 A Q 6
 9 4
 K Q 9 3
 J 10 4 3 |
||
| 10 7 4
Q 6 5
10 8 6 4 2
8 6 |
9 5 3 2
A 10 8 3 2
J
A7 2 |
|
| K J 8
K J 7
A 7 5
K Q 9 5 |
| West | North | East | South |
| 1NT | |||
| Pass | 3NT | Pass | Pass |
| Pass |
5
The toughest opening lead is the blind lead against a no-trump contract. In today’s hand West had no real information. North had raised South’s opening no-trump right to game without use of Stayman to check for a major suit fit. West was also looking at one queen and a bunch of spot cards.
Most Wests would still open their fourth-best diamond, but West did some high-powered thinking and plunked down his five of hearts. Let’s tune in on West’s thoughts. He said to himself,
‘My partner is marked with some high cards. Say eight to 12 high-card points. If his suit is hearts, my queen will help him. Even if he can help my diamonds, it is most unlikely that I can ever get in to run the suit.”
South didn’t like that heart lead and liked it even less when East produced the ace and returned the three. If South had been looking at all the cards he could have played his king, but South could only see his hand and dummy. He finessed his jack, West took his queen and cleared the suit. South entered dummy with the queen of spades and led the jack of clubs. East knew enough to take a sure profit. He rose with his ace and took the last two hearts for plus 100.
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