BB What’s Standard? by David Lindop This series is based on Grant So, unless we have a very good suit Standard, a set of conventions and Leading Against and some prospect of regaining the agreements that are in popular use lead, it’s best to lead partner’s suit. today, such as 15-17 1NT openings, Notrump Partner won’t say anything if we lead five-card majors, and weak two- a diamond, even if a heart was best, bids. A summary chart of Grant Contracts but may comment if we lead a heart Standard and the corresponding when a diamond was best. convention card can be found at 2. Lead the Longest Suit www.AudreyGrant.com . The site most tricks. This is typically the If partner hasn’t bid, we typically pick also has Grant Basic, a simpler set longest combined suit held by the our longest suit as the one with the of agreements. partnership. Even if declarer has most potential for developing tricks. Earlier articles in this series one or more stoppers in the suit, once they have been driven out, the With little else to guide us, leading appeared in the Bridge Bulletin and “fourth from longest and strongest” can also be found under ‘Articles’ at defenders can take any remaining winners in the suit once they gain is one of the oldest maxims in the www.AudreyGrant.com . the lead. There’s no trump suit to game...and it works remarkably well! help declarer. Still, there are exceptions. We try s with opening leads against If we’ve bid and raised a suit, then to avoid suits bid by the opponents, suit contracts (see last issue), that is likely to be a good source of especially major suits. Athere are two steps in choosing tricks. However, suppose we are on WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH the lead against a notrump contract: lead as West with this hand after 1m • Choosing the suit only partner has bid for our side: Pass 2o Pass 2NT • Choosing the card WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH Pass 3NT All Pass o Choosing the best suit to lead is 1 1NT m Leading a spade right the most critical aspect. Once we’ve Pass 3NT All Pass K J 8 5 4 into South’s advertised n 6 3 decided on the suit, selecting the Should we lead the suit five-card suit is unlikely m 7 6 3 o J 6 appropriate card is usually a matter partner bid, diamonds, to be a success. Better n Q 9 7 4 2 p Q 10 7 4 of rote. o or our long suit, hearts? to hope South will need 8 3 to develop tricks in spades, and our Let’s start with the guidelines for p 9 8 5 The guideline is clear. deciding which suit to lead. It says to lead partner’s holding will make that a challenge. suit! True, partner might have opened Instead, we can chose our second-best Choosing the Suit a three-card diamond suit, the better suit, and lead a club. Maybe partner The key to choosing the best suit to minor when holding no five-card will have some help for us there. lead is to listen to the auction. The major. Partner may have four hearts. Another exception is when we standard guidelines are: True, South’s 1NT overcall typically have a weak hand with a weak suit. 1. Lead partner’s suit shows one or more diamond stoppers. Even if we were to establish tricks 2. Otherwise, lead the longest Nevertheless, we don’t ‘know’ that in our long suit, it’s unlikely we suit, but: for certain. Partner could have a six- would ever gain the lead to be able - avoid the opponents’ suits, card or longer diamond suit. Even if to take them. In this situation, it’s especially major suits declarer has one or two stoppers in usually best to try and ‘find’ partner’s - with a weak hand and weak diamonds, partner did open the suit, and to help out by leading it. suit, try to find partner’s suit bidding and is likely to have the WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH 3. With a choice of suits, lead the high cards necessary to regain the 1NT Pass 3NT All Pass longer lead and take the diamond winners after they are established. 1. Lead Partner’s Suit Even if partner holds If we lead a heart, we’re taking a m 7 6 5 4 3 2 m n the A–K–Q, we’ll The basic idea when defending big gamble. Partner might be short J 10 7 never get in to take against a notrump contract is to take o 9 5 in hearts; it might remove partner’s p any tricks. Instead, we advantage of the opening lead by only high card in the suit; even if we 6 4 can ‘guess’ —hope — going after the partnership suit that can establish some tricks, we have no partner has length in hearts, and has the potential for developing the entry to regain the lead and take them. lead one to get things started. BETTER 14 BRIDGE VOL . 14, N O. 1 SEPTEMBER /O CTOBER 2009 BB 3. Lead the Stronger 3) DUMMY LEADING AGAINST With a choice of suits to lead, we m A 5 2 A NOTRUMP CONTRACT tend to pick the stronger suit. The US PARTNER more strength we hold in the suit, PARTNER ’S SUIT : m K Q 10 9 3 m 7 4 the less help we need from partner • Lead the top of a doubleton DECLARER to develop tricks. (mQ–6, n8–2). m J 8 6 WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH • Lead the top of touching honors If we lead another spade, declarer 1NT (oQ–J–3, pK–J–10). gets two tricks. Better to wait for Pass 3NT All Pass • With no sequence, lead low partner to get in and lead the suit. From this hand, we’d How can we resolve this problem? m 10 8 6 4 3 (mQ–6–3, n9–5–2, oA–8–5–4). lead a heart rather Some partnerships agree to lead the n K 10 7 5 2 LONG SUIT : o than a spade. The mQ from this type of holding, asking 8 n n n • Lead top of touching honors m p A 5 A, Q, or even J partner to play the J when holding from partner should from a sequence: it, and otherwise give a count signal. help us develop tricks. In spades, • A solid sequence That works well in this situation. the mA, mK, or mQ in partner’s (pK–Q–J–7–3, m10 –9–8–3) When partner plays the m4, we hand might not be enough to help us • A broken sequence ‘know’ it is layout 2). In layout 1), establish the suit. (nQ–J–9–6–5, oJ–10 –8–2) partner would have played the mJ. When we have to choose among • An interior sequence In layout 3), partner would have four-card suits, the decision is a little (pA–J–10 –6–4, mQ–10 –9–5) played the m7, showing a doubleton. closer. We sometimes opt for safety • Otherwise, lead fourth highest Although agreements like this can since there is less potential for (nK–J–9–5–2, oA–10 –5–3). be useful, they can cause confusion, developing tricks from length. since the lead of the mQ could also WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH There are a couple of considerations. be simply the top of a sequence, such as mQ–J–10 –7. So they are best left 1NT The Lead from K –Q–10 –9 Pass 3NT All Pass to experienced partnerships. Suppose we lead the mK from our The Lead of an Ace m Although our strongest broken sequence in this situation: A Q 6 3 suit in terms of high- A similar situation arises if we are n Q J 10 9 DUMMY on lead against 3NT with a holding o card points is spades, m A 5 2 n 6 there are a number of such as A–K–J–10 –7. If we lead p K 7 6 3 US PARTNER the nA and two or three low hearts factors that might sway m m us toward leading a heart. Since we K Q 10 9 3 4 appear in dummy, will we know have 12 high-card points and the DECLARER what to do next? Partner will try to opponents have bid game, it’s m 6 help us with an attitude signal, but The m2 is played from dummy, partner that won’t always be clear. What is unlikely partner has much in the n way of high cards. plays the m4, and declarer the m6. Is partner suppose to do with Q–2, for example? In fact, a count signal from By leading hearts, we can promote it safe to continue by leading the partner might be helpful. If we know two winners in the suit without any mQ? It’s okay if this is the layout: declarer started with a doubleton help from partner. Leading a spade 1) DUMMY n n m m Q, we can continue with the K away from our A–Q might cost a A 5 2 and take the first five tricks. trick and gain nothing in return, US PARTNER The classic way to deal with this especially if partner can never gain m K Q 10 9 3 m J 4 the lead to return our suit.