Test Your Lead Defence

Column 10

N-S vul, Playing Teams as South you hold: ♠8765 ♥106 ♦J1086 ♣KJ3. The bidding:

West               North             East                South

  -                     -                       1♦                   Pass               

1♥                   Pass                2NT                 Pass               

3NT                 All Pass         

What do you lead? At Matchpoints?

So we know that East has 18-19 HCPs, denies 4 hearts and diamonds is his better minor. West has exactly 4 hearts, enough points for game, but not enough to try for slam. Not a lot there to go on, but we still need to lead. The spade is the obvious choice. It is one of the unbid suits and you have four of them. The other three suits, though, do have their allure.

A lead through dummy’s 1^st suit where we know partner has at least four may be right. But partner could have doubled asking for a heart lead, and declarer may play on hearts himself, losing to partner’s honours behind dummy.

You have a good diamond holding to lead from. However we know East has at least four (did you figure that out?) it is unlikely to be very successful.Clubs you need the least from partner for this to be successful. And we know it is East’s shorter minor. However if partner has only small cards, it will kick at least one trick. However since we are playing teams it is not an important factor. A club is by far the best lead. Why?

1. Usually partner will have at least four clubs on this auction.

2. You need the least from partner for a club lead to be successful.

3.You have only 5 high card points so partner rates to have entries, so you want to set up his suit, if has one.

Another way to look at it, if partner has AQxx in a black suit, if it is clubs you have four tricks. If it spades, you may only have one if East has ♠KJx(x)!

The full deal from a CBF Online Championship match held last week:

I led the ♣J and we beat 3NT. Either the ♣J or ♣K has merits, but not the ♣3. The reason is when setting up partner’s suit you need to unblock your honours, just the way you do when declaring 3NT.

Notice that E-W are in the wrong game. West suppressed his weak 5 card heart suit, not a good idea. Had you led a heart the contract would have made, and you would have egg on your face. Just because it wouldn’t work on this deal, don’t let it deter you from considering it next time.

Should you lead a club playing matchpoints?

The answer depends on your risk tolerance. It is still a very logical alternative, and I would still lead a club. But 14 out of the 16 other souths would likely lead a safe spade.

Lessons to Learn

1.  Even the best logical lead will not work on every deal. Try to make the lead that will on average be the best.

2. You want to try and go with the field playing pairs, but don’t stop thinking and playing bridge.