Leads Quiz 218 by David

A: ♦10. Only a trump lead can defeat the contract. South actually led the ♥A and switched to a trump. This was the deal:

                    ♠ K 5 4
                    ♥ 8 6 5 4 2
                    ♦ A 9
                    ♣ 8 4 2

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

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

Margi won the trump switch in the dummy, following carefully with the ♦5 from her hand. When North switched to a club, she won with the ace and played the ♦6 to dummy's jack. A finesse of the ♠10 succeeded, and she then had the necessary entries (the ♦2 to the ♦4 and a heart ruff) to set up the spades for two club discards.

A trump to the ace and a club switch would defeat the contract.

Your result so far:

A: ♠4. Either major-suit lead would have beaten the contact. South led the ♦4 and this was the layout:

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

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

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

On a very weak hand, with no outside entries, South might well have decided not to lead from his long diamond suit.

Margi Bourke won with dummy's ♦J and led a heart to the king, followed by the ♥Q and third heart to the jack and ace. When North returned a diamond, Margi won and cashed the fourth heart, discarding a diamond from dummy.

With no entry, South had discarded two diamonds on the hearts. Declarer continued with the ♠K and ♦K. She was left with ♣K 9 8 5 3, while North held ♠Q 10 ♣A Q J. North won the club exit and could not avoid giving declarer enough tricks for the contract.

Your result so far:

A: ♣J. The deal comes from an international between China and Australia. The Chinese South led the ♣J (it was a good idea to keep the ♠K over declarer) and this was the deal:

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

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

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

Margi Bourke ducked the first club, won the second and played the ♥J. South decided not to cover and North won the trick, persisting with clubs. Bourke won and scored four heart tricks before switching to diamonds. 630 was hers.

At the other table, the Chinese East did not venture a 1NT overcall. She defended 1NT by South, collecting just 100 for a large loss of IMPs.

Your result so far:

A: ♠8. A lead of any of the side-suits might give a trick away, so I rate a trump lead as the best available. This was the deal:

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

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

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

South decided to lead a club and, as it happens, this did not give a trick away. It would not have been my choice. Margi Bourke won with dummy's ♣Q and drew trumps in two rounds. She then needed to avoid two losers in the diamond suit. How would you have continued?

Margi cashed the ♣A and ruffed a club, eliminating that suit. She then cut loose with ace and another heart. The defenders could take two heart tricks, but they could not then play a heart or a club without giving a ruff-and-sluff. They were forced to open the diamond suit. If South won the third heart, she would have to lead into the ♦K 10 tenace.

When North won the third heart instead, and exited with a low diamond, Margi played the ♦8. This forced the jack and the contract was hers.

Your result so far:

A: ♣3. Against 6NT, you should nearly always look for a safe lead. A club lead is easily best as I see it. In fact, all the other leads here would assist declarer.

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

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

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

Bizarrely, South chose to lead the singleton ♦4, which was all too likely to catch some honor combination in partner's hand. North rose with the ace and declarer then had three diamond tricks.

Bourke won the diamond return and cashed her minor-suit winners, South grimly holding on to the four hearts. When declarer cashed three top hearts, North showed out on the third round. Declarer's last two cards were the ♠A Q, while South was known to hold one spade and the ♥J. Should declarer finesse in spades or not?

Margi Bourke reasoned that South had been deterred from a spade lead by holding the king. Why else would he lead an eccentric singleton against 6NT? She played a spade to the ace, felled the king and made 6NT.

Can you believe that this bravura performance resulted in an 11-IMP loss? At the other table, the bidding started 2♣ - 2♦ and North ventured a very unwise double! East promptly redoubled and 11 tricks were allowed to make for the rare score of 1960.

Your result so far: