Quiz 8L01   Main


Leading from a Dog


  by Richard Pavlicek

Outside of a dog, bridge is a man’s best friend.
Inside of a dog, it’s too dark to play bridge.

As West on these 10 deals, you are on lead against 3 NT. Your hand may be a dog, but only a doggone fool would come unleashed. Choosing the best lead could win some tasty biscuits, I mean IMPs. Decide the card you would lead and enter its suit and rank. For example, if you would lead the C A, type CA.

Compare your choice with the two experts who faced the exact same situation in real life and led differently. Click “Score Me” at any time to see your running score. If you finish plus after 10 boards, you will win a treat! Bone appetit!

Problem 1

IMPsBoth VulWEST
Pass
Pass
Pass		North
Pass
3 NT		East
Pass
Pass		South
2 NT
Pass

S 8 6
H J 9 3 2
D Q 5 4 3
C A 10 2		Table

Your lead against 3 NT        


In real life…

1999 Spingold Final, Beatty vs Nickell

3 NT South S 7 5 4
H 10 8 6
D 10 8
C K J 8 5 4
S 8 6
H J 9 3 2
D Q 5 4 3
C A 10 2		Table S K 10 9 3
H A Q 4
D 7 6 2
C 9 6 3
West leadsS A Q J 2
H K 7 5
D A K J 9
C Q 7

Billy Eisenberg led the H 2. Down 2, +200.
Richard Freeman led the D 3. Made 3, -600.

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Problem 2

IMPsBoth VulWest

Pass
Pass		North

3 NT		EAST
Pass
Pass		South
1 NT
Pass

S 8 7 6 3
H J 5 4
D J 4 3
C Q 6 3		Table

Your lead against 3 NT        


In real life…

2003 Bermuda Bowl Qualifying, Brazil vs Bulgaria

3 NT South S Q 5 4
H Q 8
D K Q 8 6
C K J 7 2
S 8 7 6 3
H J 5 4
D J 4 3
C Q 6 3		Table S K 9 2
H K 9 6 2
D 9 7 2
C 10 8 4
West leadsS A J 10
H A 10 7 3
D A 10 5
C A 9 5

Marcelo Branco led the S 8. Made 4, -630.
Rossen Gunev led the H 5. Made 6, -690.

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Problem 3

IMPsE-W VulWEST
Pass
Pass		North
3 H
Pass		East
Pass
Pass		South
3 NT

S 9 5 3
H K
D 10 7 6 5 3
C A 10 6 5		Table

Your lead against 3 NT        


In real life…

2005 USBC Semifinal, Welland vs Robinson

3 NT South S A 8 2
H J 10 9 8 7 5 3
D J
C J 2
S 9 5 3
H K
D 10 7 6 5 3
C A 10 6 5		Table S K Q 4
H 6 2
D A Q 9 8 4
C 9 8 3
West leadsS J 10 7 6
H A Q 4
D K 2
C K Q 7 4

Zia Mahmood led the D 7. Down 4, +200.
Peter Boyd led the C 5. Made 3, -400.

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Problem 4

IMPsBoth VulWest

Pass
Pass
Pass		North

1 H
3 NT		EAST
Pass
Pass
Pass		South
1 C
2 NT
Pass

S 9 5 4
H K 4 2
D K 10 9 5
C J 9 6		Table

Your lead against 3 NT        


In real life…

2005 Bermuda Bowl Qualifying, England vs Japan

3 NT South S J 10 6
H Q 7 6 5
D 7 4 2
C A 10 8
S 9 5 4
H K 4 2
D K 10 9 5
C J 9 6		Table S Q 8 2
H J 9 3
D Q J 8 3
C Q 5 2
West leadsS A K 7 3
H A 10 8
D A 6
C K 7 4 3

Justin Hackett led the D 10. Down 1, +100.
Kenji Miyakuni led the S 4. Made 4, -630.

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Problem 5

IMPsN-S VulWEST
3 C
Pass		North
Pass
Pass		East
Pass
Pass		South
3 NT

S K 9 8
H 5 2
D 9 5
C K J 10 6 5 4		Table

Your lead against 3 NT        


In real life…

2006 USBC Round of 32, Fout vs Onstott

3 NT South S J 7 5 4
H J 8 7
D Q 8 6 2
C A 7
S K 9 8
H 5 2
D 9 5
C K J 10 6 5 4		Table S A 6 2
H Q 10 6 4 3
D 10 4 3
C 9 2
West leadsS Q 10 3
H A K 9
D A K J 7
C Q 8 3

Will Ehlers led the C 10. Down 1, +100.
Samuel Cohen led the H 5. Made 4, -630.

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Problem 6

IMPsNone VulWest

Pass
Pass		North

3 NT		East

Pass		SOUTH
1 NT
Pass

S 10 8 4 2
H J 7 6
D 9 8 5 3
C 6 3		Table

Your lead against 3 NT        


In real life…

2007 Bermuda Bowl Semifinal, Netherlands vs Norway

3 NT South S 9 7 5
H 8 4
D A J 2
C Q J 9 8 4
S 10 8 4 2
H J 7 6
D 9 8 5 3
C 6 3		Table S A Q 6 3
H A 9 5 2
D 10
C A 10 7 5
West leadsS K J
H K Q 10 3
D K Q 7 6 4
C K 2

Ton Bakkeren led the S 4. Down 1, +50.
Boye Brogeland led the C 6. Made 4, -430.

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Problem 7

IMPsN-S VulWEST
Pass
Pass
Pass
Pass		North
Pass
2 H
3 NT		East
1 D
Pass
Pass		South
1 NT
3 S
Pass

S 10 8 7 5
H J 10 9 5
D 8 7
C A 7 3		Table

Your lead against 3 NT        


In real life…

2007 Bermuda Bowl Qualifying, Argentina vs USA1

3 NT South S K J 9 4 2
H Q 4
D 9 4
C K 10 5 2
S 10 8 7 5
H J 10 9 5
D 8 7
C A 7 3		Table S 6 3
H K 8 6
D A Q 6 5 2
C 9 6 4
West leadsS A Q
H A 7 3 2
D K J 10 3
C Q J 8

Carlos Pellegrini led the H J. Down 1, +100.
Zia Mahmood led the D 8. Made 5, -660.

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Problem 8

IMPsBoth VulWest

Pass
Pass		North

3 NT		EAST
Pass
Pass		South
1 NT
Pass

S 8 5 4 3
H J 10 2
D Q 10 9 3
C K 10		Table

Your lead against 3 NT        


In real life…

2008 Spingold Round of 32, Gromov vs Ivatury

3 NT South S 10 7 2
H K 8
D A 5 4 2
C A J 8 7
S 8 5 4 3
H J 10 2
D Q 10 9 3
C K 10		Table S A 9 6
H Q 7 6 5 3
D —
C 9 6 5 4 3
West leadsS K Q J
H A 9 4
D K J 8 7 6
C Q 2

Andrey Gromov led the H J. Down 1, +100.
Bas Drijver led the D 10. Made 5, -660.

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Problem 9

IMPsNone VulWest

Pass
Pass
Pass		North

1 H
3 NT		EAST
Pass
Pass
Pass		South
1 C
1 NT
Pass

S J 10
H Q 8 2
D J 9 8 7
C J 9 8 4		Table

Your lead against 3 NT        


In real life…

2009 Vanderbilt Quarterfinal, Katz vs Pszczola vs

3 NT South S K 7 6
H A 10 9 5
D A 4 2
C Q 10 5
S J 10
H Q 8 2
D J 9 8 7
C J 9 8 4		Table S 8 5 4 3 2
H K 7 4
D K 5 3
C A 6
West leadsS A Q 9
H J 6 3
D Q 10 6
C K 7 3 2

Bobby Levin led the S J. Down 2, +100.
Gary Cohler led the D 9. Made 3, -400.

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Problem 10

IMPsNone VulWest

Pass
Pass
Pass		North

1 D
2 NT
Pass		East

1 S
Pass
Pass		SOUTH
Pass
1 NT
3 NT

S 10 7
H Q J 8 7
D 9 5 2
C 8 7 5 2		Table

Your lead against 3 NT        


In real life…

2009 USBC Playoff, Nickell vs Fleisher

3 NT South S 6 3
H K 2
D A J 10 7 4 3
C K Q J
S 10 7
H Q J 8 7
D 9 5 2
C 8 7 5 2		Table S A J 8 5 4
H A 9 6 5
D 8
C A 9 6
West leadsS K Q 9 2
H 10 4 3
D K Q 6
C 10 4 3

Jeff Meckstroth led the H J. Down 2, +100.
Marty Fleisher led the S 10. Made 4, -430.

Results and IMP scores are determined from actual play, so the winning lead is not necessarily correct in theory nor proves anything. This is the way it happened! Scoring gives full credit (plus IMPs) to any lead that would have worked as well as the winning lead.

If you finished with plus IMPs and are wondering where your “treat” is, I’m sorry — I lied. Next time you walk into your local pet store on a leash, try to look emaciated, and the owner may throw you a biscuit.

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© 2009 Richard Pavlicek
“Outside of a dog…” paraphrases a quote by Groucho Marx