Sunday, December 2, 2001		Bridge

EVERYONE knows that Blackwood can be used to track down Aces in your partner’s hand but rather more of a rarity must be this old deal that I found in my files.

Everything depended on placing the two of Clubs. And you can never find that out, no matter how sophisticated your bidding methods may be.

South dealt at game all and opened One Spade. West doubled, North raised to Two spades and South went on to game. West led the King of Hearts to declarer’s Ace.

It was clear to South from West’s double that the Ace of Clubs was likely to be wrong. The best chance, he decided, was to hope that it would fall in three rounds.

At trick two, therefore, he led a low Club from hand. East won and returned a trump. West won the next Club lead and was able to lead a second trump.

Now, although South could ruff one Club on the table, there was still a third trick to be lost in the suit as well as a Diamond.

Just suppose that declarer had crossed to the Ace of Diamonds before touching Clubs. The five is covered by the six, eight, and nine.

The trump return is won in dummy and the next round of Clubs goes four, seven, ten and Jack.

The second Trump lead is won in hand and the King of Clubs led, covered with the Ace and ruffed in dummy, pinning East’s Queen.

And at the end? Wait for it! South’s three of Clubs beats West’s two and wins the trick by force.