Leads Quiz 213 by David

A: ♥3. It was clear to lead the fourth-best card in the unbid suit, hearts. This was the deal:

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

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

                    ♠ 7 6 3 2
                    ♥ A 9 4 3 2
                    ♦
                    ♣ 10 7 4 2

North won with the ♥K and returned the ♥8. Tim Bourke, the declarer, played the ♥Q and South correctly allowed this to win, preserving the communication between the North/South hands. How would you have continued as declarer?

Bourke crossed to the ♣A and found the right card to play next, the ♦8. When this was run and won the trick, he was able to continue with the ♦10, underplaying with his ♦9. The lead remained in dummy and declarer could finesse again to land the four diamond tricks that he needed for the contract.

Your result so far:

A: ♦10. Jennifer Mourges found the best lead of a diamond, but declarer still had a chance to read the cards for a make:

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

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

                    ♠ K Q 10 7 3
                    ♥ J 6
                    ♦ 10 9 7 2
                    ♣ 4 2

Dummy's ♦K won the first trick. How would you have continued as declarer? You know the spades are 5-1, after South's transfer bid. The diamonds are likely to be 4-5. North would have opened 1♥ with five hearts, so her shape may well be 1-4-5-3.

The winning play is to lead the ♣J from dummy at trick two. If North covers, you win and return to the ♠A to run the ♣8. If North does not cover, you remain in dummy to play a heart to the king. Otherwise, you win and return to the ♣7. This play would win also against a singleton ♣10 with South.

Nadia Payan, the declarer, played a heart to the king at trick two and went one down.

Your result so far:

A: ♥9. Declarer is clearly in a 4-4 fit. He will be unable to draw trumps and you should start by removing a round of trumps, in case he relies on a crossruff. This was the deal:

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

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

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

Declarer was able to survive the trump lead. He won with the ♥10, North throwing a diamond. He then cashed the two black-suit ace-kings. When he led another club, South threw a spade and declarer ruffed in dummy.

After a spade ruff and another club ruff, declarer claimed two further tricks with the ♥A J and the slam was made. For the crossruff to succeed, declarer needed South to hold 3-3 or 4-2 shape in spades and clubs.

Your result so far:

A: ♠K. At the five- and six-level, it is standard to play that an ace lead asks for attitude (high to encourage) and a king lead asks for count (high for even). This was the deal:

                    ♠ J 10 9 7 5
                    ♥ J 10 9 8
                    ♦ 7
                    ♣ K 10 9

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

                    ♠ A K Q 6
                    ♥ 4 3
                    ♦ J 5
                    ♣ J 6 5 4 3

When the ♠K is led and partner shows an odd number of cards with the ♠5, it is fairly clear that a second spade will be ruffed.

On this deal, it made little difference, and South continued with another top spade, ruffed by declarer. He drew trumps and played three rounds of hearts, throwing a club from dummy. A heart ruff established the 13th card in the suit, and another club was then thrown. The slam was made.

At the other table, they ended in 3NT with no spade stopper and went one down! That was a loss of 16 IMPs.

Your result so far:

A: ♥4. Despite having a very weak hand with no side entries, Pierre Saporta led the ♥4. This was the layout:

                    ♠ K 6
                    ♥ Q 9 6
                    ♦ Q J 9 2
                    ♣ A 9 5 2

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

                    ♠ 10 8 5 4
                    ♥ J 10 7 4 3
                    ♦ 10 6
                    ♣ 10 3

Declarer won with the king and played a club to the jack. When he finessed the ♠Q, North won and returned the ♥Q, declarer holding up the ace. He won the next heart and had a critical discard to make from the dummy.

If declarer throws a spade, he can catch North in a squeeze without the count, forcing him to release a diamond. North will then be thrown in to give declarer a ninth trick with the ♣8. Understandably, declarer threw a club from dummy, hoping that the spades would break or that North had the length.

At the other table, West played 3NT on a diamond lead, and the contract was made.

Your result so far: