Hilo Bridge Club Updates
Left-hand opponent opened one club in 1st seat. Her partner responded one heart. Opener’s rebid was one spade. Responder then closed out the auction with one notrump. Your side was silent. Here is your hand:
What is your opening lead against one notrump? Please give me your thoughts in the comments or by email.
You are West on lead after this auction:
Here is your hand:
What card do you choose and why? Is it best to make an attacking lead or should you go passive and lie in wait with those nice diamonds? How many spades does declarer have? How many spades does partner have? Scroll down to read my recommendation.
I would go passive and lead a spade. You are unlikely to win a spade triick unless partner has the ace. Opponents have a 8-card fit in spades. Sit back with the KJ10 of diamonds behind the big hand. Your Q9 of hearts and even the 10 of clubs may be useful to your side on defense. Make declarer do all the work.
Your left hand opponent opens one spade. Partner passes and right hand opponent responds 2NT (alerted as a game forcing raise with at least four spades). The bidding ends when left hand opponent bids four spades (fast arrival with a minimum opening bid). It’s your lead holding:
Here is where I see too many players go wrong. You’ve probably heard “never underlead an ace against a suit contract. But if you really think it’s the suit to lead, then plunk down the ace”. That’s great advice. Don’t underlead one of your aces!
But coupled with that advice is “it’s usually not a good idea to plunk down an ace on opening lead, because aces are meant to capture kings and queens. When aces are led, they instead draw deuces and treys.” For your hand in this problem do you see any reason to lead one of your aces?
I don’t. There seems to be no reason to be in a hurry with your aces. It looks like you will always get two tricks with them. I suggest going passive and leading a trump. The opponents have nine trumps and it’s unlikely that your side has a trump trick. Make declarer do all the work.
When I saw this hand played the opening leader plunked down his two aces, and declarer made four spades even though partner had one sure trick. Had opening leader instead saved those aces, he would have captured the king of clubs with his ace, setting up another trick for the defense. Leader’s mistake on the first two tricks cost his side a swing of 15 IMPs!
See undate below.
Your right hand opponent opens the bidding two clubs in 3rd seat. You pass, and left hand opponent makes a waiting response of two diamonds. Right hand opponent rebids 2NT (22-23), and left hand opponent signs off at 3NT.
Now it’s you lead to 3NT holding
Your thoughts?
Start counting. Declarer has 22 to 23 and you hold 8. That leaves 9-10 between your partner and dummy. Dummy raised to game, so should have at least 3-8 points (did not make 4NT slam invitation with 9-10). Opponents showed no interest in the majors.
What do you lead and why?
Update:
I would lead the six of spades, hoping that partner has the jack or that declarer cannot tell who has the king or queen of spades. Anything else loses timing advantages on defense. Don’t even think about leading the three of clubs on that bidding.
See undate below.
South opens 1NT ins 1st seat and North raises to 3NT. You must choose a lead from this hand:
You have only 4 points, so it’s likely your partner is not broke. How best to get partner off to the right start?
Here are two more. These are more difficult. Please give me your thoughts in the comments.
Exercise 5. West’s Lead against contract of 2NT by South:
You are West holding:
Bidding:
Usually you would like to lead a heart from that nice holding with an outside entry. But the opponents may very well have the ace and jack of hearts, so your entry may be driven out before the hearts set up. You would like to get your partner in to lead a heart. Would you consider leading your singleton club? It’s unusual to lead a singleton against NT. How about a diamond? Your opening lead and why?
Exercise 6. East’s Lead against contract of 1NT by North:
You are East holding:
We had a good time discussing these three problems yesterday morning. Prior to talking about the problems, we reviewed the detective work involved in deciding on the correct suit to lead.
Exercise 4. East’s Lead against contract of Three Diamonds by North:
You are East holding:
Bidding:
Your opening lead and why?
This one’s pretty easy. I will post the other two a little later today. You’ll find them more controversial.
Exercise 3. North’s Lead against contract of Four Hearts by West:
You are North holding:
Bidding:
Your opening lead and why? Feel free to opine in the comments.
Exercise 2. North’s Lead against contract of 1NT by West:
You are North holding:
Bidding:
Your opening lead and why? Feel free to opine in the comments.
Eight of us had a lot of fun discussing possible opening leads yesterday morning. It’s not surprising that there was no consensus on which alternative lead would be best. Here is the 1st exercise. I will post the other two later today. Feel free to opine in the comments.
Based on the criteria for opening leads, rate a couple of possible leads for each of these exercises.
Exercise 1. East’s Lead against contract of 1NT by North:
You are East holding:
Bidding:
Your opening lead and why?
Here is an opening lead problem from yesterday’s game. Your right hand opponent passes in 1st seat, and you open the bidding with one heart holding:
Left hand opponent passes, partner passes, and RHO overcalls one spade. You pass and LHO raises to two spades, which is passed out. Bidding summary:
What is your opening lead and why? Please give me your thoughts in the comments.
Update: Your partner is broke, so best is to go passive and lead a club. Make declarer do all the work. Each time you are in continue to lead clubs unless something else comes to light.