No Trump Opening Leads

 

Here we look at hands where the opening leader came up with the right lead based on logic rather than random luck.  See also Carding Agreements.

 

Related Extracts from Past Wednesday Games

 

 

28	♠ Q654 ♥ 65 ♦ Q72 ♣ 8532	From 18th October, 2006
♠ AKT3 ♥ J92 ♦ J654 ♣ 94	North Dummy       East           South	♠ 72 ♥ KT83 ♦ K ♣ AKQJ76	Dlr     West Vul     N-S
© BES, Inc  All Rights Reserved	♠ J98 ♥ AQ74 ♦ AT983 ♣ T	West   North   East     South Pass   Pass     1♣        Dbl 1♠      Pass     3♣        Pass 3♦      Pass     3NT  All Pass

 

With East at the helm in 3NT, South seems destined to give this contract away with her opening lead.  Of course, a passive black card lead holds Declarer to 8 tricks, but surely South will want to attack with something red, and that will be Declarer’s 9^th.  But not so fast!  The A♦ will beat the contract, setting up 3 quick Diamonds and 2 Hearts for the defense.  We wondered if that lead could be found without seeing all 4 hands, so we consulted Dr Goodlead one more time.  After almost five minutes thought he said “I lead the Ace of Diamonds!”.  His logic was “Not a black card, they may have 2 Spades and 7 Clubs to cash … a Heart will surely blow a trick … that leaves a Diamond, and I’ll start with the Ace, hoping to catch a singleton honor in Declarer’s hand”.  Nicely done, Doctor!

 

 

9	♠ A8754 ♥ 93 ♦ AT ♣ J874	From 11th July, 2007
♠ KJ932 ♥ QT875 ♦ 9 ♣ T6	Dummy West             East           South	♠ ♥ K64 ♦ Q6532 ♣ A9532	Dlr     North Vul     E-W
© BES, Inc  All Rights Reserved	♠ QT6 ♥ AJ2 ♦ KJ874 ♣ KQ	West    North   East     South             Pass    Pass    1NT 2♥        2♠        Pass    3NT Pass    Pass    Pass

 

The above auction is not all that it may seem to be.  West’s 2♥ was DONT, showing the majors.  North’s 2♠ said “I have something in Spades”, and South bid 3NT on the basis of a good Heart holding and extra values.

 

Against 3NT, what would be your opening lead from the West hand?  West knows that North has Spades and presumably not Hearts, and that South has Heart and maybe also Spades.  Also, if Partner had a decent Spade holding, he might well have doubled 2♠.  So, all in all, the odds appear to favor a Heart lead, that’s the suit in which Partner is most likely to have help.  And so it proves to be, a Heart lead beats the contract one trick.  Declarer will duck two rounds of Hearts, and then go to work on the minor suits, but try as she may she can come to only 8 tricks.

 

If West makes the mistake of a Spade opening lead, that will present Declarer with her 9^th trick

 

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