cr|264|cb|2255|cg|2255|cr|1255|cb|164|cg|1255|cr|364|cb|364|cg|3255|cr|4255|cb|464|cg|464|cr|5255|cb|5255|cg|5255|bg|5|bt||mn|Lead Top of Interior and Create Finesse Positions|cs|3|at|

 




                  {compiled by Harold Schogger}|cs|5|at|









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            (6th blackened icon along bottom line)

            Once you start, Use the  5th ^$40  button on the toolbar below to go back
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            (5th blackened icon along bottom line)|pg||st||nt|
       What should you as West lead from this suit ?|cs|4|at|
        {This holding of Q1095 holds what is known as
          an interior sequence  ie 109 and you lead the 10}|md|Sa8,qt95,j76,k432|mb|1N,p,p,p|sk|w|pg||nt|              
             so you duly lead the @s10

             let us see what happens|wt|w|pc|st|pg||nt|

    dummy plays low  and partner plays low too (but with an encouraging @s4)|pc|s6,s4|pg||nt|  
      Declarer wins first trick with the Ace|pc|sa|pg||nt|    
      Several tricks later and partner gets in and plays the King 
      followed by another one and you comfortably get three tricks from the suit|wt|e|pc|sk,s8,s5,s7|pg||nt|         
         I will now reveal the layout of all four hands and show 
         you how the top of interior sequence led to a
        successful finesse against dummy by the defence|md|Sa8,qt95,j76,k432|sk||pg||nt|
       by leading the 10 partner could afford to play low at trick one
        when declarer played low from dummy|cs|3|at|

     {poor declarer needed the Ace to win first trick}|pg||nt|    
     If instead you lead "4th highest" let us see what happens then ?|wt|w|pc|s5,s6,|pg||nt|                   
                      Now partner has to play King on dummy's @S6 
                       to make declarer work hard - ie third hand plays high|pc|sk|pc|sa|pg||nt|

                      Partner's Ace has been dislodged and now 
                      dummy's @sJ acts as a SECOND STOPPER
                      over your remaining @SQ10 holding.|pg||nt|
          You will obtain two tricks but so will declarer when he was really only due one. |pg||bt||nt|

            So Next time you have any sort of interior sequence holding 
         
            Remember to lead top of that interior sequence|cs|4|at|


                {Top of the Interior Sequence OVERRIDES any 4th highest leads}|cs|2|at|

                        {so in all these situations you lead the 10
                          A1095
                          K1094
                          Q1096
                          and of course 10985}|cs|3|at|



                          {and in all these situations you lead the Jack
                            KJ1094
                            AJ10932
                            and of course J1098}|