Leads Quiz 217 by David Bird

A: ♠3. Whether or not you think that North's double (suggesting a spade lead) was justified, it was clear-cut for South to lead a spade. This was the full deal:

____________________♠ A J 9 2
____________________♥ 8 6 2
____________________♦ 3
____________________♣ K 9 7 6 2

♠ 10 7 5 4_____________________♠ K 8
♥ J 10 5________________________♥ A K Q 3
♦ A Q J 8 5___________________♦ K 10 7 4
♣ 8_______________________________♣ J 10 4

____________________♠ Q 6 3
____________________♥ 9 7 4
____________________♦ 9 6 2
____________________♣ A Q 5 3

North won with the ♠A and needed to switch to a club to beat the contract. This was impossible to find from his hand and he duly returned the ♠2, which would have given the defenders four spade tricks if the lead was from ♠K x x.

The declarer, Marc Smith, then had his doubled contract with an overtrick. At the other table, the better contract of 5♦ was made exactly.

Your result so far:

A: ♥Q. Marc Smith was South on this hand and judged (as I would have done) that any lead except a club was too risky. Sadly, a club honor was the only lead to allow the contract to make! This was the deal:

____________________♠ 10 9 8 7 6 3
____________________♥ K 10 8 4
____________________♦ 3
____________________♣ K 3

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

____________________♠ A 2
____________________♥ Q J 5
____________________♦ Q J 7
____________________♣ Q J 10 4 2

Declarer won the club lead in the dummy, crossed to the ♦A and ruffed a club in dummy, bringing down North's king. After a spade to the jack and ace, South switched to the ♥Q. Too late! Declarer won with dummy's ace, drew a second round of trumps with the king and led a club from his remaining ♣9 8 7.

Two ruffing finesses allowed declarer to set up a club trick in his hand. He was then able to discard his heart loser on the third round of spades and make the contract.

Your result so far:

A: ♣4. Computer simulation shows that side-suit singletons make splendid opening leads. South here preferred to lead the ♥Q and paid a heavy price. This was the deal:

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

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

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

After a heart lead, declarer was able to ruff his two heart losers. After a singleton club lead, he could not have played a heart towards the king before drawing three rounds of trumps. Otherwise North could deliver a club ruff.

Your result so far:

A: ♦4. A diamond lead is somewhat risky, particularly when made into a hand that contains 20-22 points. I would have led a passive heart, but Hallberg's attacking diamond lead was required on this deal:

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

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

____________________♠ 8 4
____________________♥ 10 9 8 6 4 3
____________________♦ K J 4
____________________♣ 7 6

After a diamond lead, the bad heart break prevented declarer from discarding one of dummy's diamonds on his heart suit.

Your result so far:

A: ♣5. You have a very possible trump trick and will need a second trick from somewhere. Discards may come eventually on dummy's diamond suit. It is more likely that you can establish a trick in clubs (the 3-card suit) than spades. This was the deal:

____________________♠ Q J 9 5 4
____________________♥ 5
____________________♦ 9 8 5
____________________♣ K Q 8 7

♠ K________________________________♠ A 8 7
♥ A Q 7_________________________♥ K 10 6 4 2
♦ K Q J 10 7___________________♦ A 3 2
♣ A 4 3 2_______________________♣ 10 9

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

As you can see, a club lead defeats the slam. Declarer cannot ditch his club loser in time.

Your result so far: