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 Leads against Slams (No-Trump) by Matthias Huberschwiller

Your opponents are about to play in a No-Trump slam.

Is this the time to try and set up a trick immediately? Or to wait, sit back, and hope they won't have enough tricks?

Your lead!

Question 1

  Your Hand
 J 6 2
 K 5 3 2
 8 4
 10 9 8 7
 
Q: 1 - What do you lead as West?
SouthWestNorthEast
1 NTPass6 NTPass
PassPass


 Your choice:
A: 10 - They've bid this slam on strength only. This indicates that you shouldn't make an aggressive lead.
Therefore, you need to lead a top club, which is very unlikely to give up a trick. You need to wait for your tricks.
Declarer may already have 12 tricks. But if he doesn't, you must not give him the 12th by underleading the King of Hearts, or even the Jack of Spades.

Your result so far:
Open Question

Question 2

  Your Hand
 10 9 8
 8 6 5 2
 Q 6 5 2
 A 2
 
Q: 2 - What do you lead as West?
SouthWestNorthEast
1Pass2Pass
2Pass3Pass
6 NTPassPassPass


 Your choice:
A: 2 - Your opponents have bid a No-Trump slam, but you know a few things about their hands.
The dummy will have long clubs, and declarer is going to establish them easily by conceding the Ace of Clubs to you. And then?
You won't make another trick.
Your only hope of defeating the slam is to lead aggressively. A small Diamond lead is best, hoping to find your partner with the King.

Your result so far:
Open Question

Question 3

  Your Hand
 9 8 7 6
 10 6 2
 A 7 3 2
 8 2
 
Q: 3 - What do you lead as West?
SouthWestNorthEast
---
2Pass3Pass
6 NTPassPassPass


 Your choice:
A: 9 - This is a tricky one. A Diamond lead could help declarer a lot.
You need to choose between the majors. Underleading the 10 of Hearts could be very dangerous, and may blow the suit by picking up the Queen in partner's hand, if dummy has the Jack and declarer the Nine. A Spade is safest.

Your result so far:
Open Question

Question 4

  Your Hand
 Q J 3 2
 7 6 5
 7 4
 Q 6 3 2
 
Q: 4 - What do you lead as West?
SouthWestNorthEast
1 NTPass6 NTPass
PassPass


 Your choice:
A: 7 - You need to let declarer do his own work. The Spade sequence is way too dangerous to lead from. Imagine Dummy comes up with King-10-4 and declarer with Ace-6-5. It would be disastrous.
You need to lead passively, top of nothing in Hearts.

Your result so far:
Open Question

Question 5

  Your Hand
 K 9 6 3 2
 10 9 8
 6 2
 J 7 3
 
Q: 5 - What do you lead as West?
SouthWestNorthEast
1Pass1Pass
1 NTPass4 NTPass
PassPass


 Your choice:
A: 3 - North tried for a slam, but South, with a minimum hand, decided to Pass 4 NT.
You need to lead in the same way that you would have done against 3 NT, and lead your 4th best in Spades. The only way you will defeat 4 NT is by establishing Spade tricks.

Your result so far:
Open Question

Play this Hand

Now that you've bid five hands, let's see how your play goes.

Overall Results

Your results:   out of    Average: 

What next? You may enjoy playing our prepared hands series.
More informations on our website: www.VuBridge.com

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