Choose your lead

LOOK only at today’s West cards and auction. You’re playing in the Life Master Pairs at the Summer NABC. (Alas, this event has lost most of its prestige; achieving Life Master rank has become too easy.) When North-South get to 3NT after North’s transfer bid, what is your opening lead?

As reported by Barry Rigal in the NABC Daily Bulletin, West had no good lead. Since he had 14 points, presumably leaving East with none, West chose a passive diamond.

South’s 2NT had been a shameless bluff. When he raced off eight diamonds, West clung to his spades. Ignoring the cold top available for making 3NT, South finessed in spades (!) and made an overtrick.

ENTRIES

West might have led a spade, hoping to build spade tricks while he had two entries; that wouldn’t have improved his score.

It’s hard to tell that an opponent is “operating,” but maybe West might have been suspicious. If he happens to lead an ace to see dummy, East-West may be plus 300. Still, they could make four hearts for a better score.

DAILY QUESTION: You hold: ♠K J 10 9 ♥A Q 5 2 ♦ 98 ♣ A 4 2. Your partner opens one spade, and you bid 2NT, a conventional forcing raise. He bids three clubs. What do you say?

ANSWER: In these methods, partner’s three clubs shows a singleton club. The idea is to let you judge whether you have fitting cards. Here, your ace of clubs is perfect. (The K-Q would be wasted.) Cuebid four clubs. If you hear four diamonds from partner next, cue-bid four hearts.