ACES ON BRIDGE

As South, declaring six no-trump on West’s safe club lead, you can see 10 top tricks. A successful guess in hearts would be a good start. You win with the club king and advance a low heart, keeping the ace for control. When you try dummy’s 10, East wins with the jack and returns a spade to your ace. What now?

It is unlikely that the heart king is dropping. So your best chance from here is to play diamonds for four tricks, bringing your total to 11, and then squeeze a defender between the majors. After the entry-cutting spade shift, that squeeze can work only against East, and the heart ace must be the late entry to the South hand.

There may be a decision to make in diamonds, so you have nothing to lose by running the clubs first to find the lay of the land. As it happens, East discards a spade on the second round, followed by another spade and a heart as you part with two spades yourself. Both opponents follow low when you cash the diamond aceking. West then drops the spade jack beneath your spade king. Of course, West plays small when you lead a third round of diamonds. Should you finesse or try the queen?

You hope to find East with five spades to go with one club and four hearts. He could be 5=5=2=1, but the odds favor the more balanced 5=4=3=1 shape.You should therefore go up with the diamond queen, dropping the jack, after which the lead of the diamond 10 puts East through the wringer. Whether he pitches a spade or a heart, you discard from the other suit and will be able to take trick 13.

ANSWER: This is perfect for a splinter-bid of three spades, showing a high-card raise to four hearts with short spades. Partner will be well-positioned to evaluate how the hands are fitting. In general, if you are much stronger than this (add another ace) you might be better off starting with a Jacoby two-notrump forcing raise.

If you would like to contact Bobby Wolff, email him at bobbywolff@mindspring.com