Leads with a strong hand by Matthias Huberschwiller

A: ♠3 – Your partner has nearly nothing, so leading from a short suit hoping to find his length is without hope of establishing tricks.

Your only hope to set the contract is to establish your Spades. So, take the bull by the horns and lead your fourth best.


Your result so far:

A: ♥2 - Your partner has a fairly weak hand. If you underlead an honour, you’d have to hope for a lot of luck in order not to give a way a trick to declarer.

It is far safer to lead a trump, preventing ruffs in the short hand and letting declarer try finesses that don’t work.


Your result so far:

A: ♠3 – To establish your Spades, you need to find a lot less in your partner’s hands than for Hearts where you need a far better support. Your Spades will be established in only one round if he has an honour and even facing small cards you can hope establishing your length.

Your result so far:

A: ♥Q – Against 1NT, you’ll have several occasions to get back on lead. It is preferable to start with Hearts, a suit where you will not give away a trick, and hope that your partner can play a Spade if he gets on lead.

Your result so far:

A: ♠2 – South has opened with a weak two and North has raised to game. This means that the dummy is the stronger hand.

To avoid that declarer can discard his losers, you need to lead from your force. Therefore you lead your fourth best Spade.


Your result so far: