DOCSLIB.ORG

Leading Against Suit Contracts

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Leading Against Suit Contracts BB What’s Standard? by David Lindop This series is based on Grant 3. Lead A Short Suit Standard, a set of conventions and We can try to use the trump suit to agreements that are in popular use Leading Against our advantage by leading a singleton, today, such as 15-17 1NT openings, hoping to get to ruff one or more of five-card majors, and weak two- Suit Contracts declarer’s winners. However, we have bids. A summary chart of Grant to pick the right time. Standard and the corresponding Leading a singleton is most likely to convention card can be found at be effective when: www.AudreyGrant.com . The site away a trick on the opening lead. If • It is in an unbid suit , where there also has Grant Basic, a simpler set partner has overcalled a suit, then is a good chance partner holds the of agreements. we can expect partner to have a good ace, or some strength. Earlier articles in this series holding in the suit. In fact, one of the • When we expect partner can gain appeared in the Bridge Bulletin and reasons partner may have overcalled the lead and return the suit before can also be found under ‘Articles’ at is to help us get off to the best lead. declarer can draw all of our trumps. www.AudreyGrant.com . If partner has opened a major suit, • When we hold the trump ace or showing five or more cards, it’s best king , so that we are likely to he opening lead can often be to lead that suit with nothing clearly regain the lead before our trumps critical to the success or failure better to do. It’s unlikely to cost a are all gone. trick, since declarer will also be aware Tof a contract, so it’s important Leading a singleton is less likely to of partner’s holding in the suit. to get off to the right start whenever be effective when: possible. There are two aspects to If partner has opened 1 p or 1 o, the situation is not quite as clear- • It is in a suit bid by the opponents. the opening lead: First, there is less chance partner cut. Partner might have opened a • Choosing the suit holds the ace and can give us a three-card suit and may hold a good • Choosing the card ruff. Second, even if that happens, four-card major suit. So this is one Choosing the suit to lead requires we may have helped declarer time when we might exercise a little good judgment. Choosing the right establish winners in that suit for judgment and choose another suit. card once the suit has been decided later use. If we do lead their suit, is more a matter of rote. There are 2. Lead An Unbid Suit however, partner should strongly many guidelines to cover that aspect. It is usually a bad idea to lead a suit suspect that we have a singleton. In this issue, we’ll focus on leads bid by the opponents. They are likely • When we hold four or more trumps. against a suit contract. to have length and strength in the Getting a ruff may make it easier suit. It will usually help declarer to for declarer to draw our remaining Choosing the Suit develop tricks in the suit and is trumps. It’s usually better to lead The key to choosing the best suit to unlikely to be a good source of tricks our long suit, hoping to force lead is to listen to the auction. The for our side. Even if declarer has declarer to ruff. We may then end standard guidelines are: losers in the suit, they are unlikely up with control of the trump suit. 1. Lead partner’s suit to go away. Leading a doubleton is typically 2. Lead an unbid suit Even if leading their suit doesn’t less effective. It requires more from 3. Lead a singleton or doubleton give away a trick, it often loses a partner if we are to get a ruff. It is also 4. Lead a trump ‘tempo.’ The opening lead is a chance difficult for partner to distinguish between a singleton and a doubleton. 1. Lead Partner’s Suit to start developing winners in our suit(s). If we give up that opportunity, Partner may try to give us a ruff when The popular comment here is that declarer may win the race to develop we still have to follow suit. Leading “leading partner’s suit may not be tricks or eliminate losers. a doubleton honor, such as nQ-3, right, but it is never wrong!” In other Of course, that doesn’t mean we can be especially confusing and words, partner can rarely fault us for never lead their suit. Their minor- dangerous. For example, partner leading the suit. suit opening bids could be on a might think we have the nJ and are If our side has bid and raised a suit, weak three-card suit —just like ours. leading top of touching honors. then that is obviously a likely source Also, with K –Q–J–10 in their suit, we A popular guideline is, “Don’t lead of tricks, and it is unlikely to give shouldn’t shy away from leading it! a doubleton unless it’s a singleton!” BETTER 14 BRIDGE VOL . 13, N O. 6 JULY /A UGUST 2009 BB 2. Lead A Trump Ace from Ace-King DUMMY There is a popular saying: “When in At one time, it was popular to lead o 9 7 2 doubt, lead a trump.” This is usually the King from a suit headed by either US PARTNER bad advice! We should only lead a A–K or K –Q. This was so that the o K 6 5 o A J 10 4 trump when we think it’s the best lead. lead of an Ace would specifically DECLARER It’s usually declarer’s job to draw deny the King. Defenders sometimes o Q 8 3 trumps, so we don’t want to help our lead an Ace against a suit contract If we lead the oK, declarer will opponent! Even if it doesn’t cost when not holding the King (see eventually get a trick with the oQ. If directly, it will often give up a tempo, below), either looking for a ruff, or we lead the o5, as recommended by allowing declarer to take the initiative for a helpful signal from partner. the guidelines, declarer’s oQ is in developing tricks. The popular style today is to lead trapped, and we get all the tricks to Is there a time to lead trumps? Yes. the Ace from a suit headed by A –K, which we are entitled. If we suspect from the auction that consistent with always leading the Leading From Three Low Cards top of touching honors. The standard declarer is likely to want to trump There are three possible approaches losers in the dummy, we can try to ACBL Convention Card no longer defaults to K from A –K–x, but if we when leading from three low cards: prevent this by removing dummy’s • Top of nothing ( n7–5–2) trumps. For example, suppose we are lead Ace from A –K–x, we should • MUD ( Middle- Up- Down) ( n7–5–2) on lead as West after this auction: mark it appropriately on the Card. If we hold a doubleton A –K, we can • Low ( n7–5–2) WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH alert partner by reversing our usual The problem with leading the top 1m lead. So we lead the King f ollowed of three low cards is that partner Pass 1NT Pass 2n n by the Ace, if we normally lead Ace may have difficulty determining that Pass 4 All Pass from A –K–x. Knowing this shows a we aren’t leading from a short suit. m South has a five-card doubleton, partner might be able to Holding the nA–K–x, for example, A Q J 8 3 spade suit which North gain the lead and give us a ruff on partner might try to give us a ruff, n 7 4 2 didn’t support. Dummy the third round of the suit. thinking we have a doubleton. o Q 6 is almost certainly p Q 9 3 Leading the Ace The only time it is recommended short in spades, and A popular saying is: “Don’t lead away to lead top of three low cards is declarer is likely to want to ruff from an Ace against a suit contract.” when we have raised partner’s suit. some spade losers in dummy. We This is a good piece of advice. If we Partner will know we don’t have a should lead a heart. decide that the best suit to lead is singleton or doubleton. By leading Another time to lead a trump is clubs and we have a holding such as high, we are denying an honor, so when the lead of any other suit looks pA–J–7–4, we should lead the pA, partner can usually visualize the dangerous, since it is likely to cost a not a low club —away from the pA. layout of the suit. trick. It’s not that we’re in doubt; it’s The danger of leading a low club is Leading the middle card presents that we don’t have a doubt! that declarer might have a singleton a challenge in that partner may have difficulty visualizing the layout of Choosing the Card pK.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • MILITARY BRIDGE DIRECTIONS Bridge Knowledge Not Required – Only a Desire to Have Fun!
    MILITARY BRIDGE DIRECTIONS Bridge Knowledge not required – only a desire to have fun! The game is played using the following equipment: 1. Set of Flags – 1 large fort flag and a small flag for each team. 2. Schedule Sheet – names trump for each round and shows where respective “Scouts” are to go. 3. A deck of cards for each table. Definitions: Trick: Each play is called a trick. There are 13 tricks in each game. The first to win 7 tricks wins that game. Trump: The card suit designated on the Schedule Sheet that leads each trick (hearts, diamonds, clubs, spades or no-trump). Each table has one Captain who is player #1 and three Scouts, players #2, 3 & 4. These can be selected or cut for (the highest card is your team’s Captain). Captains retain their seats during the entire 10 games, sending out their Scouts as per the Schedule Sheet to “capture” other Nations’ flags. The Scout designated to stay and play with the Captain sits opposite the Captain and they play against the Visitor Scouts at your table. The Captain always deals, announces the trump suit (from the Schedule Sheet), and makes the first lead. In Military Bridge, there is no Dummy Hand and no bidding. Trump is indicated on your Schedule Sheet. The play is similar to bridge, except that all players participate. The captain leads, and then each player (in clockwise order) plays a card. If playing a “no trump” hand, the highest card in the suit led wins the trick. With trump you may trump suit led only if you have none of that suit in your hand, then highest trump card played wins the trick.
    [Show full text]
  • Acol Bidding Notes
    SECTION 1 - INTRODUCTION The following notes are designed to help your understanding of the Acol system of bidding and should be used in conjunction with Crib Sheets 1 to 5 and the Glossary of Terms The crib sheets summarise the bidding in tabular form, whereas these notes provide a fuller explanation of the reasons for making particular bids and bidding strategy. These notes consist of a number of short chapters that have been structured in a logical order to build on the things learnt in the earlier chapters. However, each chapter can be viewed as a mini-lesson on a specific area which can be read in isolation rather than trying to absorb too much information in one go. It should be noted that there is not a single set of definitive Acol ‘rules’. The modern Acol bidding style has developed over the years and different bridge experts recommend slightly different variations based on their personal preferences and playing experience. These notes are based on the methods described in the book The Right Way to Play Bridge by Paul Mendelson, which is available at all good bookshops (and some rubbish ones as well). They feature a ‘Weak No Trump’ throughout and ‘Strong Two’ openings. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ INDEX Section 1 Introduction Chapter 1 Bidding objectives & scoring Chapter 2 Evaluating the strength of your hand Chapter 3 Evaluating the shape of your hand . Section 2 Balanced Hands Chapter 21 1NT opening bid & No Trumps responses Chapter 22 1NT opening bid & suit responses Chapter 23 Opening bids with stronger balanced hands Chapter 24 Supporting responder’s major suit Chapter 25 2NT opening bid & responses Chapter 26 2 Clubs opening bid & responses Chapter 27 No Trumps responses after an opening suit bid Chapter 28 Summary of bidding with Balanced Hands .
    [Show full text]
  • DUMMY REVERSAL By: Brian Gunnell
    BRIDGE BITES from The American Contract Bridge League DUMMY REVERSAL By: Brian Gunnell ♠ 8642 E-W Vulnerable ♥ KQ9 South West North East ♦ KJ6 1♥ 2♠ 3♠ Dbl ♣ AKQ Rdbl Pass 4NT Pass ♠ AQJT53 North ♠ K97 5NT Pass 7♥ All Pass ♥ 542 West East ♥ 6 ♦ T42 ♦ 9873 N-S do well to reach 7♥. North’s 3♠ said “Good hand with Heart support”, ♣ 4 Declarer ♣ J9853 South’s Redouble showed a control in ♠ Spades, 4NT asked for Aces, and the ♥ AJT873 5NT response said “Two Aces and a ♦ AQ5 void”. That void was clearly in Spades, ♣ T762 so North took a shot at the grand slam. Trusting that the ♠A was not cashing, West led a trump, at which point Declarer could see 12 top tricks. The 13th might come from the Club suit (if the Jack would come down in three rounds), or, if trumps were 2-2 then the 13th trick would come from a Club ruff in Dummy. As you can see, both these lines of play were doomed to failure, but there was a another line available, in the form of a so-called dummy reversal. Instead of counting six trump tricks in her hand plus maybe a single (Club) ruff in Dummy, Declarer reversed her thinking and went for no fewer than four Spade ruffs in her own hand. Here’s how the play started: opening trump lead won in Dummy, Spade ruff, trump to Dummy (East showing out, and putting paid to any ideas of a Club ruff in Dummy) and another Spade ruff. Back to Dummy with a Club, another Spade ruff, back to Dummy with the ♦J, and a fourth Spade ruff.
