Lead problems

[nige1]

[hv=pc=n&s=saqt96ha76dq7ckj7&w=skjhkq832djt9cqt9&n=s843hjda865432ca2&e=s752ht954dkc86543&b=1&k=w&d=w&v=e&&a=1n(12-14)3d(Nat)p3nppp]399|300|

MPs, South declares 3N.

NS are playing Crowhurst, where 2♦ would advertise a single-suited major, so North could not show a ♦ one-suiter at the 2-level.

As West what do you lead?[/hv][hv=pc=n&s=SA6HATD87432CAK86&w=SJ9543H632DA65Cq4&n=SKT7HKQ9754DKT9C9&e=SQ82HJ8DQJCJT7532&b=2&k=W&d=W&v=N&a=P1HP2DP2HP3CP3DP3HP3SP4NP5CP6NPPP]399|300|

IMPS, South declares 6NT.

As West, what do you lead?[/hv][hv=pc=n&s=st5haqjt852dca943&w=sqj94hk97d976ckq8&n=sk8732h3dakqj85c6&e=sa6h64dt432cjt752&b=3&k=w&d=n&v=0&a=1dp1hp1sp4hppp]399|300|

IMPS, South declares 4♥.

As West, what do you lead?[/hv][hv=pc=n&s=saj3hakjt4dk92c53&w=st5hq975dqtckj974&n=sq84h2daj6543cq82&e=sk9762h863d87cat6&b=4&k=w&d=n&v=n&b=5&a=pp1n(15-17)p3nppp]399|300|

IMPS, South declares 3N.

As West, what do you lead?[/hv] [hv=pc=n&s=sj854hj42dt3ckj53&w=sakqt76hd8754cq94&n=s3hq983dakqj962ca&e=s92hakt765dct8762&b=5&k=w&d=n&v=n&&a=1d1h1n2s2n3c3nppp&p=SKS3S2S4]399|300|

MPS, South declares 3N.

As West, you lead ♠K.

Hit next to see dummy.

Partner plays ♠2 (reverse count).

What do you lead at trick 2?[/hv]

[Jinksy]

1) 2♥. No reason to give declarer honest count, but we'd better set up hearts fast. I'd like to know whether N's bid was weak or constructive, but probably making the same lead either way. (ETA - hadn't noticed this was MPs. It's less clear, but I'll still lead the heart, since there's no reason to assume everyone in the room is in this contract)

2) Close between a heart and a spade. I'll go for a spade since it sounds unlikely declarer has enough length for it to cause disaster, whereas the H might pick up P's Q.

3) Probably K♣ against competent opponents. Against average-minus club players, I'd be worried they just bid this because they had six hearts and couldn't think of any other bid, in which case they might belong in 3N and clubs might pick up the suit for them - in that situation, prob a small heart.

4) T♠.

[jbaptistec]

Deal 1 : ♦J, passive at MPs since partner is likely to be broke. At IMPS I would lead a ♥.

 

Deal 2 : It looks like with a passive lead, declarer will score 4♦, 5♥ and at least 3♠♣. Both S and N are likely to guard ♠ so I would lead the ♣Q. Even if declarer has AKJ, this is unlikely to be declarer's 12th trick (though it costs an undertrick if declarer has a ♥ loser).

 

Deal 3 : ♣K

 

Deal 4 : ♣7, WTP

[alok c]

1.C10

2.CQ

3.CK

4.C7

[rmnka447]

Hand #1 - 3 ♥ playing 4th best, else 2 ♥ playing 3rd/5th leads. It sounds like we are going to need to develop whatever tricks we get quickly. ♥ seem like best chance.

 

#2 - ♣ Q - It looks like ♦ A won't go away. Need to develop another trick quickly which will happen if partner has ♣ K.

 

#3 - ♣ K - What else? With ♠ bid by LHO, ♠ lead is dangerous. ♥ might give away something and there's no indication of short trump hand ruffs.

