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TALES OF AKARANA

LEADING AGAINST SLAMS

There are those who think leading against slams is a pretty random occupation. Actually, “leading” against any contract is pretty random. By the time they have key carded or cue-bid their way to slam, you may have a little more idea of what is right or wrong…or shall we ruefully say “wrong or less wrong”.

Most were on lead to 6NT in our first exhibit. Shutting your eyes and asking a 2 year old to select a card would have had as much chance of success as a more measured approach… but one pair strayed one level higher. With spades bid on one’s left and hearts and possibly clubs on the right, South had a rather unsensational choice from: Spade-small J5  Heart-small J9532 Diamond-small875 Club-small832. The actual choice was the Diamond-small7 which left declarer looking at:

                                Dummy                                                    Declarer

                                Spade-small A764                                                 Spade-smallKQ2

                                Heart-small AQT                                                  Heart-small K764

                                Diamond-smallAJT                                                    Diamond-small  Q6      

                                Club-smallKQ9                                                   Club-small AJ65

No doubt, East would have wished they were a level lower. Assuming South has not led away from the king (a brilliant lead if they have), there was the hope that both majors would break, a 36% chance in spades, slightly better in hearts as the jack might be doubleton. “Crime” (overbidding) did not pay as spades did not behave while that Heart-smallJ was not being exposed in a hurry! East could ruefully reflect that rising with Diamond-smallA. coming to hand to take the heart finesse and running winners would have produced 13 tricks with North squeezed in spades and diamonds:

Board 18
East Deals
N-S Vul
10 9 8 3
8
K 9 4 3 2
8 3 2
A 7 6 4
A Q 10
A J 10
K Q 9
 
N
W   E
S
 
K Q 2
K 7 6 4
Q 6
A J 6 5
 
J 5
J 9 5 3 2
8 7 5
10 7 4

 

A little used bid would have saved East their imp loss. When East opens or rebids 1NT to show 15-16 or 15-17, West can jump to 5NT, forcing to 6NT if East were minimum but asking East to bid the grand if maximum. An easy decision for East this time.

The stakes were a little higher for West, on lead to 6NT at one table on this next board after this unrevealing auction:

                                                North                               South

                                                1Diamond-small                                   1Spade-small

                                                2Diamond-small                                    4NT

                                                5Heart-small (2 key cards, no Diamond-smallQ) 6NT

West held: Spade-small QJ3  Heart-small T832  Diamond-smallJ82 Club-small QT9.

Any thoughts?

There is the over-aggressive club, the aggressive spade (both top honours will be on your right, (“n’est pas?”), the possibly safe but how can you bring you bring yourself to take the risk diamond or the conservative heart. 6NT.. a touch of conservatism seems a good idea. You would this time have survived the diamond lead but aggression would have produced a nasty defensive result:

Board 4
West Deals
Both Vul
A 10 5
A 5
10 9 7 5 3
K 6 2
Q J 3
10 8 3 2
J 8 2
Q 10 9
 
N
W   E
S
 
8 6 2
Q J 6 4
Q 6 4
8 4 3
 
K 9 7 4
K 9 7
A K
A J 7 5

 

While South may have been a little aggressive, they were entitled from the bidding to a little stronger or longer (or both!) diamond suit than North displayed. Sometimes, the boringly passive recommended lead is the winner. I must remember that next time the opponents come home in 6NT off AK of a suit!

6Diamond-small met the same negative fate as 6NT with only Deal Master Pro finding the cold 6Spade-smallwhich only required spades and diamonds to break 3-3…about 18%.

On then to the third lead which had the potential of being the most crucial. North was on lead with another very “inspiring” collection:

Spade-small87

Heart-small10983

Diamond-smallJT6 

Club-smallAJ4

                West                     North                    East                        South

                                                                                                                2Heart-small (weak 2)

                x                              3Heart-small                          x 1                                     4Heart-small

                4NT                        Pass                       5Heart-small2                         Pass

                6Spade-small                         All Pass

1 good spade raise

2 2 key cards, no Spade-smallQ

The above may have been a typical auction. Note South’s 4Heart-small bid showing extra shape as North’s bid was not invitational. When you see the South hand, you might argue they could have steered their partner to the right lead by doubling the final contract. In a vacuum, the diamond lead seems a very long shot, though we trust you would have found that switch after you led Club-smallA and received a very discouraging card from partner!

Board 21
North Deals
N-S Vul
8 7
10 9 8 3
J 10 6 3
A J 4
A K Q J 9
J
K 8 7 2
K 6 3
 
N
W   E
S
 
10 5 4 2
A 2
A Q 9 5 4
8 5
 
6 3
K Q 7 6 5 4
Q 10 9 7 2

 

 

As you can see, a diamond lead not only defeats 6Spade-smallbut also 4Spade-small. No East- West pair found 6Diamond-smallwith West as declarer. Of course, in either slam, diamonds must be played correctly, leading the king from the West hand first as if South has all four diamonds, nothing can be done to avoid a trick in that suit. Two pairs slithered home in 6Spade-small after the Club-smallA lead but only one pair beat the contract after that lead. Two more declarers found there was no happy ending when they had to play clubs themselves after receiving heart leads.

The third deal demonstrated there are times to be patient when defending a slam though I prefer to be aggressive if possible against 6 of a suit, more defensive against 6NT. Leading an ace is more of a Pairs lead though if South’s 4Heart-smallcall did show extreme shape, then iClub-smallA had more merit. While the passive heart worked fine this time against 6Spade-small, had declarer or dummy held the Club-smallQ, instead of one the small club pips, only a minor lead would have been successful.

So, next time you are on lead to a slam with very little, there may just be a clue in the bidding to help you. The aggressive Club-smallA in the last example was fine as long as the correct switch was found. Only a foolish person with money to squander would say a certain style of lead was an out and out winner. Not I !

Richard Solomon

 

 

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