9/4/19 Basics of Opening leads by Harry
First things first: Choose the suit before you choose the card. Start visualizing opponents’ hands as the bidding progresses. Start counting from the get-go. Did your partner make a bid during the auction? What do you think is your source of tricks? What do you think will be declarer’s line of play? Should you go active or passive on opening lead?
Opening Leads versus NT. First decide on the suit to be led (clues are from bidding and your hand):
- Lead directing doubles by pard or a suit bid by pard? If so, make a lead that gives your pard count. How?
- Make an attacking lead from nice holding in your own suit (top of equals if possible, see Convention Card)
- Consider leading an unbid suit (or often dummy’s bid suit if there are none unbid)
- Lead from your longest and strongest against no trump contract unless you are broke (top of equals or 4th high from longest and strongest). Partner will use the rule of 11. What if you are broke?
Opening Leads against suit contracts. Again, first decide on the suit to be led:
- Trump lead if it sounds like declarer plans to ruff losers in dummy
- Singleton if you think you will obtain ruff as a result
- Long side suit if you have 4 or more trumps, idea is to make declarer ruff and thereby lose trump control.
- Never underlead an ace against a suit contract! Why?
- Almost never lead from a doubleton. Why?