Leads after a pre-empt by Matthias Huberschwiller

A: ♠2 – Your partner has shown a good six-card suit in Spades.

Your opponents have promised to stop them, but does that mean that you should refrain from leading the suit?

You have no chance to get back on lead to get your diamond tricks even if you manage to establish them. Therefore you need to lead for your partner, hoping that he will get on lead later.


Your result so far:

A: ♦J – You could lead your partner’s suit, but your opponents have indicated that they have stoppers and your partner will most probably not get on lead.

This time, you have to rather try to establish your Diamonds. You’ll be able to get in with a Club trick and cash them.


Your result so far:

A: ♥2 – Your opponents have bid a contract as sacrifice. They don’t have many points and a big fit in Hearts.

How will they get tricks? With their trumps!

Therefore, you need to lead a trump to limit the number of ruffs that they can get.


Your result so far:

A: ♥3 – South has a weak hand with eight (or seven) cards in Spades.

The risk of losers being discarded is big, so you need to lead from a suit in which you have something, trying to get your tricks.

Here it is the fourth best in Hearts that you should lead.

Note that if your opponents have the Ace and Queen of Hearts, there is a big chance that they are both in dummy and that a Heart lead does not give away a trick.


Your result so far:

A: ♠2 – I have a feeling that I’ve already seen this hand somewhere! But the bidding sequence is different.

Here, your opponents have a big fit in Spades and North has a weak hand with five trumps.

Underleading an honor is impossible because you risk leading into South’s tenace. Therefore you need to lead a trump, which can prevent opponents from getting a set of ruffs.


Your result so far: