ACES ON BRIDGE

And even the ranks of Tuscany Could scarce forbear to cheer. — Tomas Babington Macaulay

For a change, tackle today’s hand as an opening lead problem from the West chair.You are playing in the English Premier League against opponents playing the weak no-trump. South’s rebid therefore showed 15-17 and could have concealed a four-card major in a balanced hand. North’s two-diamond advance was artificial. (Two clubs would have been a puppet to two diamonds, to play there or make an invitational call.)

When South showed four spades, North set spades as the trump suit before embarking on some cue-bids to end up in slam. What would you lead?

The diamond jack looks normal, but partner had the chance to double four diamonds for the lead and did not. A club does not appeal into a suit that South has cuebid twice. That leaves the heart suit.You know that South is missing a heart control because he chose to bid five clubs rather than four hearts at his final turn. Accordingly, North has the heart control, which will be either the heart king or a singleton. Either way, it is relatively safe to underlead your heart ace, and it might prove effective if declarer happens to be on a king-jack guess.

John Atthey, for the Hinden team, found the devastating lead of a low heart. Julian Wightwick (South) played low from dummy, allowing the defenders to cash out. Wightwick would have been forced to guess hearts anyway, as it happened, but he was much less likely to get them right after the underlead.

ANSWER: I would pass. A one-no-trump overcall is off-center, and a double risks hearing a club response, which would leave you rather poorly placed.You could just about sell me on the need to take action if I had another queen or even maybe the diamond jack. If so, I might bid one no-trump and damn the torpedoes.