ACES ON BRIDGE

As East, you see West lead a passive spade against three no-trump (though a club is perfectly reasonable here, particularly because you did not overcall one spade). Declarer deceptively wins the spade queen and then plays the diamond king from dummy.

Partner’s lead implies declarer has the spade king, and his line of play suggests he has the diamond jack. So it feels like cash-out time; but in which suit? Partner could hold ace-queen-low or ace-king-low in hearts, whereupon a switch to the heart jack would suffice. However, you might need to run four club tricks.

You cannot tell what to do if you take the first diamond, regardless of partner’s card. Cashing the club ace would reveal West’s attitude, but it might be too late. So hold up your diamond ace to see a second card from partner. When you win the second diamond, you have seen declarer drop the three and jack, and partner the two and seven. Partner’s second play should be suit preference. The missing diamond is the eight, so partner must be asking for clubs.

You should go all-out for four club tricks, requiring partner to hold kingjack-fourth, so shift to the nine.This unblocks the suit when partner has king-jack-eightlow. West wins the king and returns a club to your ace, whereupon the club two picks up declarer’s 10-seven.

Had you kept the club nine, declarer could play small from hand on the third round to block the suit. Cashing the club ace first would also see declarer’s 10 become a stopper.

ANSWER: A negative double would frequently force your side to game here. You could stretch to double, but you lack the values for game facing a minimum opening if you do not find a spade fit. Even if partner responds three spades, your way forward, if any, is far from clear. It is best to pass. If partner has extras and short hearts, he will come back in with a double.