Bridge Column for April 17, 1994 East-West vulnerable. South deals. NORTH S: A 6 3 2 H: A Q 10 3 D: 9 6 C: J 8 5 WEST EAST S: J 10 7 S: Q 9 H: 9 8 5 H: K 7 4 2 D: A 7 4 D: Q 10 2 C: Q 10 9 2 C: K 7 4 3 SOUTH S: K 8 5 4 H: J 6 D: K J 8 5 3 C: A 6 SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST 1D Pass 1H Pass 1S Pass 4S Pass Pass Pass At first glance, it would appear that declarer has to lose a trick in each suit and must go down in his four spade contract. But the beauty of the game is in the play. The declarer gets the advantage of being able to see all of the offensive assets, while the defenders see only one-half of the defensive and offensive assets. This hand was played by Eugene Gordon of Pepper Pike at a local duplicate game. The opening lead was the two of clubs. Gordon played the eight from dummy. East played the king and Gordon won the ace. From the play to this trick, Gordon deduced that West held the queen of clubs. Instead of starting to draw trumps, Gordon led the six of clubs towards the jack in dummy. West won with the queen and exited with a small heart. Gordon was not fooled by the switch to a small heart. He won the trick with North's ace. The jack of clubs was cashed, providing a resting spot for the jack of hearts. A small diamond was led to the jack. West won the ace and played the nine of hearts. The ten was played from dummy, East covered with the king and South ruffed. Here is the seven card ending with South on lead: NORTH S: A 6 3 2 H: Q 3 D: 9 C: N o n e WEST EAST S: J 10 7 S: Q 9 H: 8 H: 7 4 D: 7 4 D: Q 10 C: 10 C: 7 SOUTH S: K 8 5 H: N o n e D: K 8 5 3 C: N o n e Gordon cashed the king of diamonds, ruffed a diamond, cashed the queen of hearts, played the ace of spades and a spade to the king. The eight of diamonds was led and West was finished. If he ruffed with his good jack of spades, the three of hearts would be thrown from dummy. If he discarded his last club, the diamond would be the tenth trick, fulfilling the contract. Could West have made a better lead? Let's see. A heart lead sets up that suit for a club pitch. A diamond lead solves that problem for declarer and allows him to set up both red suits. A trump lead gives nothing away, but declarer gains a tempo by winning the first trump in the south hand and leading the jack of hearts. How about a club lead other than the deuce? If the queen of clubs is led, the contract can be defeated, but this does not seem like a lead anyone will find. The ten also works. It should promise the nine; could be the top of an interior sequence; and partner should duck if the jack is not played from dummy. The ten is the prescribed lead if the defensive partnership is using "Journalist" leads. The nine will work in systems where it promises the ten, but would only be "normal" in some variations of "Rusinow" leads. While declarer has a decided advantage, the defense does get the first shot in the battle. Each player will be on opening lead about 25% of the time. That single play is one of the most difficult in the game of bridge. Try to think of a logical reason for the lead you make. It may not beat the hand, but it will sound good during the post-mortem.