Leads from weak and strong hands by Matthias Huberschwiller

A: ♥9 - This is a sequence after which you often lead a major suit, since your opponents haven't used Stayman.

But with those poor Spades, there is no way you are going to set them up, never mind get back on lead to cash them.

You'd better lead a Heart. You know your partner has at least four of them.

Your result so far:

A: ♦6 - Even if you'd like to lead a major, here you have a very good reason to lead a Diamond. It's the only suit your side can expect to set up.

You will get back on lead at some point, so you must lead your strong suit. If you lead a major, even if it's partner's longest one, he'd never get to cash them (he has a maximum of three or four points).

Your result so far:

A: ♦7 - Your best hope of making a trick with this hand is by taking a Diamond ruff, so you need to lead your doubleton.

Even if you don't get to take a ruff, Diamonds is a suit in which you might set up tricks for your partner.

Your result so far:

A: ♣Q - You need to lead a Club rather than your singleton. Why?

You hold so many HCPs, so you can't expect your partner to have anything. As such he won't be able to get in and give you a ruff.

A singleton lead is only worth a shot when your partner might be able to get on lead.

Your result so far:

A: ♦6 - A singleton trump often looks like a terrible lead, but here it's not.

Your partner has Passed your take/out double, so he has points and long Diamonds. It would be too dangerous to underlead an honor.

With strong Diamonds in your partner's hand, you need to act as a declarer would do. And what would he do? Draw trumps.

Your result so far: