A few bidding problems

Here's a few bidding and lead problems to help get you warmed up for the Charlottesville Regional:

(A) IMPs, white vs. red

♠ A ♥KT964 ♦none ♣QJT7542

RHO passes, you open 1C (or do you?), LHO passes, and partner bids 1H. RHO passes to you. What's your call?

(B) Matchpoints, red vs. white

♠ KJ862 ♥T92 ♦AJ3 ♣J7

RHO opens 1H, you pass, LHO bids a forcing 1NT, partner sticks in a 2S (!) bid, and RHO passes. What's your bid?

(C) Matchpoints, red vs. white

♠ AJ95 ♥42 ♦97 ♣AT932

There are two passes to you.

(C1) Do you bid?

After you, the auction continues 1NT (15-17) on your left, pass, 2C on your right.

(C2) Your call.

(D) Matchpoints, white vs. red

♠42 ♥AQJ73 ♦A8642 ♣3

You open 1H. LHO jumps to 2S (weak). The next two players pass. Up to you.

(E) Matchpoints, white vs. red

♠A86 ♥Q95 ♦T842 ♣984

The opponents bid uncontested (1D - 1H - 1NT [11-14] - 3NT). What's your lead?

It's your lead: Part II

Here's the full deal from yesterday's post (deal rotated for reader's convenience):

	♠ K85 ♥ 7 ♦ AT753 ♣ AKQ5
♠ A92 ♥ QT62 ♦ J64 ♣ J43

The auction had gone: (1S) P (2D) 2H; (3D) 4H (6S) [all pass]. I hoped that the opponents were 5-4 in diamonds, so I led the four of diamonds, planning to hop in with the ace of spades on the first round and triumphantly give a diamond ruff. Besides, with LHO's jump to 6S, it didn't sound like he had any hearts... so, the four of diamonds came out.

I was mildly surprised to see a heart in dummy, but had no worries-- trusty partner would give me trump suit preference! A high spade would show the ace of hearts, and a low spade would show a singleton diamond.

Declarer won in hand and led the queen of spades. I jumped with the ace, and partner played... the four! Thrilled with my chain of reasoning, I led another diamond. The whole hand, of course, was:

	♠ K85 ♥ 7 ♦ AT753 ♣ AKQ5
♠ A92 ♥ QT62 ♦ J64 ♣ J43		♠ 43 ♥ AJ9853 ♦ 92 ♣ T82
	♠ QJT76 ♥ K4 ♦ KQ8 ♣ 976

It's your lead...

You're East, non-vul against vul at matchpoints. You hold:

♠	A92
♥	QT62
♦	J64
♣	J43

West	North	East	South
	1♠	P	2♦
2♥	3♦	4♥	6♠
P	P	P

What's your lead?

Think about it, and I'll post the full hand tomorrow. Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!