Bridge

Which card do you lead from a suit of A,J,10,2 against a no-trump contract? The 10, conventionally suggesting a good suit, the jack, the two, or - not unreasonably - another suit? My partner dithered for some while before choosing the two.

There were two major disadvantages to this: first, it should have worked badly, and second, it was not a no-trump contract. (The bidding had gone 14 - 24, all pass.) Well, against Two Spades, the two of hearts was a curious lead, to say the least.

There seemed no virtue in declarer trying the nine from dummy and, with a resigned feeling, I contributed the eight from my East seat. Declarer won with the queen and led a low club to dummy, West playing low. When a trump was led, I split my honours, won the second trick and, with no enthusiasm or interest, played back a heart.

Suddenly matters brightened up. Partner unexpectedly cashed two heart tricks (on which I discarded a club) and followed with ace and another club, allowing me to score a ruff. Now the ace of diamonds was the setting trick.

"Interesting lead," I observed. How could I argue with such success?