Q: 5 - How often?
*2
♣=four-card Stayman
South | West | North | East |
- | - | - | 1NT |
Pass | 2♣* | Pass | 2♠ |
Pass | 3♠ | Pass | 4♠ |
Pass | Pass | Pass | |
A: Often. Declarer has shown a balanced hand and West is unlikely to have a five-card side-suit on this auction, so there isn’t any real indication that you should be rushing to take your tricks. Your opponents are likely playing in a 4-4 fit, so declarer could easily be wanting to take two ruffs in one hand, and you could potentially stop that from happening with a trump lead.
Also, here West has invited game and East has accepted, so your opponents will only barely have enough values for game, so they may be relying on some ruffs to bring home their contract, because they’re unlikely to have ten tricks on sheer power. Also, because the opponents don’t have much to spare in the way of high cards, it’s important that you don’t give away a trick or blow a suit on the lead, and a trump lead could often be your safest bet.
So when you’re on lead to a suit contract, consider the auction and whether it calls for a trump lead or not, keeping these factors in mind:
- Whether declarer has a source of tricks in a side-suit (if so, then you need to set up your own tricks in a side-suit, but not necessarily if the opponents have bid and raised the side-suit)
- Whether the opponents have shown a fit in their trump suit or not (if not, then a trump lead will only give away a tempo)
- Whether the opponents will be relying on ruffs to make their contract, likely when they’ve implied a lot of distribution but not many high-card points (if so, then a trump lead will cut down their ruffing potential)
- Whether the opponents have shown plenty of values to make their contract (e.g. via a failed slam/game try, when you should actively try to set up your own tricks), or if they barely have enough for their contract (e.g. when an invite is accepted, a trump lead appeals because declarer might not have enough power outside of trumps)
Your result so far: