Occasional Lessons on PlayOccasional Lessons on Play
Opening LeadsOpening Leads
Part 1Part 1
3 Things to consider3 Things to consider
Active or Passive?Active or Passive? Which Suit?Which Suit? Which Card?Which Card?
Honour SequenceHonour Sequence No Honour SequenceNo Honour Sequence
I’ll deal with Honour sequences laterI’ll deal with Honour sequences later But for now a short quiz:But for now a short quiz:
Which Card to Lead?Which Card to Lead?
K 9 8 4 2K 9 8 4 2
From:From:
K 9 8 4 K 9 8 4
K 9 4 K 9 4
K 4 K 4
44
Lead:Lead:
4 4
4 4
K K
99
From:From:
9 89 8
9 8 4 9 8 4
9 8 4 2 9 8 4 2
99
Lead:Lead:
9 9
8 8
8 8
9 8 4 3 2 9 8 4 3 2 8 8
44thth Highest from an Honour Highest from an Honour
ExampleExample From K 9 8 4 2From K 9 8 4 2 lead 4lead 4
ImportantImportant Remember that this rule says:Remember that this rule says:
From an HonourFrom an Honour
This is the standard lead in This is the standard lead in No TrumpsNo Trumps and if you choose to lead a long suit and if you choose to lead a long suit against a suit contractagainst a suit contract
33rdrd Highest from 3 to an Honour Highest from 3 to an Honour
ExampleExample From K 9 4From K 9 4 lead 4lead 4
Makes things easier for partnerMakes things easier for partner
Not a very common lead but may occur Not a very common lead but may occur when leading:when leading: Unbid suit orUnbid suit or Partner’s suitPartner’s suit
22ndnd from ‘Nothing’ from ‘Nothing’
ExampleExample From 9 8 4 3 2From 9 8 4 3 2 lead 8lead 8
From long suits without an honour:From long suits without an honour: So it is different from leading from an honourSo it is different from leading from an honour
Consider the following layout:Consider the following layout:
22ndnd from ‘Nothing’ from ‘Nothing’K TK T
Q 8 7Q 8 7
9 6 4 3 29 6 4 3 2 A J 5A J 5
N
S
EW
Quite a common lead, either:Quite a common lead, either: To try to establish a suit, orTo try to establish a suit, or Simply as a safe leadSimply as a safe lead
MUD from 3 smallMUD from 3 small ExampleExample
From 9 8 4From 9 8 4 lead 8lead 8
MMiddle iddle UUp p DDownown
Differentiates between a doubleton and 3Differentiates between a doubleton and 3
BUT – you BUT – you MUSTMUST play the 9 next play the 9 next Else partner will think you had a doubletonElse partner will think you had a doubleton
Not an ideal lead but use ifNot an ideal lead but use if honours elsewhere orhonours elsewhere or this is partner’s suitthis is partner’s suit
Top of a DoubletonTop of a Doubleton ExamplesExamples
From K 4From K 4 lead Klead K From 9 4From 9 4 lead 9lead 9
Doubleton leads from honours are riskyDoubleton leads from honours are risky
But it can be effective if it is:But it can be effective if it is: The unbid suit orThe unbid suit or Partner’s suitPartner’s suit
So – a general rule is:So – a general rule is:
Lead a low card from an honourLead a low card from an honour Lead a higher card without an honourLead a higher card without an honour
Why such a fuss about holding an Why such a fuss about holding an honour?honour?
Consider the following two situations:Consider the following two situations:
Leading low from HonoursLeading low from Honours A J 5 2A J 5 2
Q 4Q 4
9 8 7 39 8 7 3 K T 6K T 6
N
S
EW
4 by Southby South
A J 5 2A J 5 2
7 47 4
Q 9 8 3Q 9 8 3 K T 6K T 6
N
S
EW
Leading low from HonoursLeading low from Honours
So:So:
It is IMPERATIVE to lead low It is IMPERATIVE to lead low from honours onlyfrom honours only
Another example:
Leading low from HonoursLeading low from Honours 9 7 4 A J 8A J 8 A J T 6 T 6 4
K Q J Q 6Q 6 9 8 4 A K 9 8 5
T 8 6 5 3 K T 4K T 4 Q 7 2 J 7
A 2 9 7 5 3 29 7 5 3 2 K 5 3 Q 3 2
7 lead7 lead
8 played8 played
3NT by S3NT by S
Which Card to Lead?Which Card to Lead?
