Here's a lead problem from Round 5 Wednesday evening. Your hand as West:

ª K J 3 © 9 6 4 ¨ Q 10 7 5 §A 9 4

Your lead? Poor Thibaut! In the match against Denmark, Thibaut de Tessieres of CAC, tried to find the most passive lead and in fact found the worst one: a low heart.

This was the whole hand:

Board 7. Dealer South. Game All ª — © A K J 8 ¨ A K 9 4 § Q J 7 6 2 ª K J 3 ª 7 6 5 2 © 9 6 4 © Q 10 ¨ Q 10 7 5 ¨ J 8 6 3 § A 9 4 § 8 5 3 ª A Q 10 9 8 4 © 7 5 3 2 ¨ 2 § K 10

After the heart lead it took declarer, Kasper Konow, only a few seconds to decide how to handle the trump suit. 12 tricks. Against Chinese Taipei, Alan Epley and Lisa Kow from USA-I were the only other pair to reach 6©:

Like Kasper, Alan received a heart lead, but unfortunately not until trick 2. West cashed the §A before playing a low heart, and Alan didn't have the same clue as Kasper. One down.

Two more pairs bid slam, but . . . . In the match between Norway and USA-2 Brogeland and Saur ended up in 6ª, and against Hong Kong the Egyptians Shams and Hisham tried 6NT -- both in vain.