Quiz 8L31   Main

Who’s On Lead? Yes!

by Richard Pavlicek

No, I need to know his name. Who!

The player on lead. What is his name? No, What is declarer. Oh, never mind! This time instead of Who it will be you on lead against these 10 contracts from major events.

Choose your lead from the two options offered, then compare your choice with the two experts who faced the 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 win! If you end up minus, Who wins.

Problem 1

IMPs	N-S Vul		West Pass	NORTH Pass Pass	East Pass Pass	South 1 NT
10 9 7 2 A J 9 3 9 6 A 5 2

Your lead?  10  3   

1998 Spingold Final

Nickell vs Baze	6 4 3 8 7 4 Q 10 8 7 Q 8 6
10 9 7 2 A J 9 3 9 6 A 5 2		K Q J 8 5 2 K J 5 2 10 9 7
1 NT South	A 5 K Q 10 6 A 4 3 K J 4 3

Paul Soloway led the 2. Down 1 +100.
Michael Whitman led the 3. Made 1 -90.

Note: Choices for this quiz assume standard leads, so the 10 was substituted for Soloway’s 2. In theory it’s a close call, but my tests in Leading Authority show the 10 superior, not that it matters here.

Problem 2

IMPs	E-W Vul		West Pass Pass	North 1 Pass	EAST Pass Pass Pass	South 1 2
J 10 9 3 A 8 K J 5 8 7 6 2

Your lead?  J  2   

1999 Bermuda Bowl Semifinal

Norway vs Brazil	K Q 6 4 2 10 6 4 Q 4 Q 9 3
J 10 9 3 A 8 K J 5 8 7 6 2		8 7 5 J 9 3 2 8 3 2 A K 5
2 South	A K Q 7 5 A 10 9 7 6 J 10 4

Tor Helness led the 6. Down 1 +50.
Ricardo Janz led the J. Made 3 -110.

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Top   Who’s On Lead? Yes!

Problem 3

IMPs	N-S Vul		West 1 Pass	North Dbl Pass	East Pass Pass	SOUTH Pass 1
10 9 A 9 7 6 3 A 4 3 K Q 5

Your lead?  10  K   

2000 Olympiad Playoff

USA vs England	K Q 5 2 K 10 2 K Q 5 J 8 7
10 9 A 9 7 6 3 A 4 3 K Q 5		8 7 4 8 J 10 9 8 6 A 9 4 2
1 South	A J 6 3 Q J 5 4 7 2 10 6 3

Howard Weinstein led the K. Down 1 +100.
Gunnar Hallberg led the 10. Made 3 -140.

Problem 4

IMPs	None Vul		WEST Pass Pass Pass	North 1 3 Pass	East Pass Pass Pass	South 1 3 NT
Q 9 8 3 A K 9 4 9 4 Q 7 3

Your lead?  3  K   

2000 Olympiad Semifinal

Poland vs USA	A 2 6 A K J 10 8 6 3 10 8 2
Q 9 8 3 A K 9 4 9 4 Q 7 3		J 7 6 4 J 5 3 5 A K 9 5 4
3 NT South	K 10 5 Q 10 8 7 2 Q 7 2 J 6

Adam Zmudzinski led the A. Down 3 +150.
Howard Weinstein led the 3. Made 3 -400.

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Top   Who’s On Lead? Yes!

Problem 5

IMPs	E-W Vul		West Pass Pass	North 1 Pass	East Pass Pass	SOUTH 1 2
Q 5 4 K 8 5 A Q 2 J 8 7 6

Your lead?  4  6   

2000 Olympiad Qualifying

Iceland vs China	A K 9 8 2 J 10 6 9 4 9 5 2
Q 5 4 K 8 5 A Q 2 J 8 7 6		J 10 7 6 3 A 9 7 7 6 K Q 4
2 South	— Q 4 3 2 K J 10 8 5 3 A 10 3

Adalsteinn Jorgensen led the 7. Down 1 +50.
Weimin Wang led the Q. Made 3 -110.

Problem 6

IMPs	None Vul		West Pass	North Pass	East Pass	SOUTH 5
9 6 2 10 5 4 3 Q 10 5 A Q 3

Your lead?  5  A   

2001 Spingold Round of 16

Schwartz vs Brachman	K 5 4 A K Q J 2 A K 7 6 4 —
9 6 2 10 5 4 3 Q 10 5 A Q 3		A Q 10 8 3 8 7 6 J 8 3 2 4
5 South	J 7 9 9 K J 10 9 8 7 6 5 2

Zia Mahmood led the A. Down 2 +100.
Eric Greco led the 5. Made 5 -400.

Bravo Zia! With no idea what to lead, get a free look at dummy first.

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Top   Who’s On Lead? Yes!

Problem 7

IMPs	E-W Vul		West Pass	North Pass	EAST Pass Pass	South 1 NT
10 7 3 J 9 8 3 A K 9 4 A 8

Your lead?  3  K   

2002 USBC Final

Schwartz vs Nickell	Q 8 5 A Q 6 4 7 2 9 7 6 5
10 7 3 J 9 8 3 A K 9 4 A 8		K 9 4 10 2 10 8 6 3 K Q 3 2
1 NT South	A J 6 2 K 7 5 Q J 5 J 10 4

David Berkowitz led the 3. Down 1 +50.
Richard Freeman led the A. Made 1 -90.

Problem 8

IMPs	E-W Vul		West Pass Pass Pass	North 1 2	East Pass Pass	SOUTH 1 2 Pass
A 9 4 2 Q 2 J 10 6 5 Q 10 3

Your lead?  Q  5   

2003 Bermuda Bowl Final

Italy vs USA1	K J 7 5 A 8 6 5 4 7 3 2 4
A 9 4 2 Q 2 J 10 6 5 Q 10 3		10 3 K J 10 7 3 4 A J 7 6 5
2 South	Q 8 6 9 A K Q 9 8 K 9 8 2

Alfredo Versace led the Q. Made 3 -110.
Nick Nickell led the 5. Made 6 -170.

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Top   Who’s On Lead? Yes!

Problem 9

IMPs	Both Vul		West Pass Pass	North 3 NT	East Pass	SOUTH 1 NT Pass
A 9 3 Q 7 Q 9 7 2 9 8 5 4

Your lead?  3  4   

2003 Bermuda Bowl Quarterfinal

Bulgaria vs Norway	10 4 2 J 9 K J 10 8 6 A 6 2
A 9 3 Q 7 Q 9 7 2 9 8 5 4		J 8 6 10 8 6 5 2 4 K Q J 3
3 NT South	K Q 7 5 A K 4 3 A 5 3 10 7

Kalin Karaivanov led the 4. Made 3 -600.
Glenn Groetheim led the 3. Made 5 -660.

Problem 10

IMPs	E-W Vul		WEST Pass Pass	North Pass Pass	East Pass Pass	South 1 NT
A K 8 3 J 3 9 8 5 3 Q 10 6

Your lead?  K  3   

2005 USBC Semifinal

Schwartz vs Ekeblad	9 4 K 9 6 4 Q 7 4 J 8 7 5
A K 8 3 J 3 9 8 5 3 Q 10 6		10 7 6 2 A 10 8 K J 6 2 9 4
1 NT South	Q J 5 Q 7 5 2 A 10 A K 3 2

David Berkowitz led the 8. Down 2 +100.
Ron Rubin led the A. Made 1 -90.

Results and IMP scores are determined from actual play, so the winning lead is not necessarily correct in theory nor proves anything. This is how it happened in a major event! Therefore, luck is a big factor in your score.

Well, did you end up on the plus side? If so, you win! If not, Who wins! If you’re clueless and say, “I don’t know,” Third place!

Quiz 8L31   Main

Top   Who’s On Lead? Yes!

Credits to Bud Abbott, Lou Costello and “Who’s On First?”
© 2009 Richard Pavlicek