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 Leads Quiz 237 by David Bird

All the deals in this quiz will come from the recent world championships in Salsomaggiore, Italy.

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

Question 1

  Your Hand
 K Q 7 2
 9 4 3 2
 A Q 10 9 7
 
 
Q: 1 - Hungary faces USA-1 in the quarter-finals of the Bermuda Bowl (open world championship). What will you lead against 4 doubled?
SouthWestNorthEast
---3
Dble3NTDble4
PassPassDbleAll Pass


 Your choice:
A: K. Hampson led the K and this was the deal:

____________________ A J
____________________ K 10 8
____________________ J 4 3 2
____________________ 8 7 5 3

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

____________________ K Q 7 2
____________________ 9 4 3 2
____________________ A Q 10 9 7
____________________

Greco overtook with the A and switched to the 8. Declarer won in the dummy and led the 10 to North's jack. Back came another trump and the contract had to go down.

At the other table, 4 undoubled was made with an overtrick.

Your result so far:
Open Question

Question 2

  Your Hand
 7 6
 
 J 10 9 7 6 2
 A Q J 7 6
 
Q: 2 - USA-1 faces Latvia. What will you lead from Rubins' hand here?
SouthWestNorthEast
-PassPass1
2NT45Pass
Pass5DbleAll Pass


 Your choice:
A: J. It was normal to lead a diamond. Rubins, who was hoping that partner could win and give a heart ruff, chose to lead the 9. This was the deal:

____________________ 5
____________________ Q 10 6 5 3
____________________ A K 4 3
____________________ 9 8 3

K Q 4 3 2____________________ A J 10 9 8
J 9 7 4 2_____________________ A K 8
Q 8________________________ 5
10_______________________ K 5 4 2

____________________ 7 6
____________________
____________________ J 10 9 7 6 2
____________________ A Q J 7 6

Alfejeva won with the K and then needed to switch to a heart to beat the contract. Her partner was likely to be short in hearts after the 2NT overcall. Also, a heart switch could not give away a trick in that suit, however the missing three hearts were distributed.

Sadly for her side, and perhaps misled by the 9 lead, North tried to cash another diamond and the contract made. At the other table, 6 doubled was made on the North-South cards! It was a swing of 17 IMPs.

Your result so far:
Open Question

Question 3

  Your Hand
 10 9
 Q 7 4
 Q 9 8
 Q J 9 5 2
 
Q: 3 - This is another deal from the quarter-final of the Venice Cup, the women's world championship, between USA-1 and Latvia.

You have pushed the opponents up to 5. What will you lead?
SouthWestNorthEast
---1NT
Pass4Pass4
PassPassDblePass
4NTPass5Pass
Pass5All Pass


4 was a transfer to 4. South's 4NT showed two suits.

 Your choice:
A: Q. Ginossar (for the USA) led the Q. This was the deal:

____________________
____________________ A 9 5 3 2
____________________ K 7 6 5 3
____________________ A 10 4

K Q J 7 6 3 2__________________ A 8 5 4
6____________________________ K J 10 8
J 10 4_________________________ A 2
7 3__________________________ K 8 6

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

North won with the ace. What would you have returned?

Only one return is good enough, and Zur-Campanile found it - a diamond. 5 went one down, and 4 was made at the other table.

Your result so far:
Open Question

Question 4

  Your Hand
 K J 8 7 4 3
 7 6 4 3
 5 3
 5
 
Q: 4 - France faces Romania in the quarter-finals of the Venice Cup. What will you lead here?
SouthWestNorthEast
---1
Pass2Pass2NT
Pass3NTAll Pass


 Your choice:
A: 7. Ionita, for Romania, led the 7. This was the layout:

____________________ 10 5
____________________ K Q J 10 5
____________________ Q J 2
____________________ Q 8 3

Q 2_________________________ A 9 6
9 8_________________________ A 2
A 9 7 4________________________ K 10 8 6
A K 10 9 4______________________ J 7 6 2

____________________ K J 8 7 4 3
____________________ 7 6 4 3
____________________ 5 3
____________________ 5

Declarer won with dummy's Q and cleared the clubs, for nine tricks and the contract. The lead of any other suit, in particular a heart, would have beaten the game.

It is generally recognised that leading from a six-card suit against 3NT can be unproductive. Partner is very likely to be short in the suit. Here, also, South had no side entry, even if it was possible to set up the spades.

Your result so far:
Open Question

Question 5

  Your Hand
 K 9 2
 A K J 4 3
 J 10 9 3
 9
 
Q: 5 - Romania faces France in the Venice Cup. What will you lead against 4?
SouthWestNorthEast
---1
22Pass4
All Pass


 Your choice:
A: A. It is normal to lead a top heart, but South went astray later in the defense.

____________________ Q 10
____________________ 10 8 6
____________________ A 6 5 2
____________________ 7 6 5 3

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

____________________ K 9 2
____________________ A K J 4 3
____________________ J 10 9 3
____________________ 9

Ionita (South) continued with the J, ruffed by declarer (Schmidt). After a diamond the Jack, Queen and Ace, declarer ruffed the third heart and led the 6 towards dummy. How should South defend?

Ionita rose, expensively, with the K. Declarer then had only one trump loser and made the contract.

At the other table, Reess (South) switched to a club at trick 2. Declarer won and played ace and another trump. Reese won with the K, crashing partner's Q, and played the J. This was covered by the King and Ace, a club ruff then beating the game.

Your result so far:
Open Question

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