	NORTH AQ52 8543 AQ7 J5
T863 J9 43 87432		K9 KQT76 T86 AQ9
	J74 A2 KJ952 KT6

Dealer: South Vul: NS MP Scoring

West

Pass
Pass
Pass

North

1
3N

East

Pass
Pass

South
1
1N
Pass

Deceptive Lead

West decided to lead 4th best club from the total of 1 HCPs, the

3.
East could see 13 HCP in dummy, held 14 HCP and could have assumed South to have at least 11 HCP for the opening bid and 1N rebid.
That meant that South had the

K: 40 total HCP - 13 - 14 - 11 = 2 at most for West.
The

3 lead tended to show either 4 or 5 clubs.
South then had at least 3 clubs: 13total - dummy2 - East3 - WestAtMost5 = SouthAtLeast3

South could have won the opening lead and deducing that West could not have an entry, could have switched to a heart.
East might also have considered doubling the 3N contract for a heart lead, dummy's first bid suit.
West might have considered a heart lead anyway, given the lack of entries for the meagre clubs.

East inserted the

Q at trick one hoping West's clubs included the

T.
In that case, East when next in would win the

A and exit the

9 to West's established clubs.
An astute declarer without the

T would have to allow the

Q to win.

How lousy a holding in a suit can one have for a 4th best lead?
A 4th best club lead against 3N promises at least the

T? The

J?

With such a standard, West might have led the

8, top of nothing, to clarify.
East would then have been more likely to at trick one win the

A and find a heart switch.