West North East no-trump. Here, I would bid one club.
Pass
?
The Aces on Bridge: Wednesday, October 9th, 2019
by Bobby Wolff on October 23rd, 2019
“For fools rush in where angels fear to tread.”

— Alexander Pope
Dealer: S North
West’s heart sequence persuaded him to lead the 10 Vul: Both ♠Q82
against the no-trump game, and on winning in dummy, ♥QJ
♦AJ4
declarer could count six top tricks. Two more would be ♣ A 10 9 8 7
available on a normal club split and another via the double West East
♠K43 ♠ J 10 9 7
diamond finesse. However, he saw he might need to
♥ K 10 9 8 3 ♥642
knock out West’s late entry before the hearts were set up. ♦KQ65 ♦32
♣2 ♣QJ64
One option was to cross to the club king and run the South
♠A65
diamond seven. Should that lose, declarer could duck the ♥A75
second heart, win the third and play a club to the eight, an ♦ 10 9 8 7
♣K53
avoidance play against West. But that would not work well
if West had both club honors, or if he had a singleton. South West North East
Pass 1♥ Dbl. Pass
Realizing that he could keep West off lead in diamonds if 2 NT Pass 3 NT All pass
East had one of the honors, declarer started on the clubs,
taking the percentage play of running dummy’s club 10.
Opening Lead: ♥10
This line would lose to a singleton honor in West, but that
seemed less likely than a small singleton or void. When the club 10 held, South led a club
to the jack and king, West throwing a spade. With three club tricks in the bag, declarer
switched to diamonds, leading the 10. Seeing West split his honors, declarer took the ace
and continued with the diamond jack.
West could do no better than win the third diamond and play the heart king to pin the
queen. To add insult to injury, South won and took his club and diamond winners, then
threw West in with a heart to concede the last two tricks in spades.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: Raise to two spades at once. You
South Holds: can’t go wrong by limiting your hand and
♠K43 simultaneously supporting your partner. Not
♥ K 10 9 6 3 only might you end up in the wrong part-
♦KQ65 score if you rebid two diamonds, but you
♣2 might also miss a game if partner has a
distributional hand with five spades and no
South West North East support for your suits. You may also get too
1♥ Pass 1♠ Pass high if you don’t put the brakes on sooner
? rather than later.
The Aces on Bridge: Thursday, October 10th, 2019
“Never before have so many people understood so little about so much.”

— James Burke
Dealer: S North
Faced with settling for partscore via Stayman or inviting Vul: None ♠ Q 10 7 5
game with a transfer followed by two spades, North chose ♥ A 10 7 4 2
♦Q
the latter. South closed his eyes and drove to four hearts. ♣972
West East
East won the low diamond lead with the ace and shifted to ♠J984 ♠62
♥Q ♥K853
the club queen, wisely ducked by South to cut the
♦J873 ♦ A 10 9 6
defenders’ communications. South won the club jack ♣ K 10 8 3 ♣QJ5
continuation, pitched a club on the diamond king and South
♠AK3
advanced the heart nine to the queen and ace (better than ♥J96
low to the 10, which would lose to East’s singleton honor). ♦K542
♣A64
When declarer called for a small heart from the board and
East followed small, South had a tough decision. He did 1 NT Pass 2♦* Pass
not believe West would have covered with the queen from 2♥ Pass 2♠ Pass
queen-doubleton, since it might solve declarer’s guess. 4♥ All pass
*Transfer to hearts
Accordingly, South had to choose between West’s holding
K-Q-8 and a singleton. Deciding that West might not cover Opening Lead: ♦3
with the former — as it might spare declarer a guess or
crash East’s singleton jack — declarer inserted the heart six.
When West discarded, that was one hurdle crossed, but South still had to negotiate the
spades. South knocked out the heart king, won East’s trump return in dummy and crossed
to hand with a spade to ruff a club. After confirming the 4-3 split, declarer played a spade
back to the king and advanced the spade three.
Since the opening lead appeared to have been from four, East had started with three
clubs and four cards in each red suit, thus only two spades. So declarer finessed the
spade 10 and made his game.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: With four-card support, a source
South Holds: of tricks and shortness, you have too much
♠ Q 10 7 5 for a simple raise to two spades. An
♥ A 10 7 4 2 invitational three spades seems closer to the
♦Q mark than a drive to game. While partner
♣972 may not evaluate his hand properly, it might
not be critical. It will not be terrible if partner
South West North East thinks the diamond king is working; at the
1♠ Pass very least, it will provide a slow trick opposite
? our queen.
“Throw away the dearest thing he owed As ’twere a careless trifle.”

Dealer: E North
When West led the spade 10 against three no-trump, it Vul: Both ♠632
was ducked all around. Declarer won the spade ♥A7
♦AK54
continuation and dove into clubs. He could not afford to ♣Q942
lose the lead to East, so one option was to cross to West East
♠ 10 4 ♠KQJ87
dummy and lead a club to the eight. That would keep East
♥J6542 ♥ 10 9 8
off play if he had precisely the doubleton king, but it would ♦ 10 9 8 6 ♦QJ
require him to hold a small club, not the jack or the 10. ♣K5 ♣ J 10 7
South
Worse, this line would provide only two tricks if West had ♠A95
kingthird, leaving declarer in a tight spot. ♥KQ3
♦732
♣A863
Declarer sensibly decided to play West for the club king,
but when he cashed the club ace, West dropped the king! South West North East
From then on, East could not be kept out of the lead, and Pass
declarer suffered a one-trick set. 1♣ Pass 1♦ 1♠
Pass Pass Dbl. Pass
South should have led a low club from hand, paying off to
an unlikely singleton king on his right. It would do West no
good to swoop in with the king, but if he played small, Opening Lead: ♠10
declarer would put up the queen. On the next round, East
would have to contribute the jack — not the 10. South would then have to guess whether
to win the ace, playing West for the three-card club holding, or duck, gaining on the actual
layout. Knowing the spade position, declarer easily might have gone wrong.
Note that if South had held up the spade ace a second time, West would have been able
to defeat the contract by force, by discarding the club king on the next spade (a far easier
play to find with open cards than at the table).
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: All of our red-suit honors look
South Holds: horrible, and the lack of shape makes this a
♠KQJ87 pass in any other position. However, in third
♥ 10 9 8 seat, all that really matters is the quality of
♦QJ our spades. We should open one spade to
♣ J 10 7 get the lead in and to allow our partner to
compete in the boss suit — though hopefully
South West North East not too far. Some would even try pre-
Pass Pass empting to two spades, which is not silly.
?
“The world’s a scene of changes; and to be Constant, in Nature were inconstancy.”

— Abraham Cowley
Dealer: S North
The mathematical odds when missing four cards to the Vul: None ♠85
queen are to play for the drop, but the percentages are ♥A42
♦AKJ852
close enough that almost anything could influence the ♣54
play. West East
♠ Q 10 7 2 ♠KJ964
♥ K 10 3 ♥965
In today’s deal, declarer opened a strong no-trump and
♦Q76 ♦ 10
was raised immediately to game since North had no ♣ Q 10 3 ♣9872
reason to explore for any other contract. Life would have South
♠A3
been easy on any lead but a spade, but when West led a ♥QJ87
fourth-highest spade two, declarer realized he needed to ♦943
♣AKJ6
guess diamonds to have any realistic chance to make his
game. South West North East
He started by leading the diamond nine and put up
dummy’s king, then crossed to the club ace and led a
diamond toward dummy. When West followed small, Opening Lead: ♠2
South paused to reassess the evidence.
West had led his long suit against three no-trump, and the spade two suggested he had
only four cards in the suit. Was it likely that he had a doubleton or three hearts? South
decided that if East had five spades and West four, with no longer suit on the side, West
was more likely to have started with three diamonds than two. So declarer took the
diamond finesse and came home with ten tricks.
It is hard to argue with success, so I won’t! I will say that, as declarer, you should not
automatically assume that the opening leader is short in a critical suit just because he
made the opening lead. After all, he has to have a long suit somewhere! If he is known to
have five or six cards in the long suit, that is a horse of a different color.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: A disciplined pass is in order. If
South Holds: you could raise to two hearts, you would, but
♠A3 competing to the three-level is too much with
♥J872 a weak no-trump hand and bad trumps. To
♦943 bid three hearts, you would have to be
♣AKJ6 slightly less balanced. You shouldn’t miss
anything by passing, as partner will surely
South West North East act again if he has extras. Give me ace-jack-
1♣ Pass 1♥ 2♠ fourth of hearts instead of the spade ace,
? and I might break discipline, I admit.

I don’t ever seem to have a hand where I My experienced partner threw me a curve,
want to play a part-score in the minor facing and I dropped the ball. How would you cope
a no-trump opening bid. So, would it make with ♠ J-7-4-2, ♥ A-2, ♦ K-6, ♣ K-J-9-5-2 after
sense to play transfers into a minor suit as at opening one club and hearing one spade on
least invitational? your left, then three spades from your
partner?
— Humble Pie, Willoughby, Ohio
— Scoring Table, Bremerton, Wash.
ANSWER: My experience and yours do not

mesh. With a weak hand and a long suit, you ANSWER: A jump cue-bid here should have
really should play the minor suit, I believe. a very precise meaning. It is a raise in clubs
As an aside, I can understand using a two- with a singleton spade — in other words, a
spade response to one no-trump as a splinter raise. Your hand is not suitable for
balanced range ask or a hand with one no-trump, but it is very suitable for clubs
minor and invitational values, so that (imagine partner with the heart and diamond
transfers to a minor are either weak or controls, plus five clubs to the ace). Cue-bid
strong (and Stayman now guarantees a four diamonds now — don’t even think of
major). But that would require detailed bidding three no-trump or closing out the
discussion. auction at five clubs.

What should you do when holding ♠ 5-2, How would you respond to a two-diamond
♥ K-10-4-3, ♦ J-9, ♥ A-Q-7-6-2 if you heard opening if you held ♠ Q-J-7, ♥ K-9-3, ♦ A-7-4-
your partner open one diamond and the next 2, ♣ Q-10-4? How would you rate passing,
hand overcall one heart? Is this hand really a raising or inquiring with two no-trump?
two-club call, or would you elect to play for
penalty? — Blunderbuss, Atlanta, Ga.
— Apple Pie Order, Beaverton, Ore.
ANSWER: I don’t think my side can make
game here, but I have enough values to
ANSWER: If you gave me just one guess, I expect the opponents not to make game
would say it was right to bid one no-trump, anywhere, either. The choice is to raise to
but to compete in clubs if the opponents bid three diamonds at once (maybe that will
spades. The attraction of bidding one no- draw my opponents in) or to pass and bid up
trump is that you allow your partner to act to three diamonds if necessary. Either
again if he has either extras in shape or approach makes sense — I think I favor the
values. latter, but it is close.
Dear Mr. Wolff:

What, if any, are some simple rules that will
help me master the general principles of the
percentages? Number Crunchers
Anonymous, Union City,
— Tenn.
ANSWER: An even number of cards are

less likely to break than to divide evenly
(with the exception of the 1-1 break). The
more cards missing, the closer to onethird is
the likelihood of an even break. An odd
number of cards will usually break as evenly
as possible — and the more cards that are
out, the closer to twothirds is the likelihood of
that break. In those instances, the next-most
even break comes in at about a 1 in 5
chance.
“If a state should pass laws forbidding its citizens to become wise and holy, it would be
made a byword for all time. But this, in effect, is what our commercial, social, and political
systems do. They compel the sacrifice of mental and moral power to money and
dissipation.”
— John Spalding
Dealer: N North
Today’s hand comes from the finals of the 1999 U.S. trials Vul: E-W ♠KQ7
and shows Peter Weichsel in action, making a thoughtful ♥84
♦AQJ87
assumption in the trump suit. ♣Q32
West East
The final contract at both tables was two hearts by South, ♠A96 ♠ 10 5 3 2
♥ A 10 3 ♥Q92
East and West having passed throughout.
♦K2 ♦643
♣ 10 9 8 7 5 ♣AK6
At the first table, West led the club 10. East took the king South
and ace and played a third club, won in dummy with the ♠J84
♥KJ765
queen. Declarer then led a heart to the jack, which looks ♦ 10 9 5
to be the normal play. However, West won with the ace, ♣J4
cashed the spade ace, then played a fourth round of
clubs, which East ruffed with the queen. This promoted an 1♦ Pass
extra trump for the defense; they could now take three 1♥ Pass 1 NT Pass
trump tricks in addition to their three black-suit winners, 2♥ All pass
which spelled one down for declarer.
Opening Lead: ♣10
At the second table, the defenders cashed all three of
their black-suit winners before playing a third club. On winning in dummy, Weichsel came
to the conclusion that, after East had produced 7 points in clubs, he would not have both
the heart ace and queen as well, because then he might have entered the auction.
Weichsel realized how the fourth round of clubs could lead to the demise of his contract,
so he continued on the assumption that East held the heart nine or 10 (or both).
Declarer called for the heart eight from dummy, and when East played low, he let it ride.
West won with the 10, but now a club return could no longer lead to a trump promotion.
Contract made.
LEAD WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: It seems normal to lead partner’s
South Holds: suit, but this may be our only time on lead,
♠J5 so we should aim to do some damage with
♥QJ76 it. Only one diamond winner is likely to stand
♦8632 up here, given our length. So, our best bet
♣J53 may be to lead a top heart through dummy’s
hypothetical tenace. One or two quick tricks
South West North East in the suit may be all we need, and if we do
Pass 1♣ 1♦ 1♠ not take them now, they may go away on
2♦ 3♣ 3♦ 4♠ dummy’s clubs.
All pass
“Mathematics is the science which draws necessary conclusions.”

— Benjamin Peirce
Dealer: E North
Even without a sixth diamond, South’s two-level overcall Vul: E-W ♠AQ63
seems normal on today’s deal. North contented himself ♥—
♦ K 10 7 5 4 2
with a simple raise to five diamonds after West bid pre- ♣ 10 7 5
emptively to four hearts. If four no-trump had been West East
♠ 10 8 7 2 ♠K95
available to show a slam try in diamonds, he might have
♥876532 ♥ A K J 10 9
considered that. ♦8 ♦3
♣A4 ♣J986
When West led a heart, declarer saw that East and West South
♠J4
had just 16 points between them, but he failed to follow ♥Q4
through with this thought. He ruffed the opening lead in ♦AQJ96
♣KQ32
dummy, then crossed to hand with a trump to ruff his
second heart. Declarer then continued with a low club South West North East
from dummy, expecting East to hold the ace. 1♥
2♦ 4♥ 5♦ All pass
However, West captured the king with his ace and
unkindly sent back a second club. East covered dummy’s
Opening Lead: ♥8
10 with the jack, and South won his queen. Declarer knew
that East held the spade king for his opening bid but still desperately tried the finesse. As
expected, it lost, and the club nine was the setting trick.
South played the black suits in the wrong order. For East to have an opening bid, he
needed to hold at least one of the spade king or the club ace. After eliminating hearts and
drawing trumps, declarer does best to lead a low spade from dummy. If East rises with the
king, declarer has three spade tricks as home for two of his losing clubs.
If East plays low, South has no spade losers and can afford to concede two clubs. If West
takes the spade jack with the king, then the club ace must be onside with East.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: The textbooks would recommend
South Holds: opening one diamond and rebidding two
♠J4 clubs. Modernists would open one no-trump
♥Q4 as often as possible. Here, with honors in
♦AQJ96 your short suits, one no-trump is your best
♣KQ32 tactical option, serving to rightside most
contracts facing a balanced hand. It also
South West North East pre-empts the opponents while getting your
? strength across to partner. Do I recommend
it? Maybe.
“Politics is the only profession for which no preparation is thought necessary.”

— Robert Louis Stevenson
Dealer: E North
West led a diamond against today’s heart slam from Vul: E-W ♠AK742
Britain’s Gold Cup, and East won his diamond king as ♥2
♦ A 10 8
declarer followed low. ♣ Q 10 9 7
West East
Declarer was planning to squeeze West in the black suits ♠ J 10 8 5 ♠Q
♥85 ♥9764
after running all the diamond and heart winners plus the
♦J72 ♦K9654
club ace. Alas for him, East smartly switched to the spade ♣K854 ♣J63
queen at trick two, attacking declarer’s entries. This South
♠963
maneuver could hardly lose, as declarer would not have ♥ A K Q J 10 3
played small from dummy if he were missing the club ace ♦Q3
♣A2
and could run the spades.
This defense cut declarer off from the diamond ace. If he Pass
wanted to cash it to tighten the end position, he would 1♥ Pass 1♠ Pass
have to unblock the diamond queen and use up his final 3 NT Pass 4♦ Dbl.
4♥ Pass 4♠ Pass
spade entry to dummy, killing the squeeze. Declarer
5♣ Pass 5 NT Pass
tossed and turned, but could not find a way to counter this 6♥ All pass
fine defense.
Opening Lead: ♦2
At trick one south might have unblocked the diamond
queen under the king. He could then finesse the diamond 10 and cash the ace while the
spade entry was intact. Now West would come under the desired pressure.
But if declarer had simply won the spade shift and run all six of his trumps, West would
have had to bare his diamond jack in the six-card ending to keep the black suits guarded.
That lets declarer overtake the diamond queen and cash the .
He reduces to a top spade and club queen-doubleton in dummy opposite the club ace and
two spades in hand. West would be unable to keep two clubs and two spades, and
declarer would come home if he read the position.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: With a four-card major and
South Holds: longer diamonds in response to a club
♠Q opening, the normal procedure is to bypass
♥9764 the diamonds with a weak hand, preferring
♦K9654 to get the major in at a low level. However,
♣J63 your hearts are so poor that you can afford
to ignore them for now and respond in your
South West North East fair five-card diamond suit, maximizing your
1♣ Pass chances of finding a fit.
?
“What makes a problem a problem is not that a large amount of search is required for its
solution, but that a large amount would be required if a requisite level of intelligence were
not applied.— Allen Newell and Herbert”
—
Dealer: W North
South’s inelegant (if practical) two no-trump opening saw Vul: Both ♠KQJ5
North show four spades and longer hearts, but South ♥Q9865
♦96
insisted on no-trump, which led to a challenging declarer- ♣ 10 4
play problem for him. West East
♠ 10 9 7 3 ♠A42
♥432 ♥ A J 10
Declarer won the club lead in dummy with the 10 and
♦ 10 ♦J8742
called for dummy’s spade king. When East let it hold, ♣Q9875 ♣32
declarer started on diamonds, and the 5-1 break came as South
♠86
a huge blow. ♥K7
♦AKQ53
Declarer now needed a third trick from the majors. He led ♣AKJ6
the heart king from hand, but East was wide awake and,
after winning the heart ace, returned the heart jack to kill Pass Pass Pass
the dummy. He won the next spade, cashed the heart 10, 2 NT Pass 3♣ Pass
West throwing a spade, and exited in diamonds. West let 3♦ Pass 3♠* Pass
3 NT All pass
go of his last spade, and the defense had to come to two
more tricks. *Four spades and longer hearts
Opening Lead: ♣7
Once West had showed out on the second diamond,
South should have dislodged the spade ace before touching hearts. East would win the
second spade and would probably return a diamond, but declarer would be in the driver’s
seat. He would win and lay down the heart king, which East would have to duck, in order
to prevent South from accessing dummy’s winning spade.
However, declarer could now counter by cashing the club aceking (East pitching a spade)
and throwing East on lead with a diamond. After taking his diamond winners, East would
have to lead around to a major-suit winner at trick 13. Note that in this line declarer would
have to guess whether to pitch a spade winner or unguard hearts on the last diamond!
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: If you play forcing no-trump and
South Holds: constructive raises, you are allowed to make
♠A42 a simple raise to two hearts with a 10-count.
♥ A J 10 But this hand feels too strong for that. It isn’t
♦J8742 just the good trump and aces, it is also the
♣32 side five-card suit and useful small
doubleton. So treat this as a limit raise; bid a
South West North East forcing no-trump, then jump to three hearts.
1♥ Pass If you don’t play forcing no-trump, maybe
? make a limit raise to three hearts.
by Bobby Wolff on November 1st, 2019
“The art of being wise is the art of knowing what to overlook.”

— William James
Dealer: S North
After South’s strong opening and North’s nebulous Vul: None ♠ J 10 9 6
response, East’s two-spade intervention was meek at ♥ 10 8 2
♦Q98
best. With so much offense, East should have aimed to ♣ 10 9 6
take up space with a jump to three spades. As it was, West East
♠87 ♠AKQ542
South was able to name his suit at the three-level. When
♥754 ♥3
North raised to game, promising nothing, South took a ♦ J 10 5 2 ♦643
punt at slam. Might North have considered temporizing ♣QJ87 ♣543
South
with three spades? If so, I’m not sure whether South could ♠3
have done more than bid four hearts. ♥AKQJ96
♦AK7
♣AK2
Against the slam, West led the spade eight. On the sight
of dummy, declarer could count only 11 tricks. Fortunately, South West North East
dummy’s major-suit spots gave declarer a slim chance of 2♣ Pass 2♦ 2♠
maneuvering into an additional trick. 3♥ Pass 4♥ Pass
6♥ All pass
The opening lead was headed by the nine and king
Opening Lead: ♠8
(East’s best attempt at a false card). Declarer won the
club return in hand, cashed the heart ace and reached dummy with the heart eight to take
the first of his ruffing spade finesses, leading the spade nine to try to pin the seven-
doubleton or -tripleton in West’s hand.
Declarer ruffed East’s spade ace high, delighted to see the seven fall, returned to the
heart 10 and called for another spade, ruffing out East’s queen. All that remained was to
reach dummy with the diamond queen, to park the losing club on dummy’s established
spade six.
Yes, South needed help on lead as well as some luck in the spot-cards, but he took
advantage of his best chance to make the slam.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: We are forced to bid and could
South Holds: either settle for two spades or attempt to find
♠86 a minor suit fit via a scrambling two no-
♥754 trump. Given that East has not raised hearts,
♦ J 10 5 2 partner is likely to have a doubleton heart
♣QJ76 and could easily be 5=2=3=3. In that case,
we would prefer to play in spades at a
South West North East cheaper level. So try two spades.
1♠ Pass
Pass 2♥ Dbl. Pass
?
by Bobby Wolff on November 2nd, 2019
“Man in portions can foresee His own funeral destiny.”

— Lord Byron
Dealer: N North
At his second turn, North correctly judged his hand to be Vul: Both ♠KJ92
worth a double raise of spades. After some cue-bids and ♥K854
♦A
the application of Roman Key-card Blackwood, South ♣K986
invited a grand slam with five no-trump, but when North West East
♠ 10 8 6 4 ♠7
could not do more than respond at the six-level, South
♥Q3 ♥ J 10 7 6 2
ended in six spades. ♦K97653 ♦ Q J 10 8
♣2 ♣ Q J 10
West led his club singleton. Declarer saw that there would South
♠AQ53
be 12 easy tricks if trumps were 3-2: He could draw ♥A9
trumps, concede a club to East and then take a ruff in a ♦42
♣A7543
red suit for his 12th trick (he would make nine tricks in the
black suits and the three additional red-suit winners). South West North East
1♣ Pass
So, declarer turned his mind to what could be done if 1♠ Pass 3♠ Pass
West had four trumps. After realizing that it would be best 4♣ Pass 4♦ Pass
4 NT Pass 5♥ Pass
to ruff a heart in hand if that were so, declarer began by
5 NT Pass 6♣ Pass
carefully calling for the club eight from dummy at trick one. 6♠ All pass
After winning the club ace and drawing two rounds of Opening Lead: ♣2
trumps with the ace and jack, discovering that West did
indeed have four trumps, declarer cashed the heart king and ace before leading a low
club toward dummy. West discarded a diamond; declarer won with the club king and
continued with the club nine to East’s queen. East exited with the heart jack, but declarer
could ruff this with the trump queen.
Next, he led a low trump and covered West’s eight with dummy’s nine. After drawing
West’s last trump, declarer led dummy’s carefully preserved club six to his seven to cash
the club five. The diamond ace was declarer’s 12th trick.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: This is a common problem. If we
South Holds: respond in our weak spade suit and partner
♠ 10 8 6 4 rebids two clubs, we will not be able to get
♥Q3 our diamonds into the game. (Two diamonds
♦K97653 would then be fourth suit forcing.) Best is to
♣2 lie with one no-trump, enabling us to bid a
natural and non-forcing two diamonds if
South West North East partner finds the likely rebid of two clubs.
1♥ Pass
?
by Bobby Wolff on November 3rd, 2019

What is the right way to signal from length In fourth seat, how should I have developed
when your partner leads a king (presumably the following hand: ♠ A-Q-3, ♥ Q-7-6-4, ♦ K-
from ace-king) and dummy has the guarded 9, ♣ K-9-4-2, when my left-hand opponent
queen in that suit? opened two spades and my partner
doubled? This was a pairs event with both
— Rawhide Rick, Salina, Kan. sides vulnerable.
— Nosy Rosie, Orlando, Fla.
ANSWER: In a suit contract, if you might
hold a doubleton, you echo with two; that
way you never lose your ruff. I suggest play ANSWER: The choice is between bidding
lowest from three, and second-lowest from game in hearts or three no-trump, and
four. This minimizes ambiguity, though passing for penalties. You rate to set two
nothing will cover every base. If you cannot spades 500 or more — but declarer can
have as few as two cards, give count, with a surely take four spade tricks and may
high card suggesting an even number, a low scramble a couple more out of dummy’s
card suggesting an odd number. In no- collection. With these spade honors taking
trump, simply give count — your attitude is tricks on offense, I would try three no-trump.
implicitly defined by the sight of dummy. Four hearts could easily run into ruffs or
trump troubles.
Dear Mr. Wolff:

Dear Mr. Wolff:
What would you do with ♠ K-10-5-2, ♥ A-Q-8-
6-2, ♦ 10-4, ♣ Q-9 when your partner opens Is there any real advantage to playing the
one club and rebids one no-trump over your version of Key-card Blackwood currently
one-heart response? Would you drive to recommended by Eddie Kantar, where a five
game, settle for part-score or issue an club response shows one or four key-cards
invitation? (counting the trump king as a key-card) and
five diamonds shows none or three? What
— Straitjacket, Vancouver, British Columbia do you usually play?
— 20th Century Blues, Selma, Ala.
ANSWER: Your hand does not look strong
enough to drive to game, when you have at
best an eight-card fit in either major and no ANSWER: Any system accident more than
more than 24 high-card points between you. outweighs the benefits of playing the best
I’d start with two diamonds, the new minor, possible methods. “The perfect is the enemy
looking for a heart fit, and be prepared to of the good,” they say. If I use Roman Key-
give up if I do not find one. If partner bids card Blackwood, I play 30/41 responses,
two spades, showing 4=3=3=3 precisely, I’ll though I do see a shift toward the methods
raise to three. you outline. When in Rome …
Dear Mr. Wolff:

Can you comment on the meaning of jump
rebids by opener after a suit opening, when
his partner makes a negative double of an
overcall by the left-hand opponent? Are
jumps forcing in the original suit or in a new
suit — and if not, what about a double jump?
— Head for Heights, Grenada, Miss.
ANSWER: Let’s consider a onespade

overcall of a minor-suit opening, and a
negative double from your partner. Now your
two-heart call suggests four and a minimum
balanced or semibalanced hand. A jump to
three hearts suggests four trumps and 14-15
points, potentially unbalanced. A jump in any
other new suit or your first-bid suit shows
extras but is not forcing. Use the cue-bid to
set up a game force.
The Aces on Bridge: Monday, October 21st, 2019
by Bobby Wolff on November 4th, 2019
“There is always a well-known solution to every human problem — neat, plausible, and
wrong.”
— H.L. Mencken
Dealer: S North
The 2014 European Team Championships were held in Vul: Both ♠ J 10 4
Opatija, Croatia, to determine the six teams who would go ♥K753
♦ K 10 2
on to vie for the Bermuda Bowl, which was held in ♣ A 10 4
Chennai, India, while the women’s and seniors’ events West East
♠96 ♠KQ532
decided the European representatives at the Venice Cup
♥Q942 ♥ A J 10
and d’Orsi Bowl, respectively. ♦J9543 ♦AQ6
♣86 ♣J7
Our first deal of the week was played in round one, South
♠A87
between France and Iceland. It is rarely a good sign when ♥86
the same team declares the hand in the same strain at ♦87
♣KQ9532
both tables, but the French proved one should never say
never. In one room, the French East opened a strong no- South West North East
trump and played there, drifting two down. Pass Pass 1♣ Dbl.
3 NT All pass
In the other room (shown), when Thomas Bessis opened
his patchy 11-count in third chair. East chose to double, Opening Lead: ♦4
treating his hand as too strong for an immediate one-
spade overcall and South, Michel Bessis, had a crack at the no-trump game, gambling on
finding two quick tricks opposite to go with the club suit.
West led an attitude diamond four to East’s queen. The spade shift gave declarer no
problems. He ran it to dummy, crossed to his hand in clubs and played a diamond to the
10, establishing his ninth trick.
East should shift to a heart at trick two. If declarer ducks, East drives out the spade ace
and has five tricks, but if declarer wins and finesses in diamonds, the defenders now have
the communication to take two diamonds and three heart tricks.
The French gained nine IMPs for their enterprise.
LEAD WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: It is rarely right to lead from ace-
South Holds: fourth against no-trump, since it often costs
♠A643 a trick and you will frequently have time to
♥J82 switch to that suit if you need to. Because a
♦7543 club lead from our doubleton would be
♣92 against the odds, we must choose between
the red suits. There is an argument for
South West North East leading a major suit, as West did not use
1 NT Stayman, but whether you lead a small heart
Pass 3 NT All pass or the diamond five is up to you.
The Aces on Bridge: Tuesday, October 22nd, 2019
“The best liar is he who makes the smallest amount of lying go the longest way.”
— Samuel Butler
Dealer: W North
France made a good start at the 2014 European Team Vul: Both ♠A7654
Championships, but then lost heavily to Monaco, the ♥J965
♦9
eventual silver medalists, in the third round. ♣ 10 9 8
West East
Having agreed hearts as the trump suit, East, Tor ♠Q3 ♠8
♥432 ♥ A K Q 10 8 7
Helness, tried for a slam, but was happy to defend against
♦765 ♦AQ842
five spades doubled. Geir Helgemo led the club king, ♣KQJ72 ♣4
which was won in hand by declarer Michel Bessis, who South
♠ K J 10 9 2
drew trumps in two rounds ending in dummy. Now came ♥—
the critical point. The diamond nine hit the baize, and ♦ K J 10 3
♣A653
Helness showed his class by ducking in tempo. Now
Bessis had a decision to make. When he rose with the South West North East
king, he no longer had a way to make his contract. Pass Pass 1♥
1♠ 2♥ 4♠ 4 NT
Had he run the nine, he would have been home free — he 5♠ Dbl. All pass
could come to hand by ruffing a heart, then establish a
Opening Lead: ♣K
diamond with a double loser-on-loser play in that suit, thus
making 11 tricks.
Of course, had the diamond nine lost to the queen, South would almost certainly have
been two off, but Helness’s strong bidding perhaps indicated the diamond position. You
could certainly argue that gambling plus 850 against minus 500 is better odds than a
guaranteed minus 200.
In the other room, again the five-level was reached, and the first three tricks were
identical; but this time when the diamond nine was played from dummy, East hopped up
with the ace. That was a pardonable error, but one that made life easy for declarer. France
had not doubled the contract, but it was still 13 IMPs to Monaco.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: Your hand has improved
South Holds: considerably now that you know of a heart
♠A7654 fit. Your singleton diamond will prove useful
♥J965 opposite partner’s likely 1=4=3=5 shape, as
♦9 will the spade ace and the club
♣ 10 9 8 intermediates. (Picture partner with king-
jack-fifth, for example.) What is more,
South West North East partner has shown extras with his reverse,
1♣ Pass so jump to four hearts to suggest no slam
1♠ Pass 2♥ Pass interest.
?
The Aces on Bridge: Wednesday, October 23rd, 2019
“Talent develops in quiet places, character in the full current of human life.”
— Johann von Goethe
Dealer: E North
All the deals this week come from the 2014 European Vul: N-S ♠AJ98
Team Championships in Croatia. This one comes from the ♥Q875
♦J9
match between Bulgaria and Israel, the eventual winners ♣ K 10 3
of the event. West East
♠7653 ♠4
♥94 ♥ A K J 10 3
After East’s natural opening bid, Bulgaria’s Rossen Gunev
♦87543 ♦ K Q 10 6
(South) elected to double — despite his flawed holding in ♣75 ♣QJ8
a minor — as his safest way into the auction. This isn’t South
♠ K Q 10 2
gilt-edged, but it kept his side from being frozen out of the ♥62
auction. ♦A2
♣A9642
The North-South spade fit was thus located at once, and
the Bulgarians even reached game, each of the players 1♥
stretching just a little to get there. West duly led the heart Dbl. Pass 2♥ Pass
nine to the queen and king. 2♠ Pass 3♠ Pass
4♠ All pass
Had East immediately continued with the diamond king,
Opening Lead: ♥9
we would not have a story. Even cashing a second top
heart and shifting to diamonds would have set the contract, since declarer would not have
had the communication for an effective endplay against East. But when East played a
third round of hearts instead, hoping no doubt to promote a trump for his partner, declarer
seized his chance.
South ruffed high, crossed to dummy in trumps, ruffed the last heart high and drew West’s
remaining trump, squeezing East out of his 13th heart in the process. After that, Gunev
simply conceded a club to East and claimed his contract, since the diamond loser could
be discarded on the clubs.
That was worth 12 IMPs to Bulgaria when their East-West pair bought the contract in two
diamonds in the other room after a strong club opening, making nine tricks.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: With marginal values, your
South Holds: singleton in partner’s suit should swing you
♠4 away from inviting game at pairs. A two-no-
♥ A K J 10 3 trump advance would land you in the wrong
♦ K Q 10 6 spot too often. Playing teams, the lure of a
♣QJ8 vulnerable game might be too much to bear,
though, in which case the two-no-trump call
South West North East describes your general shape and values
1♥ Pass 1♠ Pass reasonably well.
2♦ Pass 2♥ Pass
?
“We’re all leading lives that are different and yet the same.”
— Anne Frank
Dealer: N North
On today’s deal from the 2014 European Team Vul: E-W ♠K
Championships in Croatia, the final contract was the same ♥J6542
♦ 10 9 5 3
in each room, but the outcomes were very different. ♣A92
West East
Both Norths drove their partners to game in hearts, and ♠QJ97 ♠643
♥K3 ♥98
each West led a low diamond. Easts Gabor Winkler for
♦Q86 ♦AKJ42
Hungary and Vladimir Mihov for Bulgaria both won with ♣K654 ♣ J 10 8
the king and switched to a club honor. South
♠ A 10 8 5 2
♥ A Q 10 7
Mihov led the club 10 to the queen, king and ace. ♦7
Declarer cashed the spade king, ruffed a diamond and ♣Q73
threw a club loser on the spade ace. Next, he ruffed a
spade, before conceding a club to Mihov’s jack. South Pass Pass
ruffed the diamond return, ruffed a club and led a heart to 1♠ Pass 1 NT Pass
the queen. When Julian Stefanov (West) won with the 2♥ Pass 4♥ All pass
king and returned a heart to the ace, declarer was left with
a diamond loser and was one down for minus 50. Opening Lead: ♦6
In the other room, Winkler switched to the club jack, and declarer Georgi Mihailov withheld
his queen. He won with the ace, cashed the spade king, ruffed a diamond, and cashed the
spade ace, pitching a club from dummy. Next came a spade ruff, a diamond ruff, and
another spade. When West produced the 13th spade, Mihailov discarded dummy’s last
club rather than risking an over-ruff.
East also threw a club, and West led the club king, which declarer ruffed. When Mihailov
took the losing heart finesse, he could ruff the club return with the jack and cross to the
heart ace. The 2-2 trump split meant that he could cash the spade 10 for his game-going
trick, and a big swing to Bulgaria.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: You had too little to bid two
South Holds: hearts on the previous round, and now with
♠K such a bad suit and little chance of a fit, you
♥J6542 seem to have too much to pass but nowhere
♦ 10 9 5 3 to go. Giving false preference to two spades
♣A92 on a singleton would be too rich for me,
though admittedly it does give partner a
South West North East chance to go on with the perfect hand. I’d
1♠ Pass pass two clubs and proffer my apologies
1 NT Pass 2♣ Pass along with the dummy.
?
“I see but one rule: to be clear. If I am not clear, all my world crumbles to nothing.”
— Stendhal
Dealer: E North
This hand from the 2014 European Team Championships Vul: Both ♠75
in Croatia demonstrates the importance of constructing ♥ A Q 10 6
♦A9832
the unseen hands. ♣ Q 10
West East
Geir Helgemo’s one-club opening did little to keep his ♠8632 ♠AJ4
♥942 ♥75
Norwegian opponents from reaching the heart game.
♦Q75 ♦ 10 6
Espen Lindqvist doubled for take-out, and Boye ♣J83 ♣AK9652
Brogeland set up a forcing auction with his two-club cue- South
♠ K Q 10 9
bid. South showed his spades first, then bid three hearts ♥KJ83
over the two no-trump advance, raised to game by North. ♦KJ4
♣74
Tor Helness led the club three, and Helgemo took two
winners in the suit before cashing the spade ace and 1♣
continuing with a spade to declarer’s king. Lindqvist ruffed Dbl. Pass 2♣ Pass
a spade with the heart 10 and drew trumps in three 2♠ Pass 2 NT Pass
rounds, ending in hand. He then cashed the spade queen,
confirming the layout of that suit.
Opening Lead: ♣3
Declarer needed to avoid a diamond loser. As if by magic,
Lindqvist led the diamond jack and ran the card, pulling off a backward finesse! Plus 620
and 12 IMPs were his.
Why did he make this play? He knew Helgemo from his days of playing for Norway before
transferring his loyalty to Monaco, so he was aware of his predilection for opening one no-
trump at the slightest drop of a hat. If East held the diamond queen as part of a 3=2=2=6
hand containing the black-suit honors already shown, he would have been in range for a
slightly off-center one no-trump opening bid. It is hard to argue with success, isn’t it?
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: Clearly, you must find a rebid, but
South Holds: none appeal. One no-trump is the best of a
♠75 bad bunch, showing the strength of your
♥ A Q 10 6 hand but fibbing about the shape. With five
♦A9832 poor diamonds and no shortness, two
♣ Q 10 diamonds is not leading the polls. You might
persuade me to make that call on a five-card
South West North East suit if it were headed by two top honors, but
1♦ Pass 1♠ Pass not today.
?
“Should I, after tea and cakes and ices, Have the strength to force the moment to its
crisis?”
— T.S. Eliot
Dealer: W North
We end our week of deals from the 2014 European Team Vul: E-W ♠ 10 4
Championships with what turned out to be the pivotal ♥K
♦ K J 10 9 7 4 2
board in deciding the top spot in the open section. The ♣874
featured match was between Israel and Monaco. West East
♠932 ♠KQ865
In both rooms, North opened three diamonds, but only the ♥Q753 ♥ 10 8 4
♦653 ♦AQ
Monaco North-South ended in five diamonds. There were ♣ J 10 6 ♣932
no problems in the play in that contract. Even on the South
♠AJ7
spade king lead, declarer could unblock the heart king, ♥AJ962
cross to dummy in clubs and throw his losing spade on ♦8
♣AKQ5
the heart ace before drawing trumps — plus 400.
The three no-trump contract at the other table was a more Pass 3♦ Pass
exciting affair. Declarer took the club jack lead in hand and 3 NT All pass
conceded a diamond to East’s queen. Tor Helness
returned the spade king. Declarer won with the ace, Opening Lead: ♣J
unblocked the heart king and reached his hand with a
club.
The moment of truth had arrived, as the fate of the contract depended on a heart guess.
After the heart ace, should declarer play for an opponent to have started with queen-third
or with 10-third? The penalty for guessing wrong would have been 10 IMPs, but South got
it right by leading out the jack to pin the 10, and Israel earned a push. They beat the
reigning European champions by just enough to take the gold medal.
Had West hit on a spade lead, declarer might have gone after diamonds first, which would
have conceded a vital tempo. That would have rejigged the final standings.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: Partner’s three diamond bid is
South Holds: artificial, a temporizing call. If he had primary
♠AJ7 heart support, six spades or a good diamond
♥AJ962 stopper, he would have bid naturally. You
♦8 have strong three-card spade support and
♣AKQ5 should show it by jumping to four spades.
Even if it is a Moysian fit, it will probably be
South West North East your best game. Meanwhile, this bid tells
1♥ Pass 1♠ Pass partner exactly what you have, in case he
3♣ Pass 3♦ Pass has a good hand.
?

What do you think is the best way to learn How would you respond to a three-spade
how to play bridge? Did you start by playing pre-empt at unfavorable vulnerability, holding
pairs or team games, or did you learn rubber ♠ J-9, ♥ K-10-5-2, ♦ A-J, ♣ A-Q-7-3-2? I
bridge first? Which would you recommend? elected to raise to game, and though I wasn’t
expecting to be facing solid spades, I did
— Tyro Tyrone, Worcester, Mass. expect more than queenseventh of spades
and queenfourth of diamonds.
ANSWER: Rubber bridge used to be far — Unimpressed, Seneca S.C.
more common than it is nowadays. I think
your chances of learning quickly would be
improved by playing in a duplicate club, ANSWER: Pre-empts vary enormously
where you can take classes as well as according to position and vulnerability. Your
playing in events. Teams is easier to learn partner appears to have bid considerably
than pairs, I would say. If you can’t find a below what I might expect for a second-seat
local club, the American Contract Bridge pre-empt at unfavorable vulnerability. In first
League will help. Try them at 1-800-264- or third chair non-vulnerable, I might even
2743. open his hand at the three-level.

The following hand kept me up at night. My I assume you would open one diamond with
partner opened one spade, and I responded ♠ A-7-3, ♥ K-J-4-2, ♦ Q-10-5-2, ♣ Q-10. You
with one no-trump, holding ♠ J, ♥ K-10-6-5-4, then hear a two-club overcall, and your
♦ K-Q-10-3, ♣ J-3-2. Now my partner bid two partner bids three clubs to show a limit raise
clubs, and I could think of nothing intelligent or better in diamonds. You sign off in three
to say. What would you have done? diamonds, but partner presses on with three
hearts. What would you do now?
— Curious George, Battle Creek, Mich.
— Marquis of Mirth, Torrance, Calif.
ANSWER: There is no good answer here.

Passing may be disastrous facing a good ANSWER: Your partner is looking for a club
hand with only four (or even three!) clubs, stopper, and you do not have one. Since his
while bidding two no-trump may send you call is forcing, your choice is to raise hearts
overboard. Correcting to two spades also and hope the 4-3 fit plays well. (Partner
looks very dangerous, so I’d try two hearts, could still have four hearts, I suppose.) You
hoping to end up in a contract where I have could also temporize with three spades, but
more trumps than the opponents. I’m not sure what that would achieve. So
four hearts it is.
Dear Mr. Wolff:

Please explain what happens when a player
makes a slow bid, and his partner seems to
take advantage of that unauthorized
information? What are the criteria for
awarding an adjusted score?
— Blinky Bill, Charlottesville, Va.
ANSWER: Say a player’s tempo for a call

suggests a particular action, and his partner
subsequently takes the action that might
have been suggested by that tempo. If so,
the director may adjust the result, depending
on whether there were logical alternatives to
the action chosen. In other words, you can
bid as fast or as slow as you like, but your
partner must not be influenced by your
tempo.
“I may as well say at once that I do not distinguish between inference and deduction.
What is called induction appears to me to be either disguised deduction or a mere method
of making plausible guesses.”
— Bertrand Russell
Dealer: S North
In today’s deal, North-South found their way to the no- Vul: E-W ♠75
trump game. At his second turn, South sensibly elected to ♥K
♦AK752
emphasize his spades because of his suitoriented honor ♣ Q 10 7 5 3
structure and his small doubleton in clubs, but still ended West East
♠ 10 3 ♠J984
up in no-trump when North tried for the nine-trick game
♥ Q J 10 7 2 ♥9653
rather than raising his partner — a good idea today. But ♦ J 10 6 3 ♦Q
declarer still needed to decide which suit to go after and ♣A4 ♣KJ86
South
how to avoid blockages to bring his game home. ♠AKQ62
♥A84
West’s lead of the heart queen removed dummy’s only ♦984
♣92
outside entry to the diamonds. With seven sure tricks, a 3-
3 spade break would suffice; however, diamonds seemed South West North East
to offer a sounder chance. 1♠ Pass 2♦ Pass
2♠ Pass 3♣ Pass
A close examination of the diamond pips showed that 3♦ Pass 3♥ Pass
3 NT All pass
even some 4-1 breaks might not present an insuperable
problem. South focused on West holding the four-card suit Opening Lead: ♥Q
with East a singleton honor.
Accordingly, at trick two South cashed dummy’s diamond ace and, when the queen
dropped from East, he was careful to play the nine to this trick to keep the suit fluid. Next
came a low diamond to South’s eight. If West took this trick, declarer would later finesse
dummy’s seven. So West played low to cut declarer off from dummy.
Nicely defended, but it was not quite good enough. South switched horses and played low
spades from both hands to make sure he could untangle his winners. With four spade
tricks to come when that suit behaved, he was home.
LEAD WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: East has promised at least five
South Holds: cards in each major, so partner must have
♠86532 short spades. Rather than try a speculative
♥K8 minorsuit lead, you should pave the way for
♦874 the spade ruff that you hope to give when
♣ 10 6 2 you gain the lead with the heart king. The
spade two is the best lead, making it look
South West North East like you have the singleton. If the heart ace
Pass 1 NT Pass 2♥ is on your left, declarer might reject the
Pass 2♠ Pass 3♥ finesse and suffer an embarrassing ruff.
Pass 4♣ Pass 6♥
All pass
“People are always blaming their circumstances for what they are. I don’t believe in
circumstances.”
Dealer: S North
North took the scientific route on today’s hand, responding Vul: Both ♠KJ5
one diamond and continuing with two spades over his ♥985
♦AKJ5
partner’s twoclub rebid. North was showing a ♣ J 10 6
concentration in spades and some concern about hearts. West East
♠ A 10 8 2 ♠Q643
In auctions like this one, the third suit shows values in the
♥K43 ♥ J 10 7 6 2
suit bid, while the fourth suit asks for a stopper. ♦ Q 10 4 2 ♦87
♣83 ♣A4
Three no-trump was thus reached the right way up to South
♠97
protect the heart tenace, and West chose to lead dummy’s ♥AQ
second suit, with the idea of leading to declarer’s ♦963
♣KQ9752
weakness. This attack would be more attractive from a
five-card or even a three-card holding (hoping to hit South West North East
partner’s five-card suit). All too often, four-card suits set 1♣ Pass 1♦ Pass
up winners, but not quickly enough to beat three no- 2♣ Pass 2♠ Pass
trump. Then again, our recommended heart lead would
give declarer no problems.
Opening Lead: ♠2
Today, though, the spade did pose a difficult challenge.
Declarer could count eight tricks once the club ace was removed. The heart suit posed a
threat, however. If West held the heart king and East gained the lead to shift through
declarer’s heart tenace, the game would be defeated.
It followed that declarer had to keep East off lead at any cost. South therefore called for
the spade king. This was safe even when West had led from the spade ace-queen. After
all, the spade two lead was a strong indication that the suit was splitting evenly.
When the spade king held, all declarer had to do was knock out the club ace. The defense
could score only three spades and a club trick.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: In the absence of a checkback
South Holds: mechanism, you need to explore for a 4-4
♠Q643 spade fit or 5-3 heart fit by the seat of your
♥ J 10 7 6 2 pants. Since a bid of three spades would
♦87 (according to some) promise only four
♣A4 hearts, you might miss a 5-3 heart fit. I
suppose you could simply bid three hearts. If
South West North East partner has three-card support, he will raise.
1♦ Pass If he has four spades, you hope he will bid
1♥ Pass 2 NT Pass three spades.
?
“My sentence is for open war: Of wiles More unexpert, I boast not.”
— John Milton
Dealer: N North
Nothing would tempt me to open the North hand, but at Vul: Both ♠AQ84
the table, the player with those cards did not see it that ♥J53
♦ 10 9 2
way, and a poor game was reached. ♣A43
West East
West kicked off passively against four spades with the ♠J ♠652
♥ K 10 7 2 ♥Q864
trump jack. Declarer had no immediately obvious way of
♦AJ ♦Q754
disposing of his losing heart, as the club king was more ♣KJ7652 ♣ 10 8
likely on his left. South decided his best chance was to South
♠ K 10 9 7 3
arrange an endplay against West. He therefore sought to ♥A9
eliminate the hearts without letting East on lead for a club ♦K863
♣Q9
switch.
Declarer won the trump lead in dummy and led a low 1♣ Pass
heart. East played small, and so did South. Upon winning 1♠ 2♣ 2♠ Pass
with the heart 10, West exited with a heart to the ace. 4♠ All pass
Declarer crossed to the table with the trump eight, ruffed a
Opening Lead: ♠J
heart, played another trump to the queen and ran the
diamond 10 to West’s jack.
After cashing the diamond ace, West was caught between a rock and a hard place.
A club continuation would float around to the queen, and declarer would then need only to
ruff a diamond in dummy. West could place both red-suit queens with his partner, so
South had to have the club queen. Therefore, West’s only chance was to concede a ruff-
and-discard by leading a heart, hoping his partner had the diamond eight.
No such luck. Declarer ruffed in dummy, throwing his club loser, and finessed in diamonds
to make his game.
Do you think West could have figured out to play the diamond ace and another diamond
at trick three, to escape the endplay?
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: You do not have much in reserve
South Holds: for a two-level overcall, but you must not
♠J give up. Your extra shape and short spades
♥ K 10 7 2 demand that you protect, in an effort to buy
♦AJ the partscore. Double, and don’t worry too
♣KJ7652 much about partner bidding three diamonds.
He would have at least five of them for that
South West North East bid, probably six. (A call of two no-trump by
1♠ him would be a scramble here, not natural).
2♣ 2♠ Pass Pass
?
The Aces on Bridge: Thursday, October 31st, 2019
“Perfection of means and confusion of goals seem, in my opinion, to characterize our

age.”
— Albert Einstein
Dealer: S North
North-South bid to a pushy four-spade contract here when Vul: E-W ♠ A 10
South up-valued his heart honors in his partner’s suit and, ♥ Q 10 7 6 4
♦ K 10 6 2
expecting the missing club honors to be on his left, bid ♣Q8
one more for the road. West East
♠84 ♠Q95
After cashing the top clubs and receiving an odd count- ♥93 ♥J852
♦AJ3 ♦Q85
signal from his partner, West found the excellent defense ♣AK9752 ♣J43
of the diamond ace and another diamond, attacking the South
♠KJ7632
late entry to dummy. West’s defense was based on the ♥AK
fact that East had followed with his lowest club at his ♦974
♣ 10 6
second turn, suggesting more interest in the lower of the
red suits. South West North East
1♠ 2♣ 2♥ Pass
Upon winning with the diamond king, declarer saw he 2♠ Pass 3♠ Pass
needed to dispose of his remaining diamond on a heart. 4♠ All pass
One line was to unblock the heart ace-king, finesse the
Opening Lead: ♣K
spade 10 and cash the spade ace before playing the heart
queen. That would succeed when West had the spade queen and either hearts were 3-3
or West had doubletons in each major. For this to work, assuming the clubs were 6-3 as
the carding had suggested, West would need to have only two spades.
If that were the case, East would have the long spades, which made it more likely that the
spade queen was on declarer’s right. Looking at each player’s cards outside the club suit
supported that reasoning, East having 10 unknown cards to West’s seven.
So declarer called for the spade 10 from dummy at trick five and let it run. He then
unblocked the top hearts and returned to the spade ace to throw his remaining diamond
on the heart queen. When West was unable to ruff, the game was home.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: With little hope of game opposite
South Holds: a passed partner, your priorities should shift
♠KJ7632 toward pre-empting the opponents with a
♥AK weak twospade opening. Partner is aware
♦974 that you could have this much in third chair
♣ 10 6 and is not banned from competing or inviting
game with a fitting hand, so this sound
South West North East tactical maneuver does not have all that
Pass Pass much to lose.
?
The Aces on Bridge: Friday, November 1st, 2019
“Life’s short span forbids us to enter on far-reaching hopes.”

— Horace
Dealer: S North
The successful declarer always looks for a way to Vul: E-W ♠4
augment his chances. In today’s deal, South found himself ♥A4
♦K53
at the helm in four hearts after North set up a game force ♣ A 10 7 6 5 4 3
at his first turn. South showed his major-suit pattern West East
♠J6 ♠Q98753
without promising extras, then each player looked to
♥KQ97 ♥J
extract support from their partner for their long suit. South ♦J972 ♦ Q 10 4
won the day when North fessed up to a doubleton heart ♣QJ8 ♣K92
South
honor. ♠ A K 10 2
♥ 10 8 6 5 3 2
Having to choose between the pointed suits on lead, West ♦A86
♣—
opted for the unbid one and put a low diamond on the
table. Declarer could see a spade and two trump losers South West North East
on the likely 3-2 split; but if he could ruff one spade in 1♥ Pass 2♣ Pass
dummy, that would give him two spade tricks, three minor- 2♠ Pass 2 NT Pass
3♦ Pass 3♥ Pass
suit winners, one ruff and four trump tricks, for 10 in all. 4♥ All pass
However, South was not prepared to settle for that: He Opening Lead: ♦2
sought to find a way home even if hearts split 4-1. Aiming
to set up dummy’s clubs, declarer won the diamond in hand and ruffed a spade at trick
three, then followed with a low club, which he ruffed small. He returned to the heart ace
and ruffed another low club in hand, then gave up a trump, East showing out. West could
draw two more rounds of trumps, but dummy discarded the losing diamond; when clubs
broke, South had the rest. The extra chance of an even club split had paid dividends.
Note declarer’s good technique in keeping the club ace in dummy. This way, he did not
risk conceding an over-ruff or trump promotion if clubs were 4-2 and trumps 3-2.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: Bid two spades if you dare. With
South Holds: a singleton in hearts, the quality of your
♠Q98753 spades is not paramount. The jump tells
♥J partner what you have and may allow you to
♦ Q 10 4 sacrifice or even win the auction. You will
♣K92 cramp the auction and make it difficult for
East-West to find their best spot. I would bid
South West North East one spade at unfavorable vulnerability,
1♥ though, where I consider jumps to be at
? worst a maximum weak two-bid.
The Aces on Bridge: Saturday, November 2nd, 2019
“I prefer an accommodating vice to an obstinate virtue.”

— Moliere
Dealer: E North
North made a Michaels cuebid to show the majors over Vul: N-S ♠A9643
West’s light opener in third seat, and South judged his ♥AKJ75
♦2
spade king and ruffing value in hearts to be worth a mild ♣A4
invite of three spades. This was sensible: Even though West East
♠Q75 ♠ J 10
one of the minor-suit kings would probably be wasted, the
♥2 ♥ Q 10 9 8 3
other might be working overtime, as here. North had an ♦AJ973 ♦ Q 10 4
easy raise to game. ♣Q873 ♣J65
South
♠K82
West’s singleton heart lead went to dummy’s ace. Now ♥64
declarer, seeking to ruff a heart in hand, correctly crossed ♦K865
♣ K 10 9 2
to hand with the spade king to lead a second heart
through the void. West intelligently pitched a diamond, South West North East
unwilling to ruff thin air, and after scoring the heart king, Pass
South made another careful play when he called for the Pass 1♦ 2♦* Pass
spade ace.
Only then did declarer ruff a heart in hand. The play of the *Both majors
spade ace had the effect of extracting West’s safe exit Opening Lead: ♥2
card, so he could no longer over-ruff and exit passively in
the trump suit. Nevertheless, West chose to over-ruff immediately and found the best
continuation of a small club.
With the clubs blocked, declarer could not immediately benefit from this, but he found a
counter. He rose with dummy’s club ace, then led a club to his 10. That left West on lead
without resource. He had to establish an extra trick for declarer in one minor or the other,
along with an entry.
It would not have helped West not to over-ruff the third heart. South would have crossed
to the club ace and thrown West on lead with a spade to produce the same ending.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: Your hand could hardly be better
South Holds: now. Knowing of a nine-card heart fit and
♠A9643 probably short spades opposite, you can
♥AKJ75 visualize a slam. The power of your club
♦2 filler will come in handy as well. Cue-bid four
♣A4 clubs to set the scene for slam
investigations, intending to make another
South West North East move even if partner signs off. But since
1♠ Pass 2♣ Pass your hand is all keycards, partner may be in
2♥ Pass 3♥ Pass a better position to ask for aces than you.
?
The Aces on Bridge: Sunday, November 3rd, 2019

When my partner responds five diamonds to In fourth chair, you are dealt ♠ A-10-8-2, ♥ J-
Key-card Blackwood, how do I know whether 9-4, ♦ K-J-7-6, ♣ Q-10, and you hear a weak
he is showing one ace or the trump king? If I two spades on your left, double by partner
held two aces, I would need this information and three spades on your right. You bid
to know whether to bid slam. three no-trump, over which partner bids four
hearts. Should you bid on?
— Year Dot, Springfield, Mass.
— Pre-empts Work, Charleston, S.C.
ANSWER: You never want to play slam if

you are missing two aces, but missing one ANSWER: While you have a decent hand,
ace and the trump king is almost as bad. you implied opening values when you
While the auction can occasionally indicate contracted for game. You are close to cue-
that the finesse is favored to succeed, you bidding four spades, but I’d pass, primarily
will rarely know that for sure. Essentially, the because with anything like a slam-drive,
trump king is as good as an ace, and you do partner might have done more himself. I’d
not need to differentiate. Indeed, even when expect him to have at least five hearts and a
you have a nine-card fit, possession of the spade void, but not necessarily a great hand.
trump queen will often be critical.
Dear Mr. Wolff:

Dear Mr. Wolff:
Recently, I held ♠ A-J-7-4-3, ♥ 6-4, ♦ K-Q,
With a hand such as ♠ A-J-4, ♥ A-Q-9, ♦ J-9- ♣ J-10-8-7. I responded one spade to
5, ♣ 10-8-7-2, is there ever a seat or partner’s one-club opening, and my partner
vulnerability in which you would pass, as now jumped to four spades. What should I
opposed to opening the bidding? When I expect, and what should I do next?
held this hand vulnerable in second seat, I
thought the flat shape and weak long suit — Lots in Reserve, Newport News, Va.
superseded the two aces. The traveling
score-slip at our duplicate suggested that I
was the only one who passed. ANSWER: A jump to four spades suggests a
relatively balanced hand with more than a
— Taciturn Tim, Manhattan Beach, Calif. strong no-trump. (Partner could make a
splinter raise to four hearts or four diamonds,
or could jump to four clubs to show a 6-4
ANSWER: Flat 12-counts do not have to be hand type). Your hand has real slam
opened — particularly when it requires you potential, but I’m not sure it is worth more
to bid a bad suit, as here. Doing so may get than a cue-bid of five diamonds and
partner off to the wrong lead if you end up on reverting to five spades over a five-heart
defense. With two four-card suits or a five- response.
carder, I would almost never pass, however.
Dear Mr. Wolff:

Suppose you are 5-5 in a major and a minor
and hear your righthand opponent open the
minor, which could be two cards. Is it best to
wait for one round, perhaps hoping to hear
partner balance with a take-out double? Or
is it better to ignore the minor and bid the
major?
— Still Waiting, Albuquerque, N.M.
ANSWER: When you have length in your

right-hand opponent’s bid minor, whether the
opening guarantees length or not, you
should overcall. You may never get a second
chance if you do not act at once. With any
luck, you may get a chance to bid the
second suit at your next turn if you haven’t
already found a fit.
The Aces on Bridge: Monday, November 4th, 2019
“Time past and time future What might have been and what has been Point to one end,
which is always present.”
— T.S. Eliot
Dealer: W North
In today’s deal, North sensibly passes over West’s one- Vul: E-W ♠A6
heart opening. A two- diamond overcall would be too ♥74
♦KJ732
aggressive, even at these colors. Since a protective one ♣K762
no-trump shows 11 to 14, South starts with a double, then West East
♠843 ♠ J 10 9 7
tries the no-trump game when North jumps to three
♥ K 10 8 5 3 2 ♥J9
diamonds. ♦A4 ♦ 10 9 8 5
♣A3 ♣985
After the heart lead, South has three spade and two heart South
♠KQ52
tricks. He needs four tricks from the clubs and diamonds. ♥AQ6
Which suit should he attack first? ♦Q6
♣ Q J 10 4
It would be fatal to go after clubs, because they can
generate only three tricks. Even if you sneakily lead the 1♥ Pass Pass
jack from your hand, West should take his ace and knock Dbl. Pass 3♦ Pass
out the heart ace. Declarer would be able to run only eight 3 NT All pass
tricks before leading diamonds, whereupon West could
Opening Lead: ♥5
take his ace and cash out the hearts.
Declarer’s best shot is to lead a low diamond rather than the queen at trick two. West is
marked with the ace, but he cannot profitably play it as the cards lie. To do so would give
declarer four diamond tricks even if the suit breaks four-two. Nonetheless, West should
probably take the ace and clear hearts, hoping his partner retains the guarded diamond
queen. But declarer has his nine tricks without needing the clubs at all.
If West plays low at trick two, South has succeeded in stealing a diamond trick. He can
then switch to clubs and will emerge with two hearts, one diamond and three tricks in each
black suit, for nine winners in all.
LEAD WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: The club ace is your best bet.
South Holds: Who knows what East has for his third-chair
♠ J 10 7 6 4 pre-empt? By laying down your ace, you can
♥7 retain the lead and find out more about the
♦Q8754 hand, and can possibly take or give a ruff.
♣A6 Attacking in one of the pointed-suits is an
option, but it would be somewhat unilateral,
South West North East possibly allowing declarer to get rid of his
Pass Pass 4♥ losers in another suit on dummy’s high
All pass cards.
The Aces on Bridge: Tuesday, November 5th, 2019
“When men grow virtuous in their old age, they only Make a sacrifice to God of the devil’s
leavings.”
— Alexander Pope
Dealer: N North
When South responds one heart to one club, North jumps Vul: N-S ♠ A K 10 2
to three diamonds. Since two diamonds would be natural ♥6432
♦3
and forcing, it is reasonable to agree to play this as extra ♣AKJ2
values with heart support and diamond shortness. West East
♠J73 ♠Q986
With excellent trumps and an ideal diamond holding, ♥ J 10 ♥987
♦ K 10 8 5 2 ♦Q97
South can imagine a slam. He cue-bids four diamonds, ♣854 ♣Q93
then five diamonds when North signs off. This all but South
♠54
demands that North bid six with decent black-suit controls. ♥AKQ5
♦AJ64
Against the slam, West leads a trump, both to protect his ♣ 10 7 6
diamond honors and to cut down dummy’s ruffing
potential. South’s best plan seems to be to trump 1♣ Pass
diamonds in dummy, since taking spade ruffs in hand 1♥ Pass 3♦* Pass
would promote winners for the defense. 4♦ Pass 4♥ Pass
He should aim to win two spades, his own four trumps,
one top diamond, and two diamond ruffs in dummy. The *Shortage, agreeing hearts
problem is to make sure of three club tricks. How can
Opening Lead: ♥J
South arrange to ruff a second diamond and guard
against losing a club at a moment when the opponents could cash a diamond trick?
The solution is to give up a club early on while dummy can still ruff a diamond return. This
solves the timing problem, even if it runs a small risk of losing to a club ruff.
He wins the trump lead, cashes the diamond ace, ruffs a diamond and leads the club jack
from dummy. East can win and play another trump, but declarer wins and ruffs a second
diamond. He can then use the club 10 as a re-entry to hand to draw trumps and run
dummy’s clubs.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: Respond one diamond. Facing
South Holds: an opening in first seat, it is worth
♠J73 responding light with a decent five-card suit,
♥ J 10 if only to make it more difficult for the
♦ K 10 8 5 2 opponents to get into the auction. What is
♣854 more, your bid will tell partner where your
values are and may direct the right lead.
South West North East While partner may hope for more values
1♣ Pass from you, it is unlikely that he will hang you if
? the opponents compete.
The Aces on Bridge: Wednesday, November 6th, 2019
“Everyone who receives the protection of society owes a return for the benefit.”
— John Stuart Mill
Dealer: E North
Safety plays are all well and good, but it pays to know Vul: Both ♠ J 10 5 3
when to use them. ♥A32
♦ Q 10 8 3
♣K8
North-South did well to brush aside the strong no-trump West East
opening to reach a perfect-fitting game on this hand from ♠8 ♠Q62
♥KJ954 ♥ Q 10 8 6
the White House Juniors. South’s two spades promised a
♦J42 ♦AK75
minor suit, and North — expecting his trump support, side ♣7643 ♣A9
ace and fitting honor in either minor to be useful — South
♠AK974
inquired with two no-trump. South had extra shape and all ♥7
of his honors in his long suits, so he correctly showed a ♦96
♣ Q J 10 5 2
maximum with clubs. That was all North needed to hear.
The heart lead was won in dummy, and declarer saw that, 1 NT
apart from the three top losers in the minors, there was 2♠* Pass 2 NT Pass
nothing to worry about but the trumps. Needing to avoid a 3♥** Pass 4♠ All pass
loser with this spade combination, one would usually play
them from the top, but when the hand on your right is *Spades and a minor
known to be balanced and strong, the odds are clearly in **Maximum with clubs
favor of a finesse. Still, declarer would like to cash one top Opening Lead: ♥5
spade before finessing, in case West has a singleton
queen.
Declarer looked deeper into the situation, though, and saw that he could not afford this
safety play, for he might not be able to get back to dummy conveniently. East could have
the doubleton club ace; if so, he would duck the club queen, take the second round, then
tap the South hand and later over-ruff the dummy on the third club.
Judging this club layout to be more likely than a singleton spade queen on his left,
declarer ran the spade jack at trick two and scored up his game without a fuss.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: Overcall two no-trump. It may not
South Holds: be elegant, but you should strive to make
♠Q62 the value bid when you can. Your hand is
♥ Q 10 8 6 barely worth this call, but if you pass and
♦AK75 partner has 9 to 13 high-card points with
♣A9 three or more spades, he will surely pass,
and you can kiss your game bonus goodbye.
South West North East Should you take this action if your partner is
2♠ a passed hand? Maybe not!
?
The Aces on Bridge: Thursday, November 7th, 2019
by Bobby Wolff on November 21st, 2019
“The art of being able to make a good use of moderate abilities wins esteem and often
confers more reputation than real merit.”
— Francois de la Rochefoucauld
Dealer: S North
North-South did not reach the best spot here, but careful Vul: Both ♠ K 10 5 3 2
play saw them home. Some Souths (including me) would ♥Q
♦A32
raise one spade to two, but the featured declarer ♣ K 10 5 3
preferred to rebid his good six-bagger. North could have West East
♠864 ♠A7
marked time with a three-club advance, but he judged the
♥84 ♥ K 10 5 2
singleton queen to be ample support and raised straight to ♦ Q 10 8 6 4 ♦KJ95
game. ♣QJ9 ♣762
South
♠QJ9
When West found the best lead of a diamond, declarer ♥AJ9763
won dummy’s ace and ran the heart queen. He then had ♦7
♣A84
to decide how to return to his hand. A diamond ruff might
cede trump control, while a club might put the defenders a South West North East
step ahead in the race to establish the setting trick from 1♥ Pass 1♠ Pass
that suit. 2♥ Pass 4♥ All pass
South decided that even if the defense could take a spade

Opening Lead: ♦6
ruff, it would probably be from trump length not shortness,
leaving declarer with just one subsequent trump loser. So South called for a low spade
from dummy. When his queen held, he cashed the heart ace and reverted back to spades,
to try to establish his pitch for the club loser.
East took the spade ace and switched to a club, but declarer rose with the ace, keeping a
late entry to dummy for the spades. East trumped the third round of spades and tried to
cash the diamond king. Declarer ruffed, gave up a heart trick, and claimed the rest.
Had South played a club to the ace at trick three, the defense would have been a tempo
ahead. East would win the second spade to set up a club trick, then ruff the third spade to
cash the club.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: You cannot pass here. You could
South Holds: raise to two spades, overstating your spade
♠A7 support and understating your high-card
♥ K 10 5 2 points; bid one no-trump, for which your
♦KJ95 hand is ideal, minus a club stopper; or cue-
♣762 bid two clubs, for which you really need a
third spade. All choices are flawed, but the
South West North East one-no-trump advance feels the least
1♣ 1♠ Pass deficient. If West has long clubs, he may bid
? again and let you off the hook.
The Aces on Bridge: Friday, November 8th, 2019
by Bobby Wolff on November 22nd, 2019
“What men or gods are these? What maidens loth? What mad pursuit? What struggle to
escape?”
— John Keats
Dealer: S North
Some of the most interesting positions in bridge arise Vul: None ♠A976
when declarer is trying to create an endplay. The following ♥ 10 7 6
♦ A 10 7
deal shows the defenders needing to determine the ♣654
problem and then finding the best way to escape from West East
♠QJ ♠ 10 8 4 3 2
declarer’s toils.
♥Q85 ♥2
♦J962 ♦Q43
South has a straightforward jump to game when North ♣AJ83 ♣ Q 10 9 2
supports his hearts. If he had the same values but more South
♠K5
quick tricks in the side suits, he might consider angling for ♥AKJ943
three no-trump. With three slow side-suit tricks, the heart ♦K85
♣K7
game should be superior in theory, but as the cards lie,
the no-trump game would be easier to play. South West North East
1♥ Pass 2♥ Pass
West’s natural lead is the spade queen. Declarer wins in 4♥ All pass
hand and cashes the heart aceking, East discarding a
spade. South next tests spades by leading a small one to Opening Lead: ♠Q
the ace and ruffing the third round. West correctly
discards a club on this trick, so South now exits with a trump to West, as East throws a
small club.
What is West to do now? A club is immediately fatal, of course, and any diamond up to
the nine also fails to do the job. South simply covers the card in dummy, and East’s goose
is cooked. No matter what East does, South can now play the diamond suit for no losers.
But what if West exits with the diamond jack? (This is the right card whether or not West
has the nine, since South cannot have four diamonds or he would have maneuvered to
ruff one in dummy.) Now declarer cannot avoid losing three tricks in the minors.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: Two spades. You are allowed to
South Holds: have a maximum hand from time to time. It
♠A976 is still permitted in 27 states, I believe. Two
♥ 10 7 6 aces and a fourth trump are big plus
♦ A 10 7 features, but the sterile shape should deter
♣654 you from stretching to a limit raise.
Especially if you play the raise as
South West North East constructive, it is highly unlikely you will miss
1♠ Pass a game by doing this.
?
The Aces on Bridge: Saturday, November 9th, 2019
by Bobby Wolff on November 23rd, 2019
“Ah Love! Could you and I with Him conspire To grasp this sorry Scheme of Things entire,
Would not we shatter it to bits — and then Remold it nearer to the Heart’s Desire!”
— Edward Fitzgerald
Dealer: N North
Omar Sharif played in the 1998 Macallan tournament with Vul: Both ♠ K Q 10 6
Paul Chemla, and in the spirit of true repentance, he ♥A6542
♦3
revealed a painful mistake he had made in a column. I am ♣542
passing it on so that you can learn from it. Save your West East
♠7 ♠J852
trump on defense to ruff winners, they say; well, up to a
♥ K 10 ♥Q973
point. ♦Q8742 ♦ A 10 9 5
♣ J 10 9 6 3 ♣Q
Against four spades, Paul Chemla led the club jack. South
♠A943
Declarer Tony Forrester won with the ace and crossed to ♥J8
dummy in spades to lead the singleton diamond. What he ♦KJ6
♣AK87
intended to do if Sharif (East) had ducked smoothly, we
will never know. In practice, Sharif must have given the South West North East
show away, for when he ducked, Forrester put up the Pass Pass
king. Next, he played the heart eight, ducking Chemla’s 1 NT Pass 2♣ Pass
10.
At this point, Sharif could see a cross-ruff looming. He Opening Lead: ♣J

carefully overtook the heart 10 with the queen to lead a
trump, won in dummy. Forrester correctly led a club, and, following the general rule of not
ruffing partner’s trick away, Sharif discarded. However, Forrester won his club king, ruffed
a diamond, then played the heart ace and ruffed a heart. Another diamond ruff left him
with the trump ace for his 10th trick.
If Sharif had trumped the second club and played his last spade, Forrester would have
had only nine tricks. He would have had no extra club winners, and the defense would
have simply eliminated a trump from both hands, saving a trick.
In the end, I suppose all we can say is that there is an exception to every rule in Bridge —
except this one.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: You should double. As a non-
South Holds: passed hand, you would pass or overcall
♠ K Q 10 6 one heart without the values for a take-out
♥A6542 double (also being worried about losing a 5-
♦3 3 heart fit). As a passed hand, though, you
♣542 should double, to get both major suits into
play. The fact that your partner is a passed
South West North East hand does not mean it cannot be your hand
Pass Pass Pass 1♦ in a majorsuit part-score. This may also
? push the opponents too high.
The Aces on Bridge: Sunday, November 10th, 2019

I have been taught that jumps in response to In which seats does this hand qualify for an
partner’s one-level opening should be opening bid: ♠ A-Q-10-7-6-4, ♥ Q, ♦ K-9-2,
weaker than a pre-empt. I know you think ♣ 10-8-5? What call would you make?
there is a better use for jump bids — what is
your system? — Sensible Steve, Twin Falls, Idaho
— Bidding on Nothing, Richmond, Va.
ANSWER: Never, ever pass a hand with a
good six-card major. Always open either one
ANSWER: Weak jump responses in or two, since there is no gap between the
competitive auctions are reasonable if made ranges. This hand has a good six-card
by an unpassed hand. But I believe that a major, so I’d open it two spades in second
jump in response to an opening bid in an seat vulnerable, one spade in most other
uncompetitive auction is best played as positions. The idea of pre-empting with this
strong with a good suit and at least some sort of shape in third seat might make sense
slam interest. A jump by a passed hand or in (especially with a long red suit as opposed to
response to an overcall shows a decent side long spades).
suit and a fit for partner. More on this soon.
Dear Mr. Wolff:

Dear Mr. Wolff:
If you decided to attack at no-trump from a
In third seat, after you hear partner open one three-card suit such as K-10-5, are there any
club and your righthand opponent bid one scenarios in which you would lead high to try
spade, what would you bid with ♠ J-7, ♥ A-Q- to unblock the suit? If so would the king or
5-4-2, ♦ 10-3, ♣ K-10-7-6? It seems to me 10 be a better shot?
the options are to raise clubs, bid hearts or
make a negative double — but if you double, — Traffic Jan, Riverside, Calif.
how do you cope with a pre-emptive raise to
three spades on your left?
ANSWER: Before answering, I would need
— Ant Hill, Edmonton, Alberta to know my overall strength and that of my
partner, and also what kind of stopper
declarer had promised. I’d tend to lead low
ANSWER: Raising clubs seems wrong — unless I could see that my partner had so
you might easily miss hearts. Because of the few entries that I would need to protect
club fit, I’d bid two hearts, planning to raise them. Leading the honor can cost a trick in a
clubs later. Indeed, a fit jump to three hearts variety of ways, and the 10 is hard for
by a passed hand would be ideal, though not partner to read!
everybody plays them. Switch the minor
suits, and double might be wiser since you
have no guaranteed fit. With that hand, you
can (if you want) double three spades for
take-out at your next turn.
Dear Mr. Wolff:

I generally manage to count trumps when I
am about to draw a few rounds, but if playing
a cross-ruff or needing to delay drawing
trumps, I find it hard to keep track. Any
advice?
— Paul Poncho, Durango, Colo.
ANSWER: Before playing to the first trick,

add up your trumps and dummy’s, and
subtract that number from 13. Focus on that
number from now on. So, with seven
combined trumps, you keep count of the
missing six. When an opponent ruffs in, the
number goes to five; if you draw two rounds
of trumps and one opponents shows out on
the second round, then there are still two
trumps outstanding.
“Laughter is humanity’s mechanism to escape suffering.”

— Deepak Chopra
Dealer: N North
This week’s deals are all about breaking up endplays. Vul: None ♠64
Defenders often have the chance to avert the ♥J98
♦AJ7
embarrassment of a forced ruff-and-discard or leading into ♣ J 10 8 5 4
a tenace, but all too often the escape is only found in the West East
♠952 ♠KQJ83
postmortem.
♥KQ542 ♥73
♦K642 ♦Q983
Here, when South played three no-trump after a two- ♣7 ♣96
suited opening by East, West had been put off his natural South
♠ A 10 7
(and fatal) heart lead. West led a third-and-fifth spade two, ♥ A 10 6
East’s jack holding the trick. East continued with the ♦ 10 5
♣AKQ32
spade queen, West following with the five. Now East had
a lot of choices, but he eventually cleared spades, leading South West North East
the eight (his middle card) to advertise a diamond entry. Pass 2♠*
Declarer next ran off all his clubs. West could easily part
with two hearts and a diamond, but the fourth discard was *Spades and a minor
crucial. A heart would make it easy for declarer, so West
Opening Lead: ♠2
shed a second low diamond.
That proved to be costly when declarer’s next play was a diamond. Had West played low,
declarer would have little choice but to go up with the ace and throw West in with the
diamond king for a heart lead. So West played second hand high with the diamond king.
Declarer countered by ducking the king, then won the next diamond and ran the heart
eight to West, forcing a lead back into the heart tenace.
Since West could tell that declarer had nine tricks if he had both the diamond queen and
the heart ace, he should have discarded the diamond king on the last club to escape the
endplay.
LEAD WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: Lead the club seven. East is
South Holds: clearly prepared for a spade lead, so unless
♠4 he is playing poker with you, you should look
♥Q973 elsewhere. A heart could be right, but
♦75 partner did not bid two hearts, making that
♣J98763 option slightly less likely. Your best bet is to
establish the clubs, which requires partner to
South West North East have three of them. A slim chance may be
1♠ Pass better than none!
Pass 2♦ Pass 3 NT
All pass
“To find a young fellow that is neither a wit in his own eye, nor a fool in the eye of the
world, is a very hard thing.”
— William Congreve
Dealer: N North
Even playing a sound style, many would open today’s Vul: Both ♠ 10 8 7 4
North hand. But after North’s disciplined pass, South ♥A52
♦K84
made a simple overcall of one spade. West stretched to ♣A98
two diamonds, and North bid two no-trump, conventionally West East
♠Q6 ♠2
showing a constructive four-card spade raise. South then
♥ K 10 ♥QJ43
took a shot at game; a threeheart bid might have helped ♦ Q 10 9 6 3 2 ♦A5
his partner (but also the opponents) to judge the hand. ♣J42 ♣ K Q 10 7 5 3
South
♠AKJ953
Declarer won the club lead and ruffed a club with a middle ♥9876
trump, crossed to dummy with a heart to ruff the last club, ♦J7
♣6
then cashed the spade ace-king. He next got off lead with
a heart, taken by West’s king, who was now forced to South West North East
open up the diamonds. Pass 1♣
1♠ 2♦ 2 NT * 3♣
Declarer still had a guess as to which diamond honor 4♠ All pass
West held, but decided that it was unlikely that East would *Four-card raise
have rebid three clubs with just a 10-count. He played
Opening Lead: ♣2
small from dummy and landed the game.
Well played by South, but West had a slim chance to defeat him. Had he imagined the
position, West could have freed himself of the heart king on the first round of the suit.
Then East could win the second heart, cash the heart queen and exit with a fourth round.
South’s heart nine would be set up, but for no useful discard, and declarer would have
been left to open up the diamonds for himself.
While that would have been the winning defense today, it would have looked silly if
declarer had two small diamonds and the heart jack, so we can hardly blame West for his
actions.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: Respond one no-trump. This is
South Holds: not worth a two-level response, with soft
♠Q6 values in the black suits and an average
♥ K 10 long suit, even if you don’t play the
♦ Q 10 9 6 3 2 sequence as game forcing. Bidding one no-
♣J42 trump, followed by two diamonds over
partner’s two-club rebid, is fine. If partner
South West North East does not act over two diamonds, you will not
1♥ Pass miss anything.
?
“Time is the school in which we learn, Time is the fire in which we burn.”
— Delmore Schwartz
Dealer: N North
Knowing his partner had a bust, West eschewed a club Vul: None ♠AJ943
lead against four spades in favor of what he hoped would ♥K3
♦64
be a passive trump. South won in hand, cashed the spade ♣J986
10 (West throwing the diamond queen) and led a heart West East
♠7 ♠Q8
toward dummy.
♥AQ5 ♥J98764
♦ A Q J 10 9 7 ♦852
West could now place all the missing minor-suit honors ♣Q43 ♣ 10 7
with South, and the impending danger was clear. If he South
♠ K 10 6 5 2
played small on the heart, he would eventually be thrown ♥ 10 2
in, whether it be on the next heart (should South be ♦K3
♣AK52
5=2=2=4) or on the third round of clubs (if South had
temporized with three clubs on a 5=3=2=3 shape). South West North East
Pass Pass
So West inserted the heart queen, hoping to create an 1♠ 2♦ 2 NT * Pass
entry to his partner’s hand with the jack. Declarer won 3♣ Pass 4♠ All pass
dummy’s king and returned the suit, but East alertly
hopped up with the jack to shift to the diamond two. *Four-card raise
Unwilling to present East with another entry, South played Opening Lead: ♠7
small. After winning cheaply, West cashed the diamond
ace and played a third diamond, giving South a useless ruff-and-discard. West had seen
his partner show an even number of hearts, so there was little danger in letting declarer
pitch a club from either hand. When the club ace-king failed to drop the queen, declarer
conceded defeat.
If West had played small on the first heart and been thrown in with the second heart,
declarer could have afforded to guess incorrectly on a low club shift. Then, eventually, he
could have put West back in with the club queen to open up the diamonds or give him a
helpful ruff-andsluff.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: You should overcall two spades.
South Holds: With fair values and a four-card suit on the
♠ K 10 6 5 2 side, this is a perfectly respectable overcall.
♥ 10 2 Good things happen when you get the boss
♦K3 suit into the game, as your chances of
♣AK52 winning the auction are good. If not, this is
still likely to make it harder for your
South West North East opponents to find their best fit.
1 NT
?
“‘Tis hard if all is false that I advance, A fool must now and then be right by chance.”
— William Cowper
Dealer: S North
West was asleep at the wheel on today’s deal, in which Vul: None ♠K9763
South landed in four spades after his partner’s pre- ♥K752
♦43
emptive raise. It is unusual to make such a bid with three ♣ K 10
kings, but North felt he had to drive to game and had no West East
♠42 ♠ 10
other way to do so without overstating his high cards.
♥A4 ♥QJ63
♦ Q J 10 2 ♦A9765
The lead of the diamond queen went to the ace, and East, ♣87642 ♣A53
unwilling to open up the hearts, returned a diamond. South
♠AQJ85
Declarer could see that he would need to resort to a ♥ 10 9 8
swindle. He won and, since a heart would give the ♦K8
♣QJ9
defenders too many chances to play that suit, immediately
led a deceptive club jack to the king and East’s ace. Back South West North East
came another club to South’s queen, and now declarer 1♠ Pass 4♠ All pass
advanced the heart 10.
After West played small, not wanting to save South a Opening Lead: ♦Q
guess if he had the jack-10, declarer went up with the
king. He then drew trumps in two rounds, cashed the club nine and put West in with the
heart ace to generate the critical ruff-and-discard.
Declarer had done well to play a heart to put West to the test at a moment when he did
not yet know much about the hand, but West should not have fallen for it. He needed his
partner to have the heart queen, but when there is a decision between making a legitimate
play and one that requires an incorrect guess on an opponent’s part, one should opt for
the legitimate line. Had West acknowledged this, he would have gone up with the heart
ace, escaping the endplay and ensuring a second heart trick for the defense.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: Your hand should fit your
South Holds: partner’s well, with all of your high cards in
♠42 his long suits. You cannot afford to pass —
♥A4 you must make sure the opponents stay out
♦ Q J 10 2 and see whether your side can make game.
♣87642 The only question is how much to bid. With
an extra queen, you would bid the
South West North East “impossible” two spades to show a value
Pass raise to three diamonds. As it is, a direct
Pass Pass 1♥ Pass raise to three diamonds suffices.
1 NT Pass 2♦ Pass
?
“Women and music should never be dated.”

— Oliver Goldsmith
Dealer: W North
When West opened one diamond, it was passed around Vul: E-W ♠92
to South, who upgraded his spotcards and stretched to ♥J432
♦762
balance with two no-trump to show a balanced 19-20. ♣A875
North also took an aggressive position by raising. Still, West East
♠KQJ5 ♠764
despite North-South having just a combined 23-count,
♥A985 ♥76
game had decent play. ♦KJ8 ♦ 10 4 3
♣ 10 3 ♣QJ964
Declarer won the spade king lead and went after hearts South
♠ A 10 8 3
while his communications were still open. West took the ♥ K Q 10
heart king and cashed the spade jack, East following ♦AQ95
♣K2
upward. Placing a spade stopper with South, West could
count eight tricks for declarer once the spade queen was South West North East
knocked out. As South was also likely to have diamonds 1♦ Pass Pass
stopped, he ninth trick could easily come from an endplay. 2 NT Pass 3 NT All pass
Had West defended passively, by exiting with a heart,

declarer could set up his spade winner, then strip all of Opening Lead: ♠K
West’s cards except diamonds, and next lead that suit
from dummy. Because of his diamond nine, declarer could duck the lead to West for a
diamond return into his tenace.
So, West attacked dummy’s entry before South could cash the spades. He shifted to the
club 10, taken by the king. Declarer unblocked his heart honors and advanced the spade
eight. However, West took the queen and played another club to dummy’s ace. Declarer
could throw a diamond on the heart jack, but then had to tackle diamonds. He played to
his nine, but West won the diamond jack and exited safely with a spade. The diamond
king scored the setting trick.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: Bid two diamonds. A one no-
South Holds: trump advance should show just a little more
♠92 in the way of high cards here. Besides, with
♥J432 only one quick stopper in the unbid suit and
♦762 nothing in your own suit, which partner is
♣A875 probably short in, one no-trump will not play
well. Two diamonds should be the right part-
South West North East score and may serve to slow partner down
1♦ Pass as well as anything.
1♥ Pass 1♠ Pass
?
“We never understand how little we need in this world until we know the loss of it.”
— J.M. Barrie
Dealer: W North
This deal from the German Bridge Trophy features some Vul: Both ♠43
fine card-reading. When West led the spade queen ♥ A 10 7 6 4
♦AQ5
against four hearts, declarer ducked. If a red suit did not ♣765
behave, he wanted to prevent a club shift through his West East
♠QJ92 ♠ K 10 8 6 5
king.
♥92 ♥J85
♦J873 ♦4
South won the next spade and drew trumps, West ♣AQ9 ♣ J 10 4 3
shedding a spade, before testing the diamonds with the South
♠A7
ace and queen. When East showed out, it looked as ♥KQ3
though the contract would hinge on the location of the ♦ K 10 9 6 2
♣K82
club ace.
However, declarer wondered why West had not switched Pass Pass Pass
to a club at trick two, the natural thing to do with three 1 NT Pass 2♦ Pass
small in the dummy. He must surely have the club ace. 2♥ Pass 3 NT Pass
4♥ All pass
Declarer called for another trump, throwing a diamond
from hand. West could not part with a diamond, while a Opening Lead: ♠Q
club discard would have enabled declarer to duck two
clubs and drop the ace. So West chose to release another spade, giving South a chance
to read the ending.
Had West begun with a 5=2=4=2 shape, in which case declarer needed to duck a club, or
did he have 4=2=4=3 distribution? West’s failure to act over one no-trump suggested that
his hand was balanced, so declarer endplayed West in diamonds to concede a trick to the
club king.
Curiously, if East had overtaken the spade queen with the king at trick one, West would
not have come under pressure. East could then have gained the lead with the spade 10 to
play the club jack through. Maybe East should have worked this out, since he knew he
wanted to find a way to obtain the lead.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: Open one heart. This is the
South Holds: perfect kind of hand for a light third-seat
♠43 opening. You have a good primary suit and
♥ A 10 7 6 4 two and a half quick tricks, so partner will not
♦AQ5 be disappointed if he competes in hearts (or
♣765 his own suit) or if he doubles the final
contract.
Pass Pass
?
by Bobby Wolff on December 1st, 2019

In a club duplicate, with both sides non- My partner wants me to hold opening values
vulnerable, you hold ♠ A-K-4, ♥ K-5, ♦ J-8-2, to overcall when we are vulnerable. I agree
♣ A-K-10-7-4. You open one club in second with that when overcalling at the two-level,
seat, and your left-hand opponent bids three but not at the one-level, as it seems to me
diamonds, passed back to you. What do you that too many opportunities would be lost.
bid? Should there also be a minimum suit quality
requirement for a one-level action?
— Put to It, Duluth, Minn.
— Barney Bridge, Greenwich, Conn.
ANSWER: While passing might work, I’m

inclined to bid — since surely our side has ANSWER: Overcalls should focus primarily
more than half the deck! Will I gamble with a on offensive strength; hence at the two-level,
bid of three no-trump, or double and hope we require both tricks and a long suit.
something good happens? I’ll try the latter, Conversely, at the one-level, there is virtually
assuming that my left-hand opponent is no 9-count with a good five-carder that I
relatively unlikely to have solid diamonds for wouldn’t overcall with facing a passed hand.
his pre-emptive call, but I wouldn’t want to Additionally, the more space a one-level
wager much cash on my decision. overcall consumes, the more latitude you
have to intervene.
Dear Mr. Wolff:

Dear Mr. Wolff:
After a pre-empt of three diamonds to your
left and a double from partner, what do you My wife and I used to play a lot of bridge
bid with ♠ 10-4, ♥ K-J-9-7, ♦ Q-9, ♣ Q-J-9-8- before I had to earn a living and raise a
2 when your right-hand opponent passes? family. Now that we are empty nesters, can
What action do you take if your right-hand you recommend a book or two to get us
opponent raises to four diamonds? Would back into the swing of modern bidding?
doubling be appropriate?
— Back to It, Midland, Mich.
— Howard the Stuck, Fayetteville, N.C,
ANSWER: Eric Rodwell and Audrey Grant’s

ANSWER: I’d bid four hearts if my RHO book on two-over-one might be set at the
passes, but would double four diamonds, right level. “25 Bridge Conventions” by
initially takeout for the majors. A four heart Seagram and Smith could also be helpful.
call would also be possible of course, but if For a more entertaining read, you cannot
you are facing a doubleton diamond or beat Eddie Kantar, and Mike Lawrence is
longer, maybe you will get richer defending always educational and informative.
— or defending will be your only way to go
plus. You can convert a four spade response
to five clubs, perhaps suggesting this
pattern.
Dear Mr. Wolff:

When you have a balanced hand in the 15-
17 range with a five-card major suit, when
should you open the suit and when should
you open one no-trump? Does any factor
such as position or quality of the suit affect
the decision?
— On the Horns, Anchorage, Alaska
ANSWER: It is simplest to upgrade any 17-

count with a five-card major, unless the suit
has no top honor or some significant
devaluing factor such as a doubleton double-
honor. With 16, always open one no-trump
unless your honor structure is really skewed.
With a strong five-card major in an average
15-count, you should consider opening the
suit.
by Bobby Wolff on December 2nd, 2019
“Properly speaking, there is no such thing as revenge. Revenge is an act which you want
to commit when you are powerless and because you are powerless: As soon as the sense
of impotence is removed, the desire evaporates also.”
— George Orwell
Dealer: S North
In today’s deal, South was playing rubber bridge against Vul: E-W ♠KQ
an opponent to his left who had managed to get his back ♥ K Q 10 8 3
♦Q742
up on more than one occasion. So when the chance came ♣73
up to needle him in return, he could not resist the West East
♠ 10 6 3 ♠AJ982
opportunity.
♥2 ♥965
♦AJ98 ♦ 10
South had opened a strong no-trump and jumped to three ♣ Q J 10 6 5 ♣9842
hearts over North’s transfer. This showed a reasonable South
♠754
hand with four hearts, and North naturally raised to game. ♥AJ74
♦K653
West’s lead of the club queen went to declarer’s ace. ♣AK
Declarer cashed the trump ace, played a trump to the
king, and played a spade. East took his ace and returned 1 NT Pass 2♦* Pass
a third trump (a diamond would have been no better). 3♥ Pass 4♥ All pass
Declarer won, cashed the spade queen, then played a *Hearts

club to hand and ruffed a spade. With trumps drawn and
the black suits eliminated, declarer put his hand on the Opening Lead: ♣Q
table and asked his opponent if he wanted him to state a
line. When West aggressively asked him how he planned to cope with a bad diamond
break, South had his answer ready.
“I’m sure you can see I have 10 tricks against any 3-2 diamond break, but a 4-1 break will
also prove no problem. I will play a low diamond and follow small from my hand. If the suit
is 4-1, then either the player with the singleton will win and give me a ruff-sluff. Or,
alternatively, if the player with the four-card suit wins, the best he can do is return the suit,
and I will run that lead around to an honor and play back the suit, holding my diamond
losers to two.”
LEAD WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: Your choice is between a low
South Holds: club and a trump; underleading either of
♠4 your aces seems like a wild gamble. While a
♥ A Q 10 7 3 2 club lead could be effective, it is far more
♦A63 aggressive than the spade lead. Given
♣ K 10 2 West’s pre-emptive raise, usually based on
five-card support or a good four-card
South West North East holding, the trump is unlikely to solve a
1♠ guess declarer would have gotten wrong.
2♥ 4♠ All pass
by Bobby Wolff on December 3rd, 2019
“It has, I believe, been often remarked that a hen is only an egg’s way of making another
egg.”
— Samuel Butler
Dealer: E North
When defensive prospects look bleak and it appears that Vul: None ♠ J 10 9 2
the only chance of setting a contract lies with partner ♥3
♦ K Q J 10 6
holding a specific card, you should normally put all your ♣KQ7
eggs in that particular basket. At pairs you may have to West East
♠64 ♠83
consider whether an unsuccessful defense may cost you
♥K9752 ♥ A Q J 10 4
overtricks, but at teams the equation is normally a simple ♦A7 ♦984
one. ♣J543 ♣ A 10 9
South
♠AKQ75
Today, when North took the transfer to four spades over ♥86
four hearts, West decided his best chance to go plus was ♦532
♣862
on defense. While the heart king would have been a
reasonable opening salvo — allowing West to retain the South West North East
lead and possibly play through a tenace in dummy — 1♥
West actually led the heart two, playing third and fifth 1♠ 4♥ 4♠ All pass
leads.
Opening Lead: ♥2
As it was, East won his heart ace, then decided dummy’s
diamonds looked so daunting that he needed to cash the club ace before declarer’s clubs
disappeared on the diamonds. Alas, that left only the diamond ace for declarer to lose,
and the contract came home.
The return at trick two is indeed vital to the success or failure of the contract, and clubs is
the right suit to attack. However, the right card to return is not the ace, but the 10 —
playing partner for either a doubleton club and trump control, or the diamond ace and the
club jack.
As long as West has a key control, he will be able to push another club through the
moment he gets in. Now the defenders win the two club tricks they need to take the
contract down.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: It is reasonable to bid one heart
South Holds: here. While this hand does not meet the
♠64 traditional requirements for a one-level
♥K9752 overcall (good suit or good hand), you have
♦A7 reason to believe that a heart lead would be
♣J543 the best start for the defense, and you would
also like to compete. If you had 2=5=3=3
South West North East shape, the overcall would be less attractive.
1♦
?
by Bobby Wolff on December 4th, 2019
“The intellect of man is forced to choose Perfection of the life, or of the work.”
— W.B. Yeats
Dealer: S North
Terence Reese often asserted that two-suited overcalls on Vul: N-S ♠765
weak hands offer up a fielder’s choice to the opponents, ♥ 10 5 4
♦K874
who can either take a penalty when the hand is a misfit, or ♣AK7
choose to declare with a blueprint of the distribution. That West East
♠AQ32 ♠94
was certainly the case today when East wandered in over
♥QJ97 ♥—
North’s forcing no-trump with less than zero excuse. ♦ 10 2 ♦QJ653
♣ Q J 10 ♣965432
South did not exactly hold back when he freely rebid his South
♠ K J 10 8
hearts, and North was delighted to raise. West, not in on ♥AK8632
the joke, doubled the final contract, completing a revealing ♦A9
♣8
sequence.
Declarer took the club queen lead in dummy and 1♥ Pass 1 NT 2 NT *
assumed he was facing a 4-0 trump split. It was also good 3♥ Pass 4♥ Pass
odds that the spade ace-queen were offside, so he set his Pass Dbl. All pass
sights on an endplay against West. He had to be careful, *Minors
though, so as to not damage his chances should the
Opening Lead: ♣Q
spade queen be to his right.
He began by throwing a spade on the club king and ruffing a club low. He then crossed to
the diamond king and returned to the diamond ace, West following all the way. South now
led a low heart out of his hand. This had the effect of keeping dummy’s heart 10 as a
potential menace for later on.
West went in with the heart jack and did his best when he shifted to a low spade. Declarer
took the spade nine with the jack, then threw West back in with three more rounds of
hearts. Down to nothing but spades, West had to lead into declarer’s spade tenace for a
second time, conceding the doubled game.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: Hands with good spade support
South Holds: have several options. Your best call to get
♠ K J 10 8 your shape and values across is to bid four
♥AK8632 clubs. You have lots of playing strength in
♦A9 support of spades and what is needed for
♣8 slam bidding — good trumps and controls. A
four-club splinter describes your hand well
South West North East — short clubs and at least the values for
1♥ Pass 1♠ Pass game.
?
The Aces on Bridge: Thursday, November 21st, 2019
“Everything should be made as simple as possible, but no simpler.”

— Albert Einstein (paraphrased)
Dealer: N North
Today’s South belonged to the “quick and dirty” school. He Vul: Both ♠ 10 8 5 4
leapt straight to three no-trump over North’s one-club ♥A83
♦7
opening, challenging West to find the right lead. That ♣ A K 10 9 3
player did not. His choice of the heart four ran to West East
♠Q762 ♠J9
declarer’s queen, who now had six tricks on top.
♥ K 10 9 4 2 ♥J75
♦A ♦Q86432
South could see the danger, if he played on clubs, of ♣J62 ♣Q8
losing the setting tricks in hearts, should West have long South
♠AK3
hearts and the diamond ace. So declarer guessed well to ♥Q6
cross to the club ace and play a diamond to the jack. If ♦ K J 10 9 5
♣754
West had won the queen, declarer would have ducked the
next heart, won the third, crossed to the spade ace and South West North East
led out high diamonds, making the tricks he needed from 1♣ Pass
that suit on a normal break. 3 NT All pass
As it was, the diamond jack forced the ace. Now, after Opening Lead: ♥4
ducking the next heart to cut the defensive
communications, declarer won the heart continuation, crossed to the spade ace and laid
down the diamond king. Had everyone followed, declarer would have had to guess
whether to press on with diamonds or revert to clubs. The diamond play looks best to me,
since playing on clubs works only if West began with honor-third or a small doubleton in
clubs.
But as it was, when West showed out on the diamond king, South changed tack and led a
club to the nine, leaving communications open while trying to keep West off play. When
East won the club queen and returned a spade, declarer went up with the king and
claimed three more club tricks to land his game.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: This hand is worth one bid, so
South Holds: doubling is the best call, getting all the suits
♠ 10 8 5 4 in. If you had the spade king as well, you
♥A83 might consider an overcall of two clubs,
♦7 having enough to double back in later. But
♣ A K 10 9 3 even then, it feels right to get the whole story
off your chest at one time.
1♦
?
The Aces on Bridge: Friday, November 22nd, 2019
“I am the master of my fate; I am the captain of my soul.”

— William Ernest Henley
Dealer: W North
Sometimes, Destiny seems to produce a deal straight Vul: N-S ♠ 10 7
from the textbooks, albeit a very advanced manual in this ♥96
♦8753
case. In the North American Swiss Teams, this deal was ♣98652
played around the room and had the smell of a contrived West East
♠842 ♠Q65
hand about it, with the opponents’ cards cooperating
♥ K 10 8 7 5 3 ♥AJ42
completely. ♦64 ♦KJ
♣J7 ♣ A Q 10 4
After a light weak-two opening by West, Steve Levy of Las South
♠AKJ93
Vegas was virtually stampeded into bidding four spades ♥Q
on the South cards — not too unwillingly, until he saw the ♦ A Q 10 9 2
♣K3
virtually useless dummy come down. Even though the
North hand was one card away from a genuine South West North East
Yarborough, Levy did his best to exploit such meager 2♥ Pass 4♥
assets. 4♠ Pass Pass Dbl.
All pass
The defense led two rounds of hearts. Levy ruffed and
Opening Lead: ♥7
played the spade jack out of his hand! That put East in a
dilemma. If he ducked, it would allow declarer to play diamonds from his hand (retaining
the diamond two) to establish the suit. If he took his queen, then whether he played
another heart (which would be ruffed in dummy) or a plain suit, declarer would have just
enough spades left to draw trumps and cross to dummy with his diamond two, to
eventually play a club toward his king.
Instead, East took his spade queen and exited in trumps. Levy won in dummy, finessed in
diamonds and drew trumps. Dummy’s diamond eight provided an entry to play up to the
club king.
As North proudly pointed out, his hand had been good for two tricks, “but not quite enough
to redouble, partner!”
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: Bid two hearts. This type of
South Holds: hand, weak with a fair six-card suit, is
♠842 perfect to act with. As you have shown, you
♥ K 10 8 7 5 3 cannot double to show values, which would
♦64 start at around a 9-count, so this is non-
♣J7 forcing. You might prefer another high card
or some more shape, but you cannot have
South West North East everything.
1♣ 1 NT
?
The Aces on Bridge: Saturday, November 23rd, 2019
“There is no great genius without some touch of madness.”

— Seneca
Dealer: N North
At the top level of bridge, there is no substitute for Vul: E-W ♠ A 10 6
inspiration. On the deal that follows, from the quarterfinals ♥974
♦876
of the 1995 Marlboro Bermuda Bowl, Joey Silver of ♣KQ54
Canada combined technique with gut reactions to produce West East
♠J873 ♠2
a game swing.
♥J6 ♥ K Q 10 8 5 2
♦AJ95 ♦ K 10 4 2
Like everyone else, he reached four spades after East ♣ 10 8 7 ♣63
had preempted in hearts. When East overtook the lead of South
♠KQ954
the heart jack with the queen, the natural thing for ♥A3
declarer to do seemed to be to win, lay down the spade ♦Q3
♣AJ92
king and play another spade, hoping to guess well! In the
context of the auction, the odds are very close between South West North East
playing for the drop or the finesse in spades, but nearly Pass 2♥
everyone played for the drop and went one down. 2♠ Pass 3♠ Pass
4♠ All pass
Silver found a significant psychological improvement on
Opening Lead: ♥J
this line when he ducked the first trick, leaving East on
play. He was hoping that East would reveal a little more about his sidesuit shape. For
example, if East had shifted to a club, it would have been a fair bet that he had a singleton
there, and thus not a singleton trump. Similarly, it might have been tempting for East to
shift to a doubleton diamond, which also would have given Silver valuable information.
When East actually continued with a second heart, Silver inferred that he had at least
three diamonds and at least two clubs. Thus, the spade finesse became the indicated
play. He won the heart ace, cashed the spade king, and finessed the spade 10 to make
his contract.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: Although you have only an 8-
South Holds: count, you should bid two hearts now. The
♠2 reason is that you will never get your hand
♥ K Q 10 8 5 2 off your chest if you start with a negative
♦ K 10 4 2 double. The opponents will raise spades
♣63 (often to an uncomfortable level), and you
will wish you had made the slight overbid of
South West North East getting your suit in at a more hospitable
1♣ 1♠ time.
?

I’ve often seen writers discuss when to In a recent column, you posed a problem
charge a one- or twotrick penalty after a with ♠ A-J-9-2, ♥ J-5, ♦ 5-2, ♣ A-J-8-4-3, in
revoke. I’ve seen it asserted that in rubber which you heard your partner overcall two
bridge, if you did not bid game, adding the diamonds over one heart. How much weaker
extra penalty trick(s) would not entitle you to would you have to be to pass here? Since
the game bonus. Is the situation different for partner only overcalled, are you likely to
duplicate bridge or if using Chicago scoring? make game when you don’t have a fit?
— Dazed and Confused, Sioux Falls, S.D. — Skeptical Sam, Wausau, Wis.
ANSWER: The revoke law never does ANSWER: My view of two-level overcalls is
anything except change the number of tricks that a doubleton and a ruffing value
actually won. The contract always remains constitute decent enough support. I try not to
unaltered. So, the penalty tricks from a come in on bad suits here, and I expect the
revoke may produce overor undertricks (or same of my partner! This hand is certainly
change a making contract into one going strong enough to look for game with a two-
down or vice versa), no matter what form of heart advance. That shows values and asks
bridge you play. But they do not change the partner to describe his hand further.
contract.
Dear Mr. Wolff:

Dear Mr. Wolff:
When you have a choice of eight-card fits, is
Some of our opponents at my local club it better to choose a 5-3 fit or a 4-4 fit?
compete aggressively (on occasion
frivolously) over our strong no-trump. Would — Breaking Badly, Spokane, Wash.
you recommend we play penalty doubles in
an attempt to teach them a sharp lesson?
ANSWER: With a 4-4 trump fit, it may be
— Fetch the Axe, Janesville, Wis. easier to generate discards and extra ruffing
tricks with the 5-3 fit on the side. By contrast,
if you play the 5-3 suit, it will not allow you to
ANSWER: Try to maximize the frequency of generate discards from the 4-4 side suit. It is
your double as opposed to trying to optimize hard to identify in advance where discards
the results from the call. Use double for take- will not be relevant, so head for the 4-4 fit
out at your first turn to act, since you will when you can.
have that hand more often than a penalty
double. This applies both to responder’s and
opener’s double — both under and over the
trump. Double of a purely artificial call should
be values by responder, showing that suit by
opener.
Dear Mr. Wolff:

Playing a knockout match, I was dealt ♠ A-Q-
9-7-3, ♥ 8-7-2, ♦ A-J-6, ♣ Q-9. I heard my
left-hand opponent pre-empt to three hearts,
and then my partner bid four clubs. What
should be forcing here — and what would a
fourheart bid mean?
— Well Placed, Kailua, Hawaii
ANSWER: Four spades and four diamonds

sound natural and non-forcing to me. So,
four hearts should be an all-purpose good
hand with club support without reference to
heart control. I’d make that call and accept a
signoff in five clubs.
“Enjoyment of the work consists in participation in the creative state of the artist.”
— Martin Heidegger
Dealer: S North
The 2018 Hawaii Fall North American Bridge Vul: E-W ♠J9
Championships were attended by many top players. Its ♥KQ65
♦K74
main attraction is the Reisinger board-a-match, with Josef ♣7632
Blass’ team winning out in a close-fought contest. West East
♠K ♠ Q 10 4 2
♥ 10 7 4 ♥82
This deal from the second final of the Blue Ribbon will
♦ 10 9 8 ♦A6532
appeal to those of you who like eccentric endings. East- ♣ Q J 10 9 5 4 ♣AK
West defeated three hearts on a spade ruff. Ah, but who South
♠A87653
got it? If you are a devotee of Sam Loyd puzzles, you ♥AJ93
might suspect that the answer is always the least likely ♦QJ
♣8
suspect.
Against three hearts, Steve Robinson led the club queen, 1♠ Pass 1 NT Pass
and Peter Boyd as East overtook to continue the suit. 2♥ Pass 3♥ All pass
South ruffed and played out the diamond queen, Boyd
winning to return the suit. When declarer played the
Opening Lead: ♣Q
spade ace and another spade, Robinson pitching his
remaining diamond, Boyd won his spade queen before returning a diamond.
When South discarded, West could score his heart four and return a top club, Boyd
having to pitch a diamond to keep the spades from being ruffed out. Declarer ruffed and
led a spade, ruffed and over-ruffed.
At this point, declarer had a lock for his contract. Because West could be counted out at
1=3=3=6 distribution, trumps had to be breaking. He could have crossed to the heart jack,
ruffed a spade high, drawn trumps and claimed.
Instead, declarer led a club and ruffed, Boyd discarding his last spade. Declarer could
cash the heart ace, but at trick 12 he had to lead spades, and it was East who over-ruffed
dummy’s heart six for the setting trick.
LEAD WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: Lead the spade nine. Your goal is
South Holds: to get partner in to give you a diamond ruff,
♠ K J 10 9 7 5 2 and the way to tip him off is to lead an
♥Q8 unnatural card. In standard methods, the
♦— nine is typically led from shortness. As you
♣QJ53 have preempted in spades, partner should
have little trouble reading this as a suit-
South West North East preference signal for diamonds. If you had a
3♠ Dbl. Pass 4♥ void club, you would lead the spade two.
All pass
“The object of punishment is prevention from evil; it never can be made impulsive to
good.”
— Horace Mann
Dealer: N North
Even at the top level, bidding too much and daring your Vul: E-W ♠K73
opponents to beat you may work out well. That was the ♥9632
♦K95
case last year in Hawaii in the Blue Ribbon semifinals. ♣J32
West East
Using the favorable vulnerability and his four-card side ♠Q92 ♠4
suit as an excuse to pre-empt to the limit, South stretched ♥ K Q 10 ♥AJ854
♦43 ♦AQJ8
to bid three spades over the one-heart opening. North ♣Q9874 ♣AK6
might have been inclined to raise, but knowing his partner South
♠ A J 10 8 6 5
could have a wide variety of hands for the pre-empt ♥7
opposite a passed hand, he remained silent for the ♦ 10 7 6 2
♣ 10 5
moment. East protected with a double, and West bid four
hearts. Only then did North come in with four spades, a South West North East
questionable decision, tactically speaking. East doubled Pass 1♥
with his top tricks, and there they played. 3♠ Pass Pass Dbl.
Pass 4♥ 4♠ Dbl.
All pass
West led the diamond four to the jack. East cashed the
top two clubs and continued the suit. Declarer ruffed, Opening Lead: ♦4
cashed the spade ace and guessed correctly to run the
spade jack, picking up the suit. With time on his side, he could draw trumps and knock out
the diamonds, escaping for three down.
After the diamond lead, won by East, the best defense is not obvious, but I think he can
work it out. He must cash the top clubs and underlead in hearts for a further diamond play.
The defense can now take the first six tricks. When East plays the diamond eight, West
ruffs in with the spade nine to promote his own queen for four down. There is a big
difference between plus 500 and plus 800 in a pairs game when your side can make 680,
so this miss was costly.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: Pass. This is no time to introduce
South Holds: such a poor heart suit. There is no need to
♠K73 respond now, and you do not want to get
♥9632 partner excited. If partner voluntarily takes
♦K95 another bid, you can come alive later. Put
♣J32 one of the kings in the heart suit, and one
heart would be fine. But as it is, you can be
South West North East fairly confident you will get a second chance
1♣ Dbl. at a low level.
?
“A knockdown argument: ’Tis but a word and a blow.”

— John Dryden
Dealer: W North
On this deal from last year’s Blue Ribbon Pairs, Dan Vul: E-W ♠QJ32
Jacob reached a delicate three no-trump after a sporting ♥98
♦ 10 9 2
raise by his partner. Then the world-class defenders had a ♣9875
couple of chances to beat him, none of which was easy. West East
♠AK985 ♠ 10 7 6
See what you think.
♥743 ♥AKJ6
♦43 ♦KJ875
West contemplated doubling the final contract but ♣J64 ♣ 10
eventually passed and led the spade ace, shifting to the South
♠4
heart seven in response to East’s suit-preference spade ♥ Q 10 5 2
10. East was hoping his side could establish a third heart ♦AQ6
♣AKQ32
trick before declarer knocked out his partner’s spade king.
East took his heart king and might have contended that Pass Pass 1♦
West’s failure to make a negative double suggested 2♣ Pass 3♣ Pass
declarer had 1=4=3=5 shape. If so, only a club exit would 3 NT All pass
avoid handing declarer a finesse. On East’s actual choice
Opening Lead: ♠A
of the heart jack, South won his heart queen and cashed
four clubs, ending in dummy.
Declarer then advanced the diamond 10, covered all around. Next came the last club
winner, forcing East to pitch his spade. The heart 10 exit saw East cash two tricks, but he
finally had to concede the last two tricks to the split diamond tenace.
If East had passively shifted to the club 10 at trick three, declarer would have been unable
to play effectively on both red suits. He probably would have crossed to dummy in clubs to
play a heart to the jack and queen. East could then throw a diamond on the last club to
avoid the strip-squeeze, or pitch a spade and exit with a diamond honor at trick 11.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: Two clubs. For most
South Holds: partnerships, a one-no-trump advance to a
♠QJ32 take-out double promises some values.
♥98 Here, you must bid two clubs and hope you
♦ 10 9 2 are not doubled or called on to take another
♣9875 action. In my opinion, the range for the one
no-trump call is 5-9 or so.
1♠ Dbl. Pass
?
“Most of us seldom take the trouble to think. It is a troublesome and fatiguing process and
often leads to uncomfortable conclusions. But crises and deadlocks when they occur have
at least this advantage, that they force us to think.”
— Jawaharlal Nehru
Dealer: W North
Barry Rigal reported this deal from Hawaii. With just one Vul: None ♠AJ6
deal to go in the board-a-match qualifying event, you need ♥7
♦KJ3
a win on the final board to reach average and earn a spot ♣ A K 10 9 8 4
on the roster for the final. Can you do it? West East
♠2 ♠KQ75
♥ K Q 10 8 5 2 ♥A93
Your teammates have collected 500 from four spades
♦872 ♦ A Q 10 9 6
doubled, so if you do better, you are in. If the same, you ♣765 ♣3
face a tie-break. And if worse, you get to play the 10 a.m. South
♠ 10 9 8 4 3
pairs game – a fate worse than death. ♥J64
♦54
West leads the heart king and shifts to a MUD diamond ♣QJ2
seven. Naturally, East cashes two diamonds then
disappointedly reverts to hearts. You get to ruff, but then 2♥ 3♣ 4♥
what? Pass Pass Dbl. Pass
4♠ Pass Pass Dbl.
After cashing the diamond king to pitch your heart, it All pass
seems natural to take the spade ace and continue with
Opening Lead: ♥K
the jack. But if you do, East wins, forces you twice when
in with the top trump, and collects 500.
Your best chance here may be to give up on any miracle in spades. East probably has
both honors, anyway. Instead, after cashing the diamond king, exit with the spade jack!
If East wins and leads a red winner, you can survive. You ruff in dummy and cross to the
club queen. Having saved a tempo, you can drive out the remaining top trump while
retaining control, for minus 300.
East’s best defense was to win the spade queen and exit in clubs. Now you are locked in
dummy and must concede the ruff and the master trump. This works whether you cash
the diamond king before playing the spade jack or not.
Did you get a good night’s sleep?
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: Whenever your side is doubled
South Holds: for penalty, a redouble is for rescue. You
♠2 must run, and your options are three clubs,
♥ K Q 10 8 5 2 three diamonds and two no-trump to suggest
♦872 no preference. I prefer the last of these,
♣765 although I can also imagine bidding two
spades and redoubling to get partner to pick
South West North East a minor.
1♣
2♥ Pass Pass Dbl.
Pass Pass Rdbl. Pass
?
“I have lived some thirty years on this planet, and I have yet to hear the first syllable of
valuable or even earnest advice from my seniors.”
— Henry David Thoreau
Dealer: S North
Gail Greenberg is one of the grandes dames of North Vul: E-W ♠ 10 5 4 2
American Bridge. She was one of the winners of the ♥AQ3
♦ 10 4
second- and third-ever Venice Cups in the mid-1970s and ♣A765
still plays bridge at the absolute top level more than 40 West East
♠A963 ♠Q87
years later.
♥ 10 4 ♥9862
♦KJ6 ♦Q92
If she looked very happy during the National American ♣ Q 10 9 2 ♣J84
Bridge Championships in Hawaii last year, it might have South
♠KJ
been because she was surrounded by family who came to ♥KJ75
Hawaii to mark a special birthday. She has three ♦A8753
♣K3
generations of multiple national and world champions in
the family. Don’t bet against the next generation, either! South West North East
1 NT Pass 2♣ Pass
Greenberg always seems happy at the table, but her 2♦ Pass 2♥* Pass
opponents do not always leave in such a good mood. 2 NT Pass 3 NT All pass
Witness today’s deal, from the second qualifier in the Life
Master Pairs. *Four spades, forcing
Opening Lead: ♣2
Greenberg sat South and reached the no-trump game
after opening one no-trump. Jeff Hand followed with a puppet Stayman sequence to
shows his spades without revealing much about declarer’s hand.
On any lead but a club, the contract looks comfortable because diamonds can be
established. After the club-two lead, though, declarer risks losing the spade ace and four
tricks in the minors. How would you plan the play?
Greenberg saw she had a slim but legitimate chance. She won the club ace and led a
spade to the jack and ace. Then she took the club return, unblocked the spade king,
crossed to a top heart and led a low spade. When the queen appeared, the spade 10 was
her ninth trick, for a 90% result.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: You should pass now. You have
South Holds: no fit for partner, no source of tricks and no
♠ 10 5 4 2 intermediates, all of which are warning
♥AQ3 signs. Picture partner holding a minimum
♦ 10 4 opener with long but broken diamonds.
♣A765 Would you want to invite game opposite that
and jeopardize your plus score?
1♦ Pass
1♠ Pass 2♦ Pass
?
“Begin at the beginning and go on till you come to the end: then stop.”
— Lewis Carroll
Dealer: E North
This deal, another from the 2018 National American Vul: Both ♠762
Bridge Championships in Honolulu, presented an ♥K852
♦ J 10 8 4
awkward declarer and defense problem. ♣AK
West East
Opposite a passed partner, West did not need to worry ♠K9 ♠ Q J 10 5 4
♥63 ♥AJ
about missing a game with his heavy weak two. Because
♦AQ9652 ♦7
two diamonds escapes for down one, South was wise to ♣Q62 ♣98753
balance; if his partner had passed, would East have South
♠A83
balanced with two spades? I’m not sure, since I think that ♥ Q 10 9 7 4
typically implies some diamond tolerance — but it would ♦K3
♣ J 10 4
have been feeble for East to pass out two hearts. Be that
as it may, North did not give East the chance to balance. South West North East
Instead North’s optimistic raise to three hearts put his side Pass
into dangerous territory. West did not find the spade king Pass 2♦ Pass Pass
lead, putting a low club on the table instead.
Declarer won in dummy to lead a low heart. East took the Opening Lead: ♣2
ace and knew his partner was likely to have a top spade
and decent diamonds. The spade queen shift covered all bases. South had to duck, which
he did, and now East shifted to diamonds, to the king, ace and four.
When West reverted to spades, declarer could win and draw trumps, then either set up a
diamond to pitch his spade, or ruff a club and exit in spades, to throw East in and avoid
losing a diamond.
Should West have found the winning defense? He must underlead in diamonds at trick
five, thus retaining the diamond queen while scoring a second trick in the suit. East can
ruff and exit in spades, and one way or another the defenders will score a fifth trick.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: Bid one spade. You do not have
South Holds: enough for a Michaels cue-bid of two hearts,
♠ Q J 10 5 4 which should show more in the way of
♥AJ general high cards, and more of a
♦7 concentration in your long suits. One spade
♣98753 is enough. If partner raises, your hand will
become much more powerful, but until then
South West North East go low, not high.
1♥
?
The Aces on Bridge: Sunday, December 1st, 2019

In second seat, I held ♠ K-9-7-2, ♥ Q-9-3, Do you always raise partner’s one of a major
♦ A-Q-10-5, ♣ J-4, and my right-hand opening to two with three-card support? I
opponent opened one heart in second seat. play a forcing no-trump response and was
Would you double, and what your plan would wondering if I could put a raise through that.
be if your partner bid two clubs? Should you If so, which hands are suitable?
try and improve the situation for yourself or
leave well enough alone? — Forcing My Hand, Dayton Ohio
— Rainy Day, Jackson, Miss.
ANSWER: With two ways to support, I prefer
the direct raise to show a fair hand,
ANSWER: I’m not totally opposed to something in the region of 7-10 points.
doubling on flawed shapes with a minimum Responding one no-trump, then giving
hand, but facing a passed partner with a preference to partner’s major, is consistent
highly unsuitable heart holding, I’d pass with either a doubleton or a bad hand
initially. Make my heart queen the king, and I (perhaps 4-7 points) with three-card support.
might double. I’d happily double a minor with
an uninspiring holding in the other minor,
though. Partners tend to bid a major in Dear Mr. Wolff:
response if they can.
Say you open one club and your left-hand
opponent overcalls one spade. What does
Dear Mr. Wolff: partner’s negative double promise in terms
of the unbid suits? Would a two-diamond
I have heard some of the players at my club rebid by you show extras?
speaking about game-try doubles. What are
they? When do they apply? — Be Prepared, Memphis, Tenn.
— Back to School, Fredericksburg, Texas
ANSWER: Your partner’s double simply
promises four or more hearts — and
ANSWER: Game-try (also called maximal) occasionally may not deliver even that! The
doubles traditionally apply at the three-level notion that a negative double shows both
when you have a major-suit fit and the other suits would restrict your use of that call
opponents’ competition has taken all the too much. However, in response to a
space and prevented you from making a negative double, I’d jump to three diamonds
game-try. Since competing to three of your with a true reverse. So two diamonds just
own suit would be to play, double replaces a shows extra shape and both minors.
game-try. So, after one heart – two
diamonds – two hearts – three diamonds,
double is a balanced game try.
Dear Mr. Wolff:

Say you hold ♠ A-7-6-4-3, ♥ 8, ♦ 3, ♣ K-J-8-
7-6-2. You choose to pass as dealer and
partner opens a strong no-trump. You
transfer to spades (would you?) and partner
jumps to three spades, a superaccept
showing a good hand with four spades.
Would you try for slam?
— Fits Like a Glove, Harrisburg, Pa.
ANSWER: I like the transfer to spades

(transferring to clubs then bidding spades
should show shortness), and I’d now think
about slam. If partner has a control-rich hand
with a club filler, we might make lots of tricks.
I’d cue-bid four clubs, then try four hearts
over a four-diamond call. If partner signs off
at any point, I will let it go. If not, we’re off to
the races! Partner knows I am limited in high
cards by my initial pass.
The Aces on Bridge: Monday, December 2nd, 2019
“We ask and ask — Thou smilest and art still, Out-topping knowledge.”
— Matthew Arnold
Dealer: W North
After South had gone down in his slam, North pointed out Vul: E-W ♠Q5
the flaw in his partner’s logic. Can you outplay declarer? ♥A84
♦KQ
♣AK6532
When North opened with a forcing club, South bid then West East
jumped in spades to show a long and at least semisolid ♠4 ♠9863
♥ Q J 10 6 3 ♥9752
suit. A couple of cue-bids followed, then Key-card
♦J74 ♦ A 10 8 5
Blackwood. When North located two key-cards opposite, ♣ Q 10 8 7 ♣J
he settled for six spades, and West led the heart queen. South
♠ A K J 10 7 2
♥K
That lead made establishing the clubs a little more ♦9632
problematic (after a trump lead, declarer can draw trumps, ♣94
then use the diamond and heart entries to establish clubs,
even against the 4-1 break). So South won his heart king Pass 1♣* Pass
and sensibly led a diamond to the king, taken with the 1♠ Pass 2♣ Pass
ace. East returned a trump, and South won this in hand. A 3♠ Pass 4♦ Pass
4♥ Pass 4 NT Pass
diamond to the queen, then the heart ace for a diamond
5♥ Pass 6♠ All pass
discard, were followed by a heart ruff to hand. Declarer
ruffed his last diamond with the spade queen, but now he *16 or more, any distribution
was locked in dummy and needed both opponents to
follow to dummy’s top clubs. When East ruffed the Opening Lead: ♥Q
second, the slam was sunk.
As North remarked, South could have coped with the possibility of a 4-1 club break, if he
had planned better. After losing to the diamond ace at trick two and winning the trump
return, he can re-enter dummy with a top club. Now South’s second club is discarded on
the heart ace. After a club ruff, then a spade to the queen and another club ruff, he has
set up dummy’s suit. After drawing trumps, the diamond queen is the entry to run the
clubs and claim the rest.
LEAD WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: If the opponents finish in no-
South Holds: trump after a limited auction, then when in
♠Q87 doubt you should tend to lead passively,
♥ J 10 7 2 while still breaking the tie in favor of a major-
♦ Q 10 5 3 suit lead to a minor. The heart two is best, so
♣AJ that you don’t risk crashing your partner’s
honor. Anytime you have a choice of leading
South West North East from a suit with touching honors at the top of
Pass Pass Pass 1 NT a broken suit, look to the suit with a
Pass 2 NT Pass 3 NT
sequence.
All pass
The Aces on Bridge: Tuesday, December 3rd, 2019
“They went and told the sexton And the sexton toll’d the bell.”
— Thomas Hood
Dealer: E North
When presented with a problem hand, you tend to look for Vul: N-S ♠AK7
an artificial solution. In real life, no one rings a bell to ♥J43
♦KQJ5
persuade you to concentrate. Consider this deal from a ♣J42
recent tournament. West East
♠9864 ♠3
♥92 ♥AKQ76
North had already done well by not driving to game. West
♦A32 ♦9876
led the heart nine to the king, and East cashed the heart ♣ 10 8 5 3 ♣Q76
queen, then the ace, suggesting mild suit preference for South
♠ Q J 10 5 2
clubs. West pitched an encouraging diamond, so East ♥ 10 8 5
shifted to a diamond to the ace. West returned a club, and ♦ 10 4
♣AK9
declarer claimed. Who goofed?
West “knew” declarer had five spades, two club winners 1♥
and two diamonds. How could he keep declarer from 1♠ Pass 2♥ Pass
scoring the diamonds? West must win the first diamond 2♠ Pass 3♠ All pass
and return the suit. Now declarer has no entries to
diamonds outside the trump suit. When spades turn out to Opening Lead: ♥9
be 4-1, South’s only chance is a double finesse in clubs,
which does not work today.
Note: West must throw a diamond to prevent declarer from being able to cash two tricks in
the suit; and at trick four, East must shift to a diamond for West to return the suit. A club
shift would immediately be fatal to the defense, but if East plays a trump instead, declarer
should still succeed.
South plays three rounds of trumps, ending in dummy, then advances the club jack,
covered by the queen and ace. After drawing West’s last trump, South leads a diamond.
West can duck once, but he is endplayed on the second round of diamonds. Then
whichever minor he plays will be fatal.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: Overcall two hearts. The hand is
South Holds: offensive in nature with a singleton in the
♠3 opponent’s suit, so we should get our
♥AKQ76 relatively solid hearts into the game as
♦9876 quickly as possible. Even if partner cannot
♣Q76 compete, we will have solved any opening-
lead problems he might encounter. Yes, you
South West North East might get caught from time to time, but the
1♠ positive outcomes of the overcall will be the
? worth that investment.
The Aces on Bridge: Wednesday, December 4th, 2019
“Valor consists in the power of self-recovery, so that a man cannot have his flank turned,
cannot be out-generaled, but put him where you will, he stands.”
Dealer: E North
On today’s deal, North-South reached the wrong contract Vul: E-W ♠KJ984
without doing anything unreasonable in the auction. South ♥K6
♦542
had soft values in his doubletons and an awkward rebid ♣ A 10 5
after opening one club, so he got his values off his chest West East
♠A2 ♠ 10 7 6 5
at his first turn to speak with a strong no-trump opening
♥A8542 ♥Q973
bid. Most experts would follow this approach — the only ♦Q863 ♦J7
issue being whether they felt guilty or happy about it! ♣63 ♣872
South
♠Q3
Now North transferred to spades and offered a choice of ♥ J 10
games with three no-trump, where they played. After a ♦ A K 10 9
♣KQJ94
low heart lead, South’s first task was to divine the heart
layout. The percentage move in this scenario might be to South West North East
play small, the logic being that it is a blind guess which Pass
play to make if West has led from five, but West is less 1 NT Pass 2♥* Pass
2♠ Pass 3 NT All pass
likely to have underled ace-fourth than queen-fourth. Still,
our hero guessed right by calling for the king, but he was
*Spades
not yet home.
Opening Lead: ♥4
Declarer could have played for both diamond honors
onside, but that line seemed unattractive to him. An alternative was to play a club to the
king and advance the spade three; however, West would be unlikely to duck after his
partner’s encouraging signal at trick one.
So declarer ran his clubs, hoping to bring about some pressure, and West was inexorably
squeezed without the count. Having to keep all his hearts, lest declarer simply knock out
the spade ace, West pitched a spade, then two diamonds, hoping East had the guarded
jack. Declarer then ran the diamonds and emerged with an overtrick.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: This hand meets my criteria for a
South Holds: light third-hand one-heart opening. We have
♠A2 a fair primary suit and have no objection to
♥A8542 competing in partscore. Partner should be
♦Q863 aware that we may shade our values in this
♣63 position: If he does double the final contract,
our two aces represent a respectable
South West North East amount of defense.
Pass Pass
?
The Aces on Bridge: Thursday, December 5th, 2019
“If a man, sitting all alone, cannot dream strange things, and make them look like truth, he
need never try to write romances.”
— Nathaniel Hawthorne
Dealer: N North
On this deal from an English pairs tournament, North- Vul: E-W ♠Q96
South reached the top spot of six spades. North jumped to ♥AK953
♦ K 10 8 3 2
four spades over fourth-suit forcing, to show something ♣—
like 3=5=4=1 shape with extras. He then disclosed his West East
♠83 ♠ K 10 7
club void and one keycard in response to Blackwood.
♥Q82 ♥ J 10 6 4
♦J75 ♦64
Leading a club through the void worked surprisingly well ♣ 10 8 7 6 4 ♣A932
for West here. Declarer could see he probably had three South
♠AJ542
discards for his losing clubs, but he had to lose the likely ♥7
trump trick at a time when the defense could not cash the ♦AQ9
♣KQJ5
club ace.
So, after ruffing the club, South called for the spade 1♥ Pass
queen. When East covered, South let it hold, while 1♠ Pass 2♦ Pass
dummy still had a trump to take care of a club 3♣ Pass 4♠ Pass
4 NT Pass 6♣ Pass
continuation. East returned a trump, but with the
6♠ All pass
diamonds coming in, declarer was home.
Opening Lead: ♣8
Had the spade queen held, declarer would have reason to
fear repeating the finesse, lest West turn up with the king. One option would have been to
ruff another club in dummy and play on diamonds, hoping the hand with three trumps also
had three diamonds. Of course, declarer would also pick up a doubleton spade king along
his way. That would fail today: East would ruff the third diamond and cash the club ace.
If the spade queen holds, it is better to ruff out the hearts. Cash the heart ace-king and ruff
a heart, then ruff a club to dummy and ruff another heart with the spade jack. Next cash
the spade ace, cross to the diamond king and throw the last club on the long heart.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: To bid two no-trump, showing the
South Holds: red suits, would lose a possible spade fit. It
♠Q96 is best to start with one heart, intending to
♥AK953 bid diamonds later on. If partner volunteers a
♦ K 10 8 3 2 spade bid, you will be delighted to support
♣ him. In some auctions, you may be able to
double for takeout at your second or third
South West North East turn.
1♣
?
The Aces on Bridge: Friday, December 6th, 2019
“Nothing puzzles me more than time and space; and yet nothing troubles me less, as I
never think about them.”
— Charles Lamb
Dealer: W North
After East’s pre-emptive raise in clubs, South followed a Vul: E-W ♠ A 10 8 4
somewhat illogical sequence. He passed initially because ♥KQ6
♦AK96
he did not feel like he had enough to compete, but then ♣ 10 2
after North’s second takeout double, he re-evaluated and West East
♠K975 ♠2
decided his hand was worth the leap to game in spades.
♥973 ♥ J 10 8 4
♦QJ2 ♦ 10 5
West led the club king, here asking for count in the suit. ♣K8 ♣QJ9753
When East indicated an even number of cards in clubs, South
♠QJ63
West cashed another round before exiting with a heart. ♥A52
Declarer won in hand to lead the spade queen, running it ♦8743
♣64
when West played low. Declarer continued with the spade
jack, which was covered by West’s king and dummy’s South West North East
ace. The 4-1 break presented an additional challenge 1♣ Dbl. 3♣
because the contract now needed more than the Pass Pass Dbl. Pass
4♠ All Pass
favorable diamond break. It also needed West to have at
least three hearts plus two or three diamonds. Opening Lead: ♣ K
Declarer carefully cashed both top hearts, a Dentist’s Coup to ensure dummy could not be
thrown on lead, then played the diamond ace and king and another diamond. West won
the trick and found himself endplayed, with only two trumps and a club remaining in his
hand. As a trump exit would have been hopeless, West tried his club. Declarer ruffed in
hand and took the marked trump finesse to score up his game.
Note that if it had been East who won the third round of diamonds, West discarding a club,
declarer would again have been able to ruff the forced club exit in hand. This would again
neutralize West’s trump holding.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: Respond one spade. With a
South Holds: weak hand in response to one club, it is best
♠QJ63 to bypass diamonds in favor of finding a
♥A52 major-suit fit. This is especially true with
♦8743 such poor diamonds. If the pointed suits
♣64 were reversed, there would be a case for
ignoring the spades and responding one
South West North East diamond, but I think I’d still bid the major.
1♣ Pass
?
The Aces on Bridge: Saturday, December 7th, 2019
“Apple pie without cheese Is like a kiss without a squeeze.”

— Traditional
Dealer: S North
In today’s pairs deal, as North-South had at least 34 Vul: Both ♠A654
points, North did not look for a suit contract. Instead, he ♥AKJ
♦AK96
was relying on power to make a slam in no-trump when ♣ 10 5
one in a suit might be scuppered by bad breaks. With West East
♠ Q 10 8 7 2 ♠9
even a slightly weaker hand, or with the spades and
♥ 10 9 6 2 ♥Q753
diamonds switched, one could make a good case for ♦42 ♦873
bidding Stayman, then offering a choice of slams with a ♣63 ♣J9842
South
call of five no-trump, prepared to play diamonds, spades ♠KJ3
or no-trump. ♥84
♦ Q J 10 5
♣AKQ7
On a power auction, a spade lead looked unattractive:
Indeed, it would have given declarer his 12th trick here. South West North East
West sensibly led a passive heart 10, aiming to give 1 NT Pass 6 NT All pass
nothing away. Declarer could place the heart queen to his
right, so he called for dummy’s heart king. He then played
Opening Lead: ♥10
the spade ace and another spade. When East threw a low
heart, declarer still put in the spade jack from hand, giving up the loser to facilitate a
subsequent squeeze.
West won and exited with a heart, taken by dummy’s ace. Declarer cashed the spade
king, then ran diamonds, ending in dummy. In the four-card ending, as West had only
discarded one spade and East had not parted with the heart queen, neither defender
could hold four clubs. So declarer’s lowly club seven was sure to score the last trick.
Declarer made two spades, two hearts, four diamonds and, finally, four clubs to make his
contract.
In effect, declarer played to squeeze both hands out of their club guard, even though he
knew only one of them could have the suit under control.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: You cannot pass the buck here; a
South Holds: pass by you would be for penalties here.
♠9 Most partnerships play that pass is neutral at
♥Q753 the one-level, an attempt to play for
♦873 penalties in all other positions. If you agree,
♣J9842 you must bid. With right-hand opponent
having shown values, a call of two no-trump
South West North East by you should be a scramble, looking for
2♠ Dbl. Rdbl. partner to bid his better minor. If he bids
?
diamonds, you will correct to hearts.
The Aces on Bridge: Sunday, December 8th, 2019
by Bobby Wolff on December 22nd, 2019

I play at Bridge Base Online and really enjoy My partner held ♠ 9-7-2, ♥ Q-4-3, ♦ J-10-8-2,
it, but I wonder if there are any other ♣ Q-10-4, and when the auction started with
websites you might recommend. a four-spade bid on her left and a double
from me (primarily for take-out), she passed,
— Take it Up, Mitchell, S.D. later saying she was too weak to bid. Was
this decision correct? The opponents had
nine spade tricks and an ace to cash, while
ANSWER: BBO is the premier site for five diamonds our way was close to making.
following live bridge from around the world,
but Funbridge and BBO now have merged — Play or Defend, Levittown, Pa.
interests. Each has an array of different
bridge-related games. It is worth checking
them both out. ANSWER: Let us say that your hand as the
doubler had been a sound opener but had
included the doubleton spade king and three
Dear Mr. Wolff: diamonds to the queen. Would you have
been so enthusiastic to hear your partner
Last month, you discussed weak jumps in bid? I think not. After the opponents pre-
competition. Should I play these methods empt, you often have to make your best
when facing an overcall? And are all weak guess. Here, I tend to remove my partner’s
jumps off by a passed hand? double of a four-spade call only with real
— Stuck in the Middle, Elmira, N.Y. distribution in a one- or two-suiter.
ANSWER: I don’t like weak jump shifts in Dear Mr. Wolff:

new suits (as opposed to weak jump raises) What would you bid with this hand: ♠ K-8-2,
facing an overcall. When both opponents ♥ K-10-4-3, ♦ J-9-8-6, ♣ A-J, after you open
have acted, each knows about their side’s one diamond and partner responds one
high cards. Similarly, do not play pre-emptive spade?
jumps in a new suit by a passed hand in
response to an opening bid. With that hand, — Risky Raise, Casper, Wyo.
you’d have bid already, or you wouldn’t be
jumping now. Jumps should show a fit for
partner while promising a sidesuit you’d be ANSWER: I feel torn between raising
happy for partner to lead. spades and bidding no-trump. I would
definitely bid two spades if the club jack
were the spade jack, or if I had ace-queen-
Dear Mr. Wolff: fourth in one rounded suit and a doubleton in
the other. I know that a call of one no-trump
My partner held ♠ A-K-9-8-4, ♥ A-7-2, ♦ 3, will be found at other tables; that might
♣ 10-4-3-2 and chose to open one spade in influence my choice.
first seat. When I responded two diamonds,
natural and game-forcing, his choice of three
clubs got us way too high. He said that his
second call did not promise extras in high
cards or shape. Do you agree with either of
his bids?
— Cloud Surfing, Kansas City, Mo.
ANSWER: The opening bid is fine, because

of the controls and the good suit. The three-
club call seems wrong to me, though. I’d
rebid two spades, not promising a sixth
spade in my book, because of the spot-cards
and top honors, although I could understand
a two-no-trump call. For me, three clubs
would show some extras or 5-5 shape.
The Aces on Bridge: Monday, December 9th, 2019
by Bobby Wolff on December 23rd, 2019
“Nobody likes the messenger who brings bad news.”

— Sophocles
Dealer: West North

This week’s themed deals are on the topic of suit- Vul: Neither ♠ A 4
preference signals. There are standard situations where ♥ A K 10 8 7 2
♦QJ84
they should apply, the main ones being when giving ♣4
partner a ruff or when you lead an honor against a suit West East
♠8 ♠ 10 9 5
contract and dummy has a singleton in the suit. However,
♥QJ93 ♥654
there are many other scenarios where they come in ♦AK ♦532
handy, and today’s deal is one such example. ♣AQJ853 ♣ K 10 7 6
South
♠KQJ7632
Imagine you find yourself in the hot seat as West. You are ♥—
playing in the Mixed Board-a-Match Teams, where ♦ 10 9 7 6
♣92
overtricks may be vital. You lead the diamond king, and in
this context your partnership agreement (unlike this South West North East
column’s) is that the ace is the normal lead from ace-king. 1♣ 1♥ Pass
So the king, if not from king-queen, suggests the ace-king 4♠ Dbl. All Pass
doubleton — or that you are about to shift to a singleton.

Opening Lead: ♦K
You see a disturbingly good dummy. Partner contributes
the two (odd number), and the diamond ace draws the three from partner. Do you trust
partner and underlead your club holding for a possible diamond ruff? Susan Miller, playing
with Bob Sartorius, did so, and her good play was rewarded when he won his king and
gave her a diamond ruff for down one and a win on the board.
Partner’s lowest diamond at trick two should be suit preference, of course, but the
additional reason Susan could underlead without worrying about the overtricks was that
she had doubled four spades. Overtricks were then irrelevant, of course, so the underlead
became much easier!
LEAD WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: West’s key-card response shows
South Holds: a diamond void. You can see one trick for
♠K5 the defense, but a second seems unlikely —
♥973 doesn’t it? Maybe you should attempt to
♦AJ652 force the dummy with a devious low
♣985 diamond lead, planning to duck the first
spade if declarer finesses against your king.
South West North East If declarer repeats the trump finesse, you
1♥ Pass 1♠ can then win and cash a diamond — and get
Pass 2♣ Pass 2♦ your name in the papers!
Pass 3♠ Pass 4 NT
Pass 5 NT Pass 6♠
All Pass
The Aces on Bridge: Tuesday, December 10th, 2019
“Great literature is simply language charged with meaning to the utmost possible degree.”
— Ezra Pound
Dealer: N North
In the round robin match between Denmark and Italy at Vul: Neither ♠ K 10 9
the 1999 World Junior Teams in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, ♥ 10 9 8 3
♦ K 10 2
a textbook hand in suit-preference signaling came along. ♣A75
Unusually, it was the hand on lead making the suit- West East
♠QJ632 ♠A8
preference signal rather than the hand following suit.
♥65 ♥K72
♦A75 ♦Q964
Morten Madsen of Denmark as East thought long and ♣J43 ♣ 10 9 8 2
hard before pushing his opponents with his call of two South
♠754
spades — and rightly so. The defense had seven tricks ♥AQJ4
against that contract, but when North doubled a second ♦J83
♣KQ6
time just to show cards, South decided against trying to
take the penalty. You could certainly argue that, with a South West North East
balanced hand and reasonable defense, it was more Pass Pass
sensible to pass here, but at teams, players are often 1♣ 1♠ Dbl. Pass
2♥ Pass Pass 2♠
reluctant to sit for the double of a part-score into game. Pass Pass Dbl. Pass
3♥ All Pass
The opening lead of the spade queen held the trick. Now
Kaspar Konow (West) deliberately set up dummy’s spade Opening Lead: ♠Q
10 by leading a suit-preference jack at the second trick,
since he knew that his partner’s delayed support was likely to be based on exactly a
doubleton spade. Hence, he had to prepare the way for a spade ruff.
Madsen won his ace perforce and duly led a diamond (the higher of the minor suits) in
order to ensure the ruff. There was still the diamond queen coming to the defense for the
setting trick.
Notice that if East plays a club after winning his spade ace, declarer gets in to draw
trumps at once, and the defenders lose their ruff.
LEAD WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: Bid two spades. To raise to game
South Holds: with a balanced hand and a defensive trick
♠QJ632 would be far too aggressive, as would a limit
♥65 raise on a nine-loser hand, despite the ace
♦A75 and fifth trump. Give me 5-4-2-2 shape or
♣J43 ace-jack-third in a minor, and you might
tempt me to bid three spades. There is also
South West North East no need to pre-empt when you have the
Pass 1♠ Pass boss suit. You can compete again, if
? necessary, to show extra shape.
“The investigation of difficult things by the method of analysis ought ever to precede the
method of composition.”
— Isaac Newton
Dealer: E North
One of the aspects of the game that defeats beginners Vul: Both ♠ Q 10 7 6
and intermediates is the concept that every card should ♥ K J 10 5
♦J865
mean something. Take this deal from the second semifinal ♣J
session of a recent Kaplan Blue Ribbon Pairs. West East
♠93 ♠J842
North-South were playing Precision; hence, they ♥AQ62 ♥74
♦K4 ♦ 10 9 2
perpetrated this inelegant sequence. Using fourth-highest ♣ A 10 5 4 3 ♣KQ82
leads, West started with the club four to the jack, queen South
♠AK5
and six. The club two return went to the nine and 10, and ♥983
West played back the club three to East’s king. When ♦AQ73
♣976
West let the club-eight continuation hold the trick, East
had to decide how to proceed. Dummy had pitched a South West North East
heart and two diamonds on the clubs. Declarer had Pass
thrown a heart. 1 ♦* Pass 1♥ Pass
1 NT All Pass
Should East play a spade, in case declarer started with *Two or more diamonds
five solid diamonds and the spade ace, or a diamond, in
Opening Lead: ♣4
case he had the hand shown?
There are several clues in these sorts of positions, which spring from a player’s choice
when he could play one of two or more equal cards. Here, West had decided to win the
club 10, not the ace, at trick two. (This may not be obvious, but remember: West knows
East has the king from the play to trick one.) He had then returned the club three, not the
ace or five.
In summary, West has played the lowest of equal cards at each turn — so he must want a
diamond shift (the lower of spades and diamonds). At the table, East was not up to
drawing this inference: When he played a spade, declarer could scramble seven tricks.
LEAD WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: Rebid one no-trump, despite a
South Holds: hand that is not entirely balanced. You are
♠93 far short of the values for a reverse to two
♥AQ62 hearts, and your clubs are too poor to
♦K4 repeat. You do have stoppers in the unbid
♣ A 10 5 4 3 suits and the right range for the rebid. It is
the smallest lie to tell, and I’d advise the
South West North East same if the heart queen were in the club suit
1♣ Pass 1♠ Pass (but not if the diamond king were in clubs, so
? that I had a small doubleton on the side).
“Alas, regardless of their doom,

The little victims play!”
— Thomas Gray
Dealer: E North
As Thomas Gray remarked, “Full many a flower is born to Vul: Both ♠ K J 10 7 6 3
blush unseen.” Today’s deal might have slipped through ♥K93
♦85
the cracks if Steve and Betty Bloom’s teammate had not ♣J6
been able to rectify that particular error by providing the West East
♠A54 ♠—
Daily Bulletin with details of their prowess at a Gold Coast
♥J7 ♥ 10 8 4
Congress almost a decade ago. ♦AQJ4 ♦97632
♣ K 10 9 7 ♣Q8542
When Betty led the club 10 against four spades, declarer South
♠Q982
Sartaj Hans knew that he was in the wrong spot, caused ♥AQ652
by North failing to bid spades at his first turn. Worse, he ♦ K 10
♣A3
could divine that there would be spade ruffs in the offing,
not to mention the prospect of a diamond shift from East. South West North East
Pass
He put up dummy’s club jack and took Steve’s queen in 1♥ Dbl. Rdbl. 2 NT*
hand, then drew trumps and played on spades. East had Dbl. 3♣ 3♥ 4♣
4♥ All pass
had two chances to send a signal. First, he followed up
the line in trump (suit preference for the lower suit, here *Both Minors
clubs), then he pitched a discouraging diamond nine on Opening Lead: ♣10
the first spade, followed by the diamond two for further
suit preference.
Betty got the message. When she took her spade ace on the third round, she underled
her clubs, advancing her smallest. Steve overtook her seven with his eight to make the
killing diamond shift, and that produced the desired result of one down.
This was an absolute top for East-West; at all the rest of the tables in the main final, 10
tricks were taken in spades or hearts by North-South. (Interestingly, that was the case
even when North was declarer, so that a diamond lead would have beaten four spades).
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: In a standard base, partner is
South Holds: unlikely to have either four spades or three
♠Q982 hearts. Unless playing two-over-one, the no-
♥AQ652 trump response suggests fewer than 9
♦ K 10 points, so with no fit and a maximum of 24
♣A3 high-card points, you should pass. If playing
the forcing no-trump, a rebid of two clubs on
South West North East the doubleton will allow you to survive —
1♥ Pass 1 NT Pass unless your partner passes. And yes, you
? might have opened one no-trump, I
suppose.
““Anybody might have found it, but — His whisper came to me!”
— Rudyard Kipling
Dealer: S North
The more unreadable the signal partner receives, the Vul: Both ♠J86
quieter the suit-preference message you should be ♥65
♦ K 10 3 2
sending. That is the simple face of suit preference; alas, ♣A853
life is rarely so straightforward. Consider today’s deal. West East
♠ 10 9 ♠AK43
♥J82 ♥Q9
Defending against three hearts as West, you elect to lead
♦J964 ♦A875
a top spade, since you do not care to guess which minor ♣J972 ♣ 10 6 4
suit to broach. That works out well enough. Dummy plays South
♠Q752
low, and partner takes the spade ace as declarer ♥ A K 10 7 4 3
produces the five. Then he follows with the spade king as ♦Q
♣KQ
South contributes the two, followed by the spade four for
you to ruff, as declarer plays the seven. What now? South West North East
1♥ Pass 1 NT Pass
The defense to beat the contract is for you to lead a 3♥ All pass
diamond to partner, who can play a fourth spade and
promote your heart jack. But how do you know which Opening Lead: ♠10
minor you should lead? Don’t clubs look just as attractive
as diamonds, and didn’t partner play his low spade for you to ruff? No! The spade four
was suit preference for diamonds — from time to time, the gods of bridge require you to
do your bit: in this case, to remember that the spade three had not put in an appearance.
However, that was not the big clue. Partner hit you over the head at tricks one and two
when he won the spade ace, then king in unnatural order as suit preference for diamonds
(the normal play being king, then ace). Sometimes, one has to improvise suit preference,
and a thoughtful partner would foresee the problems in making a small card look big.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: Bid three hearts. Doubling is
South Holds: risky with such a disparity in the majors. If
♠Q752 you had 4=5=1=3 shape, you would certainly
♥ A K 10 7 4 3 double, but as it is, you might lose a heart fit
♦Q that is far superior to your spade fit. Still,
♣KQ doubling then raising a response in a major
or correcting a four-club advance to four
South West North East hearts is not out of the picture here. Make
3♦ one of the black queens an ace, and I might
? do that.
“As you make your way along life’s tumultuous highways, it’s important to note that you
should always carry a map, have plenty of fuel in the tank, and take frequent rest stops.”
— Octavia Spencer
Dealer: W North
Suit preference can come on opening lead, but not often. Vul: Neither ♠J97
Take the following problem, and assume you hold the ♥3
♦KQ4
East hand. ♣AKJ964
West East
Consider the auction and ask yourself whether you should ♠K4 ♠82
pass at your final turn. I agree that this is the normal ♥ A Q 10 ♥J98752
♦ 10 8 7 5 ♦J9632
action, but since you expect you can take a club ruff, put ♣Q532 ♣—
partner in with an ace, then take a second ruff, you might South
♠ A Q 10 6 5 3
choose to gamble and make a Lightner double. ♥K64
♦A
On the lead of the club five, you ruff away dummy’s ace ♣ 10 8 7
as declarer produces the seven. Now you must ask: Did
partner start with the 5-3-2 in clubs, or is the five his Pass 1♣ 2♥
smallest in that suit? If you guess incorrectly which red 2♠ 3♥ 4♥ Pass
ace partner holds and partner has no trump trick, declarer 4 NT Pass 5♦ Pass
5♠ Pass Pass Dbl.
may get to discard his red-suit loser on the clubs after
All pass
drawing trumps.
Opening Lead: ♣5
When Bob Hamman was on lead as West here, he saw
that the opening lead of the club queen would be a far clearer suit-preference signal than
a wishy-washy five. While leading an unsupported queen might seem dangerous, once
you have decided to lead a club, you are never going to score a later trick in the suit no
matter which one you choose, so you might as well help partner as much as you can.
After East’s heart return, you will succeed in putting partner in to secure a second ruff and
collect 300. But playing back a diamond would allow declarer to win his ace. He might
then guess to cash the spade ace and throw his hearts on dummy’s minor-suit winners —
and actually make his contract!
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: Bid one heart. The wild shape
South Holds: and playing potential that goes with it
♠82 compel us to respond on this hand. If
♥J98752 nothing else, this will make it harder for the
♦J9632 opponents to find their best spot. If you play
♣— weak jump responses, I can understand
bidding two hearts, but that is not my
South West North East preferred style.
1♣ Pass
?
specific infraction. That meant the ruling

could not be protested. Is this correct?
Dear Mr. Wolff:
— Barred, Calistoga, Calif.
My partner held ♠ Q-9-5, ♥ K-J-4-3, ♦ A-8-6,
♣ Q-7-6 and heard me open one no-trump.
He used Stayman, the next hand doubled,
and I bid two diamonds. What would you do ANSWER: Per Law 36: The second double
now? is canceled, another call (including pass)
may be substituted, and the partner of the
— Wrench in the Works, Houston, Texas offender must pass throughout thereafter.
There may also be lead penalties. The law
seems perfectly clear — and easy to spot!
ANSWER: Much depends on the inferences You should (discreetly) refer your director to
associated with your second call. I play it as this column.
natural, denying a club stop. I would
therefore cue-bid again, to try to reach three
no-trump facing a half-stopper in clubs. I can Dear Mr. Wolff:
imagine stopping in three diamonds or three
no-trump, but if my partner bids three hearts Are Blackwood and Gerber sufficient slam
to show a good fragment in that suit, we tools, or do we need more weapons in our
might belong in four hearts. armory?
— Driving It Home, Kingston, Ontario
Dear Mr. Wolff:
Please tell me what I should open in fourth ANSWER: Cue-bidding is sometimes
chair with ♠ J-10-3, ♥ Q-10-4-3, ♦ A-7-2, ♣ K- necessary to avoid bidding a slam off the
J-4. The hand is a decently put-together 11- ace and king in a side suit. And after your
count, so I decided to open one club and side opens with a two- or three-level pre-
pass any response. This worked fine when empt, four clubs (or four diamonds over
my partner was 4-4 in the majors, but I three clubs) asks for key-cards. Responses
realize things didn’t have to go that well. are zero, one, one plus the trump queen,
two, two plus the trump queen. This is
— Threw It In, Grand Forks, N.D. known as Baby Blackwood or Pre-empt
Keycard.
ANSWER: One approach is to add your

spades to your high-card points, and act only Dear Mr. Wolff:
with 15 or more. The major-suit tens point to
aggression, but without them I’d open the Say you hold ♠ Q-9-6-5, ♥ K-J-6, ♦ 10-4, ♣
bidding if my opponents were not vulnerable A-Q-9-2 and hear partner bid three spades
and pass if they were vulnerable — when my over a three-diamond pre-empt. How would
left-hand opponent may have a better hand you judge this hand?
than I, and my right-hand opponent may — Room To Maneuver, Miami, Fla.
have been more restrained in third seat.
ANSWER: You could argue for a call of four

Dear Mr. Wolff: spades on the grounds that any other action
Playing at a local club, the opponents bid would take you past your safety level. Some
and raised clubs. I doubled, and after my experts might say that a four-diamond cue-
left-hand opponent passed, my partner also bid here should simply be a slam try in
doubled! The director said my partner would support of spades, not promising a control. A
have to pass because there was no reasonable approach — but do make sure
comparable call. Later, I was told that the your partner agrees.
director had had to use his judgment as to
the best solution when the law book did not
cover the
“I am always at a loss to know how much to believe of my own stories.”

— Washington Irving
Dealer: N North
Both tables in a local teams game reached four spades on Vul: Both ♠8753
the opening lead of the heart jack. Both Souths saw that if ♥AK6
♦Q2
trumps were 2-2, 10 tricks would be easy; if they were 4- ♣ A 10 8 7
0, impossible. Each declarer won the lead in dummy and, West East
♠QJ9 ♠ 10
to protect against a 3-1 break, crossed to hand with the
♥ J 10 5 ♥Q982
trump ace to lead a low diamond toward the queen. ♦ K 10 9 4 3 ♦J87
♣54 ♣KQJ62
Both Wests rose with the diamond king and then played South
♠AK642
the trump queen. One declarer won his king and led a low ♥743
diamond to dummy’s queen. He continued with the club ♦A65
♣93
ace and another club. East won with the jack and exited
with a low heart, West’s 10 forcing dummy’s king. When South West North East
declarer tried to return to hand with a club ruff, West over- 1♣ Pass
ruffed and cashed a heart for the setting trick. 1♠ Pass 2♠ Pass
4♠ All pass
At the other table, when East discarded on the trump
Opening Lead: ♥J
queen, declarer saw the danger of taking the king. It
would leave him with no fast entry back to hand after unblocking the diamond queen. So
he let the spade queen hold. If West continued with the spade jack, declarer could win,
cash the diamond queen and eventually return to hand with a club ruff to discard a heart
on the diamond ace.
When West instead shifted back to the heart 10, declarer won his king, cashed the
diamond queen and came to hand with a trump. Now he could discard a heart on the
diamond ace and ruff a heart. Declarer had 10 tricks — four trumps, two hearts, a heart
ruff, two diamonds and the club ace.
LEAD WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: A diamond lead looks
South Holds: dangerous. Partner won’t have much to
♠J9 offer, and to set the game you may need him
♥Q2 to have values in the suits where neither
♦ K 10 9 5 3 2 opponent is likely to be short. Your odds of
♣AQ4 taking minor-suit tricks are better if you do
not lead either of them. Since the heart
South West North East queen is hardly safe, a low trump may be
1♠ your best shot. The opponents must have at
2♦ 3♠ Pass 4♠ least a nine-card fit, after all.
All pass
“We live and learn, but not the wiser grow.”

— John Pomfret
Dealer: N North
This was another deal from a local teams game in which Vul: Both ♠J4
different approaches by the two declarers yielded a swing. ♥762
♦AJ4
Against four hearts, the lead was the same at both tables: ♣ A Q J 10 5
the diamond 10. West East
♠A86 ♠ K 10 9 5 2
♥ Q 10 3 ♥85
At the first table, declarer flew up with the ace while East
♦ 10 9 8 3 ♦KQ65
played an encouraging six. Declarer then crossed to hand ♣732 ♣86
with a top trump. After returning to dummy with the club South
♠Q73
10, South finessed the heart jack. West won, and since ♥AKJ94
his side needed at least one diamond trick, he continued ♦72
♣K94
with the diamond three to try to give count in the suit. East
won and carefully shifted to the spade king, then cashed South West North East
another spade to defeat the contract. 1♣ Pass
1♥ Pass 1 NT Pass
At the second table, declarer also won the first trick. Then 2♦* Pass 2♥ Pass
4♥ All pass
he cashed the heart tops before playing on clubs. When
the third round of clubs was not ruffed, he was able to *Artificial and game-forcing
discard his remaining diamond on a good club. West Opening Lead: ♦10
ruffed in with the trump queen and exited with a diamond,
but a spade ruff in dummy was the tenth trick.
What are the odds for each approach? Both plans would succeed if the heart queen
appeared singleton or doubleton from East. Otherwise, the first approach makes the
contract on just half of the 3-2 breaks, about a third of the time. The second declarer
succeeds when there is a doubleton trump queen on his left, but also when the hand with
three trumps has at least three clubs. This has just short of a 5050 chance of bringing the
contract home, making it the plan to choose.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: Bid three diamonds. Despite
South Holds: having only 8 points, this hand is worth an
♠ K 10 9 5 2 invitation to game opposite a 15-17 no-
♥85 trump. Having your honors in your long suits
♦KQ65 is very useful, and the spade intermediates
♣86 are worth an extra high card. As a passed
hand, three diamonds should be invitational,
South West North East not forcing. Let partner have his say, and
Pass Pass 1 NT Pass respect his judgment.
2♥ Pass 2♠ Pass
?
“The greatest challenge to any thinker is stating the problem in a way that will allow a
solution.”
— Bertrand Russell
Dealer: W North
Had West started by opening one club rather than a Vul: E-W ♠A9642
Precision diamond, his opponents probably would have ♥8
♦9842
been unable to locate clubs. They would have played ♣A74
three no-trump and would surely have gone down. West East
♠QJ7 ♠ 10 8 5 3
As it was, South could bid a natural and forcing two clubs ♥QJ52 ♥ 10 9 6 4 3
♦ Q 10 7 ♦KJ6
over North’s one-spade overcall. When he caught a raise, ♣KQ9 ♣8
he gambled on five clubs, since his clubs seemed too South
♠K
slow to set up in three no-trump. ♥AK7
♦A53
Declarer won West’s lead of the heart queen in hand and ♣ J 10 6 5 3 2
saw drawings trump could wait; he instead had to work on
shedding his second diamond loser on a spade. He 1♦* 1♠ Pass
cashed the spade king and ruffed a heart to dummy. The 2♣ Pass 3♣ Pass
spade ace and a spade ruff followed. 5♣ All pass
*Two or more diamonds
If declarer had then crossed to the club ace before ruffing
both hearts, he would have risked conceding an Opening Lead: ♥Q
unwelcome over-ruff on the fourth spade. West would
then have been able to draw dummy’s last trump, leaving declarer an entry (and thus a
trick) short.
Instead, South ruffed the heart king back to table, and when he took his second spade
ruff, it did not matter which defender had the long spades. It was East who had the 13th
spade, so West was in a position to over-ruff on the fourth round of clubs and attack
diamonds, but declarer remained in control. South was able to reach dummy with the club
ace and pitch his last diamond on the spade nine, losing just two trump tricks in total.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: Rebid two clubs. The singleton
South Holds: spade king is no longer such a negative
♠K feature, but a no-trump rebid seems wrong,
♥AK7 and your clubs are too poor to rebid at the
♦A53 three-level. Some players might open or
♣ J 10 6 5 3 2 rebid one no-trump here, but the danger of
getting too high in spades or not high
South West North East enough in no-trump is obvious. If the spade
1♣ Pass 1♠ Pass king were a club, you might make a jump
? rebid in clubs.
by Bobby Wolff on January 2nd, 2020
“One must have a good memory to be able to keep the promises one makes.”
Dealer: N North
South demonstrated how much his side-suit shape was Vul: E-W ♠A72
worth when he pushed to game opposite a simple raise. ♥65
♦QJ865
♣AJ2
At trick one, declarer realized that he might need to bring West East
the clubs in without loss, since even if he could score ♠ 10 4 ♠QJ9
♥ Q J 10 ♥K9872
three diamond ruffs in hand, he wouldn’t have 10 tricks.
♦K742 ♦ A 10 3
However, another, better approach might be to set up ♣ Q 10 8 5 ♣74
dummy’s diamonds instead. South
♠K8653
♥A43
So South won the second heart and led the diamond nine ♦9
to dummy’s queen, in an attempt to ruff down honor-third ♣K963
diamonds on his left. He would also succeed against East
holding aceking-third. East took his ace and forced 1♦ 1♥
dummy with a heart. Then declarer ruffed a diamond and 1♠ 2♥ 2♠ Pass
switched horses by playing the trump ace and king and 4♠ All pass
another trump.
Opening Lead: ♥Q
The danger in ruffing another diamond was that if the king
did not come down, declarer would need to bring the clubs in. By conceding a trump trick
at this stage, he retained the chance of ruffing the diamond king, should the club queen be
onside, but it also increased his chances of squeezing the defenders.
(Declarer could not afford to ruff a diamond, then give up a spade; East might win and run
hearts.)
Had West taken the third spade, he would have had to open up clubs for declarer and
leave him in good shape. As it was, East took the third trump and continued the heart
force. However, that was too much for West to bear. He had already let go of a diamond
and now had to spare a club. Declarer could then finesse the club jack and run the suit.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: Pass. The singleton diamond is a
South Holds: serious handicap for play in diamonds or no-
♠K8653 trump. Even with the aces and kings, this
♥A43 10-count does not offer enough play for
♦9 game, so you should not invite. Partner
♣K963 probably has at least six diamonds, and his
suit will hopefully not be terrible; so this
South West North East should be as good a spot as any.
1♦ Pass
1♠ Pass 2♦ Pass
?
by Bobby Wolff on January 3rd, 2020
“Just when we’re safest, there’s a sunset-touch, A fancy from a flower-bell, someone’s
death, A chorus-ending from Euripides.”
— Robert Browning
Dealer: S North
On today’s deal, suggested by Michael Rosenberg, North- Vul: Both ♠832
South reach the normal spade game, but even with the ♥QJ97
♦ A 10 6
hands fitting well, finding a “sure tricks” line is difficult. ♣Q83
West East
You might reasonably assume this was one of those ♠ Q 10 6 ♠7
textbook hands where after cashing the spade ace, you ♥843 ♥A52
♦Q9732 ♦KJ84
cross to dummy in hearts (which the defenders must ♣52 ♣KJ964
duck), then lead a spade to the jack when East follows. South
♠AKJ954
This way, you have a re-entry to dummy in spades for the ♥ K 10 6
13th heart if trumps are 2-2, or trumps will play for no ♦5
♣ A 10 7
losers if they are 3-1.
Alas for you, it is West who has the spade length. Now, 1♠ Pass 2♠ Pass
when the heart ace is held up, you will have no way to 4♠ All pass
pick the club suit, since the defenders can exit in
diamonds at their every opportunity. A slight improvement Opening Lead: ♦3
would be to ruff a diamond at trick two and follow the
same plan, which might give you a chance to make on the actual layout.
The best line, though, is to win the diamond ace and ruff a diamond, take the spade ace,
lead a heart to the jack (which must be ducked) and ruff a diamond. Next, lead the heart
king. If the defenders duck, play another heart. Should they take a heart ruff at any stage,
you have a sure discard coming on the hearts, plus a trump entry to reach it.
As the cards lie, East has to choose between providing you with an entry to dummy’s long
heart and being endplayed to lead into the split tenace in clubs or give you a ruff-and-sluff
via a diamond exit.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: You should double. You have
South Holds: support for all the other suits and a hand that
♠7 is good enough to compete with. The lack of
♥A52 a fourth heart is not a problem; a three-
♦KJ84 suited hand should be treated as such —
♣KJ964 especially when it is really only worth one
call. Two clubs would both be inflexible and
South West North East exaggerate the quality of the suit while
1♠ possibly missing a red-suit fit.
?
The Aces on Bridge: Saturday, December 21st, 2019
“And above all, watch with glittering eyes the whole world around you because the
greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places. Those who don’t believe in
magic will never find it.”
— Roald Dahl
Dealer: N North
This was the most intriguing flat board from the 2001 Vul: None ♠QJ92
World Championship match between Italy and USA, ♥ 10
♦AJ875
where in each room South reached an apparently ♣974
hopeless slam. Consider how it came home at both tables West East
♠8 ♠ 10 7 3
before I let you in on the secret.
♥Q976 ♥J532
♦K6 ♦ Q 10 9
Lorenzo Lauria and Alfredo Versace bid the hand as ♣KQJ863 ♣ 10 5 2
shown here. North first showed a sound spade raise. South
♠AK654
Then the auction escalated fast, with Lauria’s final jump to ♥AK84
slam on the pushy side — but why shouldn’t partner have ♦432
♣A
had the diamond 10?
As you can see, making 12 tricks requires you to lose just Pass Pass
one diamond trick. Playing for both the king and queen to 1♠ 2♣ 3♣ Pass
be onside seems obvious — but will not work today. 3♥ Pass 4♦ Pass
4♥ Pass 4♠ Pass
However, both Versace and Bob Hamman had heard 5♣ Pass 6♠ All pass
West bid clubs. Both won the club lead and led a diamond
at once. When West followed low, they decided to go up Opening Lead: ♣K
with the diamond ace. Then, they cashed the top hearts
and ruffed a heart, ruffed a club, ruffed a heart, and ruffed a club. This eliminated the
clubs and hearts from both hand and dummy.
At this point, both declarers drew precisely one round of trumps and exited with a
diamond. In the three-card ending, West was left with only clubs to lead. On the forced
ruff-and-discard, dummy could take the ruff, and declarer the discard. Contract made, for
a remarkable flat board.
Had either West managed the spectacular play of unblocking the diamond king on the first
round of the suit, the slam would have been defeated.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: This may seem controversial, but
South Holds: I advocate doubling for take-out here. You
♠AK654 may still catch them if it is partner with the
♥AK84 trump stack, and of course, if it is you who
♦432 has the penalty double, partner might
♣A reopen with a double to show a defensive
hand, and you can then pass. You plan to
South West North East bid two hearts over two diamonds from your
1♠ Pass 1 NT 2♣ partner to show a better hand than a direct
? call in hearts.
The Aces on Bridge: Sunday, December 22nd, 2019

Recently, I picked up ♠ A-Q-J-6-3, ♥ —, ♦ K- My left-hand opponent opened one diamond,
2, ♣ A-K-J-9-4-3. Would you have opened and my partner doubled. My right-hand
one club or forced to game with a call of two opponent raised to two diamonds. I passed
clubs? Then, assuming you went for the again, and my partner backed in with
latter option, would you introduce the major another double. The question is, was this
first or bid clubs? second double for take-out? I assumed this
was optional rather than pure take-out. Was I
— Full to the Brim, Greenville, S.C. wrong?
— Curious George, Chester, Pa.
ANSWER: Both bids make sense, I
suppose. However, even if the opponents
stay silent over two clubs, you may still find it ANSWER: Once you start by showing one
hard to describe what you have. And if they sort of hand, you can’t change it at your next
come in, you may not be able to describe turn. Such second-round actions are take-
your hand at all. If your diamonds were the out, simply promising extras. Most low-level
doubleton ace, a two-club call might be right. doubles facing a partner who has not acted
But as it is, put me firmly in the one-club are assumed to be for take-out. The only
camp. time you double with strength in the
opponents’ suit, you will have 18-20 or more,
and you will bid no-trump at your next turn.
Dear Mr. Wolff:
How hard do you find the seniors’ game Dear Mr. Wolff:
compared to the open? I see you have
played in seniors’ events in the past. Lately, a player at my local club has taken to
criticizing his partner’s and his opponents’
— Aged Annie, Vancouver, Wash. play. Is he wrong to do this? Can we ask him
to stop?
ANSWER: To do well as a U.S. team at the — Kicking Up a Fuss, Waterbury, Conn.
Senior World Championships, you need to
beat plenty of former world champions to
qualify in your zone. At the world events, you ANSWER: You certainly can. It is important
will find that more than half the squads that everyone feel comfortable at bridge; if
consist of players who previously not, it is the surest route to losing players.
represented their countries at the open level. Constructive criticism is a good way to learn,
There are no free rides anymore, but only when it is done politely and away
from the table. If it is unwanted or during
play, it is not acceptable and contrary to
Dear Mr. Wolff: normal ethical practice.
Please help us with this bridge question:
What is the name of this famous bridge
hand: ♠ A-K-Q, ♥ A-K-Q-J, ♦ A-K, ♣ K-J-9-7?
— Fell off My Chair, Holland, Mich.
ANSWER: This is the Duke of Cumberland’s

hand from a famously rigged deal in the 18th
century. With small variations, you can find
details on the internet under that name. At
whist, played for high stakes, with clubs as
trump, the Duke (a son of George III) led a
trump. The cards lay in such a way that he
could not take a trick! Compare the
Mississippi Heart hand for a similar rigged
deal.
The Aces on Bridge: Monday, December 23rd, 2019
“But war’s a game, which, were their subjects wise, Kings would not play at.”
— William Cowper
Dealer: S North
This week of tournament deals is taken from the 2007 Vul: N-S ♠ 10 6 5 3
Bermuda Bowl, held in Shanghai. Today’s deal was ♥Q62
♦A32
played in an early round-robin match between Italy and ♣873
Poland. West East
♠87 ♠K42
♥ K 10 8 7 5 ♥J4
The contract is uninspiring here, since unless the major-
♦Q6 ♦ 10 8 7 5 4
suit kings are well placed, you are not favored to make ♣J654 ♣KQ9
your game — and maybe not even then! Four spades by South
♠AQJ9
South is more challenging than by North, where East is ♥A93
likely to lead a diamond and clear up your problems. On ♦KJ9
♣ A 10 2
Vugraph, declarer (who shall remain nameless for
reasons that will become apparent) received a trump lead. South West North East
1♣ Pass 1♦* Pass
After drawing trumps in three rounds, the correct technical 1 NT * * Pass 2♣ Pass
play is obvious — you need the heart king onside, so lead 2♠ Pass 3♠ Pass
4♠ All pass
a heart to the ace, then another back toward the queen.
You can then strip away the hearts before exiting in clubs. *Negative
The defenders will then have to open up diamonds. This **18-20
gives you a 75% chance to avoid a loser, as opposed to Opening Lead: ♠7
the 50-50 chance you would have without their help.
Declarer missed this and instead exited with a low club after the third round of trumps.
East won this trick cheaply and could have set the hand by returning a club. But he
assumed declarer needed discards for heart losers, so he shifted to the heart jack —
close, but no cigar!
Declarer could now revert to the winning line. This resulted in a flat board because the
Italian pair in the other room had reached the superior three no-trump.
LEAD WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: You have a control card in the
South Holds: trump suit and not much in terms of high-
♠ 10 8 7 2 card strength, so you can expect partner to
♥K84 have an entry or two. This is the ideal time to
♦75 lead your doubleton in search of a thirdround
♣ K 10 7 6 ruff. A seemingly passive spade will probably
cost a trick as often as a diamond.
1♥
Pass 2♥ Pass 4♥
All pass
“I am driven Into a desperate strait and cannot steer A middle course.”

— Philip Massinger
Dealer: E North
At the 2007 World Championships, Sweden lost its round Vul: Both ♠K43
robin meeting with Brazil, but right at the end of the ♥KJ983
♦743
encounter, Fredrik Nystrom got to show off as declarer — ♣A4
and his teammate Anders Morath had a chance for a West East
♠A ♠92
crafty defensive play.
♥ 10 2 ♥Q64
♦ K J 10 6 5 ♦Q98
Against five spades, Miguel Villas Boas started with the ♣KQ982 ♣J7653
diamond jack. Nystrom won the ace and put the spade South
♠ Q J 10 8 7 6 5
jack on the table. Villas Boas won perforce and continued ♥A75
with the diamond king, then a deceptive club queen. ♦A2
♣ 10
Nystrom took the club ace, ruffed a club, played a spade
to dummy’s king and ruffed a diamond. He then cashed South West North East
two more trumps. The key to making the contract was 1♠
figuring out how to play hearts for no losers, if indeed it 2 NT 3♦* 5♣ 5♦
Pass 5♠ All pass
was possible.
*Spade raise
The bidding did not eliminate the possibility of West
Opening Lead: ♦J
holding a doubleton heart queen. Nystrom eventually
played a heart to dummy’s king, following it up again after some thought, with the jack.
When Gabriel Chagas followed low, Nystrom ran it. That was good for plus 650.
Morath started with the club king, and play followed a line similar to that in the open room.
(Morath played the diamond 10 when in with the spade ace.) At the critical point, however,
when declarer played a low heart from hand, Morath produced the heart 10, pretending
that he had started with queen-10 doubleton. Indeed, declarer fell for it, winning the heart
king in dummy and playing the jack to his ace. When the queen did not fall, it was one
down and 13 IMPs to Sweden.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: Bid three clubs. Despite not
South Holds: really having extra values in terms of high
♠A cards, our shape is enough to justify taking a
♥ 10 2 free bid. This describes our hand well,
♦ K J 10 6 5 suggesting our nine or more cards in the
♣KQ982 minors. You hope it will help partner judge
what to do if your left-hand opponent raises
South West North East to four spades. If partner passes, you will
1♦ Pass 1♥ 2♠ too, of course.
?
“If one learns from others but does not think, one is still at a loss. If, on the other hand,
one thinks but does not learn from others, one is in peril.”
— Confucius
Dealer: W North
At the World Championships in 2007, Chip Martel Vul: N-S ♠A3
reported this play, found by Ralph Katz in the round six ♥Q753
♦Q864
match of USA1 against India. ♣K92
West East
Both tables played four hearts, Katz defending in the West ♠ 10 9 6 5 4 2 ♠Q87
seat after a strong no-trump and Stayman. After a low ♥J4 ♥ A 10 9
♦ J 10 ♦7532
spade lead, one might have thought that the natural line ♣J86 ♣A75
was to win in hand and lead a trump to the queen, South
♠KJ
guarding against a significant trump singleton with West. It ♥K862
is not so clear who might be short in hearts on the lead of ♦AK9
♣ Q 10 4 3
the spade 10. As the cards lie, this line would almost
certainly lead to success. South West North East
Pass Pass Pass
Both declarers actually chose to win the spade ace and 1 NT Pass 2♣ Pass
lead a heart to the king, ducking a trump on the way back. 2♥ Pass 4♥ All pass
At one table, West won his jack and exited with the
diamond jack, but it did not matter what he did at this Opening Lead: ♠10
point. Declarer could strip away the spades and
diamonds, exit with a trump and claim. When East won the trick, he was forced to open up
clubs for declarer, thereby ensuring the defenders could take only one trick in that suit.
Katz was defending in the other room, where he threw a wrench in the works for declarer
by unblocking the heart jack under the king. Now when declarer played a second trump,
the unblock meant that Katz’s partner, George Jacobs, was able to draw two rounds of
trumps and exit with a diamond. Declarer was forced to find the club jack to make his
game, and it was poetic justice that he guessed incorrectly and went down.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: Bid four spades. You must raise
South Holds: to game, making it as hard as possible for
♠Q87 the opponents to find their fit. Who knows —
♥ A 10 9 you might even make it! Anytime you have a
♦7532 problem like this, ask yourself what you
♣A75 would do if the opponents bid to their most
likely game — here, four hearts. If you don’t
South West North East know whether you want to save or not, give
3♠ Pass them the problem first by raising to four
?
spades.
“Life is a very sad piece of buffoonery, because we have … the need to fool ourselves
continuously by the spontaneous creation of a reality … which, from time to time, reveals
itself to be vain and illusory.”
— Luigi Pirandello
Dealer: S North
At the Bermuda Bowl in Shanghai in in 2007, the end of Vul: E-W ♠—
the RoundRobin match between USA1 and Norway ♥AKQ5
♦A6543
featured two good reporting opportunities for the ♣AQJ7
assembled reporters. West East
♠QJ754 ♠ 10 9 8 6 2
♥4 ♥J932
In the first, North felt his hand was far too strong to
♦ J 10 7 2 ♦KQ8
splinter in spades at his first turn, so he jumped in his side ♣K85 ♣4
suit, then decided to bid slam over the value-showing South
♠AK3
rebid by his partner. ♥ 10 8 7 6
♦9
As you can see, despite the 4-1 trump break, six hearts is ♣ 10 9 6 3 2
cold because the club king is onside. Say West leads a
diamond. Declarer can win the ace, draw two rounds of Pass Pass 1♦ Pass
trumps to uncover the split, ruff a diamond and throw two 1♥ Pass 3♣ Pass
diamonds from dummy on the high spades. Then he 3♠ Pass 6♥ All pass
finesses the club jack, ruffs another diamond to hand and
repeats the club finesse. That produces 12 tricks; two of Opening Lead: ♣5
dummy’s four diamonds are ruffed in South, and two
pitched on the winning spades.
However, Tor Helness (West) had his own idea about that. He gave declarer a difficult
guess when he led the club five! After much internal cogitation, declarer went up with the
club ace, and down went the contract. Only the bad trump break would have defeated
him, so it is hard to criticize him unduly.
Although the Norwegian North-South failed to derive the maximum benefit from their
teammate’s excellent lead, as they had rested in game, Norway still picked up 11 IMPs.
Curiously, on the very next deal, USA1 had a chance to turn the tables, but this time the
opportunity arose in the other room. More tomorrow.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: Two hearts. You must force to
South Holds: game, and the most economical way to start
♠— getting your values across is with a twoheart
♥AKQ5 reverse. To jump to three clubs would take
♦A6543 up too much space and perhaps lose the
♣AQJ7 heart suit. If partner bids three clubs over
two hearts, you can raise to four clubs. This
South West North East gets your shape across — though at the risk
1♦ Pass 1♠ Pass of going past three no-trump.
?
“It is always a paltry, feeble, tiny mind that takes pleasure in revenge.”
— Juvenal
Dealer: E North
Continuing from yesterday’s report of the face-off between Vul: Both ♠ 10 5
Norway and USA1 in the 2007 World Championships, ♥ A J 10 7 5
♦A63
held in Shanghai, Zia Mahmood got his own back on this ♣J63
deal. A swing was guaranteed when the Norwegians bid West East
♠AQJ963 ♠72
up to three no-trump, since Garner and Weinstein had
♥K4 ♥98632
settled in three diamonds in the other room. ♦84 ♦J5
♣ K 10 4 ♣Q975
Zia’s (West) two-spade call was wide-ranging facing a South
♠K84
passed partner. You or I might not bid it on this hand, but I ♥Q
suspect the partnership agreement for East-West here ♦ K Q 10 9 7 2
♣A82
was that it would always be a decent hand at this form of
scoring when vulnerable. South West North East
Pass
So, how would you rate declarer’s chances in three no- 1♦ 2♠ Dbl. Pass
trump? The match was being broadcast in front of a live 3♦ Pass 3♠ Pass
3 NT All pass
audience, and the Vugraph commentators had noticed
that the contract would be simple on a spade lead. After Opening Lead: ♣K
either a low club lead or an unlikely heart lead, declarer
would almost be forced to rely on the heart finesse, but there was no doubt that declarer
would take it and bring home his game.
However, they had not counted on Zia’s ability to occasionally conjure IMPs out of thin air.
He did indeed lead a club, but he selected the king! Do you blame declarer for assuming
that West had started with the club kingqueen?
Declarer won in hand, took six rounds of diamonds and played a club. Zia had already
disposed of the club 10, so East took three tricks in the suit and played a spade. One
down, minus 100 and a remarkable six IMPs to USA1.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: How bold do you feel? I advocate
South Holds: a call of three no-trump here. A call of four
♠K84 diamonds would preclude three no-trump. To
♥Q bid the no-trump game directly is risky,
♦ K Q 10 9 7 2 especially since you may have to knock out
♣A82 the diamond ace, but you can hold up one
round of spades, which is likely to cripple the
South West North East defensive communications. This call has a
3♠ big upside, plus you can run to four
? diamonds if doubled.
“I have seldom known anyone who deserted truth in trifles that could be trusted in matters
of importance.”
— William Paley
Dealer: S North
At Shanghai in the 2007 World Championships, what Vul: None ♠Q9432
seemed to be a routine diamond slam proved not always ♥J983
♦K83
to be so easy to make. When Jeff Meckstroth and Eric ♣Q
Rodwell played Argentina, they bid to six diamonds West East
♠ K 10 7 6 5 ♠J8
(though not on this auction), and Pablo Lambardi led his
♥Q ♥ K 10 7 6 5 4
singleton heart. Of course, Meckstroth won the ace. He ♦965 ♦ Q 10
led a diamond to the king, and Luis Palazzo dropped the ♣ 10 8 7 2 ♣954
South
queen! ♠A
♥A2
Trusting this card, Meckstroth assumed Lambardi was left ♦AJ742
♣AKJ63
with a sure diamond trick. If that was the case, the slam
could still be made if declarer could avoid a heart loser by South West North East
throwing all three hearts from dummy on the winning 1♦ Pass 1♠ Pass
clubs, then ruffing the heart two. 3♣ Pass 3♦ Pass
3♥ Pass 3 NT Pass
4♣ Pass 6♦ All pass
A possibility that would have succeeded today would have
been to unblock the club queen, then cross to hand with a
diamond to play winning clubs. However, that line would Opening Lead: ♥Q
fail if West held only three clubs with the four diamonds.
He would ruff the fourth club with the diamond nine and return the diamond 10, to draw
dummy’s last trump and leave declarer with a heart loser.
Meckstroth instead crossed to hand with the spade ace after cashing the club queen.
Now, should West ruff the fourth club and return a trump, there would still be a trump in
dummy to ruff the heart.
But now, although dummy’s hearts duly went away on the clubs, Palazzo ruffed the fourth
club with his surprise trump. When he played a heart, Lambardi could ruff in front of
dummy with the diamond nine for down one.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: You should double here, which I
South Holds: recommend you play as take-out. You
♠Q9432 certainly have enough to compete the part-
♥J983 score, but I admit this could easily be the
♦K83 wrong thing to do. Still, partner will surely bid
♣Q a major unless he has a defensive hand.
And if partner passes, the club queen and
South West North East diamond king should be pulling their weight
1 NT 3♣ in defense.
?

Yesterday, my opponent held ♠ —, ♥ Q-10-7- I picked up ♠ K-10-8-2, ♥ 8-6-5, ♦ J-9, ♣ A-J-
6-4-2, ♦ 9-7-2, ♣ Q-10-8-3. At unfavorable 8-7 on my most recent jaunt to the local club.
vulnerability, he heard his right-hand With no one vulnerable, my left-hand
opponent open one spade. He passed, and opponent opened one club, my partner
his left-hand opponent raised to two spades, overcalled one heart and my right-hand
back to him. Would you act? The player in opponent bid two diamonds. I raised to two
question bid three hearts and was raised to hearts, and my left-hand opponent competed
four, making five! to three diamonds, passed around to me. I
bid again, but got doubled and went two
— Bowled Over, Spartanburg, S.C.. down for a bottom. Was I wrong to act
again?
ANSWER: I would probably pass, albeit — I Fought the Law, Lakeland, Fla.
unhappily. At these colors when partner is
known to hold spade length, the real risk is
that your side will end up defending against ANSWER: It is rarely right to over-compete
a doubled (and making) spade contract. with a balanced hand, especially with poor
Certainly, bidding hearts is better than trumps and a doubleton in the opponents’
doubling two spades, because partner rates suit. I would definitely not bid three hearts
to pass a double, expecting much more here. Give yourself a singleton diamond (or
defense from you. a fourth trump), and now competing with
three trump and a decent hand is certainly
not unreasonable.
Dear Mr. Wolff:
How far forcing should one play the Dear Mr. Wolff:
sequence of opening two clubs and bidding
two spades over a waiting two-diamond One of my opponents held ♠ Q-J-7-5, ♥ A-
response? 10-9-6-4, ♦ 9-4, ♣ Q-7. He heard his partner
open one diamond, and he bid one heart,
— Bygone Age, Great Falls, Mont. then passed the one-no-trump rebid. They
missed their 4-4 spade fit when declarer was
4=2=4=3 and could not make one no-trump.
ANSWER: I play this as forcing for one What went wrong?
round, but not to game. After a second
negative response (a bid of three clubs over — Came in Spades, Danville, Ill.
two spades), repeating opener’s suit is non-
forcing. For the sake of completeness: After
a strong and artificial two-club opening, ANSWER: Some players avoid rebidding
opener’s rebid of two no-trump after a their spades with a balanced hand and 4-4
negative two-diamond call shows 23-24 pattern. To me, though, this seems
balanced, non-forcing. sufficiently shapely to rebid at a suit —
unless all your values are in your short suits.
Responder might have been reluctant to
Dear Mr. Wolff: repeat his hearts, but his good heart spots
might point toward the suit rebid.
When you have a hand like ♠ K-4, ♥ J-9-2,
♦ A-7, ♣ Q-10-9-8-4-3 and hear a suit bid
opened to your right, would you make a
jump overcall, as opposed to a two-level
overcall? Would the vulnerability matter?
— In the Action, Flagstaff, Ariz.
ANSWER: When vulnerable, I prefer my

jump overcalls to be closer to intermediate
than weak (so I’d need the club king instead
of the three in this example). Nonvulnerable,
I’d be concerned this hand had too much
defense for a pre-empt. I’d settle for a simple
overcall at any vulnerability, except perhaps
in third seat nonvulnerable.
“Fame is no plant that grows on mortal soil.”

— John Milton
Dealer: S North
Success in today’s slam appeared to depend on a two- Vul: Both ♠A9875
way finesse, but that turned out not to be so. ♥ J 10
♦J8
♣A765
South had too much for a direct four-heart opening, which West East
might be made with eight good hearts and little else. He ♠ J 10 6 2 ♠KQ4
♥8 ♥A9
therefore started with one heart and rebid four at his next
♦ K 10 4 3 ♦Q97652
turn. Under pressure, North, with his two aces and couple ♣Q982 ♣43
of heart entries, punted slam. He thought South probably South
♠3
had diamond shortness after his opponents’ vigorous ♥KQ765432
bidding. ♦A
♣ K J 10
After winning his diamond ace, South immediately started
on spades, hoping to get a count of the distribution and 1♥ Pass 1♠ 2♦
isolate the spade guard in one hand. He played a spade 4♥ 5♦ 6♥ All pass
to the ace, ruffed a spade and forced out the heart ace.
He then ruffed the diamond return, played a trump to
Opening Lead: ♦3
dummy and ruffed another spade, leaving West with the
only spade stopper.
On the run of the trumps, West could spare a diamond and a club, but he eventually had
to release his club guard. Declarer did not have a surefire read of the hand, but since East
had five major-suit cards and presumably six diamonds, that left him with just two clubs. If
so, clubs were now 2-2, and declarer could cash out the suit from the top and fell the
queen.
As South had surmised, the show-up squeeze had worked, and the club jack supplied
declarer’s slam-going trick. (The squeeze is so named because if East had the doubleton
club queen, it would show up, whereas if West has the critical card, he is forced to
unguard it).
LEAD WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: Partner might have redoubled to
South Holds: show something in hearts, such as king-
♠K43 doubleton. A heart lead might give declarer
♥AQ9742 his ninth trick, so perhaps you should try to
♦64 put your partner in to fire a heart through
♣53 declarer’s king. For that purpose, a spade
seems best. But a low heart lead is close
South West North East behind, since that might work whenever
1♣ partner has an entry and a doubleton heart.
2♥ Dbl. Pass 2 NT
Pass 3 NT All pass
The Aces on Bridge: Tuesday, December 31st, 2019
“All men are liable to error; and most men are, in many points, by passion or interest,
under temptation to it.”
— John Locke
Dealer: E North
East found a simple yet effective defense on this deal Vul: None ♠A87
from a knockout match. South’s twospade opening was ♥AK96
♦ K Q 10 8
two-suited, showing spades and a minor. North might ♣J5
have angled for the no-trump game, but he simply raised West East
♠K32 ♠Q5
to the suit game instead.
♥ Q 10 7 4 3 ♥J852
♦64 ♦9753
The play began along normal lines. Declarer ruffed the ♣ A 10 2 ♣K94
heart lead in hand and ran the spade jack to East’s queen. South
♠ J 10 9 6 4
Seeing little future for three tricks in the side-suits, East ♥—
focused on promoting his partner’s spade king. The idea ♦AJ2
♣Q8763
would be to force the dummy, and in so doing, preventing
declarer from repeating the spade finesse. South West North East
Pass
There was only one suit in which this could be done: 2♠* Pass 4♠ All pass
clubs. East needed his partner to have the club ace, and
presumably the queen as well, or declarer could just win *Spades and a minor
the third round in hand. However, East saw a way to give
Opening Lead: ♥4
his side an extra chance by a timely deception.
By cashing the club king and leading the four to his partner’s ace, he would give declarer
an extra losing option. When West continued clubs, South had to decide whether to
discard, risking defeat on a ruff when West had started with a doubleton trump king, or to
ruff with the spade eight, which loses the contract on this layout.
When declarer fell for the trap and ruffed in, East-West had managed to set an apparently
unbeatable contract. Had South begun with 5=0=4=4 shape, he could have saved himself
this guess by throwing two clubs on the heart ace-king. As it was, though, he had little
room to maneuver.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: You should bid two spades and
South Holds: not consider doing more. It is perfectly
♠K32 acceptable to hold a maximum for your
♥ Q 10 7 4 3 bidding now and again. The hand is
♦64 potentially powerful in support of spades, but
♣ A 10 2 it does not have nearly enough to warrant a
limit raise, either directly or through a forcing
South West North East no-trump.
1♠ Pass
?
The Aces on Bridge: Wednesday, January 1st, 2020
“Trust everybody, but cut the cards.”

— Finley Peter Dunne
Dealer: N North
On today’s deal, an intermediate jump overcall propelled Vul: N-S ♠87
North-South to a pushy game, when a more normal one- ♥ 10 3
♦AKJ975
level bid might have seen them subside in part-score. ♣K84
West East
East’s jump overcall systematically suggested 8-12. South ♠ Q 10 ♠AJ9632
♥KJ65 ♥A92
doubled, then upgraded his spade stopper and quick
♦862 ♦ Q 10
tricks in the side suits to take a shot at three no-trump. ♣ J 10 9 5 ♣76
East let the spade queen lead run around to declarer, who South
♠K54
took his king, since it would have been unwise to duck ♥Q874
with the hearts exposed. Declarer next cashed the ♦43
♣AQ32
diamond king, under which East dropped a tricky queen!
The 10, if read as a true card, might have persuaded South West North East
declarer to guess the suit. This way, East thought that 1♦ 2♠
declarer was likely to finesse the diamond nine on the Dbl. Pass 3♦ Pass
3 NT All pass
second round if he had a doubleton diamond.
Opening Lead: ♠Q
Instead of taking East’s card at face value and
immediately finessing the diamond nine, South next played three rounds of clubs, ending
in hand, with East pitching a heart on the third. Declarer then played a diamond to the ace
and scored up his vulnerable game.
Why did he do this? He knew East had six spades and two clubs, leaving five red-suit
cards. Many players would have hesitated to pre-empt in spades with a fair four-card
heart suit instead of making a simple overcall. So, declarer deduced East’s 6=3=2=2
shape.
Incidentally, East might have considered putting up the spade ace at trick one, then
shifting to the heart nine, playing his partner for king-jack-eight-low.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: Bid three spades, a natural and
South Holds: invitational call, showing a good suit. The
♠AJ9632 hand is not worth forcing to game, and a
♥A92 spade contract could easily be superior to
♦ Q 10 no-trump. Your weak spade spots might give
♣76 you cause for concern, but partner can
always bid three no-trump if he has tricks on
South West North East the side and short spades.
1♣ Pass
1♠ Pass 2♣ Pass
?
The Aces on Bridge: Thursday, January 2nd, 2020
“Until you understand a writer’s ignorance, presume yourself ignorant of his

understanding.”
— Samuel Taylor Coleridge
Dealer: W North
Against four spades, the heart five was led to East’s jack, Vul: None ♠ K 10 2
South correctly following with the three. This left open the ♥ 10 4
♦AQ654
possibility that West had led from a four- or three-card ♣943
holding, since East-West were playing third-and-fifth leads West East
♠J874 ♠—
in partnership suits.
♥52 ♥AKQJ87
♦ 10 8 3 ♦J92
With dummy’s long suit menacing, East shifted ♣A875 ♣ J 10 6 2
immediately to the club jack. South covered with the king, South
♠AQ9653
the card he was known to hold from East’s perspective, ♥963
after West’s failure to lead a top club. West won his ace ♦K7
♣KQ
and reverted to hearts.
East now knew West had a doubleton heart, but what Pass Pass 3♥
would be the purpose of continuing the suit? The 3♠ Pass 4♠ All pass
defenders’ best chance might have been to cash a
second club trick, but East saw that if West had held the
Opening Lead: ♥5
club queen, he would have taken it before playing a
second heart.
At any rate, with the bad spade split, there was a good chance the setting trick would
come from the trump suit, as long as declarer could not pick it up. So East forced dummy
with a third heart. If West had had queen-fourth of spades, this would have beaten the
game legitimately, but even here it made declarer’s task next to impossible.
To bring home his game, South would have needed to take a first-round finesse of the
spade 10, but he cashed the spade king and went down. He would have had a similar
problem if West had been dealt queen-third in spades. Of course, after a club continuation
at trick three, declarer would have cashed the spade ace, revealing the 4-0 split.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: Bid two clubs. With an honor in
South Holds: partner’s second suit and a ruffing value in
♠ K 10 2 hearts, which is likely to be partner’s
♥ 10 4 fragment (he is probably close to 4=3=1=5
♦AQ654 pattern), you can see clubs will play well
♣943 opposite even a four-card suit. If partner has
any extras, game may be in the picture. You
South West North East do not quite have enough for a call of three
1♣ Pass clubs, but with the club jack instead of the
1♦ Pass 1♠ Pass three, I might make that call.
?
The Aces on Bridge: Friday, January 3rd, 2020
“Unthinking respect for authority is the greatest enemy of truth.”

— Albert Einstein
Dealer: W North
There are some plays that only experts would consider, Vul: Both ♠AQ6
and some that they would make only against another ♥ Q 10 9 7 5
♦AK
expert. Consider this example, from a U.S. Nationals at ♣Q64
New Orleans. West East
♠K52 ♠ J 10
♥KJ6 ♥A43
Brian Glubok as West eschewed the opening lead of a top
♦ 10 5 4 2 ♦9873
club, realizing he would never be able to give his partner a ♣AK5 ♣J982
club ruff. East, Michael Radin, was implicitly marked with South
♠98743
some club length, since he had neither made a negative ♥82
double nor responded one no-trump. So he tried a low ♦QJ6
♣ 10 7 3
diamond. Peter Nagy, as declarer, cashed the top
diamonds and played a low heart from dummy to Glubok’s South West North East
jack. 1♦ 1♥ 2♦
Pass Pass Dbl. Pass
Glubok deviously played a low club now — and Nagy 2♠ All pass
called for dummy’s queen! Now declarer could ruff a heart
Opening Lead: ♦5
to hand and take a spade finesse for his contract. Had he
guessed incorrectly, the defenders would have cashed three clubs and set the hand. So
why did he follow this line?
Declarer knew that Radin had raised to two diamonds on minimal values and four-card
support, so Glubok had a minimum balanced hand. Since Glubok might have led a heart
from an original ace-king-jack combination, Radin appeared to have one top heart, in
which case, West had the rest of the deck.
More important, if Glubok had an ace-jack or king-jack combination in clubs, he would

have shifted to the jack, protecting against his partner having the club ace, with or without
the club 10. With those holdings and the queen in dummy, the play of the jack would
virtually never cost a trick.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: Open one no-trump. You are just
South Holds: short of the values needed to upgrade your
♠AQ6 hand out of the strong no-trump range. The
♥ Q 10 9 7 5 five-card suit is a positive feature, but there
♦AK are too many high cards in the short suits,
♣Q64 which will not be pulling their full weight. A
no-trump opener gets the strength and
South West North East shape of the hand across in one go; give me
? the doubleton diamond king with the ace in
hearts, and I might feel differently.
“The ability to get to the verge without getting into the war is the necessary art. If you try to
run away from it, if you are scared to go to the brink, you are lost.”
— John Foster Dulles
Dealer: W North
The World Bridge Federation for many years organized Vul: None ♠A765
junior programs around the world. When they had a camp ♥9
♦AJ53
in Poland, the following deal came from the nightly ♣K654
duplicate event there. Nick Brink, who was on his way to West East
♠J4 ♠Q83
Rio to play for the Dutch Juniors in the World
♥AJ7632 ♥ 10 8 5 4
Championships, found an ingenious way to squeeze ♦2 ♦ Q 10 9 7
blood from a stone on the following deal. He needed ♣Q987 ♣ J 10
South
some co-operation from the defenders, but isn’t that only ♠ K 10 9 2
right and proper? ♥KQ
♦K864
♣A32
Nick received the lead of the heart ace and a diamond
shift, which he won in hand. If diamonds were not splitting, South West North East
spades were likely to be 3-2, so he drew two rounds of 2♥ Dbl. 3♥
trumps and cashed the heart king to pitch a club from 4♠ All pass
dummy. Then he played the top clubs and exited with a

Opening Lead: ♥A
third club to West as East pitched a heart.
Now, while any card West played would give a ruff-and-discard, his next move was critical.
The winning defense is to play a club rather than a heart, so East would be able to pitch a
diamond. In fact, West exited with a heart and Nick ruffed, pitching a diamond from
dummy. He then got out with his last trump to East. That player had only diamonds left; he
had to lead into the tenace in dummy and concede the rest.
As you can see, if West plays a club, declarer can again ruff in hand and lead a trump to
East. But that player can exit with his last heart, forcing declarer to ruff in dummy and
concede a diamond to East at the end.
BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: Double here is for take-out, even
South Holds: with your hand being so well-defined at your
♠ K 10 9 2 first turn. This looks like a partscore hand,
♥KQ and you must not be silenced so easily,
♦K864 especially when you have spades. If partner
♣A32 has four spades as well, odds are you can
make two spades. If not, length in either
South West North East minor will be almost as good — and
1 NT 2♥ Pass Pass incidentally, a call of two no-trump from your
?
partner would ask you to pick a minor.

I recently opened a no-trump with a 4-3-3-3 I have agreed to play Exclusion Key-card
16-count and was raised to a three no-trump Blackwood with my regular partner, and we
game. Unfortunately, we each had three low have adopted the same 14-30 responses as
spades, and the defense collected five we play for regular four no-trump bids.
spade tricks. What should we have done However, we recently had this auction: one
differently? heart – one spade – two spades – five
hearts. I was the dealer and interpreted this
— Straight off the Bat, Corpus Christi, Texasbid as Exclusion Key-card. However, I had
no relevant key-cards (can you believe it?)
and thus, we had to play a slam missing two
ANSWER: You shouldn’t wait for a stopper aces. Where did we go wrong?
in every suit to open one no-trump, so most
pairs would duplicate your auction. Worry — Troubled Ted, Pottsville, Pa.
about stoppers when the opponents bid or
when your side has used fourthsuit-forcing.
Then you generally need a stopper in the ANSWER: If forced to play Exclusion
fourth suit to bid no-trump. Still, with three Blackwood, use 30-41 responses for this
small cards in each hand, what other game very reason. The “zero” response is too
can you play? frequent to be the second step. Keep your
four no-trump key-card responses as 14-30,
though. For what it is worth, Exclusion
Dear Mr. Wolff: Blackwood can be very dangerous in suits
your side has bid (for more than one
I was unsure what to do on this hand from a reason).
duplicate. I was in second chair with ♠ K-9-8-
5-3, ♥ K-4, ♦ K-J-9-3, ♣ A-Q. My righthand
opponent opened one diamond. What call Dear Mr. Wolff:
would you make now?
What would you open with this hand: ♠ 4,
— No Style, Winston-Salem, N.C. ♥ A-K-10-9-7-2, ♦ A-Q-J-9-3, ♣ 5? I was
playing a teams game at love all, and we
missed a slam when I opened one heart and
ANSWER: I would overcall one spade. the opponents competed in spades.
Doubling would make the rest of the auction
too hard, as bidding spades later would — Tactical Tim, Dallas, Texas
overstate my strength. This shape is not
ideal for one no-trump, even though I am in
the correct high-card range. If the hand is a ANSWER: I would also open one heart,
partscore deal, I almost certainly want to get intending to bid lots of diamonds later. Some
spades into the game. I can act again later would try a four-heart opening, aiming to
to show extra strength. keep the opponents from getting together in
spades, but that could easily lead to a foolish
contract. The hand is not powerful enough in
Dear Mr. Wolff: terms of high cards to open a strong two
clubs, and a two-suiter can be very awkward
My partner has proposed that we play a to describe if you have to start at the two-
“double negative” response of two hearts to level, even without the opposition competing.
a strong two-club opening, to show 0-3
points. Would you recommend this method?
— Pessimistic Pam, White Plains, N.Y.
ANSWER: It sometimes works well to limit

one’s hand early in the auction, but here,
that is at the expense of more of opener’s
precious space. I prefer to keep as much
space as possible by responding two
diamonds with a wide variety of hands. The
principle is to sort out the pattern and strain
by bidding suits first. Range can come later,
with responder having a second negative at
his next turn to speak.

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The Aces on Bridge: Tuesday, January 1st, 2019

by Bobby Wolff on January 15th, 2019

BID WITH THE ACES

“It is easier to resist at the beginning than at the end.”

BID WITH THE ACES

BID WITH THE ACES

“The tempter or the tempted, who sins most?”

BID WITH THE ACES

“In war there is no second prize for the runner-up.”

BID WITH THE ACES

Dear Mr. Wolff: Dear Mr. Wolff:

ANSWER: A convention, called “Spiral

ANSWER: Leading fourth-highest, but also

BID WITH THE ACES

“I am a bear of very little brain, and long words bother me.”

BID WITH THE ACES

BID WITH THE ACES

BID WITH THE ACES

BID WITH THE ACES

BID WITH THE ACES

Dear Mr. Wolff: Dear Mr. Wolff:

Dear Mr. Wolff:

ANSWER: If your right-hand opponent had

LEAD WITH THE ACES

BID WITH THE ACES

“A mind quite vacant is a mind distressed.”

BID WITH THE ACES

“Curfew must not ring tonight.”

BID WITH THE ACES

BID WITH THE ACES

“The public … demands certainties … but there are no certainties.”

BID WITH THE ACES

Dear Mr. Wolff: Dear Mr. Wolff:

Dear Mr. Wolff:

ANSWER: A jump to three no-trump

“Fraud includes the pretense of knowledge when knowledge there is none.”

LEAD WITH THE ACES

BID WITH THE ACES

BID WITH THE ACES

BID WITH THE ACES

“O fat white woman whom nobody loves,

Why do you walk through the field in gloves…

Missing so much and so much?”

BID WITH THE ACES

BID WITH THE ACES

Dear Mr. Wolff: Dear Mr. Wolff:

ANSWER: Any 17-count with shape is worth

could see my friends biting their tongues to keep from

LEAD WITH THE ACES

“The years teach much which the days never know.”

BID WITH THE ACES

South West North East

“Life is one long struggle in the dark.”

BID WITH THE ACES

“No treaty is ever an impediment to a cheat.”

BID WITH THE ACES

“I bend and I break not.”

BID WITH THE ACES

“When you come to a fork in the road, take it.”

BID WITH THE ACES

Dear Mr. Wolff: Dear Mr. Wolff:

ANSWER: I tend not to lead an ace against

ANSWER: Some would double one spade to