Column 7B38 (1-20-85) by Richard Pavlicek

Losing Your Ace Can Sometimes Reap Rewards

The setting was the All Southern Regional, held January 1-6 in Tampa, and the event was the Men’s Pairs. South opened one spade and North was obliged to respond one notrump — unappealing with five-five distribution, but necessary since he lacked the high-card strength to respond at the two level. South might have bid diamonds as an exploratory move, but his jump to four spades cannot be criticized.

4 by South

N-S Vul	4 J 9 5 4 3 K J K 7 6 5 4
Q J 10 9 K 2 9 8 6 5 10 8 3		5 2 Q 10 8 7 6 Q 10 3 A 9 2
Lead: Q	A K 8 7 6 3 A A 7 4 2 Q J

West Pass All Pass

North 1 NT

East Pass Pass

South 1 4

West’s spade lead from his solid sequence was effective, as it eliminated any possibility of a diamond ruff in dummy. South won with the king and cashed the ace, discarding a heart from dummy. The club queen was led, East ducking, followed by the club jack.

East knew this was his last chance to win the club ace since West had followed suit up-the-line (indicating three clubs); but he also knew that winning his ace would establish the remaining clubs for declarer. After careful consideration, West ducked again. He was not sure this play would gain anything, although he felt at worst it would break even.

But gain it did! As hard as South tried, he could not avoid the loss of two diamond tricks and two spade tricks for down one. Observe that declarer would have succeeded if East had taken the club ace — one diamond is discarded on the club king and another on the club seven.