BRIDGE TIPS: Dealer: East. Vulnerable: Both

Back to the declarer. Say declarer has the KJ(x) of clubs. Which club will be play when you lead low? If you have won the first spade with the queen and then cashed the ace, declarer will assume you have 9 points in spades, and without the A or the QJ, the most you could have would be the Q and 11 HCP. He might well decide to play you for the A and play the king. Down one. Had partner supported spades, declarer might well play West for the A, because after all he does need something for the raise.

As an aside, had you won the first two tricks with the king and ace of spades, partner would still know you had the queen (5 card majors) but declarer might well play West for the Q. If so, declarer is very likely to conclude that if West had the Q and the A as well, he probably would have raised to 2. But West didn’t raise. Ergo, West does not have the A. If declarer thinks along these lines, he will play you, not partner, for the A and rise with the king. Curtains for the declarer.

Notice the lead of the 3 from the 963. Why not the nine? The reason is this:

When holding three (occasionally four) small in partner’s suit that you have NOT supported, lead low to deny a doubleton.
If you HAVE supported, lead high to deny an honor. Partner already knows you do not have a doubleton.
The lead of a low card in a supported suit promises an honor.

Dlr: East Vul: Both
Scoring: IMPs

North  J 7 4  K J 6 2  A K Q 10  8 7
West  9 6 3  8 5  7 6 5 3  A 6 5 4	East  A K Q 8 5  3  8 4 2  Q 9 3 2
South  10 2  A Q 10 9 7 4  J 9  K J 10

East	South	West	North
1	2	Pass	4
All Pass