SpadeHeart  DiamondClub
Release 2.19p
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Your Lead, Partner

Distributional hands are frequently a source of large swings.  On such hands the opening leads are often crucial.  The following deal occurred many years ago in the Sheffield League of Four.

(North's 2
was a Michael's cue-bid, showing hearts and a minor, and when he sacrificed over 4he showed his second suit, to help the later auction.  A side effect of this was to enable East to bid 5. North passed over 5 to see whether it would be right to save over 6.  This is all right, save for the fact that 5 might be passed out).

A 6
contract appears to have three Aces to lose, plus a possible second trump trick.  However, West, not unreasonably, decided to have a look at the table and led the A.  After this was ruffed, East was put to the test with a small Club.  Blissfully unaware of the diamond suit in Declarer's hand, he decided to duck.  A spade now went on the Diamond, and all that remained was to duck the Heart to East's Ace (remember the 5 bid).

Thus North-South scored +1210 instead of -300.  At the other table North-South decided to defend 5
- which appears to have two Clubs and two Diamonds to lose.  The Diamond break means that declarer can set up a Club to discard a Diamond.  However, North led the Q!  The effect of this was that two defensive Club tricks now dwindled to one, and Declarer could draw trumps, knock out the J and claim 11 tricks.

Thus East-West scored +650 instead of -100.