BRIDGE

BRIDGE

answers to Weekly quiz

Q. Neither vulnerable, as West you hold:

xQ 9 8 3 uK 7 6 2 vQ 10 8 w5 2

The bidding has proceeded:

NORTH EAST SOUTH WEST

Pass Pass 1NT Pass

3NT Pass Pass Pass

What is your opening lead?

A. We are certainly going to lead a major, but which one is pretty much of a guess. There is one slight factor that might influence your decision. Suppose the opponents hold all three missing honors in the suit you lead. Lead the two of hearts.

Q. Both vulnerable, as West you hold:

xA 7 5 3 uQ 10 8 3 v8 w10 9 6 3

The bidding has proceeded:

NORTH EAST SOUTH WEST

1v Pass 1u Pass

2v Pass 2NT Pass

3NT Pass Pass Pass

What is your opening lead?

A. Your red-suit holdings suggest that the hand is not breaking well for declarer, so this is not the time to become aggressive. Your safest lead is the ten of clubs.

Q. North-South vulnerable, as West you hold:

xJ 2 uK 7 5 4 vK Q 9 6 4 w9 3

The bidding has proceeded:

SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST

1u Pass 2u Pass

4u Pass Pass Pass

What is your opening lead?

A. Your red-suit holdings suggest that you try to develop tricks while playing a forcing game in an attempt to gain trump control. The king of diamonds fits into both categories, so that’s our choice.

Q. Both vulnerable, as West you hold:

xA J 7 u8 4 3 vJ 9 7 6 2 wK 4

South’s opening bid of three diamonds is passed out. What is your opening lead?

A. Don’t take any chance on any defensive tricks getting away. Our choice would be the ace of spades.

Q. Both vulnerable, as West you hold:

xA K Q 6 3 uJ 10 6 5 v9 3 w8 4

The bidding has proceeded:

EAST SOUTH WEST NORTH

Pass Pass 1x Dbl

Pass 1NT Pass 2NT

Pass 3NT Pass Pass

Pass

What is your opening lead?

A. Do the honor of presuming that one of your opponents has four spades. In that case, leading spades from the top will be futile, since you have no entry to your fifth spade. So make the unusual lead of a low spade. Lead the six of spades.

Q. East-West vulnerable, as West you hold:

xJ 9 6 2 u7 v10 8 7 4 2 wJ 7 2

The bidding has proceeded:

EAST SOUTH WEST NORTH

1NT 2u Pass 3u

Pass Pass Pass

What is your opening lead?

A. While leading a singleton trump is not usually to be recommended, here you have no clear lead. Lead the seven of hearts.

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