Menu Vu-Bridge | Play like a Champion!

 Opening Lead for Intermediates 25 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
 J 9 6 5 4
 Q J 10
 10 7
 8 5 2
 
Q: 1 - You are South.

SouthWestNorthEast
---1
Pass1Pass1NT
Pass2NTPass3NT
PassPassPass

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

 Your choice:
A: 5.

With such a weak entry-less hand, is it wise to lead a Spade? I think not. It would be hard to establish our Spades, and even if we can set up the suit, it is unlikely that we will get back to our hand to cash them!

Let's hope to try and hit partner's suit, in Clubs most likely.

Your result so far:
Open Question

Question 2

  Your Hand
 J 4 2
 A 7 5 4 3
 6 2
 A 9 2
 
Q: 2 - You are South.

SouthWestNorthEast
-12Double
3PassPass3
PassPassPass

West opens 1, partner overcalls 2, and East shows four Spades with the negative double. You raise to 3 and this is passed back to East who now bids 3, which ends the auction. What do you lead?

 Your choice:
A: A.

Our A may be unsupported, but the K is likely marked in partner's hand based on his 2 overcall. Besides, it doesn't look like we have a better alternative opening lead to choose from anyway!

Your result so far:
Open Question

Question 3

  Your Hand
 K Q 6 5
 7 6 4 2
 7 5 3 2
 4
 
Q: 3 - You are South.

SouthWestNorthEast
--1Pass
12Pass3NT
PassPassPass

You are on lead against 3NT after a somewhat interesting auction. What do you lead?

 Your choice:
A: 5.

Certainly a Club lead is out, and our Hearts have no prospects (given partner didn't show Heart support). Should we lead partner's suit, Diamonds? Well, it is interesting to see that East passed over 1 and jumped to 3NT on his next turn - surely he must have the Diamonds well covered for such an action.

Therefore, it might be a good idea to try the surprise attack with the Spades!

Your result so far:
Open Question

Question 4

  Your Hand
 4 3
 A 7 4 3
 A K J 9 3
 9 8
 
Q: 4 - You are South.

SouthWestNorthEast
---1NT
Pass3NTPassPass
Pass

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

 Your choice:
A: A.

There's no question about a Diamond lead here, especially when we hold a very strong five-card Diamond suit. But, which Diamond?

As we have an entry back to our hand (the A), there's no need to keep communication with partner via a low Diamond lead (which is what we would do without the A).

Leading the A will prevent the opponents from taking a free trick if one of them has Qx doubleton in their hand. If there isn't, then we will continue with the K and another Diamond, hoping to establish the suit.

Your result so far:
Open Question

Question 5

  Your Hand
 A K 9 7 4
 5 4 3
 J 2
 10 9 3
 
Q: 5 - You are South.

SouthWestNorthEast
---1NT
Pass3NTPassPass
Pass

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

 Your choice:
A: 7.

This time, we have no outside entries so it is better to lead the 7. That way, if partner has Q-x doubleton we won't block the suit with a top Spade lead, but also, if partner has xx and the enemy's Spades are 3-3, it is best to give up the first Spade so partner will have a second Spade to return back to our hand when he regains the lead.

Your result so far:
Open Question

Overall Results

Your results:   out of    Average: 

What next? You may enjoy playing our prepared hands series.
More informations on our website: www.VuBridge.com

Rate yourself:

0 - 40% We applaud your effort.
Review the subject and try again. You'll be surprised how much better you'll do.
We're here for you!!
41 - 50% Buy your mentor a cuppa and ask for clarification on the ones you got wrong.
No mentor? Make finding one a priority!
51 - 60% Nice improvement! One more review and you'll have this down solid!
61 - 80% What a good job! All that's left is some fine tuning
Over 80% Wow! It's time for you to become a mentor. Find someone who needs help and share your knowledge!