ACES ON BRIDGE

“There are things known and there are things unknown, and in between are the doors of perception.” -- Aldous Huxley

Knowing your opponents’ l eading methods is often critical to finding the best line as declarer.

In today ’s deal, West leads the diamond seven against three notrump. As South, you duck East’s diamond king and capture his six with your ace as West plays the eight. You have to find the best route to nine tricks.

Since your opponents play fourth- highest leads, the combination of West’s l ead of the seven, plus East’s leading back the six, strongly suggests that West has five or more diamonds and has deviously concealed his small diamond. So if you knock out the spade ace, the defenders will be in position to cash out the diamonds for down one. In other words, playing spades seems like a bad idea.

A different approach would be to find the club queen with West, as well as East holding both the heart king and jack. Chances are not good, in that you need three cards well- placed for you, but it is not an entirely hopeless prospect. Yes, you might expect the club queen to be to your right, but you do not have enough entries to dummy to take all the finesses you want against East.

So you play a club to the jack, and when it holds, next comes the crucial play of a heart to the 10. A second club finesse brings good news in that suit. Then, after a heart to the queen, all that remains is to claim nine tricks.

ANSWER: I suppose you could sell me on opening two notrump, but this is not an especially attractive 19- count, and bidding your long suit may get you to a more sensible partscore if your partner is weak. If he has enough to respond to one club, you will surely be able to get to game as easily as if you had opened two no- trump.