Bridge: Jan. 12, 2020

Once upon a time, most experts opened (and average players were taught to open) one club on hands with five spades and five clubs. Partner was likely to respond in a red suit, and then a space-saving second bid of one spade would be available.

But theory has evolved. To open one spade gets the major suit mentioned promptly and makes it harder for the opponents to come in. Diehard one-club openers remain, but one spade is now popular.

Players can use judgment. With strong clubs and weak spades, you might treat your clubs as a six-card suit and your spades as a four-carder. Today’s South tried that approach but landed at the third-best game. (North reasonably assumed that South had SIX clubs and five spades.)

North-South could have made 3NT or four spades with ease, but the actual five clubs was taxing. West led a trump, and declarer won, took the A-K of spades and ruffed a spade in dummy. East overruffed and led his last trump, and South lost a spade to West plus a diamond.

I’m not sure how the auction might have developed if South had opened one spade, but he could have made five clubs. On the third spade, South can pitch a diamond from dummy instead of ruffing.

West leads a second trump, and South wins and leads a fourth spade. Dummy throws another diamond. If West then leads a diamond, South takes the ace and ruffs his last diamond in dummy. He takes the ace of hearts, ruffs a heart, and wins the last three tricks with trumps and a good spade.

South dealer

N-S vulnerable

NORTH

S A 6

H A 5 4 3 2

D 5 4 2

C 7 6 5

WEST

S Q J 10 5

H K 10 6

D K J 9 6

C 4 3

EAST

S 3 2

H Q J 9 7

D Q 10 8 3

C 9 8 2

SOUTH

S K 9 8 7 4

H 8

D A 7

C A K Q J 10

South West North East

1 C Pass 1 H Pass

2 S Pass 3 C Pass

3 S Pass 5 C All Pass

Opening lead — C 3

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