    [Show full text]
  • Hall of Fame Takes Five
    Friday, July 24, 2009 Volume 81, Number 1 Daily Bulletin Washington, DC 81st Summer North American Bridge Championships Editors: Brent Manley and Paul Linxwiler Hall of Fame takes five Hall of Fame inductee Mark Lair, center, with Mike Passell, left, and Eddie Wold. Sportsman of the Year Peter Boyd with longtime (right) Aileen Osofsky and her son, Alan. partner Steve Robinson. If standing ovations could be converted to masterpoints, three of the five inductees at the Defenders out in top GNT flight Bridge Hall of Fame dinner on Thursday evening The District 14 team captained by Bob sixth, Bill Kent, is from Iowa. would be instant contenders for the Barry Crane Top Balderson, holding a 1-IMP lead against the They knocked out the District 9 squad 500. defending champions with 16 deals to play, won captained by Warren Spector (David Berkowitz, Time after time, members of the audience were the fourth quarter 50-9 to advance to the round of Larry Cohen, Mike Becker, Jeff Meckstroth and on their feet, applauding a sterling new class for the eight in the Grand National Teams Championship Eric Rodwell). The team was seeking a third ACBL Hall of Fame. Enjoying the accolades were: Flight. straight win in the event. • Mark Lair, many-time North American champion Five of the six team members are from All four flights of the GNT – including Flights and one of ACBL’s top players. Minnesota – Bob and Cynthia Balderson, Peggy A, B and C – will play the round of eight today. • Aileen Osofsky, ACBL Goodwill chair for nearly Kaplan, Carol Miner and Paul Meerschaert.
    [Show full text]
  • The Alt Invitational V
    ALT V BULLETIN 4 THE ALT Friday, May 29, 2020 editor: Christina Lund Madsen INVITATIONAL V [email protected] logistics: Rosalind Hengeveld big data: Joyce Tito MAY 25 - 29 2020 Previous Winners Face in Final After two close semifinals, two previous winners face each other in the final of the Alt Invitational V. De Botton needed their carry over to beat Street in an e♥austing semifinal last night, and Gupta PRE-BULLETIN wouldTHE have lost toALT Blass had it not been for one boardMonday, May worth 11, 2020 20 IMPs. editor: Christina Lund Madsen During today's final the BBO-commentators are [email protected] to show up in full power to honour Roland INVITATIONALWald, who passed away suddenly. Let us hope theylogistics: Rosalindwill have Hengeveld much to talk about. MAY 11-15, 2020 big data: Joyce Tito We are looking forward to an actionpacked final. online bridge events organized by bid72, bridge24 & netbridge.online THE ALT INVITATIONAL PRE-BULLETIN Final Important NoticeTHE ALT Monday, May 11, 2020 editor: Christina Lund Madsen Friday [email protected] 29 at 10.00 EDT/16.00 CET All players MAYshould 11-15, enter 2020 BBO 10 INVITATIONAL logistics: Rosalind Hengeveld minutes before their matchMAY starts 11-15, 2020 at big data: Joyce3 Tito x 12 boards online bridge events organized by bid72, bridge24 & netbridge.online the latest. Tournamentonline bridgedirector events organized Denis by bid72, bridge24 & netbridge.online Dobrin is waiting for you and will De Botton vs. Gupta instruct you where to sit. THE ALT INVITATIONAL MAY 11-15, 2020 online bridge events organized by bid72, bridge24 & netbridge.online sign up for the newsletter sign up for the newsletter - 1 - The lightning that by Christina Lund Madsen backfired There are many stories of lightner doubles It is hard to blame East for doubling for a backfiring, and this was one of the more heart lead.
    [Show full text]
  • Bridgehands Emag Newsletter Notrump Leads February 2006
    BridgeHands eMag Newsletter Notrump Leads February 2006 Dear Michael, For the last few months, we featured two of declarer’s favorite play strategies – the finesse and the promotion play. This month in our first of a two part article, we will explore considerations for the defender to make the best lead when opponents are playing a Notrump contract. There’s more to this game beyond leading your fourth-best card: find out why. With our focus on leads this month, let’s review the Laws when something goes awry on the opening lead. Everyone loves to open a hand for bidding. Last month we learned how the “Rule of 15” gives us another hand evaluation criterion when partner is a passed hand. Now let’s explore the “Rule of 20” - a third hand evaluation method, useful even when partner hasn’t bid. My, partner, you have great shape – referring to your hand distribution, of course! Some hands have cute colloquial names associated with them to describe the shape: Swan, Rattlesnake, Two/Three Suiter, Pancake, (Ugly) Duckling, Freak, and Stiff. Regardless of how you play the cards, use these clichés and you’ll sound like you really know your stuff after you have finished this month's newsletter. Note: Viewing the hands below requires your EMAIL reader to use "fixed fonts" (not proportional). If you have problems reading this document, please view our online web-based copy or Adobe Acrobat PDF file suitable for printing at the BridgeHands website Leads: Trading a promotion for a finesse Last month we investigated scenarios where declarer promoted long suits to establish extra tricks.
