Lead with Barry by Barry Rigal

A: ♥Q: Leading from the top of a doubleton in partner’s suit is a possible alternative; but where you appear to have a safe lead (which may also work to set up winners for your side) this is a more attractive alternative. And sometimes the jump to game implies a favorable holding in declarer’s suit. While you would normally lead a suit bid by partner, you should not slavishly follow that, and this applies especially to a third seat opener, where partner may have shaded values.

Your result so far:

A: ♠10: Partner’s failure to raise hearts makes it sound unlikely that he has support for you. He is probably doubling on the sound of the auction with the spades held over dummy. The spade lead sounds relatively safe -- let declarer do his hard work on his own. The more chances partner has had to raise you, the less likely it is that he wants you to lead your suit.

Your result so far:

A: ♥4: On auctions where a preempter raises his partner’s suit, dummy frequently provides a ruff. Since your own hand tells you that dummy’s minor suit does not appear to be running, there is no hurry to cash side-tricks. Stop the ruff while you can.

Your result so far:

A: ♦2: To have any shot to beat this hand you had better find partner with about an opening bid. Your partner’s failure to act over one heart is more likely to be based on a hand with decent diamonds, than one with good spades. Do not assume that neither opponent can have spades here. On a bad day they could BOTH have four spades. Declarer might be 4-3-3-3, dummy might be 4-4 in the majors and have decided not to look for a fit

Your result so far:

A: ♣A: The opponents’ dance around the houses suggests they have no club stopper. I’d lead the ace rather than a small one, though you could certainly make the case that a small club lead might work as well. I just don’t want to torture partner unduly – even though he should know that declarer is highly unlikely to have a good club stopper on this auction.

Your result so far: