Goren Bridge: Surprise play Premium

goren bridge by bob jones

North bid four spades on the minimum allowed by law, perhaps less. South was hoping for bigger things but subsided in five spades when partner didn’t cooperate.

Most players, we think, would win the opening lead, draw trumps, then play the ace and another diamond. This would succeed whenever West started with the king of diamonds or if East had the ace of hearts. The problem with this plan is that, should East have the king of diamonds, West must have the ace of hearts to justify his overcall.

South found a better line of play. He won the ace of clubs at trick one, led the queen of spades to dummy’s king, and led the queen of diamonds, playing low from his hand when East played low! He was delighted when this held the trick. A diamond to his ace and a trump to dummy’s nine drew the trumps and allowed him to ruff a diamond, establishing the rest of the suit. He ruffed a club in dummy and discarded all three of his hearts on dummy’s diamonds. Making seven!

Should South have bid more? Of course not. East could have held declarer to 11 tricks by covering the queen of diamonds. West would then win a trick with his jack and cash the ace of hearts. South’s thoughtful line of play would only have failed if East started with both the king and jack of diamonds, or if West started with an unlikely singleton king. Dummy’s diamonds could have been established on most lies of the suit.