The Aces on Bridge: Saturday, 23 May 2026

The Aces on Bridge: Saturday, 23 May 2026

Barry Rigal
Author

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I will not stain my words with lies. Perseverance is what puts men to the test.

Pindar

Try today’s offering as a declarer play problem.
As South, having followed the fastest route possible to four spades facing a constructive raise, you receive the diamond six lead to the queen and king. This feels like a promising start: Only a 4-1 diamond split will present any problems, and West would not have led the six from 10-9-7-6, so turn your mind to finding a way to make when East has four diamonds.
One possibility is to find the heart ace onside. You must draw trumps first, of course, to avoid a potential diamond ruff, and you are pleased to find them 2-2. Next, you lead a heart to the king. To your chagrin, East takes that with the ace, but he returns the suit for you to ruff. You are not reduced to finding diamonds 3-2 just yet; what else could you try first?
Lead a club, ducking in dummy — West would have led the ace or king if he held both. East wins with the jack and continues with the club king, but as the cards lie that is the end of the road for the defense. East does not have another club to play, so he must either give you a ruff-and-discard with a heart lead, or open diamonds with the seven — which you would you cover with the eight — or open up diamonds. If he leads the seven, you cover with the eight. If he selects a high diamond, you can run the lead to dummy and then finesse the eight on the way back.
Note that this line of play would also work if East had three clubs to the ace and king. Of course, if diamonds had originally broken 3-2, they will still break at the end of the deal.

Barry Rigal

Barry Rigal is an English-born bridge player, author, commentator, and journalist who has won major national titles in both the UK and the United States and served as a VuGraph commentator for decades at European and World championships. He has written and edited numerous bridge books and articles and has been President of the International Bridge Press Association, contributing widely to the game’s literature and education.

762
K3
A432
Q843
94
Q9862
6
A10975
N
W
E
S
108
AJ1075
Q1097
KJ
AKQJ53
4
KJ85
62
Dealer: South
Lead: 6
W
N
E
S
1
Pass
2
Pass
4
Pass
Pass
Pass

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