Quiz 8L41   Main


Witch Lead To Make!


  by Richard Pavlicek

Witchever your viewing, or wayward pursuing…
The cauldron is brewing, and you may be stewing!

On each of these 10 deals you will be the Wicked Witch of the West. Decide witch card you would lead, then enter its suit and rank. For example, if you would lead the C Q, type CQ.

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. Finish plus after 10 boards, and it’s lucky you, as those who go minus are invited for stew!

Problem 1

IMPsBoth VulWest

Pass		North

Pass		EAST
Pass
Pass		South
1 NT

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

Your lead against 1 NT        


In real life…

2006 USBC Semifinal, Ekeblad vs Meltzer

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

Brad Moss led the D 9. Down 1, +100.
Bart Bramley led the S A. Made 1, -90.

Quiz 8L41   QuitTop   Witch Lead To Make!

Problem 2

IMPsN-S VulWest

Pass		NORTH
Pass
Pass		East
Pass
Pass		South
2 NT

S K 6 4 3
H J 6 3
D Q 9 3 2
C J 7		Table

Your lead against 2 NT        


In real life…

2006 USBC Quarterfinal, Cayne vs Jacobs

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

Michael Seamon led the D 2. Down 1, +100.
Zia Mahmood led the S 3. Made 2, -120.

Quiz 8L41   QuitTop   Witch Lead To Make!

Problem 3

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

S J 8 7 2
H K 10 9 3
D J 8 2
C Q J		Table

Your lead against 3 NT        


In real life…

2006 Spingold Round of 64, Schwartz vs Apfel

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

Jim Krekorian led the H 9. Down 3, +300.
Thomas Smith led the H 3. Made 3, -620.

Quiz 8L41   QuitTop   Witch Lead To Make!

Problem 4

IMPsE-W VulWest

Pass
Pass
Pass		North

2 D
3 NT		EAST
Pass
Pass
Pass		South
1 S
2 NT
Pass

S K Q J 6 4
H A 3
D 7 3 2
C 7 3 2		Table

Your lead against 3 NT        


In real life…

2007 USBC Semifinal, Deutsch vs Nickell

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

Grant Baze led the C 7. Down 1, +50.
Paul Soloway led the S 4. Made 3, -400.

Quiz 8L41   QuitTop   Witch Lead To Make!

Problem 5

IMPsN-S VulWest

Pass
Pass
Pass		North

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

S Q 9 7 2
H K 10 5 3
D J 10 9 3
C K		Table

Your lead against 3 NT        


In real life…

2007 USBC Quarterfinal, Meltzer vs Deutsch

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

Roger Bates led the D 10. Down 2, +200.
Gary Cohler led the S 2. Made 3, -600.

Quiz 8L41   QuitTop   Witch Lead To Make!

Problem 6

IMPsE-W VulWest

Pass
Pass		North

1 S
Pass		East

Dbl
Pass		SOUTH
1 D
2 D

S J 7 2
H Q 4
D A 10 7 6 4
C 7 4 3		Table

Your lead against 2 D        


In real life…

2007 Spingold Semifinal, Ao vs Gromov

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

Jiang Gu led the C3. Down 1, +50.
Andrey Gromov led the H Q. Made 2, -90.

Quiz 8L41   QuitTop   Witch Lead To Make!

Problem 7

IMPsE-W VulWest

Pass
Pass
Pass		North

1 H
4 S		East

Pass
Pass		SOUTH
1 C
1 S
Pass

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

Your lead against 4 S        


In real life…

2008 Vanderbilt Semifinal, Poland vs Meltzer

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

Boguslaw Gierulski led the D 9. Down 1, +50.
Rose Meltzer led the C 5. Made 4, -420.

Quiz 8L41   QuitTop   Witch Lead To Make!

Problem 8

IMPsE-W VulWEST
Pass
Pass
Pass
Pass		North
1 H
2 H
3 NT		East
Pass
Pass
Pass		South
2 C
2 NT
Pass

S 8 7 6 3
H Q 7 3 2
D 9 7 6 4
C Q		Table

Your lead against 3 NT        


In real life…

2009 USBC Semifinal, Nickell vs Welland

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

Jeff Meckstroth led the D 7. Down 1, +50.
Howard Weinstein led the S 7. Made 4, +430.

Quiz 8L41   QuitTop   Witch Lead To Make!

Problem 9

IMPsNone VulWest

Pass
Pass		North

1 S
Pass		EAST
Pass
Pass
Pass		South
1 H
2 C

S K 7 3
H Q 10 8 6 2
D A 6
C K 10 7		Table

Your lead against 2 C        


In real life…

2009 USBC Quarterfinal, Nickell vs Jacobs

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

Zia Mahmood led the S 3. Down 4, +200.
Steve Weinstein led the C 7. Down 3, +150.

Quiz 8L41   QuitTop   Witch Lead To Make!

Problem 10

IMPsNone VulWest

Pass		NORTH
Pass
Pass		East
Pass
Pass		South
1 NT

S Q 4
H K 7 2
D K Q 9 7 2
C Q 6 3		Table

Your lead against 1 NT        


In real life…

2009 USBC Round of 16-B, Jacobs vs Cohler

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

Bobby Levin led the D Q. Down 2, +100.
Jim Mahaffey led the D 7. 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 the way it happened! Scoring gives full credit (plus IMPs) to any lead that would have worked as well as the winning lead.

Congratulations! You made it to the end. Only question is whether you’re through, or sticking around for a pot of stew. Hmm… Let me add those scores again.

Quiz 8L41   MainTop   Witch Lead To Make!

© 2012 Richard Pavlicek