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 Leads Quiz 232 by David Bird

Once again, all our deals come from top-class international play.

You will be South, leading towards a contract played by East. The interest may be not only in the opening lead, but also in the subsequent defense or declarer play.

Question 1

  Your Hand
 A K Q 9 4
 10 6 3
 
 A 10 8 6 2
 
Q: 1 - What will you lead against 5 doubled, on this deal from the Chinese Premier League?
SouthWestNorthEast
1Pass2NT3
45DbleAll Pass


2NT showed a limit raise in spades.

 Your choice:
A: K. Ji Chuancheng led the A. (Many players prefer to lead the king from ace-king when they want a count signal, to see how many rounds will stand up.) This was the deal:

____________________ J 6 3 2
____________________ K 9 4 2
____________________ 6 3
____________________ K Q J

8____________________________ 10 7 5
A Q J 7 5____________________ 8
Q J 10 8_____________________ A K 9 7 5 4 2
9 5 3_________________________ 7 4

____________________ A K Q 9 4
____________________ 10 6 3
____________________
____________________ A 10 8 6 2

When dummy went down with a singleton spade, it was clear that a second spade winner would be ruffed. When a switch is imminent, North (the leader's partner) should give a suit preference signal. North duly followed with the 2. South switched to ace and another club, and the game was defeated.

Your result so far:
Open Question

Question 2

  Your Hand
 8
 A Q J 7 5
 Q J 10 8
 9 5 3
 
Q: 2 - What will you lead against 6 on this deal?
SouthWestNorthEast
---1
Pass356
All Pass


West's 3 showed a limit raise in spades.

 Your choice:
A: A. This is what happened at the other table of the deal that we saw in problem 1. You will remember the layout:

____________________ J 6 3 2
____________________ K 9 4 2
____________________ 6 3
____________________ K Q J

8____________________________ 10 7 5
A Q J 7 5____________________ 8
Q J 10 8_____________________ A K 9 7 5 4 2
9 5 3_________________________ 7 4

____________________ A K Q 9 4
____________________ 10 6 3
____________________
____________________ A 10 8 6 2

Dong Shunhui (West here) realized that a diamond lead was very like to be ruffed, after partner's 5 bid. Very cleverly, he led the A instead. A heart ruff followed and the slam was down.

Your result so far:
Open Question

Question 3

  Your Hand
 K J
 A 4
 K 10 6
 K Q 10 8 4 2
 
Q: 3 - Former world champion, Sally Brock, tells an amusing story against herself on this deal. She had to defend 4 doubled. What would you have led?
SouthWestNorthEast
--Pass1
1NT2DblePass
3Pass3NTPass
PassDbleRdble4
DbleAll Pass


 Your choice:
A: K. Sally made the normal lead of the K. East's opening bid of 1 had been psychic. This was the deal:

____________________ 10 6
____________________ K 9 7 6
____________________ Q J 9 5
____________________ A J 3

A Q 3_________________________ 9 8 7 5 4 2
8 5_____________________________ Q J 10 3 2
A 8 7 3 2_____________________ 4
9 7 5__________________________ 6

____________________ K J
____________________ A 4
____________________ K 10 6
____________________ K Q 10 8 4 2

North overtook the K with the A to return a trump to the king and ace. Declarer played a heart to the queen and ace, Brock returning a second round of trumps. The doubled contract was then made! As you see, the defenders needed to play on hearts before all the trumps were drawn. This would have promoted a trump trick for them.

As Sally pointed out, she should not have doubled 4. A forcing pass, instead, would have invited her partner to bid on, rather than seek a penalty.

Your result so far:
Open Question

Question 4

  Your Hand
 9 4
 9 8
 K J 3 2
 A 9 8 6 3
 
Q: 4 - What will you lead against 4 here?
SouthWestNorthEast
---1
Pass2Pass4
All Pass


 Your choice:
A: 9. It is against the odds to lead from either minor suit here. Quite rightly, South led from his low doubleton (which is often a good lead). This was the layout:

____________________ 6
____________________ K 7 6 5 2
____________________ Q 10 8
____________________ Q J 10 5

A 5 3 2________________________ K Q J 10 8 7
Q J 10 4_________________________ A 3
9 6 5_________________________ A 7 4
4 2___________________________ K 7

____________________ 9 4
____________________ 9 8
____________________ K J 3 2
____________________ A 9 8 6 3

Declarer played the Q from dummy and all depended on North's reaction. If he covers with the King, declarer will be able to discard one of his diamond losers on dummy's hearts, making the game. North smartly played low, and it was no longer possible to make the contract.

Did you spot that declarer had misplayed? He should play low from dummy at trick one, win with the ace, draw trumps with the king and queen, and then clear the heart suit. The A will then be an entry to take two diamond discards on the hearts.

Your result so far:
Open Question

Question 5

  Your Hand
 4
 Q 9 8 6 5 2
 5 3
 Q 10 9 3
 
Q: 5 - What will you lead against 6?
SouthWestNorthEast
---1
Pass3Pass4
Pass4NTPass5
Pass5NTPass6
Pass6All Pass


3 was a splinter bid, agreeing Diamonds as trumps with short Hearts. In response to Roman Keycard Blackwood, East showed two keycards without the trump queen, and then the K.

 Your choice:
A: 4. To lead from either queen would be a gamble. The singleton spade was easily best. This was the deal:

____________________ Q J 9 8 5 3
____________________ K 10 7
____________________ 9
____________________ 8 4 2

A K 6_________________________ 10 7 2
J____________________________ A 4 3
K Q J 10 8 2________________ A 7 6 4
A 7 6________________________ K J 5

____________________ 4
____________________ Q 9 8 6 5 2
____________________ 5 3
____________________ Q 10 9 3

Declarer won with the A, led to the A and ruffed a heart. Two rounds of trumps were followed by a second heart ruff, eliminating that suit. One possibility now was to play ace and another spade, hoping that South would win and have to play a club (or give a ruff-and-discard). This plan had to be dropped when South showed out on the second spade.

With North holding long spades, South was favorite to hold the Q. Instead of finessing the J, declarer therefore played ace, king and another club. South had to win, and his heart or club return would then concede a ruff-and-discard, allowing declarer to ditch his last spade.

Your result so far:
Open Question

Overall Results

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What next? You may enjoy playing our prepared hands series.
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