Lesson 26 Defence The Opening Lead Opening Lead

Lesson 26: Defence - The Opening Lead

Opening Lead Which suit? is more important than Which card? There may be clues from the Bidding If partner has bid a suit lead it unless you have a very good alternative [rlslider id=487] If declarer or dummy has bid a suit the chances are that will be one of their Work Suits lead an unbid suit. Can we find a ruff ? . Could partner have overcalled? .

Against no-trump contracts try to lead your side’s best suit. If partner has bid a suit – lead that. Otherwise lead your longest suit unless it has been bid by an opponent your hand is so weak that you will not get in : Then : choose a short suit -ideally where you have an honour card, You are looking for partner’s suit

1 1063 9764 1063 Q 7 QJ 9 KQ 105 AJ 52 N W E S 842 AK 74 AJ 82 Q 4 AKJ 95 852 3 K 987 South’s 1 NT opener is raised directly to 3 NT

Against suit contracts try to establish winners in side suits tend to lead an unbid suit Lead from a sequence of honours, or a broken sequence eg K from KQJ, J from KJ 10, 9 do not underlead an ace Sometimes you can make trump tricks by ruffing lead a singleton or a suit where partner is short

AQJ 7 K 1095 872 Q 4 2 9852 A KJ 103 10985 N W E S K 1064 QJ 743 64 AK West Pass North 1 4 East South 1 Pass 2 All Pass All Vul Dealer S 3 862 AQ 95 J 7632

Leading Trump “when in doubt, lead trump” ? A trump may look safe – but it is not. Our advice is “when in doubt : lead low from an honour(s) in an unbid suit” Occasionally a trump lead is called for usually when opponents are playing in the third suit they have bid and you have a strong holding in declarer’s first suit. Leading trump may stop ruffs in dummy.

Which card - sequences? Against no-trump contracts lead top of a sequence of three or more honours BUT fourth highest from a long suit with only two honours Against suit contacts we lead the higher of touching honours

Rules for Which Card to Lead Touching Honours With an ace-king combination lead the ace With other touching honours lead the higher against suits Sequences With a sequence of honours lead the highest: K from KQJ; Q from QJ 10, J from J 109 With a broken sequence lead the higher of touching honours: K from KQ 10, J from KJ 10, 10 from Q 109

Leading from Honours Lead a low card from an honour/non-touching honours: 3 from K 83; 4 from Q 1054; 3 from KJ 83 Lead a high card from a suit with no honour: 8 from 983, 7 from 8742 etc (the style is to lead second highest from a suit with no honour)

Leading shortages Lead top of a doubleton: 8 from 83. (We do not usually lead from a doubleton honour like K 5 or Q 4 unless partner has bid the suit

Leading trump Always lead your lowest trump unless you have a solid sequence – partner may have a singleton honour

Quiz 26 What would you lead from these card combinations: no-trump contract suit contract a) KJ 63 3 3 b) AK 1032 3 A c) 10975 10 10 d) QJ 6 Q Q e) AJ 52 2 A f) Q 872 2 2

The auction has gone 1 NT – Pass – 3 NT – All Pass What would you lead from these hands? QJ 972 A 6 9854 103 a) Q 7654 8 10932 9763 b) 8 (attempt to find partner’s best suit) 1074 AK 653 98 J 52 AK 6 84 J 1092 7543 c) 5 d) J

You are West and hear this auction: West North East Pass 1 Pass 3 Pass Q 85 1073 KJ 62 Q 104 3 a) 4 (unbid suit) South 1 1 4 What would you lead from these hands? 742 10853 Q 6 AK 93 9 K 43 K 762 QJ 985 KQ 105 Q 863 4 Q 972 b) A c) Q d) 2

Revise the differences between the Opening Lead and Third Hand Play Sequence of honours: a single honour 1 st hand lead top Lead low 2 non-touching honours lead low 3 rd hand plays lowest plays high, the highest unless the two honours surround a card in dummy

End of Lesson