Bridge

What should West lead against four spades after the given auction?

North showed a game-invitational hand with exactly three-card spade support. Note that it was advantageous that North could show his good diamond suit, so that in a borderline case, South would have been able to make an informed decision. Also, North-South could have stopped in two spades. Using twoover-one game-force, North must start with one no-trump forcing, then jump to three spades over South’s two-heart rebid.

Suppose West leads the club queen. South wins with his ace and takes dummy’s diamond winners to discard his club loser. Then declarer plays a heart to, say, his jack. West may win and shift to a trump, but South takes that with dummy’s 10 and tries a heart to his king. West wins again and leads a second trump, but declarer wins in hand, ruffs a heart, ruffs a minor, draws West’s last trump and concedes a heart. South loses only three heart tricks.

Now go back to trick one and have West lead a trump; and play another trump every time he wins a heart trick. Then declarer cannot ruff a heart and loses four tricks in the suit.

When strong in declarer’s side suit, lead a trump.