Lead from a short or a long suit? by Matthias Huberschwiller

In No-Trump you always try to lead long suits (or long suits from your partner), to try and set up tricks.

In a Suit Contract it's not always the case. Sometime it will work out better to lead passively, for not giving away any tricks, and sometimes you want to lead from short suits, to try and make a ruff before declarer can draw trumps.

Which one should you choose?

Question 1

Your Hand
♠ A 4 3 2
♥ 7 6 2
♦ 7
♣ J 9 7 6 2

Q: 1 - What do you lead as West?

South	West	North	East
1♠	Pass	2♠	Pass
4♠	Pass	Pass	Pass

A: ♦7 - You need to lead your singleton. You'll get back on the lead with the Ace of Spades, and will have to find partner, to get at least one ruff.

Your result so far:

Open Question

Question 2

Your Hand
♠ A J 9 8
♥ 7
♦ K 9 6 5 2
♣ J 6 2

Q: 2 - What do you lead as West?

South	West	North	East
1♠	Pass	2♠	Pass
4♠	Pass	Pass	Pass

A: ♦5 - There is no point leading your singleton when you have natural trump tricks.

Instead you must lead your longest and strongest suit, to try and force declarer to make long hand ruffs. If you can manage to make him ruff twice, you'll have more trumps left than he does.

Your result so far:

Open Question

Question 3

Your Hand
♠ 8 6 4 2
♥ 7 6 2
♦ 8 3
♣ 7 6 3 2

Q: 3 - What do you lead as West?

South	West	North	East
1♥	Pass	2♥	Pass
4♥	Pass	Pass	Pass

A: ♦8 - What is your best hope of making a trick with this beautiful hand?

A Diamond ruff. You need to lead your doubleton, and hope partner has some strength here.

Doubleton leads (without an honor) works great when you have a weak hand.

Your result so far:

Open Question

Question 4

Your Hand
♠ 2
♥ Q 6 5 3 2
♦ Q 6 2
♣ Q 8 7 4

Q: 4 - What do you lead as West?

South	West	North	East
1♠	Pass	2♠	Pass
4♠	Pass	Pass	Pass

A: ♥3 - Never lead a singleton trump. If could help declarer capture your partner's honor(s). For instance with the bad break, your partner could have J-10-x-x, a sure trick, except if you lead the suit.

Your result so far:

Open Question

Question 5

Your Hand
♠ Q J 8 7
♥ K 7 6
♦ 8
♣ J 10 9 8 7

Q: 5 - What do you lead as West?

South	West	North	East
-	-	1♣	1♥
1♠	2♥	2♠	Pass
4♠	Pass	Pass	Pass

A: ♥6 - You don't really want to make ruffs with those Spades. You'd do better by leading your partner's suit. And he will be pleased.

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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