 

#4 - ♣ 7 - If they have 25 HCP, partner would hold 7 HCP so there's no preference for whose suit is set up. Red suit leads may give up more than ♣ lead. With dummy showing major shortness, both declarer and partner may have ♠ length.

[nige1]

I've added a 5th lead problem, rather than start a new topic with the same name.

[StevenG]

1. ♥K

2. ♦5

3. ♠Q

4. ♠10

5. ♦5

[alok c]

Deleted

[nige1]

[hv=pc=n&s=saqt96ha76dq7ckj7&w=skjhkq832djt9cqt9&n=s843hjda865432ca2&e=s752ht954dkc86543&b=1&&d=w&v=e&a=1n(12-14)3d(Nat)p3nppp]399|300|

MPs, South declares 3N.NS are playing Crowhurst, where 2♦ would advertise a single-suited major, so North could not show a ♦ one-suiter at the 2-level. As West what do you lead?

 

You hope partner can help stop ♦ but partner is unlikely to hold much else, so there's case for leading ♥K/Q, rather than a small ♥. Anyway, that's what works here. The actual lead was a small ♥ won by dummy's ♥J. Partner won ♦K and continued ♦s, Declarer won ♥A, ♦Q, ♠A, ♣A, and ran ♦s, ending up with 12 tricks. The lead of a ♥ honour makes 4 more tricks for the defence.[/hv][hv=pc=n&s=SA6HATDJ8742CAK86&w=SJ9543H632DA65Cq4&n=SKT7HKQ9754DKT9C9&e=SQ82HJ8DQ3CJT7532&b=2&d=W&v=N&a=P1HP2DP2HP3CP3DP3HP3SP4NP5CP6NPPP]399|300|

IMPS, South declares 6NT.As West, what do you lead?

 

Anything might be right and a small ♦ would be a good shot but the lead that works at double-dummy is a ♠. On any other lead, declarer can lead a ♦ to ♦K and run ♥s to reduce to...[/hv][hv=pc=n&s=SA6HD87CA8&w=SJ95HDA6Cq&n=SKT7H4DT9C&e=SQ82HDQCJT&b=2&d=W&v=N&a=-NN]399|300|

In this 6-card ending,

Dummy leads the last ♥ forcing East to discard a ♠.

Declarer now exits in ♦, wins the return, and ♣A squeezes West in ♠s and ♦s.

[/hv][hv=pc=n&s=st5haqjt852dca943&w=sqj94hk97d976ckq8&n=sk8732h3dakqj85c6&e=sa6h64dt432cjt752&b=3&d=n&v=0&a=1dp1hp1sp4hppp]399|300|

IMPS, South declares 4♥.As West, what do you lead?

 

A major lead holds declarer to 7 tricks :) I led a ♣ allowing declarer to make 11 :(

 

[/hv][hv=pc=n&s=saj3hakjt4dk92c53&w=st5hq975dqtckj974&n=sq84h2daj6543cq82&e=sk9762h863d87cat6&b=4&d=n&v=n&b=5&a=pp1n(15-17)p3nppp]399|300|IMPS, South declares 3N.As West, what do you lead?

 

We found a ♣ lead and took the first 5 tricks :) At the other table, West judged ♥s to be more attractive :)[/hv] [hv=pc=n&s=sj854hj42dt3ckj53&w=sakqt76hd8754cq94&n=s3hq983dakqj962ca&e=s92hakt765dct8762&b=5&d=n&v=n&&a=1d1h1n2s2n3c3nppp&p=SKS3S2S4]399|300|MPS, South declares 3N. As West, you lead ♠K. Partner plays ♠2 (reverse count). What do you lead at trick 2?

 

You might be able to work out that the main hope is to attack declarer's communications with a ♦ lead. Then he can't cash his ♣K and run ♦s. A black suit lead, gives declarer an easy task.

[/hv]