Lead problem from real play by David Bird

A: Russia's Dubinin chose to lead the ♣A and this was the lay-out:

                    ♠ 9 8 5 3
                    ♥ A 10 4
                    ♦ 10
                    ♣ K Q 8 5 3

♠ A 4                                ♠ K Q 10 7
♥ K Q 7 3                      ♥ J
♦ A J 2                            ♦ 8 7 5 4 3
♣ J 9 7 2                       ♣ 10 6 4

                    ♠ J 6 2
                    ♥ 9 8 6 5 2
                    ♦ K Q 9 6
                    ♣ A

The ♣A was the only lead to beat the contract. South switched to a heart, allowing North to win and cash two more club winners. A fourth round of clubs was ruffed with the 8, overruffed with the 9, and two subsequent trump tricks (declarer cashed the ♦A on the first round) put the contract two down.

Your result so far:

A: ♦3. Baskan made the natural lead of the ♠A and this was the full deal:

                    ♠ K J 9 8 3 2
                    ♥ 5 3
                    ♦
                    ♣ K Q 9 5 4

♠ Q 7                              ♠ 10
♥ A 10 6 4                        ♥ K J 9 7 2
♦ A Q J 7 4 2                 ♦ 10 9 8
♣ J                                  ♣ A 10 7 2

                    ♠ A 6 5 4
                    ♥ Q 8
                    ♦ K 6 5 3
                    ♣ 8 6 3

Baskan switched to a diamond, giving his partner one ruff. Declarer ruffed the next round of spades and drew trumps, making the contract. As you see, a diamond lead and a spade switch for a second diamond ruff would have beaten the contract. This was difficult to find. Perhaps North should have made a Lightner Double of the contract, asking for an unusual lead. Because North had pre-empted, even a double of a 5-level contract should be treated as Lightner.


Your result so far:

A: ♠3. Against 6NT you should look for a safe lead. Baldursson led the ♠3 and this proved to be safe, with dummy holding ♠K-Q-5-4-3 opposite declarer's ♠A-J. Declarer eventually took a heart finesse with his ♥A-K-J-x and the ♥Q was the setting trick.

Your result so far:

A: ♠A. Gromov led the ♠A and this was the lay-out:

                    ♠ K Q 9 8 4 3
                    ♥ 10 6
                    ♦ J 10 9 7
                    ♣ 5

♠ 10 7 2                         ♠ 6 5
♥ 8 4                             ♥ A K 9 7 5
♦ 8 6 3                         ♦ A
♣ A K 10 8 3                   ♣ J 9 7 6 4

                    ♠ A J
                    ♥ Q J 3 2
                    ♦ K Q 5 4 2
                    ♣ Q 2

The ♠A and a second spade to North's ♠Q allowed the ♠K to be led. South was then able to overruff declarer and put the contract one down. On any other lead, declarer would have drawn trumps and made the contract.

Your result so far:

A: ♦4. Kholomeev led the ♦4, which looks easily best. A very fortunate lie of the cards in fact made it impossible to beat the contract:

                    ♠ 5
                    ♥ Q 9 8
                    ♦ Q J 9 7 3 2
                    ♣ J 10 5

♠ A 9 7 2                       ♠ Q J 10 4 3
♥ K 5 4                        ♥ 7
♦ K 6 5                         ♦ A 10 8
♣ 7 6 4                        ♣ A 9 8 3

                    ♠ K 8 6
                    ♥ A J 10 6 3 2
                    ♦ 4
                    ♣ K Q 2

Declarer won North's ♦J with the ♦K and now neither defender could play a diamond. When a low heart was led, South rose with the ♥A and returned the ♥J. Declarer won in dummy and threw the ♦8. He then ruffed dummy's last heart and picked up the trumps with a repeated finesse. A club to the 8 lost to South's ♣Q and the defenders could not prevent declarer from setting up the 13th club for a diamond discard. A diamond ruff in dummy then brought the 10th trick.

Your result so far: