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PLAY and DEFENCE for Improving Players
TOO GOOD TO LEAD
Sometimes you do not lead partner’s suit because you have your own agenda, your own suit, have your own entry. They are playing 3NT and declarer has announced a hold in your partner’s suit. Without a fair suit of your own and an outside entry, it’s best to keep partner sweet. Lead their suit, even if it works out badly!
Of course, in the bridge world, there are two exceptions. The first is unfortunate but is truly not your fault. You are void in partner’s suit! "Apology, accepted" says your partner. There is one other occasion:
You are South with the following:
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| West | North | East | South |
| 1 ♦ | 1 ♥ | 3 NT | All pass |
It’s your lead. A small heart? Certainly not the 
A. OK, once a millennium, East will try 3NT on singleton K and will be very happy to score it and and 8 other tricks for their contract. Pay out if you are the unlucky defender. They are more likely to hold Qxx or even Jxxx. Yet, has East a certain heart trick or are they just gambling on one? Your partner made a vulnerable heart overcall which normally is on a reasonable suit.
Your own hearts are just too good! Too good to lead! Try something else. No-one bid or even looked for a fit in the other major. Why not try a spade?
(One could counter the argument by saying that if declarer held KJx, you need to lead a heart at trick one to knock out their entry. This may be true but makes partner's suit worse. The worse their suit is the more outside entries they should have.)
The 
AQ appears in dummy but declarer ducks your 9 lead to your partner’s king. Partner is on your wave-length as they play Q. Declarer plays the 8 and you the 2. Next comes J from your partner and declarer a nervous 9. There is still work to be done. You must play the 10 under the jack or else you will block the suit. Partner now plays a low heart and the king and ace fall while you exit with your low heart to partner’s 7.
| West Deals Both Vul |
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| West | North | East | South |
| 1 ♦ | 1 ♥ | 3 NT | All pass |
Partner cashes their fifth heart and you ask for a diamond. Good picking by declarer will limit their loss to down 2 but they could end up three down.
A low heart lead at trick one does this time beat the contract even if declarer plays clubs for no loser. East would do really well to then escape for one down by taking no finesses.
Good defence, especially in Pairs, is about conceding less or taking more tricks than one’s opponents. Here, the best way to achieve that is not to lead partner’s suit. Your holding was just too strong!
Richard Solomon
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