Leads Quiz 228 (was 220) by David Bird

A: ♠J. Because his partner had not doubled the opponent's 2♠ bid, Pilon placed the ace and queen of spades with the opponents. He therefore tried his luck with the ♥Q instead of a spade. This was the deal:

____________________♠ Q
____________________♥ 9 8 4 3
____________________♦ 9 7 6
____________________♣ J 8 7 5 4

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

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

On the heart lead, declarer had an easy 10 tricks. At the other table, the ♠J was led. Declarer ducked North's queen, but still had to go one down.

Your result so far:

A: ♥5. Declarer can succeed against any lead. South decided to lead a heart after his partner's raise. This was the deal:

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

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

____________________♠ J 5 4
____________________♥ K 9 6 5 3 2
____________________♦ K 4
____________________♣ A 4

Declarer won with dummy's ace and led a trump, winning North's king with the ace. He then led the ♥Q, covered and ruffed. A diamond to the 10 lost to the king, and South could not lead a trump (high or low) without surrendering a trick in the suit.

Declarer was able to discard a diamond on the ♥J and later ruff a diamond then lead towards the ♣K. That was ten tricks. At the other table, East made nine tricks in 3♠.

Your result so far:

A: ♣A. Both South players led the ♣A, and one set of defenders then let the contract through. This was the deal:

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

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

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

South continued with the ♣9, drawing the jack, king and queen. What should North do next? Turkey's North made the strange decision to play a third round of clubs. This conceded a ruff-and-sluff, declarer ruffing in dummy and ditching a heart from his hand. The contract was then made. At the other table, on straightforward defense, the game went one down.

Did North really believe that his partner started with a doubleton ♣A and that declarer had false-carded the queen and 10 from a 5-card suit? This was incredibly unlikely because of South's take-out double of spades, apart from anything else.

Your result so far:

A: ♠Q. On such a weak hand, you should look for a good suit in partner's hand. Easily best is to lead the ♠Q, and this was the layout at the table:

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

♠ 10 8 3__________________________♠ K 9
♥ 10 3______________________________♥ A J 8
♦ K Q J 9________________________♦ 10 7
♣ Q J 10 3_______________________♣ A K 9 8 7 4

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

North played an encouraging 7 on the first trick and declarer had to take with the ♠K. He had only eight tricks, and the defenders were poised to take four spades and the ♦A. What could be done?

Declarer ran six rounds of clubs. North could not afford to discard two diamonds and two hearts, or declarer would have a ninth trick in hearts. When North reluctantly threw one of his spades, it was safe for declarer to knock out the ♦A and the contract was made.

Your result so far:

A: ♦A. At the table, South opted for the aggressive lead of the ♦A, and this proved to be the most testing start available.

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

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

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

After the ace of diamonds and a diamond to the king, North returned a third round of the suit. Declarer ruffed with the ♠K to prevent an overruff. What should he do next?

Suppose declarer plays a careless low trump to dummy's jack. North will win with the bare ace and promote South's ♠9 with another round of diamonds. Declarer can prevent this by crossing to dummy's ♣Q and leading a low trump from dummy. If North wins with a bare ace, declarer can then afford to ruff high on a fourth round of diamonds.

Your result so far: