ACES ON BRIDGE

Don’t let us make imaginary evils, when you know we have so many real ones to encounter.

— Oliver Goldsmith West had been put off a heart lead against three no-trump, so he tried a spade — though a diamond looks safer to me. Declarer won in hand and sought to establish the clubs; he began by taking the club ace, king and a third round. He could not really afford the safety play of leading the second club from hand and inserting the seven if West followed low, to allow for queen-10-fourth onside, since the defenders might be able to win and cash out the heart suit.

East won the third club as West shed a spade. East then shifted to the heart jack. Declarer covered with the queen, West winning with the king before smartly underleading to his partner’s heart 10. A third heart lead skewered declarer’s nine, and the contract was defeated.

Declarer would have been right to cover the heart jack if West had the ace-king along with the heart 10, but he might have led a top heart from that holding. Covering cost him the contract on the actual layout — which was more likely, not only because it made sense that West would not be so keen to cash a top card at trick one without the 10spot, but also since East might not have found the heart jack switch if he did not hold the 10 himself (even if he probably should).

Had declarer thought to duck the heart jack, he could have inserted the nine on the next round or covered the continuation of the heart 10. That would put West, the safe hand, on lead while declarer retained a tenace.

ANSWER: Lead the heart 10. Your diamond holding does not bode well for the defense, so even though you could argue that one should generally opt for passivity against part-scores, the aggressive heart lead is called for here. You are just as likely to set up a critical winner for your side as you are to lose a trick by leading the suit.