Lead with Barry - Attack or defend by Barry Rigal

A: ♦2 - On this sort of auction leading from an honor is just as likely to catch partner at home as leading from three small – with a significant upside if partner has only moderate cards in the suit you pick. So a diamond looks much more attractive than a heart. By the way, a trump is far from safe here – partner might easily have a finessible trump queen and you have solved a guess for declarer.


Your result so far:

A: ♥5 - I would lead a heart, considering it the least of the four evils. I’m guessing that a club lead will accomplish nothing since declarer’s cards are over partner’s. But maybe if partner has four decent hearts we can achieve something in that suit?
Your diamond spots are too weak for you to be able to do much in that suit.

Your result so far:

A: ♦3 - Everything about this hand suggests suits are breaking badly for declarer. The most passive defense available seems appropriate, and my guess would be to lead a diamond. Obviously a heart might be necessary but the bad breaks in both black-suits suggests the trick may come back later.

Your result so far:

A: ♣3 - To set this game partner needs to have some decent values, but he did not bid at his first turn. To me, this makes a club lead more attractive than a spade lead -- after all with decent spades and a moderate hand he might have bid, but he would be less inclined to overcall at the two-level.

Your result so far:

A: ♥8 - I would simply lead from my long suit -- my choice would be the heart eight rather than the seven. I prefer to lead top of a sequence rather than second-highest, but whatever card your system requires will be fine by me. Fourth highest seems like a bad idea, however; partner may get on lead and misjudge whether or not he needs to shift.

Your result so far: