Saturday, January 18, 2003 6:22 AM

Opening Leads - Patterns

PITBULLS:

Opening leads are just a bidding skill . The more experienced a player is with bidding , the better her opening leads . It is not by accident that the Bridge World and other publications always include opening lead problems with their bidding quizzes . You know how strongly I have been beating the drums for “thinking in patterns” . Well , opening leads are the main area where this skill is applied . You listen to the bidding , ask them questions , apply patterns to get a hypothetical “lie of the land “ before you make the opening lead . Translating bidding into patterns should be a Bridge skill developed just like the simple finesse was in your Bridge past. The skill is applied on opening leads , defense , declarer play & even during the bidding itself. Develop and practice this skill. You will be amazed how much your Bridge improves !

Opening leads are the start to your defense. Do not make an opening lead until you have translated their bidding into a hand pattern. I repeat , do not make an opening lead until you have translated the bidding at the table into a hand pattern. This blueprint will be modified as the hand unfolds but this forms your plan of attack initially. You have ♠Qxx ♥x ♦Q10xx ♣Q10xxx and the auction goes 1♣ to your left , double by partner , 1♥ by them & all pass. What is going on here. The only thing you know is that partner is short in clubs for her T/O double & as 4 or 5 hearts for not competing again. This is all we have in which to work so this must suffice. So a club lead is the last lead you make as partner is short in that suit. You do not want to tap partner who has long hearts or attack their club suit. You choose a diamond or a spade so 1♥ is defeated.

Here is another easy one involving BJ vrs Perry. The auction goes 1♣ pass & 1♥ by Perry. A 2♥ rebid by Perry , a 3♣ rebid by the opener. Now Perry bids 3♦ followed by a reluctant preference to 3♥. BJ is on lead with ♠AQxx ♥xx ♦QJx ♣QJxx so you translate the bidding into patterns before you lead. There is a 7 card club suit on the board opposite a void, which is obvious from the bidding. Perry shows 10 red cards so probably has 3 small spades. The spades will be pitched on the clubs if you lead “blind” . BJ leads the Spade Ace and the board was stronger than expected. ♠xx ♥A ♦Kxx ♣AKxxxxx . BJ leads the Ace of spades and I signal that I like the lead. BJ continues with the queen of spades and everybody follows. BJ switches to the diamond queen and Perry plays the King . I win the Ace and return a diamond and BJ cashes 2♦ tricks. Now BJ returns a spade ruffed on the board with the heart Ace. Since I have 5 hearts to the 108765 he has uppercutted a heart trick for me! I discarded a club on the 3^rd diamond so Perry only gets 1 club trick & possibly 4 heart tricks for 4 down.

Now for a tough one from the same night .

♠KQxxxx ♥KQ ♦Q109x ♣x

Against players who have not played very long , you hear the auction go 1♥ to your right , 1NT response and opener reverses with 2♠ . The responder now bids 3♣ & in truly beginner fashion the auction now goes 4♣ , 5♣ , 6♣ so you are on lead . O.K. apply patterns to determine what is the best guess scenerio on the “lie of the land “ around the table . LHO shows 5♥ ,4♠ and probably 1♦ and 3 trump . What is responders hand ? Well he is short in hearts probably only one so partner has 5 hearts . You have 10 spades counted so declarer has 1 or 2 spades . That gives declarer a 1-1-4-7 or a 2-1-3-7 . Where are they going to get their tricks ? Hearts are breaking horribly for them & you have the KQ of hearts. Spades are not a source of tricks for them . The main source of tricks will be them ruffing diamonds on the board . You lead a trump , the board comes down with

A	A	K	A
J	x		K
x	x		x
x	x
	x

x	x	J	Q
		x	J
		x	x
		x	x
			x
			x
			x

By applying patterns i.e. thinking in patterns before you lead , you just have saved 26 IMPS . A trump lead & continuation by partner beats 6♣ two tricks ! . Another lead and a non trump switch by partner when he gets in with the DA & you are –1370 ! Do not be afraid to lead a stiff trump if the auction calls for it. The bidding over-rides any rote “rules” that apply to opening leads. The bidding over-rides any suit combinations or sequences you have in your hand. Partner should even know what you are going to lead from the bidding. There should be no blind opening leads just deaf opening leaders ( before bidding boxes ) .