Leads after Slam tries by Matthias Huberschwiller

A: K♦ - Look at the bidding sequence. They have stopped in 4♠ after failing to show a Diamond control. Your partner must have the Ace.

You hope, by leading the King of Diamonds, to then lead a Diamond to partner's Ace and take a ruff.

Your result so far:

A: 8♥ - You need to try and set up a second trick in addition to your Club Ace.

If you choose to lead a Diamond, you will be leading into South's control. You need to lead a Heart, through North's control, and hope that your partner has the King behind dummy's Ace. Then you will be setting up another trick to cash when you get back on lead with the Ace of Clubs.

Your result so far:

A: 3♦ - Dummy rates to have a strong hand and one that is probably very short in Hearts, since he didn't bother to check for controls or keycards.

Your best hope is to try and set up a Diamond trick by underleading the King. Sometimes you might even be able to cash two immediate Diamond tricks if dummy lacks a control in that suit.

Your result so far:

A: 8♦ - When leading against a No-Trump slam which has been bid on the basis of HCPs, you need to lead passively, so as to not give them a 12th trick.

A Spade lead is too risky. Leave declarer to play Spades himself.

Your result so far:

A: A♦ - You have a nearly certain trump trick. You need to lead your Ace to make sure you get a trick with it, before declarer gets the chance to discard his Diamond losers on dummy's Spades.

Your result so far: