Leading the way to beat contract

Woodrow Wilson, in a letter to Mary A. Hulbert in 1913, wrote, “Power consists in one's capacity to link his will with the purpose of others, to lead by reason and a gift of cooperation.”

A bridge defender makes opening leads that hopefully have been chosen for a good reason, and with the cooperation of partner will lead to the demise of the contract.

Look at today's West hand. What should he lead against four hearts after the given auction?

You should discuss the start to this bidding sequence with your partner. South, since he will force to game, bids his longest suit first. North rebids two diamonds, which most experts treat as guaranteeing only five diamonds. If North rebids in a different suit, it indicates at most four diamonds. (For example, he rebids two hearts with a 4=4=4=1 hand.) Then, when South shows his four-card heart suit, North raises, promising four-card support.

In today's deal, West should analyze his alternatives like this: a club is crazy, the diamond queen inadvisable and a trump potentially suicidal. That leaves spades, and West should select the two because when you lead a low card from a three-card or longer unbid suit, it should contain at least one honor. With no honor, lead an unnecessarily high card. Remember the acronym BoSToN: Bottom of Something, Top of Nothing.

Since the low spade guarantees an honor in the suit, East confidently puts in his jack. This lets the defenders collect three spades and one heart.

Note that on any other lead declarer can cruise home with two overtricks.