Anthelme Brillat-Savarin, a French epicure, gastronome, lawyer, politician and violinist who died in 1826, wrote, "The discovery of a new dish does more for human happiness than the discovery of a new star."
That is true except, perhaps, for the most ardent astronomers. At the bridge table, when we make a difficult contract, it leaves a pleasant aftertaste.
This week we are looking at deals in which you use the bidding to help you place a key missing honor card. In this example, you are in four spades. West starts the defense with three rounds of hearts. How would you continue?
North's hand is not quite strong enough to open two no-trump. But when he learns that partner has at least four spades and six-plus points, he jumps to game in spades. Note that this is not a sign-off; it is a very strong rebid, and responder should move toward a slam with opening-bid strength.
Since you have three top losers (two hearts and one diamond), you must find the spade queen. You could try to guess spades immediately, but you should delay that decision by playing a diamond at trick four. (The risk of an opposing ruff is negligible.) Here, when West produces the diamond ace, East must have the spade queen. Why?
Because West has produced 11 points (the heart ace-king and diamond ace), but he could not open the bidding. He cannot have a queen. Play a spade to dummy's king and lead another spade, planning to finesse. When the queen pops up, you can claim.
This tasty technique is known as a discovery play.
That is true except, perhaps, for the most ardent astronomers. At the bridge table, when we make a difficult contract, it leaves a pleasant aftertaste.
This week we are looking at deals in which you use the bidding to help you place a key missing honor card. In this example, you are in four spades. West starts the defense with three rounds of hearts. How would you continue?
North's hand is not quite strong enough to open two no-trump. But when he learns that partner has at least four spades and six-plus points, he jumps to game in spades. Note that this is not a sign-off; it is a very strong rebid, and responder should move toward a slam with opening-bid strength.
Since you have three top losers (two hearts and one diamond), you must find the spade queen. You could try to guess spades immediately, but you should delay that decision by playing a diamond at trick four. (The risk of an opposing ruff is negligible.) Here, when West produces the diamond ace, East must have the spade queen. Why?
Because West has produced 11 points (the heart ace-king and diamond ace), but he could not open the bidding. He cannot have a queen. Play a spade to dummy's king and lead another spade, planning to finesse. When the queen pops up, you can claim.
This tasty technique is known as a discovery play.