Bridge Tips - Play of the Cards, No. 3 - A Promising Queen?

Question

Your opponents are in a contract of 4♥ and your partner leads the A♦ or K♦, it doesn't matter which. What card do you play with the following hands?
  1. Qx
  2. QJ
  3. QJx
  4. QJxx

Answers

If partner leads an Ace or King, then you should always drop the Queen if you hold the Jack. This has two benefits: -
  1. It stops partner crashing your Jack under his second top honour.
  2. It allows partner to get into your hand, either by your ruffing if the Queen is singleton, or his underleading his honour to your Jack. This can be very useful if he wants you to get in to lead through declarer's strength.
So the answers to the quiz are: -

1.
Small. If partner continues with the second top honour, your Queen will drop and he will recognise your distribution.

2.
Queen. Partner can now lead low and avoid crashing your Jack.

3. & 4.
Queen. Partner knows you are singleton, or have the Jack and can proceed accordingly. He may want to get into your hand with your Jack so that you can lead through declarer's strength such as a tenace.