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