Leads Quiz 234 by David Bird

A: ♥7. Only a heart lead would beat the slam. This was the layout:

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

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

____________________♠ 7 5 4 3
____________________♥ K 9 7
____________________♦ A 10 7
____________________♣ J 9 5

Osborne led a spade and the slam was easily made, after drawing trumps. I would have led a spade, too. It was incredibly dangerous to lead a heart, into a 2NT opening.

It may seem that, after a heart lead, declarer can discard his heart loser on a spade. This would be true if trumps were 2-2, but the 3-1 break means that declarer cannot draw all the trumps before establishing diamonds. When South takes his ♦A, he can play a heart to force a top trump from declarer and promote the ♣J.

Your result so far:

A: ♦9. It was normal to lead partner's suit and that is what Forrester did. The contract should then have gone down, but did not. This was the full deal:

____________________♠
____________________♥ A K 5 2
____________________♦ K Q 7 6 5
____________________♣ A Q 10 6

♠ K J 7_________________________♠ A 10 8 5 4 2
♥ Q 8 4________________________♥ 9 7
♦ J 10 8 3 2_____________________♦ A
♣ K 7____________________________♣ J 9 8 4

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

The declarer, Bakke, won with the ♦A and led a low club to the king and ace. Osborne, North, then led the ♥K, asking for a count signal. Declarer played the ♥9 and South the ♥6.

North cashed the ♣Q successfully. It was then essential for him to take a second heart trick. South's count signal told him that this was possible. No, he played the ♦K and declarer was subsequently able to ditch his heart loser and make 3♠ doubled. At the other table, 4♠ went three down undoubled.

Your result so far:

A: ♥Q. Callaghan led the ♥Q. If the ♦Q had been the ♦A, he might have led the ♥3 instead, to cope with his partner holding ♥K x or ♥A x. This was the deal:

____________________♠ Q 8 7 6
____________________♥ K 8 4
____________________♦ 9
____________________♣ Q 9 6 4 2

♠ K J 4_________________________♠ A 3 2
♥ 7____________________________♥ A 9 6 5
♦ A 7 5 4 3 2________________________♦ K J 10
♣ A K 5_______________________♣ J 10 8

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

North played the ♥4 and declarer (Glyn Liggins) held off the ace. The ♥2 went to North's ♥K and declarer held off again. When the ♥8 was continued, Liggins took the ace and cashed the ♦K. He then led the ♦J, not covered. What should he do now?

Surely declarer knew that South was likely to hold the ♥J and probably the ♥10. The safety play was to run the ♦J. No, he rose with the ace and went down.

This was hard to understand. If declarer feared that North might hold two winning hearts (and ♦Q x), which was scarcely possible, he might have held up the ♥A until the fourth round to make sure how the hearts lay. At the other table, 5♦ was made.

Your result so far:

A: ♠8. A spade lead (or, in fact, a heart) is needed to beat the contract. Forrester led the ♣5 and this was the deal:

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

♠ A K 10_________________________♠ 7 6 5 2
♥ 4____________________________♥ Q 10 8 6
♦ Q J 10 7 6 5 3 2_________________♦ K
♣ 10___________________________♣ A Q 4 2

____________________♠ 8 4 3
____________________♥ K 5 3 2
____________________♦ A 9 4
____________________♣ K 7 5

Tor Helness tabled his 10-point dummy and the contract was easily made. With two spade entries intact, declarer could survive a hold-up of the ♦A. At the other table, West made two overtricks in a humble 2♦ contract.

Your result so far:

A: ♣6. It was clear to lead a club, but there was more to the defense than that. This was the deal:

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

♠ J 10 4________________________♠ K Q 7
♥ A 10 8 6 3_____________________♥ Q 9 5
♦ 7 6 5 3_______________________♦ A K 10
♣ K____________________________♣ A 9 8 2
____________________♠ 9 8 3
____________________♥ K J 7 2
____________________♦ Q 9 8 4
____________________♣ 6 4

Mike Bell, the declarer, won the first trick with dummy's ♣K and led the ♥3 to his ♥9. What should Zia do in the South seat? If he wins with the jack and persists with clubs, declarer has no chance. In fact, he chose to duck.

Declarer can succeed now by switching to spades. Understandably, he gave Zia a second chance by continuing with the ♥Q. Again, Zia can beat the contract by covering with the king. He decided to duck again.

At the other table, East made 3NT with an overtrick.

Your result so far: