Leads Quiz 240 by David

A: ♣10. The opponents are in a slam and you hold 8 HCP. It is clear that your partner holds practically nothing.

It would be madness to lead from either of your red kings. Declarer is almost certain to hold the ace and queen of those suits. You lead a safe ♣10, and this is the deal:

____________________♠ 10 7 6 5
____________________♥ 5 4 3
____________________♦ 9 6 3 2
____________________♣ 7 6

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

____________________♠ J
____________________♥ K 10 8 7 6 2
____________________♦ K J 5
____________________♣ 10 9 8

Now take declarer's cards (East) and see if you can make the slam when South has given nothing away with his club lead. You win in your hand and play the ♠A K Q, finding that you have a trump loser. What now?

It may seem that you need to find both red-suit finesses working, but there is an extra chance. You finesse the ♦Q successfully and cash the ♦A. A club to the king allows you to ruff the ♦8 and the ♦K J 5 fall! Your ♦10 will be good for a heart discard from dummy, and the slam is made.

Your result so far:

A: ♥2. A lead from any of your side-suit honors would be very risky, with little to gain. Easily best is a passive trump lead. This was the deal:

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

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

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

Take the East cards now and see if you would have made the grand slam. How will you play on a low trump lead?

It may seem that you will need to finesse the ♠J successfully, but you can add the extra chance of ruffing down the ♣K. You win the trump lead, cash the ♣A and the ♦A, and continue with a diamond ruff in dummy. A club ruff, followed by a second diamond ruff and a club ruffed high, does indeed bring down the ♣K. You can then draw trumps and cross to the ♠K to discard a spade on the ♣Q.

Your result so far:

A: ♥10. It is close between a heart and a club. You might well choose a heart because the ♣3 is such a low card. Partner may mis-read your holding, thinking you are leading low from strength. This was the deal:

____________________♠ K 8 3
____________________♥ J 8 5
____________________♦ K J 5 2
____________________♣ K 8 5

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

____________________♠ 10 9
____________________♥ 10 9 7 6
____________________♦ A 10 9 8 3
____________________♣ 3 2

Take the East cards now and decide how you would play the spade game. You win the heart lead in your hand. How will you play the trump suit? The 'normal play' is to cross to the ace and then lead towards the queen-jack. It is not best here because dummy is relatively short of entries and you will also need to pick up the clubs.

You should cross to the ♠A and lead a club to the queen, which wins. You then lead the ♠Q from your hand, pleased to see both defenders follow. North wins and returns a heart. You win in your hand again, draw the last trump and cross to dummy's ♥A to repeat the club finesse. All lies well in that suit and you make the game.

Your result so far:

A: ♠K. A trump lead is unlikely to be effective against a 4-4 fit. A diamond lead is very risky, but would in fact have proved successful. The best lead is the ♠K.

____________________♠ 10 7 3 2
____________________♥ 9 6 3
____________________♦ A 6
____________________♣ 8 6 3 2

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

____________________♠ K Q 9 6 5
____________________♥ 5 4
____________________♦ K 10 9
____________________♣ 10 9 5

Declarer wins with dummy's ♠A, draws trumps in three rounds and cashes three club winners. How will you defend when he then plays a spade to your queen?

If you open the diamond suit, he will lose only two diamonds (and a spade) to make the contract. Since declarer has a 4-4 fit in diamonds, a ruff-and-sluff will not help him. He will still be left with a possible three diamond losers, and will have to guess well to make the contract.

Your result so far:

A: ♣9. Easily best is to lead from the club doubleton. Spot-card doubleton leads are underrated and computer simulations in the book 'Winning Suit Contract Leads' showed them to be much better than everyone has always thought. This was the deal:

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

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

____________________♠ K J 10 8 3
____________________♥ 6 5
____________________♦ 10 8 7 3
____________________♣ 9 3

Take the East cards now and see if you can survive this excellent lead. The ♣9 is likely to be a singleton or from a doubleton. You are at risk of losing a spade, a heart, a club and a club ruff - even if the ♦K is onside.

You should win with the ♣A, finesse the ♦Q, cash the ♦A and ruff your last diamond with the ♥8. With the diamond suit eliminated, you play the ♥2. North wins, cashes the ♣K and gives South a club ruff.

After your accurate early play, South has no good exit. A spade will be hopeless, so he may try a fourth round of diamonds. You ruff with dummy's ♥J and discard a spade. You can then throw your last spade loser on the ♣8. That is 10 tricks. Hurray!

Your result so far: