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 Leads Quiz 251 by David

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
♠ A Q 7 6 4
♥ 10 6
♦ J 10 7
♣ K 10 6 		 
Q: 1 - What will you lead against 6♣ here?
SouthWestNorthEast
---1♣
1♠2♠4♠5♣
Pass6♣All Pass


 Your choice:
A: ♠A. With a likely trump trick in your hand, of course you want to lead the spade ace. Even without the trump situation, this would be an advisable lead.

♠  10 2

♥  K Q 4

♦  K 9 5 3

♣  A Q 9 4

♠  K J 9 8 5

♥  8 7 5 3 2

♦  8 6 2

♣ 

♠  A Q 7 6 4

♥  10 6

♦  J 10 7

♣  K 10 6

♠  3

♥  A J 9

♦  A Q 4

♣  J 8 7 5 3 2

Take the East cards now, and see if you can make 6♣.

South plays two rounds of spades and you ruff the second round. You are going to finesse South for the ♣K, and the only risk is that he holds all three trumps. You should therefore lead the ♣J.

South covers with the king, and you win with dummy's ace. North shows out, so you return to your hand and finesse the ♣9. The slam is made. If instead you had led a low club to the queen on the first round, you would have gone down.


Your result so far:
Open Question

Question 2

  Your Hand
♠ 10 7
♥ 6 4 3 2
♦ 8 5 4
♣ A 10 8 3 		 
Q: 2 - What will you lead against 6♠?
SouthWestNorthEast
---1♠
Pass2♣Pass3♣
Pass3♠Pass4NT
Pass5♦Pass6♠
All Pass


5♦ showed three keycards for spades.

 Your choice:
A: ♣A. Both opponents have bid clubs, so there is a good chance that your partner holds at most one club. Lead the ♣A, hoping to give him a ruff in the suit. This was the deal:

♠  K 9 5

♥  A 8 7

♦  A Q 9

♣  Q 9 7 6

♠  8 4 3

♥  J 10 9 5

♦  J 10 7 6 3

♣  2

♠  10 7

♥  6 4 3 2

♦  8 5 4

♣  A 10 8 3

♠  A Q J 6 2

♥  K Q

♦  K 2

♣  K J 5 4

At trick two, you give your partner a club ruff and the slam is one down.


Your result so far:
Open Question

Question 3

  Your Hand
♠ Q J 10 6 3
♥ 5
♦ 10 8 7
♣ A Q 10 4 		 
Q: 3 - What will you lead against 4♥?
SouthWestNorthEast
-1♦Pass1♥
1♠2♥2♠4♥
All Pass


 Your choice:
A: ♠Q. It is obvious to start with the spade queen. Take your partner's North cards next and continue the defense. This is the deal:

♠  9 8 4

♥  A K 9 6

♦  K Q J

♣  8 6 2

♠  A 7 2

♥  8 2

♦  9 6 4 3 2

♣  J 7 5

♠  Q J 10 6 3

♥  5

♦  10 8 7

♣  A Q 10 4

♠  K 5

♥  Q J 10 7 4 3

♦  A 5

♣  K 9 3

You are North and win partner's ♠Q lead with the ace, declarer playing the ♠5. What next?

Partner will have five spades for his overcall and the queen lead denies the king, so there is not much point in continuing spades. Dummy is weak in clubs, so you should lead that suit. The best card is the ♣J. If declarer does not cover with the King, you will be left on lead to play another club. Three club tricks put the game one down.


Your result so far:
Open Question

Question 4

  Your Hand
♠ 8 6
♥ 10 8 6 4 3
♦ 8 6
♣ A K 6 2 		 
Q: 4 - What will you lead against 4♠ here?
SouthWestNorthEast
---1NT
Pass2♣Pass2♥
Pass3NTPass4♠
All Pass


 Your choice:
A: ♣A. This is easily the most attractive lead. The interest lies in the subsequent defense. This was the deal:

♠  Q J 7 4

♥  Q 9 5

♦  K Q J 3

♣  9 3

♠  A 9 3

♥  7

♦  10 7 4 2

♣  Q 8 7 5 4

♠  8 6

♥  10 8 6 4 3

♦  8 6

♣  A K 6 2

♠  K 10 5 2

♥  A K J 2

♦  A 9 5

♣  J 10

Your ♣A draws the 3, 4 and 10. How will you continue the defense?

East responded 2♥ to the Stayman inquiry, so North is marked with a singleton heart. The winning defense is to switch to a heart, retaining the ♣K as a subsequent entry. When North comes on lead with the ♠A, he can then cross to your hand for a heart ruff.


Your result so far:
Open Question

Question 5

  Your Hand
♠ 7 6
♥ Q 6 4
♦ Q J 9 2
♣ Q J 10 4 		 
Q: 5 - What will you lead against 3NT?
SouthWestNorthEast
---2NT
Pass3NTAll Pass


 Your choice:
A: ♣Q. The clubs are slightly stronger than the diamonds, so it is natural to lead the ♣Q. This is the deal:

♠  9 5

♥  8 7

♦  A 10 7 5 4 3

♣  9 7 6

♠  Q J 10 8 4 3

♥  K J 10 5

♦ 

♣  8 3 2

♠  7 6

♥  Q 6 4

♦  Q J 9 2

♣  Q J 10 4

♠  A K 2

♥  A 9 3 2

♦  K 8 6

♣  A K 5

Declarer wins with the ♣A and plays the ♦K, your partner discarding the ♠8. How will you defend when declarer continues with the ♦6?

If you split your honors, playing the ♦Q or ♦J, you will regret it. Declarer will play low from the dummy, win your return and then finesse the ♦10. He will make five diamond tricks and the contract.

Instead, you should play the ♦9. Declarer is welcome to make a trick with dummy's ♦10. He will make only three diamond tricks instead of five and go down.


Your result so far:
Open Question

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