Leads Quiz 209 by David

A: ♦A. Auken led the ♦A (partner's bid suit). This lead, or almost any other lead, can beat the contract, but she had a difficult decision to make later. This was the deal:

                    ♠ 4
                    ♥ K 10 2
                    ♦ K Q 5 4 3 2
                    ♣ A 10 3

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

                    ♠ 10 6 3
                    ♥ 9 8 7 6
                    ♦ A 6
                    ♣ 9 7 5 2

The ♦A was followed by a second diamond to the king and the ♦Q. Hoftaniska, the declarer, ruffed with the ♠J and Auken had to find a discard. What would you have thrown? When she chose to throw a club, declarer had his contract. He was able to throw two of dummy's hearts on his clubs.

At the other table, the game went one down. Do you see why South might have diagnosed that a heart discard was better? Declarer had responded 2♠ to the 2♦ cue-bid and was therefore unlikely to hold four hearts.

Your result so far:

A: ♣10. Dessy Malakova led the ♣10 and this was the deal:

                    ♠ K J
                    ♥ K 10 6 5 4
                    ♦ 8 6 3
                    ♣ K 7 4

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

                    ♠ A 9 8 5 4 3 2
                    ♥
                    ♦
                    ♣ 10 9 8 6 5 3

No lead could beat the slam. Mikael Rimstedt, the declarer, rose with the ♣A, drew two rounds of trumps and led the ♥Q, covered by the king and ace. When South showed out, he continued with the ♥J and ♥9, discarding the ♣Q. The remaining tricks were his.

At the other table, South made 5♠ doubled, benefiting from the lucky lie of the club suit.

Your result so far:

A: ♣A. Ireland's Nick Fitzgibbon led the ♣A and this was the deal:

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

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

                    ♠ 10 7 4
                    ♥ 6 4
                    ♦ 9 7 3 2
                    ♣ A 9 6 3

The first trick was completed by the ♣4, ♣8 and ♣5. Fitzgibbon then switched to the ♠4. Adam Mesbur (North) won with the ♠A and cashed the ♠K. On the second round, South followed with the ♠10.

Can you blame North for thinking that the switch was from ♠Q 10 4? He duly played a third round of spades and the game was made. Declarer was able to ditch his diamond on the clubs.

At the other table, South led the ♠4 to the king. North then led the ♦K, asking for a count signal. When the ♦7 came (second-best from four), North continued with another diamond, ruffed, but declarer subsequently lost the ♣A and ♠A for one down.

Your result so far:

A: ♠6. It is clear to lead a spade, rather than a diamond, once partner has raised the suit. This was the deal:

                    ♠ Q 5 4
                    ♥ Q 7 6 3 2
                    ♦ 5
                    ♣ J 7 6 2

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

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

Declarer won the third round of spades, cashed the ♦A and crossed to the ♣K to continue diamonds. To his surprise, North showed out on the ♦K. What now?

With South holding 5-5 in spades and diamonds, the odds swung heavily towards North being long in clubs. Declarer therefore finessed the ♣10 next. (The odds were 18-to-7 in favor of this play). When the finesse won, the contract was his.

Your result so far:

A: ♣Q. South made the clear-cut lead of the ♣Q and it seemed that declarer had four certain losers when this was the deal:

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

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

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

Declarer won the club lead with dummy's ace, and played the two top diamonds followed by the ♠Q. South won with the ♠A and persevered with the ♣J to the king. After a spade ruff, diamond ruff, and a spade ruff, declarer led his last diamond. South was down to ♥K Q 3 ♣10 7.

If South ruffed high, declarer would ditch the club loser from dummy. South chose to throw a club and declarer ruffed in dummy. He then played a trump to the ten and South's queen. South could cash the ♣10, but then had to lead into declarer's ♥A J tenace at trick 12. The doubled game was made.

Your result so far: