Which Major? by Ben Norton

A: ♥2. Q x x x is a good holding to lead from. You stand to establish a trick whenever partner has an honor there. There is some danger of blowing the suit, for example if declarer has the Jack and partner doesn’t have an honor, or if partner has an honor with only one good intermediate card, but you’ll gain more than you lose by leading from this holding. On the other hand, leading from K x x x carries a much greater risk, because you’ll give up a trick pretty much whenever declarer has the Queen.

Leading a Spade gains in the same kinds of circumstances, except you may just be giving away a tempo when partner has the Ace, because you’d always be able to cash two tricks in the suit, instead of setting up a trick as you would be when leading a Heart. On the other hand, leading a Spade makes it more likely that you can cash five quick tricks. Overall, there’s not much to choose between K x x x and Q x x x from an offensive perspective, but you’re more likely to give away a trick leading from K x x x.

Your result so far:

A: ♠3. Dyke’s Law states “never lead from A x x x”. Obviously there are no absolute laws in Bridge, so it’s right sometimes, for instance when partner has five of the suit, or when the opponents have enough quick tricks for their contract between two suits of their own. But the principle is a good one. The idea is that it’s not generally necessary to lead from A x x x.

If it turns out that you need to establish your setting trick in Hearts, then you’ll have the time to switch to them later. For two Heart tricks to be enough to beat the contract, you’ll need three outside tricks, three entries which declarer will have to knock out. As long as you start on Hearts after taking your first side suit trick, you’ll be fine. Similarly, if you need three Heart tricks, you also need two entries outside. Then switching to Hearts will likely be good enough after taking your first side suit trick. If you’re cashing four tricks in the suit then again, you’ll probably be OK because your side can switch to Hearts after taking your side suit trick.

The danger in leading from A x x x is that it will give away a tempo too often, and indeed a trick if declarer has the King or the Queen opposite dummy’s King. If partner has the ♥K you won’t be setting up any tricks by leading a Heart, but if partner has the ♠Q and you lead from ♠K x x x, you will have definitely established a trick.

Your result so far:

A: ♠2. It’s often a bad idea to lead from Q J x x into a strong hand. It’s too likely that you’ll blow a trick. If declarer has A K 10 it’s immediately fatal, and if dummy holds H 10 x opposite an honor in declarer’s hand, again you’ll be handing declarer a quick trick, as long as he doesn’t hold the Eight, or guesses correctly. If you’re going to lead a Heart then a small one is best, which will serve to unblock the suit when necessary, or give declarer a guess. It’s true there’s slightly less potential in leading from J 10 x x, but there’s not nearly as much that can go wrong.

In terms of which Spade to lead, the Jack is right either when you need to pick up dummy's K x x beneath partner's A Q x (x), or when you need to pin an intermediate card in declarer's hand. Leading a low card gains when partner has H x or H H x. It's more likely that you need to keep the suit unblocked, so lead a small one. It's close though.

Your result so far:

A: ♥7. It’s rarely right to lead from J x x x. It will give away a trick too often when partner has an honor, practically whenever declarer has the Ten. In contrast, leading from four low cards is very safe. The worst it can do is take away declarer’s guess. There’s very little offensive potential in either major, but at least one of them is safe.

Your result so far:

A: ♠8. You need a lot from partner to set up either major suit. Likely at least two honors. However, leading Hearts will set up fewer tricks because you only have four of them. In contrast, if partner has five Spades, as is likely, then you stand to set up more tricks there because of the fifth card.

Your result so far: