Leads Quiz 212 by David

A: ♣10. Sandra Rimstedt found the best lead of a club, partner's suit. This was the deal:

                    ♠ 10 8
                    ♥ 8 5
                    ♦ Q 10
                    ♣ A Q 8 7 6 4 2

♠ J 4                              ♠ A K Q 7 5
♥ A K 9 7                        ♥ 6 4 3
♦ K 9 7 5 4 2                   ♦ 8 3
♣ K                                 ♣ J 9 3

                    ♠ 9 6 3 2
                    ♥ Q J 10 2
                    ♦ A J 6
                    ♣ 10 5

Gary Donner (North) won with the ♣A. What would you have returned from his hand? A heart was necessary, to attack the entry to the diamond suit. When he returned a trump instead, declarer was able set up the diamonds and make the contract.

Your result so far:

A: ♥7. Anything but a heart would be totally wild. Mike Rippey duly led the ♥7 and this was the deal:

                    ♠ A 10
                    ♥ K 10 9 8 6
                    ♦ 6
                    ♣ Q 9 8 5 4

♠ 8 7                             ♠ Q J 9 5 4 3
♥ A J 4 3                       ♥ Q 2
♦ A J 5 3 2                     ♦ Q 10 9 8
♣ J 3                             ♣ A

                    ♠ K 6 2
                    ♥ 7 5
                    ♦ K 7 4
                    ♣ K 10 7 6 2

Roger Lee, the declarer, rose with the ♥A, fearful that the lead was a singleton. This gave the defense a chance. After a trump to the 10, jack and king, South played another heart to North's king.

Had North played another heart now, the contract would have gone down. Declarer would have to ruff with the ♠9. When North won with the ♠A, a fourth heart would promote South's ♠6. North actually switched to a club and the game was made.

Your result so far:

A: ♣Q. Sylvie Willard was the declarer and this was the layout:

                    ♠ K Q 7 3 2
                    ♥ Q 10 7 3
                    ♦ K Q 5
                    ♣ 3

♠ J 4                              ♠ A 9 8 6
♥ A J 5                           ♥ K 6
♦ 8 6 3 2                        ♦ A 9 7 4
♣ K 8 7 2                        ♣ A 10 6

                    ♠ 10 5
                    ♥ 9 8 4 2
                    ♦ J 10
                    ♣ Q J 9 5 4

Willard won with the ♣A and led a low diamond, won by South's ♦10. When the ♥8 switch came, declarer correctly played low from dummy, winning the 10 with the king. Ace and another diamond put North on lead and she exited with the ♠K to the ace.

Declarer now threw North on lead with another spade. She then had to lead into the ♥A J or to give declarer a second spade trick. (Declarer had saved the ♦9 as an entry to her hand anyway.)

At the other table, declarer mistakenly put in the ♥J on the heart switch. The defenders were then able to set up the hearts to defeat the game.

Your result so far:

A: ♠A. Halfon had noted the stopper-bids in hearts and clubs. If East or West held a spade stopper, they would probably have ended in 3NT. This was the deal:

                    ♠ K 10 9 2
                    ♥ 6 2
                    ♦ 4 2
                    ♣ J 10 9 7 6

♠ J 7 5                         ♠ 8 6
♥ A 8 3                         ♥ K Q 9 4
♦ J 10 9 8                     ♦ A Q 7 6 5
♣ A K 4                         ♣ Q 3

                    ♠ A Q 4 3
                    ♥ J 10 7 5
                    ♦ K 3
                    ♣ 8 5 2

Two spade tricks plus the ♦K defeated the game. On any other lead, declarer would have pitched a spade loser on the clubs.

At the other table, the bidding was 1♦ - 3NT and the ♣J was led, won with the queen. Declarer crossed to a heart and took a losing diamond finesse. Back came a club, and the contract was made!

Your result so far:

A: ♣6. Any lead but a diamond can beat the contract. A club was led at both tables, but the defenders at one table let the contract through. This was the deal:

                    ♠ J 10 7
                    ♥ Q 9 7 4
                    ♦ 6
                    ♣ A J 9 5 2

♠ K 9 3                         ♠ A 2
♥ K 6 5 3                       ♥ 2
♦ Q 9 4 3 2                   ♦ A 10 7 5
♣ 8                                ♣ K Q 10 7 4 3

                    ♠ Q 8 6 5 4
                    ♥ A J 10 8
                    ♦ K J 8
                    ♣ 6

North won with the ♣A and switched to the SJ. Catherin Mus, the declarer, won with the ace and played the ♥2, South rising with the ace. Only a spade would beat it now, removing a key entry to dummy. When South played a heart instead, declarer had the entries to ruff twice in her hand. She could then exit with ace and another diamond, certain to score three tricks from her remaining ♣K Q 10.

At the other table, the defense was less helpful and North made the setting trick with her ♣J.

Your result so far: