Opening lead: 4
Bidding commentary:
As East, your 2jump overcall is equivalent to an opening weak two-bid. As West, you have enough to give partner a single raise. As North, you are too strong to raise to 3. You have a side-suit singleton, phenomenal trump support plus astrong side suit. Please.
Defensive commentary:
As East, you should recognize this dummy type – one with a powerful side suit plus strong trump support. Defensive tricks must be taken or established quickly. Clearly clubs is the suit to attack. The question is: which club to lead?
Eddie Kantar
When the dummy to the right has the 9–x–x–(x) and you have the Q–10–8–(x)
or the K–10–8–(x), you have the 9 surrounded with the 10-8 plus a higher unequal
honor, the ingredients for a “surrounding” play. Attack with the 10, the higher of the two surrounding cards and the only card in your hand that defeats the contract. Your lead establishes two club tricks before the A can be driven out.
Assuming South covers with the J (best), West wins and returns a club. You remain with the K 8 over dummy’s 9 7. By covering the 7 with the 8 and the 9 with the king, you drive out declarer’s ace while retaining a club winner.
When partner gets in with the A, a club return defeats the contract. If you lead the 8, declarer plays low, partner wins the queen, but declarer remains with the A–J hovering over your king. Leading the king doesn’t work either.
Declarer wins the ace, draws trumps and drives out the A, all the while retaining a club stopper. Other surrounding plays to be on the lookout for are: (1) leading the J from the A–J–9–(x) or the K–J–9–(x) when dummy to the right has the 10–x–(x); (2) leading the Q from A–Q–10–(x) when dummy to the right has the J–x–(x).
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A K 10 8
2
K Q J 9 2
9 7 3
