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23rd June 2016
Board 6: The Lead is Crucial

The auction ought to be this simple.

Opposite a 20-22 count ten points makes a maximum of 32 which is not enough for a slam with two balanced hands opposite each other.

Of course if East falls into the trap of leading fourth highest from the longest suit then North makes twelve tricks. This is because the  Q goes on the first trick and then the finesse of the  J is marked to give declarer twelve tricks. Would East be wrong to lead a Heart?

Well maybe. It's always worth asking yourself whether you have an entry back into your hand to cash any winners you may set up if you start with your own longest suit. In this case East doesn't so would do better to try and find her partner's suit.

One more indicator against leading a Heart is that you often end up giving a trick away if you lead from a suit headed by a Jack.