Did you just play one too many clubs and take the first heart (or two?) of the game? Many players will immediately freak out and lead something low to lose the lead; others will robotically switch over to flushing the queen. But there is a third option -- lead your high heart.

Now, if you're counting on your high heart to take the jack, you might not want to give it up, but you probably have some heart, between 8-Q, that's giving you heartburn. "There," you're saying to yourself, "is four points!"

If you're the only player with points, then you're also the only player who can shoot the moon. Even better, one of the Hearts just dropped on you is probably the A, K or Q. That's a powerful set-up for a shoot -- even if you just have the 10 8 3 of Hearts. Remember, the other players only know what you have in your hand, and you only need to get one to bite to lose the trick.

So lead that 10. Or, if you have 3 5 9 Q, lead that 9. Get rid of those dangerous middle cards?. If your opponents are worried about your moonshot at all, they'll take the trick, and you'll have four less points to worry about taking.