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 Opening Lead for Intermediates 22 by Andy Hung

Opening Leads. They're the card that sets the tempo of all bridge hands, and it is the first strike that the defense gets. Sometimes declarer's contract is rock solid and the lead doesn't matter, or sometimes the contract is too high and declarer is destined to fail.

What is important is that we must make every effort to choose the best opening lead that will give us the best chance to defeat the contract. Are you ready?

Question 1

  Your Hand
 K J 7 6 4
 8
 9 6 5
 A 9 8 2
 
Q: 1 - You are South.

SouthWestNorthEast
--1Pass
1Double23
35PassPass
Pass

You are on lead against 5 after a competitive auction where partner supports your Spades. As you tried to compete further with 3, West's hand had apparently become much better after hearing East bid 3. What do you lead?

 Your choice:
A: 8.

Although you and your partner had found a Spade fit, it is more attractive to lead your singleton Heart given that partner had opened 1. Even if partner does not have the A, there's a chance that he might have the A and will still be able to give us a ruff.

Your result so far:
Open Question

Question 2

  Your Hand
 Q 9 6
 Q J 10 9 4
 K 10 8 3
 Q
 
Q: 2 - You are South.

SouthWestNorthEast
---1
Pass2Pass3
PassPassPass

You are on lead against 3. What do you lead?

 Your choice:
A: Q.

Singleton leads are always attractive, but not when you have a potential natural trump trick in your own hand. Even if you're able to get a Club ruff here, you don't necessarily want it because if you do get a ruff, it will weaken your trump holding thus the Q will (probably) not score later.

Lead your other option, Q.

Your result so far:
Open Question

Question 3

  Your Hand
 10 3 2
 K Q 3
 Q 5 4
 A 9 5 2
 
Q: 3 - You are South.

SouthWestNorthEast
-1Pass1
Pass2Pass3NT
PassPassPass

You are on lead against 3NT. What do you lead?

 Your choice:
A: K.

Based on the opponent's bidding, our choice of opening lead comes down to only two suits, spades or hearts. With the opponents bidding Clubs and Diamonds, we can quickly discount a lead in a minor suit even if Clubs is our longest and strongest suit.

So, which major? Either one could be right, but on average, a Heart lead would be best since we don't need much help from partner in the Hearts (we just need him to hold the A or J) compared to the Spade suit.

Your result so far:
Open Question

Question 4

  Your Hand
 Q 9 3
 7 6 3
 K 10 5 4
 Q J 9
 
Q: 4 - You are South.

SouthWestNorthEast
---1
Pass1Pass2
Pass3Pass4
PassPassPass

You are on lead against 4. What do you lead?

 Your choice:
A: 3.

We have touched upon trump leads before, and this is likely to be one of those situations where it is probably right to lead a trump. Give yourself 100% also if you chose to lead a Diamond instead - it is fair enough since it is the unbid suit.

Because we have scattered values in every side suit, generally it might be best to lead a trump because leading any other suit might cost a trick for the defense.

Your result so far:
Open Question

Question 5

  Your Hand
 J 6 5 4
 7 5 2
 K J 7 2
 J 9
 
Q: 5 - You are South.

SouthWestNorthEast
---1
Pass2Pass4
PassPassPass

You are on lead against 4. What do you lead?

 Your choice:
A: 2.

There's absolutely no doubt about the trump lead here. Leading away from Jxxx doesn't seem fairly attractive (nor productive) as it could easily cost a trick, and leading from our honor-doubleton Club is quite risky (as with most honor-doubleton leads).

With our choice narrowed down to Hearts or Diamonds, we can see that the strong auction that the opponents have proposed suggests that leading away from our KJxx could be fatal. Therefore, it is safer for us to lead a trump (as much as we all despise trump leads, but sometimes it is just the lesser of all evils).

Your result so far:
Open Question

Overall Results

Your results:   out of    Average: 

What next? You may enjoy playing our prepared hands series.
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