[sceptic]

I watched this played today, I was wondering on trx 4 if you are leading trumps given missing cards , is leading Q clubs best practice to smother the Jack ?

I make no claims I would see this at the table, I was kibbing alll 4 hands

Scoring: IMP

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West North East South

- - - 1♣
Pass 1♥ 1♠ 2♣
2♠ Pass Pass 3♣
Pass Pass Pass

S5 S6 SQ S7
S2 SJ SK SA
C8 C9 CK C6
C2 CJ D3 C7
ST S9 S4 C3
C4 H7 H4 CA
S8 C5 D4 H6
HA H9 H8 H3
CQ HT D6 S3
H2 HQ HK H5

[ArtK78]

It is a guess.

However, there are two things.

For one thing, this is not a smother play. A smother play is a form of endplay in a trump contract which forces an opponent to lead a non-trump card that none of the other players have, in order to capture a protected trump honor. For example, if spades are trump and East is on lead at trick 12:

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The other thing is that the correct play in the club suit, all other things being equal, is a finesse of the 10 on the first round. This would have failed on the actual hand, but it is a better percentage play than K followed by Q.