Passive leading a trump
                    
	Ace from ace-king (best of all), singleton, king from king-queen; these are the good opening leads. What happens when you don’t have such a lead?
	
		Best now is to eliminate the really bad leads, then see what you have left. Let’s look at the approximate ratings - without bidding inferences - of the medium and poor leads:
	
		
			
				| 
					Holding | 
				
					Rating | 
			
			
				| 
					83 | 
				
					5 | 
			
			
				| 
					Trump | 
				
					4 | 
			
			
				| 
					852 | 
				
					4 | 
			
			
				| 
					Q952 | 
				
					4 | 
			
			
				| 
					J4 | 
				
					3 | 
			
			
				| 
					K752 | 
				
					2 | 
			
			
				| 
					A1074 | 
				
					0 | 
			
		
	
	
		West had a choice of unsavoury options on this deal. What would you choose?
	
	
		
			
				
					South Deals 
					None Vul | 
				
					
						
							
								| 
									♠ | 
								
									Q 9 7 2 | 
							 
							
								| 
									♥ | 
								
									8 5 2 | 
							 
							
								| 
									♦ | 
								
									Q 9 2 | 
							 
							
								| 
									♣ | 
								
									K 8 4 | 
							 
						
					 
				 | 
			
			
				
					
						
							
								
									
										
											
												| 
													♠ | 
												
													8 6 3 | 
											 
											
												| 
													♥ | 
												
													K J 4 | 
											 
											
												| 
													♦ | 
												
													A J 7 5 | 
											 
											
												| 
													♣ | 
												
													A 3 2 | 
											 
										
									 
								 | 
								
									  | 
							 
						
					 
				 | 
				
					
				 | 
				
					
						
							
								| 
									  | 
								
									
										
											
												| 
													♠ | 
												
													5 | 
											 
											
												| 
													♥ | 
												
													10 7 6 3 | 
											 
											
												| 
													♦ | 
												
													10 8 4 3 | 
											 
											
												| 
													♣ | 
												
													J 10 6 5 | 
											 
										
									 
								 | 
							 
						
					 
				 | 
			
			
				| 
					  | 
				
					
						
							
								| 
									♠ | 
								
									A K J 10 4 | 
							 
							
								| 
									♥ | 
								
									A Q 9 | 
							 
							
								| 
									♦ | 
								
									K 6 | 
							 
							
								| 
									♣ | 
								
									Q 9 7 | 
							 
						
					 
				 | 
			
		
	
	
	
		
			
		
		
			
				| 
					East | 
				
					South | 
				
					West | 
				
					North | 
			
			
				| 
					  | 
				
					1 ♠ | 
				
					Pass1 | 
				
					2 ♠ | 
			
			
				| 
					Pass | 
				
					4 ♠ | 
				
					All pass | 
				
					  | 
			
		
	
	
 
	 
	What happened
	West led a heart. Admittedly this was (slightly) wiser than a minor-suit, the dreaded lead away from an ace. But declarer was nonetheless now able to make his game. Beating East’s ♥ 10 with ♥ Q, he drew trumps in three rounds, then led ♥ A and ♥ 9. West won perforce, but (fatally) had to lead a minor (he chose a club). Declarer ran his ♣ 2 to ♣ Q, and led towards ♣ K. He just lost ♣ A and ♦ A. 10 tricks and game made.
	What should have happened
	The only lead to defeat the game is a passive trump. By giving nothing away, declarer cannot wring a tenth trick. Say he wins the trump and leads ♦ K. West wins ♦ A and leads a second trump. Declarer wins, plays ♦ Q, and trumps ♦ 9, to eliminate the suit, then crosses to dummy with a third trump, in order to lead to ♥ 9. Declarer has played the deal well, and West is endplayed. But because West has avoided giving away a trick on opening lead, the endplay gives declarer a ninth trick not a tenth trick. Say West leads a club. Declarer wins ♣ Q
	and leads towards ♣ K, but West grabs ♣ A, exits safely with a third club to ♣ K, and waits patiently to score ♥ K. Down one.
	If you remember one thing...
	Consider a passive lead such as a trump, when all other options are worse.