Answer to

Hand of the week commencing Sunday 3rd December 2006

 

 Playing mps what is your best possible lead to salvage some Match Points ?

 

 

 

ª

Q J  2

 

 

 

Dealer West

©

K 9 6

 

 

 

Love All

¨

A 9 2

 

 

 

 

§

A K J 6

 

 

 

 

 

N

 

 

ª

K 8

 

 

ª

9 6 5

©

10 8 7 4 2

 

W                          E

©

A 5 3

¨

Q 10 4 3

 

 

¨

K J 7 5

§

84

 

 

§

5 3 2

 

 

 

S

 

 

 

 

ª

A 10 7 4 3

 

 

 

 

©

Q J

 

 

 

 

¨

8 6

 

 

 

 

§

Q 10 9 7

 

 

 

W

N

E

S

NO

1§

 NO

1ª

NO

2NT

NO

3ª

NO

4ª

NO

NO

NO

 

 

 

 

The bidding seems to be very active with North South having confidently bid 4ª. Do you lead your doubleton Club for a potential ruff or is this fickle since you are probably going to make a trump trick any way if the spade ace lies with declarer. Also North bid clubs. Leading a Heart seems a little non productive. Everything seems to point to a Diamond, but doesn’t this break some rule “about leading away from a tenace”. If  you do lead a Diamond and partner turns up with king or Ace you have immediately built a trick for your side, the aim of good defence. If you lead 4th highest Diamond you will get an above average score as you will score 3 defensive tricks, ªK,©A, and ¨K. With a passive lead declarer will be able to pitch the diamond loser on dummy’s third Heart. If in doubt “do lead from KXXX  or QXXX  to try and build tricks for your side.”

 

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