Leads Quiz 224 by David Bird

A: ♥5. It is a complete guess whether to lead a heart or a club on this bidding. As it happens, a club would have worked better, but it is normal to lead the major suit, particularly as it is stronger. This was the deal:

____________________♠ 7 6 5
____________________♥ J 6 4
____________________♦ 6 4 3
____________________♣ A Q 6 4

♠ K Q J 9_______________________♠ A 3 2
♥ 9 7 2__________________________♥ A K 3
♦ 10 7 5 2______________________♦ A K J 9
♣ K 10____________________________♣ 8 5 2

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

Declarer won the heart lead and counted eight top tricks. One option was to take a diamond finesse, but this was only a 50% chance. Declarer followed a stronger line when he cashed the ♦A K. This added the very worthwhile chance that South would hold a doubleton ♦Q. If the queen failed to drop, he could continue diamonds and still make the contract when North held the ♦Q or the defenders could not take four club tricks.

As you can see, a club lead would give the defenders the first four tricks. The safety play in diamonds would not then be available. Declarer would have to rely on the diamond finesse, going down.

Your result so far:

A: ♥8. Only a trump lead can beat the contract. This was the deal:

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

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

Declarer won in his hand, North showing out, and led a spade. South rose with the jack and played a second trump, won in the dummy. When declarer played a second spade, South had to win with the ace to return a third trump. Declarer could then set up a spade trick with his ♠10 9, but he still lost three spades and a diamond.

Your result so far:

A: ♣K. There was no reason not to lead the ♣K, and this was the deal:

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

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

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

You lead the ♣K and your partner overtakes with the ace, returning a club. Everyone follows and all now depends on how you continue the defense. What will you do?

You should switch to a diamond. If you do anything else and declarer holds three spades, he will be able to set up a long spade in dummy for a diamond discard. Apart from that, a spade switch will not be quick enough if declarer can set up discards on the diamond suit. Your best hope is to score two diamond tricks.

A diamond switch breaks the contract. If instead you switch to spades, declarer will win and run his trump suit. Your partner will have to weaken his guard in either spades or diamonds (declarer throwing three diamonds from dummy), and the game will be made.

Your result so far:

A: ♣6. The two unbid suits were diamonds and clubs. It was unattractive to lead from a jack, so Hasenson led a club. Stoev (North) won with the ace and had a critical return to find. This was the deal:

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

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

____________________♠ A 9 7 6
____________________♥ 7 4 2
____________________♦ J 8 2
____________________♣ 9 6 4

Noting that declarer might want to ruff spades in the dummy, Stoev returned a trump. Hackett won with dummy's 10 and led a spade to the king and ace. A second trump was returned, and declarer could not then avoid the loss of two spades, a diamond and a club.

Your result so far:

A: ♠2. David Mossop led the ♣A and found this was the only lead to let the doubled game through. This was the deal:

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

♠ 9 4______________________________♠ K 6 5 3
♥ A Q 6 2________________________♥ 10 9 5 4 3
♦ A K J 10 6____________________♦ 4 3
♣ 10 2_____________________________♣ K 6

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

On any other lead, declarer has to lose two clubs for one down. Since the game had been freely bid, it may be that Paul Hackett intended his double as Lightner, to warn partner off a club lead.

Your result so far: