Bridge - The Scotsman 08/06/12

Published on 08/06/2012 00:00

BRIDGE teachers emphasise that it is a Bad Thing to lead an unsupported ace. If you hold the ace you control the suit – cashing it hands control to someone else.

Experienced players discover that there are sometimes sound reasons for leading an ace. One such is when opponents bid slam and you have the ace of an unbid suit. When opponents bid slam they have hopes of making twelve tricks. If you do not cash your ace there is a danger declarer will draw trump and discard his losers on a side suit. And sometimes opponents bid slam missing ace-king of a side suit.

On this deal from the Senior Camrose, if North does not lead the ace of diamonds against 6C declarer simply draws trump and discards both his diamonds on spades. He does not even need the 3-3 break – he has the entries to ruff one spade if necessary. On the auction shown the Scottish North led the ace of diamonds, and South played a reverse attitude three, encouraging a continuation. (With ace-king you should lead the king against a slam, asking partner to give count.)

Slam is undoubtedly flawed, but that does not mean it cannot be made. One pair reached 6NT. One does not make an attacking lead against that contract, and when South led a ‘safe’ ten of spades declarer claimed all thirteen tricks. Another in the series of deals where you can make 6NT, even 7NT, but not 3NT.