LC07 Opening Leads Lesson Board 1

Take the West hand below for the first Lesson Deal:

Vul:None
Dlr: South		 ♠ 
♥ 
♦ 
♣ 
  
♠ 1043
♥ 543
♦ 8765
♣ A32
   ♠ 
♥ 
♦ 
♣ 
  ♠ 
♥ 
♦ 
♣ 
  


  • The dealer on your right opens 1♠. The auction is shown in the top right as indicated.

    We'll start you with a very easy question. What is your call?  Ha-ha.

    Choose One:
    1. -

    Pass

    2. -

    Double

    3. -

    Other

    Answer: 1

    Pass. If you got this one wrong, bridge is probably not for you.

    Your result so far:
    Next


  • After your incredible decision to Pass, North raises to 2♠, your partner overcalls 2♠ (as shown) and South jumps to 4♠ and everyone passes.

    Think it over and decide what to lead.

    Choose One:
    1. -

    ♠10

    2. -

    ♠3

    3. -

    ♠Any

    4. -

    ♠8

    5. -

    Other ♠

    6. -

    ♠A

    7. -

    ♠2

    Answer: 2

    ♠3. Lead partner's suit, but not the ♠10.

    As explained in the lesson, that is the "1970's" lead; where they used to teach us to lead the highest card in partner's suit.

    In modern bridge, we lead low.

    Why? In the next "question" we will look at the full deal.

    Your result so far:
    Next

  • This is the full deal:

    After your (correct) low spade lead, dummy will play low and your partner will win the ♠J.
    At trick 2, what will East play?

    Choose One:
    1. -

    A trump.

    2. -

    A diamond.

    3. -

    ♠Q

    4. -

    High Spade.

    Answer: 4

    For all East knows, your lead is a singleton. He should try to at least cash another spade while he can.

    Your result so far:
    Next

  • After East's high spade takes the second trick, what would he do at Trick 3?

     

    Choose One:
    1. -

    Try to cash the third spade trick.

    2. -

    Trump

    3. -

    Diamond

    4. -

    ♠Q

    Answer: 4

    ♠Q. Because you led correctly (low), East knows that the 3rd round of spades won't cash. He knows you have the third spade (not declarer). You led low and then played a higher one, so you can't have a doubleton.

    He can see that if he plays another spade, declarer might take lots of trumps and diamonds.

    His best chance is to shift to the ♠Q,

    Your result so far:
    Next

  • So, what is the conclusion?

    Choose One:
    1. -

    Any lead on this deal would have worked.

    2. -

    Any spade lead would have worked.

    3. -

    West had to lead a low spade.

    Answer: 3

    West had to lead a low spade.

    If West had led the ♠10, East would have gotten the defense wrong. East would have read West for a singleton or doubleton ♠10. He would win the ♠J and cash (or so he'd think) 3 spade tricks. He would expect West had only 2, so that declarer would then have 3. On the third spade, South would ruff and draw trump, taking 10 tricks (5 hearts and 5 diamonds). Declarer would run diamonds, throwing away 3 clubs.

    On any defense but a low spade lead and the eventual club switch, the contract would make.

    Click here to go to Deal 2.

    Your result so far:
    Next