Here is an easy double dummy problem. Easy double dummy but it proved far from easy when played at X-Clubs
Board 25 from Tuesday 5/12/23
Dealer N EW Vul
The bidding was pretty much universal. North opened a weak 1NT and South jumped to 3NT. There was no other real option. The one big advantage of the weak 1NT opening is that it cuts out cheap bidding space and makes the defence more difficult in a case like this when nothing is known about declarer’s or dummy’s hand other than that declarer has a balanced 12-14 count and dummy will have sufficient values to raise to 3NT without looking for a major suit.
A total of 30 Norths played this hand in 3NT across the whole of X-Clubs and not one was defeated, though many were at least held to nine tricks. 18 Easts led the S2 and 12 the less successful D2. For a long time now I have advocated that a good pair of defenders should have in their opening leads repertoire the lead of an ace as, among a few possibilities, showing specifically AQx. There are very good reasons for this, the main one being that it is helpful if partner knows what you hold in the suit you have led, and from then on, can continue whichever way is best. The lead of the ace from AQx can cost only in the one case where declarer has the king and there is no other way to make the contract, be it 1NT, 2NT or 3NT. Another very good reason to lead an ace is to see dummy and get a signal from partner and then know better how to continue. This East hand has AQxx but to all intents and purposes it is no different from AQx and there is every reason to lead the ace so that the next step can be decided on once dummy appears. Deep Finesse of course leads the ace, follows with the queen and then the SEVEN and EW take the first five tricks. The orthodox leader will lead the two of spades and the suit will be blocked, but at least they will limit declarer to nine tricks. A blockage like this in the spade suit can of course not be envisaged, since it might happen once in ten years, but the lead of the ace rather than a low one makes a great deal of sense IF partner knows what your holding is. It can surely do no harm if partner thinks you have specifically AQx. Sadly, I have yet to convince anyone other than my regular partners, but that is only to our advantage.
T9
AKJT
J975
AJ5