    [Show full text]
  • Leads and Signals
    Leads and Signals o All things being equal, we tend to be on defense about half the time; and leading about half of this time o Opening lead frequently sets up the pattern on defense o Cooperation between partners on defense is extremely important — Don’t try to set your opponents all by yourself; enlist your partner in the effort by signaling what you hold — Watch what partner plays and infer defensive approach he is suggesting and cooperate Leading o The key to selecting an opening lead is to listen to the auction and infer what that says about everyone’s hand — Has your partner bid --> Possible indication of suit to lead — Have the opponents bid easily and swiftly to game with no interference and you have near an opening hand --> your partner has nothing and the defense is “up to you” — Have the opponents struggled and found a secondary place to play -- > They may not have enough trump and a trump lead might be appropriate — Do you have “Connected Honors (I.e., an AK)” --> then you might want to lead the honor to see what dummy has and then make your “real” lead — Do you have a series (I.e., QJT9) -- If you can lead enough times, you can eventually drive out their honors Example hand Example hand - Solved Types of Leads o Aggressive/Active -- Use if opponents have side source of tricks o Tapping -- Use when you have length in trump suit; try to make opponents use their trump by ruffing your long suit o High roller leads -- Very aggressive and gambling leads; usually want to use only in team games where payoff for gamble is large; can
    [Show full text]
  • February 24, 2017 President Donald J. Trump the White House United States of America
    February 24, 2017 President Donald J. Trump The White House United States of America Dear President Trump, Since the founding of this country, science has been fundamental to the advancement of sound policy and economic prosperity and innovation. Science improves the lives of Americans, stimulates our economy, advances our understanding of our world, and protects us and our families from harm. As you select advisors that will help you to draft a blueprint for American policy, we urge you to make appointing a Science Advisor an immediate priority. Science is in the DNA of the United States. It plays an integral part in our nation's security, economic growth, public health, and infrastructure. Appointing a Science Advisor quickly will enable the Administration to maximize investments in science and develop a strategic plan that secures America’s leadership in science. The Science Advisor will assist your administration in driving innovation, and provide scientifically sound solutions to the pressing issues facing our nation today; including updating deteriorating infrastructure, combatting health epidemics, providing clean air and water, and securing valuable natural resources and minerals. Appointing a Science Advisor is a smart investment for our nation and for keeping our position as a scientific leader globally. Due to the integral role of the Science Advisor, we urge you to appoint an individual with a strong scientific background who understands the rigorous scientific method, the need for evidence-based science, and who can leverage the collaborative nature of the scientific community and the value of scientific research in shaping America’s future. As supporters of science, we urge you to work with our scientific organizations as you commence the selection process and the important task of advancing America’s scientific enterprise.
    [Show full text]
  • Squeeze Plays
    The Squeeze Play By James R. Klein **** The most fascinating of all advanced plays in bridge is undoubtedly the squeeze play. Since the origin of bridge, the ability to execute the squeeze play has been one of the many distinguishing marks of the expert player. What is more important is the expert's ability to recognize that a squeeze exists and therefore make all the necessary steps to prepare for it. Often during the course of play the beginner as well as the advanced player has executed a squeeze merely because it was automatic. The play of a long suit with defender holding all the essential cards will accomplish this. The purpose of the squeeze play is quite simple. It is to create an extra winner with a card lower than the defender holds by compelling the latter to discard it to protect a vital card in another suit. While the execution of the squeeze play at times may seem complex, the average player may learn a great deal by studying certain principles that are governed by it. 1. It is important to determine which of the defenders holds the vital cards. This may be accomplished in many ways; for example, by adverse bidding, by a revealing opening lead, by discards and signals but most often by the actual fall of the cards. This is particularly true when one of the defenders fails to follow suit on the first or second trick. 2. It is important after the opening lead is made to count the sure tricks before playing to the first trick.
    [Show full text]
  • Glossary of Bridge Terms
    GLOSSARY OF BRIDGE TERMS Alert When your partner makes a conventional bid you must alert this to the opponents by knocking the table (or displaying the ‘Alert’ card if using bidding boxes). Auction Another term for the bidding. Avoidance An attempt to prevent a particular defender from regaining the lead. Balanced A hand containing no void, no singleton and not more than one Hand doubleton. Barrier When planning your opener's rebid, imagine a ‘barrier’ just above your first suit at the next level up. A new suit rebid below the barrier shows 12-15 points (occasionally 16 or 17 points after a 1 level response when opener doesn’t have enough for a jump shift). A new suit rebid above the barrier that isn’t a jump shift shows 16-19 points (also known as a reverse). Blocked A suit is blocked if there is a high card in the short hand that prevents the suit from being cashed. A player will often aim to unblock the suit. Break The way in which the defenders’ cards in a particular suit are divided between their two hands. For example, a 4-2 break indicates that with 6 cards in a suit missing, one defender has 4 cards of the suit and his partner has 2 cards. Also referred to as split. Cash Playing a card that is certain to win the trick. This card is known as a master. Clear a suit Knocking out the opponents’ last stopper in a suit, after which it will be possible to cash one’s tricks in the suit.
    [Show full text]
  • The Law Wins
    THE LAW WINS A Brief Look at the Law of Total Tricks* Most of you have heard about the Law of Total Tricks. The following is an attempt to explain it. Whether or not you have heard it discussed, it is applied by experts and the better bridge players frequently and with great success. Simply, the Law of Total Tricks says that the total number of tricks available on a bridge deal in a competitive auction is equal to the total number of trumps. The total number of tricks means the combined total tricks available to both sides if each were to play a contract in their longest and best trump fit assuming best play and defense. The total number of trumps means the combined total of trumps and is reached by adding together the number of trumps from each side's best trump suit. Sound a little difficult? It really isn=t....it=s just a little difficult to put it into an easily understood paragraph! I suggest that read and reread the above until you think you understand it. Now why, you might ask, do you care? The Law of Total Tricks is a tool to be used in competitive bidding situations. The law infers that the total trick count is constant and that neither the location of high cards nor the distribution of the suits changes it. With proper application of the Law, better decisions can be made on whether to bid more or to defend. Look at the following hand to see how the Law of Total Tricks works: North Í KJ6 Ì AQ102 Ë QJ10 Ê K98 West East Í 1043 Í AQ52 Ì 953 Ì K4 Ë 932 Ë K84 Ê AQ107 Ê J654 South Í 987 Ì J876 Ë A765 Ê 32 In this example North-South's best fit is hearts (8) and East-West's best fit is clubs (8).
    [Show full text]
  • Beginner's Bridge Notes
    z x w y BEGINNER’S BRIDGE NOTES z x w y Leigh Harding PLAYING THE CARDS IN TRUMP CONTRACTS INTRODUCTION TO BRIDGE Bridge is a game for four people playing in two partnerships. A standard pack of 52 cards is used. There are four Suits: z Spades, y Hearts, x Don’t play a single card until you have planned how you will make your Diamonds and w Clubs. Each suit has thirteen cards in the order: contract! A,K,Q,J,10,9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2. Ace is high. The plan will influence decisions you will have to make during the play, THE PLAY for example knowing when to delay drawing trumps, instead of drawing them all at the beginning. The cards are dealt so that each player receives 13 cards. It is best to arrange them in your hand with alternating red suits and black suits. The bidding starts with the dealer. After the bidding is over, one pair STEP 1. Know how many tricks you need to make your contract! become the declaring side. One member of this pair called the Declarer, plays the hand while the opponents Defend the hand. STEP 2. Estimate how many tricks in trump suit (assume most likely split). The partner of the declarer, called the Dummy, puts all of his cards face STEP 3. Count certain tricks in the other three suits. up on the table and takes no further part in the play. Declarer plays both hands, his own and dummy’s. The first person to play a card is the STEP 4.
    [Show full text]