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Avoiding Disaster: The Best Lead of All.

Today’s deal was played 18 times in 4H and somewhat surprisingly half the time, the contract made. Yet, looking at all four hands, it seems so easy to defeat. Firstly, though, what would be your opening lead?

 

 

 

A standard pre-empt and a straightforward auction…and your lead is?

It cannot be wrong to lead your partner’s suit, can it? Partner has 7 of the missing 10 spades and it was a pre-empt at adverse vulnerability. So, they should hold the king.

All true but there seems very little danger in not leading spades. You have good holdings in the minor suits and it is hard to believe anything really bad would happen if you select an apparently passive trump lead.

In fact, the A was not a great lead but there was a danger in a trump lead, too. Take a look:

 

 

There is one trick for the defence in each suit. The problem is getting that club trick. If West leads a trump at trick 1, East has to be alert. It might seem right to continue trumps but that creates a problem for the defence.

With the A with East and some spade honours (maybe not the ace as West is more likely to lead a spade if they hold Q than A), then South knows where A and K are. Thus, South can win the second trump in hand and lead K. Ducking this and winning the second diamond spells disaster for West.

So, they have to win the ace and if they play their last trump, then a slightly brave diamond finesse (West is marked with more diamonds than East) will see both South’s spades discarded on two diamond winners… making 10 tricks.

So, West must cash A after taking A and exit a diamond or spade… but now the diamond finesse allows for 3 club discards…4 making once again.

On a trump lead, East must find a club switch at trick 2. If West does start with A and a second spade, then it will be much easier for East to find the club switch when in with the A.

Say after A and a second spade, South plays K. West can duck as long as East has a small trump to ruff the third round of diamonds. Declarer will lose one of their three discards for clubs. Yet, if West takes the A at the first opportunity, then West has no more entries and the club loser can disappear.

The best lead of all.

So, you can see why 4 succeeded as often as it failed.  Well, if it is not a high spade or a trump lead  (of course, the trump and club switch is the best defence)  neither minor suit lead really appeals or is ideal. 

So, the best lead of all is any lead from South except a low club. Yes, I mean South.  We can see that 4 can be beaten but with a likely 7 spade tricks and threatening cards in the minors, why is West hanging around to try and beat this contract? A vul v not pre-empt should be sound. The most comfortable place for West is as dummy.

A heart lead (what an ugly choice South has) and successful spade finesse will leave East with the relatively simple job of playing a club to the king (South did overcall) to make 10 tricks.

If South is smart enough to lead a low club at trick 1, then choose a less inspired opponent next time you play such a deal! + 50 or – 420 or + 620? I know which score I would prefer as West and there is only one way of getting that and avoiding an awkward lead of your own and potentially awkward defence too.

Rubber Bridge update.

Last Friday, we told of the results of 3 of the 4 quarter finals in the 2021 National Rubber Bridge competition. In the fourth quarter final, Central Districts’ Michelle England and Phil Beale took on Wellington’s Anthony Ker and Russell Dive.

After 17 of the 30 boards, Michelle and Phil led by 640 and had had the lead for most of the time up to that point. However, perhaps, they stopped for a cup of tea, a sure sign of a change in fortunes in Rubber as at the end of Board 30, Anthony and Russell had a lead of 3,020 and will advance to the semi-finals to play Sam and Jo Simpson while in the other semi-final, Fiona Temple and John Kruiniger will play Martin Reid and Peter Newell.

Final Results of Kelly Peirse Open Teams.

Following the ruling of an appeal, the final results of the tournament have now been declared. Full results are on the Rotorua and Waikato Bays websites. Congratulations to the top placings who were:

1. 88.08  Colin Carryer – Sandra Calvert, Kate Davies- John Patterson

2. 84.44  Pat Carter – Julie Atkinson, Jenny Millington – Barry Jones

3. 83.25  Carol Richardson – Andi Boughey, Liz and Blair Fisher

4. 82.03  Alice Young – George Sun, William and Jeter Liu

5. 77.60  Jo and Sam Simpson, Grant Jarvis- Tim Schumacher

                                          The Winners

             
 Sandra and Colin                                John and Kate

A Bid for Wednesday

 

 

You are playing Teams with neither side vulnerable. Your partner’s 1 followed by 2 shows 9-14 hcp with 6 clubs (no particular diamond holding). Would they really bid with 9? Your bid?

Richard Solomon

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