05.03.13 Board 3

Should you make a passive or an attacking opening lead?
Often a passive lead is better in pairs scoring, because an attacking lead could give away a vital overtrick - not so important in teams where your priority is to defeat the contract. But there are exceptions.

NV North ♠ 5 3 ♥ K J 8 6 ♦ 9 7 5 ♣ K 7 3 2
V West ♠ K Q J 10 9 7 ♥ 9 7 2 ♦ Q J ♣ Q 10	Board3	V East ♠ A 8 4 ♥ A 10 4 ♦ K 8 4 3 2 ♣ J 8
	D NV South ♠ 6 2 ♥ Q 5 3 ♦ A 10 6 ♣ A 9 6 5 4

On this board, South dealt and N-S passed throughout. The bidding was 1S-2D-2S-4S.
North can tell that the diamonds are likely to break, and the bidding suggests that West may have losers to discard on the long diamonds.
So it is important to cash your winners before declarer can establish his suit.
The North players who found a heart lead (or cashed their club winners first) were rewarded; and those who made a "safe" lead of a diamond or a trump were punished.