ACES ON BRIDGE

Today’s deal was played in the 41st bridge contest between England’s legislative bodies, the House of Lords and House of Commons, with the Lords emerging triumphant.

North swiftly raised South’s weak no-trump to game, and West led the fourth-highest spade five, covered by dummy’s seven. The spotlight turned to East, Baroness Henig.

It was clear to her from the bidding that West held 3 to 5 high-card points, so South must have at least one of the top spade cards. Thus, there was nothing to be gained by contributing the spade queen to the first trick. That would only give declarer a second stopper in the suit with dummy’s jack.

Baroness Henig astutely inserted the spade nine, forcing South’s king. Declarer could not muster eight further tricks without establishing the diamonds, and as soon as he finessed in the suit, East was there with the king to cash the spade queen and return the spade three, allowing West to run the suit for one down.

It is worth noting that if declarer somehow played low at the first trick, allowing the nine to hold, West would have to duck the spade king next. To win the ace and return a spade to partner’s queen would limit the defenders’ winners in that suit to three, and declarer would have had enough tricks for her contract after knocking out the diamond king.

However, given that South can see that the contract is cold against 4-4 spades or when the diamond finesse is working, there is no logic in ducking trick one.

ANSWER: Lead the diamond queen. Your holdings in the majors do not bode well for the defense.You must go on the attack before dummy’s spades are run, and the diamond suit offers your best shot. This lead combines an excellent chance to develop tricks with a relative amount of safety. If the doubleton clubs hold promise, you may have time to shift later on.