Leads Quiz 214 by David

A: ♣8. Steven de Donder, of Belgium, found the one lead that gave declarer no chance, a club. This was the deal:

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

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

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

On any other lead, North would be squeezed in the red suits when the spades were run.

Your result so far:

A: ♠10. South led the ♠10, after which the contract should have gone down. This was the deal:

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

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

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

North correctly withheld his ♠K and declarer won with the ♠Q. A club to the king was followed by a low club from dummy. North saw no purpose in ruffing a losing club and discarded. Mistake!

Declarer won with the ♣A. He then ruffed two clubs with the 10 and queen, avoiding an overruff. Meanwhile, he ruffed two diamonds in his hand. The Ace of spades was followed by a low spade, ruffed with the ♥8, and declarer actually made an overtrick.

North needed to ruff the second club and then return a trump. This would put the game one down.

Your result so far:

A: ♦3. Peter Schurler let the ♦3, which would have been my choice too. It was the least likely to give away a trick. This was the layout:

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

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

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

Nedlu Buchlev, the declarer, won the king with the ace and played a trump. South won with the ace and switched to a heart. Declarer rose with dummy's ace. He was able to ruff the diamonds good, and made the contract for the loss of a spade and two clubs.

At the other table, declarer went down in 3♠ (after bidding of 2♠-3♠). Declarer chose to run the ♦8, losing to the jack. South twice underled his clubs to allow his partner to play further trumps. Declarer then misguessed the diamonds, running the ♦Q to North's King.

Your result so far:

A: ♥A. The only winning lead is the ♥A, even though this might promote declarer's heart holding. Shivdasani led the ♣5 and this was the deal:

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

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

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

Sagnik Roy won with the ♣10, cashed the ♣A and led the ♥5 to South's Jack. South switched to diamonds and declarer's ninth trick was a diamond.

Your result so far:

A: ♥3. The ♥3 was led at both tables, but only one declarer made the contract. This was the deal:

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

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

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

The first declarer won the second round of hearts and ran five rounds of diamonds. South threw one spade and his remaining three hearts. Declarer then led the ♣J. South won with the ♣K and could have led another club to partner's ace, allowing him to cash two heart winners. No, he switched to a spade! Declarer could then have made the contract if he guessed to play the top two spades. He chose to finesse and went two down.

At the other table, Kaustubh Bendre was the declarer. After winning the second round of hearts, he cashed the ♠A K. When the ♠Q fell, he had nine tricks for the contract.

Your result so far: