Opening Leads against No-trumps 5 by Paul Bowyer

A: The ♠10.

It may look normal to lead the ♣Q but it is written in the good book, “Thou shalt always lead thy partner’s suit”.

Partner has stuck his neck out by bidding 1♠, perhaps on a good Spade suit and little else purely to attract a lead. Don’t let him down!

With a doubleton Spade lead the higher card.

Your result so far:

A: The ♣8. A similar idea to Q1.

Without partner’s bid you would have led from your Diamond sequence, but you cannot ignore an overcall, especially one at the two-level which, in civilised circles, shows a decent suit.

Again, holding a doubleton, lead the higher card.

Your result so far:

A: The ♣4.

You must lead your partner’s suit, the more so when you have an important back-up card like a Queen.

Some players have been told to lead “highest of partner’s suit” and would select the ♣Q. This is quite wrong and is a style that went out with the Model T Ford.

From three (or four) cards headed by an honor you should lead your lowest card.

Your result so far:

A: The ♣Q.

As in previous questions, you must lead your partner’s suit, especially when you have an important "filler" like a Queen.

From three or four cards headed by an honor you should lead your lowest card but with a doubleton you simply have to lead the higher card as you risk blocking the suit otherwise.

Your result so far:

A: The ♥Q.

We have been banging the drum about leading partner's suit in this set of hands, but here is an exception.

You have a safe lead in the ♥Q and partner's Clubs may be notional. True, it may be right to lead Clubs, equally, it could stir up a hornets' nest.

Had partner's suit been a major we'd have advocated lead the Jack of that suit, but not after this bidding.

Your result so far: