Bobby WolffWikipedia: Robert S. (Bobby) Wolff(born October 14, 1932, San Antonio, Texas) is an American bridge player, writer, and administrator. He is the only person to win world championships in five different categories.
Wolff was an original member of the Dallas Aces team, which was formed in 1968 to compete against the Italian Blue Team which was dominant at the time. The Aces were successful and won their first world championship in 1970. Wolff has won 11 world championships, over 30 North American championships, and was the president of World Bridge Federation (WBF) 1992–1994, and served as president of American Contract Bridge League (ACBL) 1987. He is the author of a tell-all on bridge chronicling 60 years on the scene, entitled The Lone Wolff, published by Master Point Press. His column, The Aces on Bridge has been appearing daily for over 32 years, is syndicated by United Feature Syndicate in more than 130 newspapers worldwide and is available online two weeks in arrears.
IMPs Dealer South. Both Vul
K 10 8
7
A Q 10 9 5 2
Q 7 5
6 5 2
A 10 6 5 3
6 3
10 9 6
West
North
East
South
1NT
Pass
3NT
End
“Better to ask twice than lose your way once” _ Danish proverb.
Opening lead5.
West led the5 and East’s queen went to South’s king. South lost the diamond finesse to East’s king, and East’s return of the8 was covered by South’s9 and West´s10.
How should West continue?
West lost his way in the defense of today’s game. Not only did he not know how to ask the question, but he didn’t even know that it had been answered
West led his fourth best heart and East’s queen went to South’s king. South lost a diamond finesse to East’s king, and East´s return of the8 as covered by the9 and West’s10. West then played hisA, hoping to run the suit, and South had and easy time. The defenders took only two hearts, one spade and one diamond, and declarer had his nine tricks.
The crucial question for West was: “How many hearts did East start with?” The answer lay in East’s heart return at trick three. With four hearts, East would have led back his original fourth best card (in this specific case, the2). Having begun with three hearts, East led the top of his remaining hearts (the8).
East lead of the8 denied an original holding of four hearts, so it was futile for West to cash his ace. Instead he should have exited and when East won the A, another heart lead through South’sJ-4 would have beaten the game by at least one trick.
K 10 8
7
A Q 10 9 5 2
Q 7 5
