Euphoric Europeans III by Ben Norton

A: ♥3. Dummy rates to have good shape with five trumps. Given your strength in the pointed suits, it could well be that declarer intends to score lots of tricks by ruffing. Since any other lead would be a shot in the dark, try a trump. At least that might have the effect of cutting down the ruffing potential.

The ♥3 is a slightly better card than the 10, which could crash an honor in partner’s hand. What’s more, you may need to ruff two Spades high to defeat the slam.

Your result so far:

A: ♦3. You’re going to lead a minor, the question is which one. A Club needs less from partner to be successful, but carries the risk of giving up a cheap trick, with the strong hand on your right. A Diamond is best. You hope that partner can gain the lead to play Clubs through declarer.

It’s unlikely that you can cash five Club tricks on the go, but you might be able to take five quick tricks using both minor suits.

Your result so far:

A: ♣7. With Diamond length and strength on your right, you’d prefer partner to lead the suit. In fact, since you know partner has exactly two Hearts and probably no more than two Diamonds, he rates to have five Clubs. He would bid 1♠ with five of them, so as to not miss the 5-3 major-suit fit. Thus, if he has a five-bagger, it’s Clubs.

The ♣7 is not only your safest choice, but it also stands to set up partner’s long suit.

Your result so far:

A: ♠6. With the opponents having shown extra strength, you must defend aggressively. At most one Club trick is going to stand up, so you should look elsewhere. Your best shot is to find partner with the ♠A and another entry, enabling you to take two Spade ruffs. That outside entry may well be the ♣J. Steel yourself for a daring underlead if partner produces the ♠A and gives you a ruff.

Your result so far:

A: ♣6. Once again, East-West have extra power and will surely come to 10 tricks if left to their own devices, especially with all the suits splitting well. You should go all out in the hope of hitting partner’s five-card suit.

The unbid suits offer the most promise, specifically Clubs. That needs the least from partner to set up the suit, since you have the ♣Q, and partner didn’t have the chance to overcall Clubs cheaply, whereas he could have bid Spades at the one-level if he wanted them led.

There’s a case for leading a high Club to unblock the suit when partner has something like ♣K 9 x x x and an outside Ace, with the ♣J coming down doubleton, but a low one is the normal lead to tell partner what’s going on in the suit and to possibly capture the ♣J in declarer’s hand.

Your result so far: