ACES ON BRIDGE

North’s quick tricks and strong five-bagger persuade him to open one club. South responds one heart. West overcalls one spade for the lead, passed back to South, who settles in three no-trump.

Undeterred, West leads a fourth-highest spade seven, and East’s play of the jack marks West with a holding that includes the king-queen-nine-seven. Declarer must duck to cut communications and then win the second round. Holding up twice would risk letting West switch to hearts prematurely.

Now declarer should work on clubs for his ninth trick, but he has to keep West off play. If he were to start with the club 10, West would cover. Declarer would win and cross back in hearts to lead a club to the nine. East would win and drive out the heart ace, retaining a club stopper and stranding the fifth club in dummy.

Instead, South advances the club five. When West follows low (his best option), declarer finesses the nine. Declarer still has a club in his hand, so he can win the heart jack shift with the king and lead the club 10 to the jack and ace.

Two more rounds of clubs will set up the game-going trick.

In theory, East might do better to switch to hearts at trick two, attacking declarer’s entries. Declarer must duck and then win the heart continuation in hand. This time, he leads the club 10, ducking when West covers, as East is now the danger hand. East cannot afford to overtake the club jack, so declarer wins West’s return, clears clubs and still has the heart ace to access the 13th club.

ANSWER: Facing a passed partner, you’d like to have either extra values or proper shape for a takeout double. You have neither here, and there is no need to stick your neck out for the lead when East is likely to be declaring a spade contract. Overcalling at the two-level is a no-no for me on a five-card suit without much better intermediates.