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 Difficult leads against No-trumps by Matthias Huberschwiller

You’ll lead against a No-trump contract, but your long suit has been bid by your opponents.

What should you do?

Should you still lead your suit or look for a shorter suit that might be your partner’s?


Question 1

  Your Hand
 Q 10 8 2
 Q 10 8 3
 Q 6 2
 8 3
 
Q: 1 - What do you lead as West?
SouthWestNorthEast
1 NTPass2Pass
2Pass3 NTPass
PassPass


 Your choice:
A: 3 – Leading a minor does not seem very appealing, especially because partner has not doubled Two Clubs. Hence, you need to lead a major. But which one?

Your tenace Q-10 won’t be useful unless it is placed behind declarer’s suit; therefore you need to lead a Heart, hoping that partner has at least one useful card in the suit.


Your result so far:
Open Question

Question 2

  Your Hand
 Q 9 6 3 2
 7 6 2
 6 2
 A 6 2
 
Q: 2 - What do you lead as West?
SouthWestNorthEast
--1Pass
1 NTPass3 NTPass
PassPass


 Your choice:
A: 7 – IT is impossible to lead a Spade, as there is no hope of establishing a trick there. You need to lead from your three small hearts, hoping that partner has a decent suit.

Your result so far:
Open Question

Question 3

  Your Hand
 7 2
 J 10 9 8 7
 A 6 2
 K 7 2
 
Q: 3 - What do you lead as West?
SouthWestNorthEast
--1Pass
1 NTPass3 NTPass
PassPass


 Your choice:
A: J – Here, even though Hearts are dummy’s five-card suit, they offer a good lead because you have a chance of establishing tricks thanks to the middle cards, especially if partner has an honor.

Your result so far:
Open Question

Question 4

  Your Hand
 9 8 4
 Q 9 6 2
 Q 9 6 2
 7 2
 
Q: 4 - What do you lead as West?
SouthWestNorthEast
1Pass1Pass
1Pass2 *Pass
2 NTPass3 NTPass
PassPass


2 = 4th suit forcing

 Your choice:
A: 2 – As your partner has not doubled the fourth suit forcing bid, leading a Club seems without future.

You need to choose between Hearts and Diamonds.

In Hearts, you have honors before dummy’s, so there is no hope of getting a lot of tricks. Therefore, you need to lead a small Diamond.


Your result so far:
Open Question

Question 5

  Your Hand
 7 3
 J 9 6 5 2
 6
 10 9 8 6 2
 
Q: 5 - What do you lead as West?
SouthWestNorthEast
1Pass1Pass
1 NTPass3 NTDouble
PassPassPass


 Your choice:
A: 7 – Your partner has doubled 3NT. As your opponents are no fools and do have the 25 points they should have for 3NT, the double means that your partner is looking for a special lead to beat the contract.
Usually, the “special lead” is dummy’s suit, therefore you need to lead the 7 in order to play through a possible honor in dummy.


Your result so far:
Open Question

Overall Results

Your results:   out of    Average: 

What next? You may enjoy playing our prepared hands series.
More informations on our website: www.VuBridge.com

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