K 9 8 4 2K 9 8 4 2
From:From:
K 9 8 4 K 9 8 4
K 9 4 K 9 4
K 4 K 4
44
Lead:Lead:
4 4
4 4
K K
99
From:From:
9 89 8
9 8 4 9 8 4
9 8 4 2 9 8 4 2
99
Lead:Lead:
9 9
8 8
8 8
9 8 4 3 2 9 8 4 3 2 8 8
Honour LeadsHonour Leads
K Q J 4 3K Q J 4 3
From:From:
KK
Against Against Suit:Suit:
K Q 5 4 3K Q 5 4 3 KKK Q T 4 3K Q T 4 3 KK
Q J 5 4 3Q J 5 4 3 QQ
Q J 9 4 3Q J 9 4 3 QQ
K J T 4 3K J T 4 3 JJA J T 4 3A J T 4 3 AA
K J 9 4 3K J 9 4 3 44
Honour LeadsHonour Leads
K Q J 4 3K Q J 4 3
From:From:
KK
AgainstAgainstNT:NT:
K Q 5 4 3K Q 5 4 3 44K Q T 4 3K Q T 4 3 KK
Q J 5 4 3Q J 5 4 3 44
Q J 9 4 3Q J 9 4 3 QQ
K J T 4 3K J T 4 3 JJA J T 4 3A J T 4 3 JJ
K J 9 4 3K J 9 4 3 44
Honour LeadsHonour Leads
K Q J 4 3K Q J 4 3
From:From:
KK
Against Against Suit:Suit:
KK
AgainstAgainstNT:NT:
K Q 5 4 3K Q 5 4 3 KK 44K Q T 4 3K Q T 4 3 KK KK
Q J 5 4 3Q J 5 4 3 QQ 44
Q J 9 4 3Q J 9 4 3 QQ QQ
K J T 4 3K J T 4 3 JJ JJA J T 4 3A J T 4 3 AA JJ
K J 9 4 3K J 9 4 3 44 44
Honour LeadsHonour Leads T 8 6
J 9 2
A 7 K Q 5 4 3
3NT by S3NT by S
Now swap dummy’s holding with partner’s:
Honour LeadsHonour Leads
T 8 6
J 9 2
A 7
K Q 5 4 3
Broken SequencesBroken Sequences So, the rule is: Against Suits,
with two or more touching high cards LEAD HIGH
Against NT, with more than two touching high cards LEAD HIGH
Note, for example: K Q T and Q J 9 etc. count as 2 ½
but NOT eg, K J T
Broken SequencesBroken Sequences
8 6 5
J 9 2
A 7
K Q T 4 3
Interior SequencesInterior Sequences
A 6 5
9 2
Q 8 7
K J T 4 3
With three high cards,When the lower two touchlead the higher of the touchers.
Last RuleLast Rule
Never lead away from an Aceon the opening lead againstA suit contract
Leading from an AceLeading from an Ace
K T 7
A 5
Q 8 2
J 9 6 4 3
Partner leads 4
Leading from an AceLeading from an Ace
K T 7
J 5
Q 8 2
A 9 6 4 3
Partner leads 4
Leading from an AceLeading from an Ace
K T 7
9 5
Q 8 2
A J 6 4 3
Partner leads 4
Honour LeadsHonour Leads
K Q J 4 3K Q J 4 3
From:From:
KK
Against Against Suit:Suit:
KK
AgainstAgainstNT:NT:
K Q 5 4 3K Q 5 4 3 KK 44K Q T 4 3K Q T 4 3 KK KK
Q J 5 4 3Q J 5 4 3 QQ 44
Q J 9 4 3Q J 9 4 3 QQ QQ
K J T 4 3K J T 4 3 JJ JJA J T 4 3A J T 4 3 AA JJ
K J 9 4 3K J 9 4 3 44 44
Next SessionNext Session Choosing the suitChoosing the suit Basic leads against NTBasic leads against NT Basic leads against suit contractsBasic leads against suit contracts
Short suitsShort suits Long strong suitsLong strong suits TrumpsTrumps
What else?What else? Unbid suitsUnbid suits Partner’s suitPartner’s suit Active or passive?Active or passive?
Things to avoidThings to avoid