Improver Lessons

Leads and Discards

Plan your opening lead

• Why?• Watch bidding – what is it telling you?• Start thinking about your lead during bidding

if it looks likely opposition will win contract

Plan your opening lead

• Use REAL

Review the biddingExamine your cardsAnalyse the situationLead after thinking through the above

Review the bidding

• Confidant auction? 1H 2H 4H– Take a risk

• Struggling auction? Eg 1H 2H 3H 4H– Play a safe lead so not to give away a trick on lead

J X X X76 T A K 7 6 5 2

K 8 6 3T X A X X XT 4 3

A QA K Q X X Q J X X X X

X X X J X X X K X X X Q J

Dlr: EVul: N-S

N E S W P 1H P 2H P 3H P P P

What would you lead from W?

J X X X X76 2 - K J 7 6 5 2

K 8 6 3T X K X X XT 4 3

A QA K Q X Q J X X X X X

X X X J X X X A X X X A Q

Dlr: EVul: N-S

N E S W P 1D P 1H P 4H P P P

What would you lead from W?

Examine your cards

• Top of touching honours– KQXX in suit and KQJXX in NT– T9XX– KJT– QT9XX

• AX doubleton• AK or AK?– AK doubleton AND AKXX– or vice-versas

Examine your cards• Top of sequence (2+ in suit and 3+ in NT contract)• Low from an honour– T 4 2– Q 8 6 4– J 8 4

• MUD when not partner’s bid suit– 9 5 4– 8 7 3– 9762

• Doubleton (high then low)

Differences

• Suit– AT95– AQ T98– A JT– A K XX– A X X X X– KQXX

• NT– AT95– AQT98– AJT– AKXX– A X X X X– KQJXX

Lead after consideration

• Suit contracts• NT contracts

Suit contracts – partner’s bid suit

• Your partner’s bid suit– Low from an honour– Highest from a doubleton– Highest (then middle) of worthless tripleton eg

964– Singleton– Consider leading another side suit if opposition

may be void

Suit contracts

• Lead an unbid suit. Often the other major can be a good lead eg H if in S contract

• Top of a sequence of at least two touching honours eg KQxxx

• Top internal sequence K JTxx / Q T98• A from AK• K promises the A or Q eg AKxx, KQxx

Suit contracts – trump lead If contract high for point count (as declarer will be relying

on ruffs) EG 1s -2s -3s-4s Sacrifice bid When NT been a consideration by opposition eg 1S-2S-2NT-

4S Slam contract Safe lead

X Not if you have ++trumps – lead your long suitX Not if you hold one trumpX From honour doubleton eg Q5

Suit contracts – more desperate

• Small card if you have the K or Q in suit eg Q 8 6 4 - lead the 4

• Doubletoneg 9 7

• Middle Up Down (MUD) in unbid suiteg 9 8 5 4 - lead the 8

Suit contracts - singletons

• Singleton if there is a good chance partner may have A & you have trumps

How to get in a 2nd ruff….

• Contract 4S

9 7 6 4 A7 Q T 7 6 4Q 6 4 3 9 87 6 5 3 2 A 4 3 2

What NOT to lead in a suit contract

• Any card if holding an unsupported Ace in suit eg A 9 8 3. If you do lead this suit, lead ACE

• From split honours unless not much choice AQX

• Honour trump doubletons eg Q4• A singleton if you don’t have trumps or

partner unlikely to have Ace / a way to return suit in time

• Singleton trump

Play boards

• 1/9 and 2/10

No trump contracts

• 4th highest longest and strongest suit eg QJ54• Note that if 2 led, that it is from a 4 card suit,

3?• Your partner’s bid suit (low if you have an

honour and 2+ more / high if you do not have an honour or only have two cards eg Qx)

• A major suit if Stayman not used eg 1NT – 3NT• Lead through strength and away from your

weakness

No trump contracts

• Top of a sequence if 3+ honours • eg QJ10XX or close QJ9XX

No trump contracts

• A major suit if Stayman not used eg 1NT – 3NT

J X X XX X X T X A K 7 2

K 8 6 3T X X A X X T 4 3

A X XA J X X A K X X K X

Q X K X X Q X X X J X X X

Dlr: EVul: N-S

N E S W P 1D P 1NT P 3NT P P P

What would you lead from E?

No trump contracts

• Lead through strength and away from your weakness

J T 5 4Q 76 2 X K J 7 6

K 8 6 T X X K X X T 4 3 X

A Q X XA K Q J X X X X X

X X J X X X A X X X A Q X

Dlr: EVul: N-S

N E S W P 1D P 1H P 2S P 3NT P P P

What would you lead from E?

Play boards

• 3/11 and 5/13 and 7/15

Leads against a slam

• Don’t give away a trick!• Trump often a safe lead• Don’t lead an Ace without King• Singleton if p may have Ace• Look at bidding – may p have an Ace?

Signaling on a lead in a suit contract

Reverse Attitude• Little - I LIKE• High - discouraging

What would you play if your partner led the following card?

1. KS (answer= 4)2. KC (answer= 8)3. KD (answer= 7, then 8 next round)4. KH (answer= 3)

A 7 5 4 Q 9 6 3 8 7 5 8 3

Discards in a NT contract

• Any suit you do NOT like• Want something more sophisticated?• Try Lavinthal- The 6+ in suit says you want the HIGHER of

the other 2 suits- 2-5 in suit says you want the LOWER of the

other 2 suits

What would you discard when C is played?

1.To show a S2.To show a D3.To show a H

A Q 9 7 6 3 K 7 4

K 78 7 5 A 7

JA 7 6 3 K 7 3

What would you discard when D is played?

1.To show a S2.To show a H3.To show a C

A Q 9 7 6 3 K 7 4

K 78 7 5 A 7

JA 7 6 3 K 7 3

In summary

• Use REAL

Review the biddingExamine your cardsAnalyse the situationLead after thinking through the above

Play boards

• 4/12 and 6/14 and 8/16