THE ACES ON BRIDGE

“What reinforcement we may gain from hope, If not, what resolution from despair.” -- John Milton

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West’s opening lead against three no-trump was very much open to discussion. While some would lead a low club, others would insist on a heart, while others, including me, would recommend the spade nine. This would be especially clear when the opponents are limited, but even here, leading from a sequence is as likely to be right as anything else, and somewhat less likely to cost a trick.

Say you lead the spade nine; dummy’s king wins, partner playing the three. Declarer next passes the diamond queen successfully, then repeats the diamond finesse. Now he leads a heart to his queen. Have you decided whether you will win or duck? And are you going to press on with spades or shift?

Given partner’s discouraging spade spot, if you ARE going to shift to clubs -- which seems right -- then the right play is surely the jack. If partner has the A-10, any club works, while if partner has the A-9, you need to pin the 10 in declarer’s hand, and a low club shift won’t work.

When the board came up in the Olympiad last year in Lille, Eduardo Scanavino of Argentina played three no-trump on a spade lead to the jack, queen, and ace. Scanavino now deceptively led a low heart from hand. Schermer did extremely well to see through his ruse and hop up with the heart king to fire the club jack through for down one.