Thinking Bridge

Source: Philadelphia NABC Bulletins

Dealer: South Vul: None 

Opening lead: ♠J. 

Bidding commentary: It pays to open 2NT with a balanced 20-21 count, five-card major notwithstanding. The opening lead should come up to, not through, the strong hand. If South opens 1♥, hears a 1NT response (likely) and raises correctly to 3NT, the strong hand will be the dummy. Seeing the strong hand on the table makes for much more accurate defense. 

Lead commentary: At a trump contract, a suit headed by two adjacent honors is considered enough of a sequence to justify leading the top honor. At notrump, three adjacent honors (J-10- 9), or the third card missing by one (J-10-8) is considered a sequence and the top honor is led. When the third card is missing by more than one place (J-10-7-3), lead fourth best. 

Further lead commentary: When partner leads a jack against a suit contract, third hand assumes a suit headed by the J-10, or shortness if the 10 is visible. It also might be from the K-J- 10-(x) (playing standard leads). Rarely, if ever, from a suit headed by the A-J-10-(x). One seldom underleads aces at suit contracts to begin with and never smack into the strong hand. Please. 

Play commentary: South, missing the ♥Q, is looking at a vulnerable club holding if East gets in. On the bright side, South is looking at a fourth diamond upon which a club can be discarded. To avoid an accident (East getting in prematurely), South crosses to the ♥K and then leads a heart to the jack (finessing through the danger hand). Even if West wins the queen, the ♣K is safe from attack. As it happens, the finesse works and 11 tricks are taken. “Eight ever, nine never” does not apply when there is a danger hand. Keeping the danger hand off lead takes precedence.