ACES ON BRIDGE

“Somewhere in the world there is an epigram for every dilemma.” -- Hendrik Willem van Loon

In six diamonds on a trump lead, declarer drew trumps and led the ace and another spade, hoping to guess the suit. This was essentially a 50 percent line, and it failed when he put in the 10. Can you do better?

One improvement is to play a low spade after drawing trumps, planning to put in the 10 if West ducks smoothly. Even if you misguess, you may recover with a major-suit squeeze. This comes to roughly a two-thirds chance.

Another approach is to go after hearts. Lead low to the ace and low to the king, then play a third heart. This works when hearts break or East has a singleton or doubleton honor, or when West has some specific doubletons. But if hearts don’t behave, you have virtually no chance. This line comes in at 60 percent. Granted, if you prefer to back your judgment after two top hearts to go after spades, you may survive a 4-2 heart break.

I prefer drawing trumps, cashing the clubs, then leading to the heart ace and playing a heart back to the seven. If hearts are 3-3, you are home, and if West has a singleton honor, honor-fourth or four low cards, you have the 12th trick. You still have a chance if West has either a doubleton honor or doubleton heart nine. He must win the second heart and then lead spades for you -- giving you the contract half of the rest of the time. The combined chances amount to close to 70 percent.

ANSWER: This sequence should be played as game-forcing with long clubs, suggesting a side four-card major, in this case spades. Your partner should either have slam interest or be worried about no-trump, but since you have the other two suits well guarded and no extra values or black-suit fit, bid three no-trump. Let partner go past three no-trump if he wants to, but don’t encourage him to do so.