Tuesday, August 03, 2010 

Hand Evaluation Visualization ( Opening Leads )

PITBULLS:

Opening leads are an example of the art of visualization in the game of Bridge. Visualization thru the application of patterns usually determine your opening lead. Opening leads are tied to the bidding . When you do not understand bidding principles , your opening leads are just a random guess. 4th best from longest & strongest is a random guess meaning the bidding has not told you what to lead. When the opponents have not bid Stayman , not bid a suit  or otherwise have advertized a chink in their armour , they have told you want to lead.

        There are many many auctions that demand a lead. I find it amazing when partner goes into a huge tank figuring out to lead when the auction has made the lead obvious to everyone including the janitor washing the floor in the background. When the auction demands a certain lead - lead it ! Do not try to be a hero & guess an anti-percentage lead . Bad leads are very much bad Bridge.

        I was playing with a notoriously weak opening leader the other nite. One thing he does not understand is the relationship between a NT bid & the club suit. In matchpoints ,  he held a 3-4-5-1 15 HCP's hand which he opened 1♦ . I responder 1NT so worried about his stiff club he corrected to 2♦. This contract made on the nose for +90 but alas the field was in 1NT for +120 ! When partner bids 1NT after a 1♦ opener it is like responding in the club suit ! I do not have a major so the odds that I have clubs are very , very high. When you have a stiff major , bid 2♦ as partner is short their also.

        So not knowing the relationship between clubs & NT in the bidding means that he does not know when to not lead clubs in the bidding. A few hands later , this auction comes up .1♦-P-1♠-P

                                        1NT-P-P-P               You hold ♠987 ♥Kxxx ♦Jxx ♣Axx so you decide that a ♥ lead is out due to bad heart spots. What about a club lead ? No that is out because the opponents are more likely to hold that suit. Opener could be 4-4 in the minors. If not , the dummy has spades & clubs as responder does not have hearts ( may have bid them ) nor a rebiddable spade suit. What about spades ? Apply a spade pattern which should be the odds on lead with this auction. 4-4-3-2 with dummy & partner holds 4 of them behind the suit. Patterns have found the correct lead once again ! My partner lead a club which gave declarer an unearned trick with ♣Kxx opposite ♣xxxx . We could not recover & we received a tie for bottom for -150.

            Visualize the lie of the land with patterns before you make your opening lead. My partner opened 1♠ with ♠KJxxx ♥x ♦Qxx ♣AKxx. They overcalled 2♣ & partner made a negative double . Surprisingly the opponents bid 2♥ one of partners 2 suits which ended the auction . What is your lead ? This one is simple. Partner is odds on to be 5-4 in the reds & declarer is getting a 4-1 break. Partner sold out to 2♥ so has nothing in spades. You lead a diamond so 2♥ probably goes down. No you do not  ! You lead their suit the ♣A. Board hits with ♠Axx ♥xxx ♦Ax ♣QJ10xx . Partner plays the ♣9 showing 3 so you now underlead your club hoping to make partner ruff & saving declarer from his known bad trump break. I follow suit of course & declarer pitches a diamond. Final result  -110 & another zero.

            Another guess this player makes quite often on opening lead  is when 4 suits have been bid or implied . In these auctions unless you have a standout opening lead dictated by your own hand , the lead is automatic. You apply a pattern to dummy's 2nd bid suit & when that is favourable to your side , you lead it. You have a doubleton in dummy's 2nd bid suit so the tentative pattern is 2-4-5-2 or 2-4-4-3.  For opening leads do not be hung up on your own hand. With the aid of patterns , visualize the suit distributions around the table. When partner may hold length in a suit due to your "discovery play" of applying patterns , lead that suit. Do not tank & stare at your own hand & then make a wild random guess. Lead partners implied suit from your application of patterns. When you do not,  after a while you get a well earned reputation for being a "bad" opening leader.